In her blog for the iVillage blog series CelebVillage, actress Katherine Heigl writes about about the importance of helping her 3-year-old daughter Naleigh live up to her potential in life. forgetting sarah marshall meteor shower tonight annie oakley edc paranormal activity 4 andrew luck andrew luck
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Katherine Heigl: I Want My Daughter to Know Her Worth
Daniel Radcliffe Talks The Woman in Black
Daniel Radcliffe seems content with, as he puts it, the fading "hoopla" that surrounded playing Harry Potter for ten years. "If that steadily decreases for the rest of my life, I'll be kind of cool with that," Radcliffe admitted on the eve of the release "The Woman in Black," his first post-Potter film project. Considering his fame -- primarily fueled from playing Potter in eight separate films -- the 22-year-old actor is surprisingly self-aware.
Radcliffe realizes his current place in movie stardom. He knows that his "cachet" (again, as he puts it) will not last forever, nor do I get the impression that he wants it to last forever. Actually, from the time we spent together, I did get a vibe from Radcliffe that almost cried, "the sooner, the better." Put it this way: when searching for an apt metaphor to describe fame and fortune, Radcliffe compared it to regurgitated steak.
In "The Woman in Black" Radcliffe plays Arthur Kipp, a lawyer who discovers deep, dark secrets in a town inhabited by a seemingly child-killing ghost. An open and honest Radcliffe discussed the importance of his first post-Potter role, why he would not play another character named "Harry," and what he won't miss about the fame that came along with being Harry Potter.
They didn't screen the film for me before this interview.
I'm sorry.
I've seen the trailer. In the time we have, you could act out every scene that I've seen five times.
That's absolutely true! Yes! And it would be a lot of the same face that's in the trailer.
So you're 22 now, right?
Yes.
You do look a little older in "The Woman in Black" than what we're used to seeing.
Good.
Is that important to you?
Yep.
Why?
In the original script he's about 27. I think I could conceivably play 24 or 25 with a little bit of stubble. Also, in all of those clothes, that makes you look slightly older because you hold yourself differently. So, yeah, we were picturing him at about 24 or 25, with a 4-year old son.
Did you read the book?
Yes. I've read the book, but I've never seen the play. Weirdly, because I never really was at school -- because the play seems to be like a "school trip" play for everybody I know -- I never went to see it because I was doing "Potter." But I hear it's terrifying -- as it should be.
It would be odd if you said, "I've heard that it's hilarious."
[Laughs] Yeah, well that's the thing: the movie is very different than the book and very different than the play. And the book is different than the play. So, you know, we've all taken liberties. The original book is told in the past -- it's flashback from my character as an old man -- and that's not what it is in the film. In the film it all takes place in the present time. It's basically the idea for "The Woman in Black," the village and the tone of the book, and changed details of the story.
What if the main character's first name in this story was Harry instead of Arthur? Maybe that's a stupid question...
No, it's not stupid at all.
Would you have asked to have it changed?
Yeah, I think I might.
That's interesting.
I don't know. I think I might. It would be more of a problem if the character's name was Potter. That would be worse. But, I don't know. Maybe. On "My Boy Jack," they came to me with glasses and I was like, "Whoa, not those ones." But, yes, it's not a stupid question; it's quite an interesting one. Yeah, I think I might have asked for that to be changed. I'm not sure. I don't know how I would have felt about that. But, yeah, there's also another weird "Potter" connection with this: the guy who played my dad in "Potter" played my character in the original TV film of "The Woman in Black." So there's a few little weird "Potter" connections. But, then again, "Potter" is connected to everything. It's no longer even a coincidence. It's just inevitable.
This is your first big film role post-"Potter." How important is this movie to you?
It's important, but it's not the be-all and end-all, that's the thing. Like, people keep saying, "Oh, it's Daniel Radciffe's first film post-"Harry Potter," let's see how he does."
I don't even necessarily mean it like that. Do you feel you need to separate yourself from what you're currently known for?
Yes. But I think it's a longer... I think to put all of that pressure on one film would be ridiculous. I think, because not everyone is going to see this. A lot of people will, hopefully, but not everyone. And, also, I made peace a long time ago with the fans. There will be people who forever see me as Harry. That's fine as long as they're not controlling a casting racket in L.A., then we'll be fine. For this film, what's great about it and what's kind of perfect is that the part is different: it's older, it's playing a father. There are challenges there; stuff that will physically separate me from Harry in people's minds. But there's also the story is so compelling that after about 10 or 15 minutes of watching the film, you're going to stop thinking about me or what else I've done and just be into the film. Because it's a really brilliant story. So that's why it's kind of perfect as a first film outside of it. Because even though I'm the only "name above the title" kind of thing, once you're in there, it's not about me. It's about the story and the need to know what's going to happen. So, hopefully that will overtake.
Will you miss all the commotion that came with Harry Potter? If I were you, I can't decide if I'd miss it or not.
[Pauses] Hm...
Not the people that you worked with...
No, no, no... the fame and the circus and the hoopla...
"Hoopla." That's the word I'm looking for.
No, I don't miss the hoopla. I don't think, particularly. I'm quite happy. If I have passed my most famous point, I won't be unhappy. Like, that's OK. If, say, around the time of "Potter 7" coming out, my face is all over the world, and all of that stuff is going on at that time and all of that madness -- if that steadily decreases for the rest of my life, I'll be kind of cool with that. I had a good dose of it for 10 years. You know, I'm now content to just make my way and do a lot of films that I find interesting. There is the fight, then, is that in order to keep being able to do interesting little things, you have to do that George Clooney thing of doing a big movie like an "Oceans 11" -- which are still very good movies -- so that you can go off and do "Syriana" or "Good Night and Good Luck," or whatever. So I suppose that's the challenge in the future. For now, I still have "Potter" behind me and people still associate me with this big thing. So, while my name has some cachet, I guess...
It does.
It does, for now. But, you know, it won't forever. And, so, while it still does, I've got a chance to make some really interesting films.
So when you look at the hoopla, what part are you most glad is over? Is it so you have time to make different movies?
That's the thing...
You had time for stage productions...
But not for films. I won't miss having to tell people, "No, I won't be available for another year and a half." I won't miss that. Look, there's always going to be premieres and all of that. That kind of stuff. I won't miss the mania that kind of surrounds it. But it's not like I disliked any of that at the same time. It's one of those things where you go, I don't know -- it's the equivalent of having a really, really good steak. Like, you have it, then it's gone. You don't miss it. You don't go, "Oh, I wish that steak were back here." You go, "Damn, I enjoyed that."
I've missed steak before.
OK, but you don't want to regurgitate it and eat it again!
That's fair.
But that's the kind of thing I'd say about "Potter." It was like a good steak for 10 years, I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't try and bring it back up.
At one point you were attached to play photographer Dan Eldon. What happened?
Yeah, yeah... I was attached to that for a while. We felt that the script changes were needed.
My ex-girlfriend went to high school with him, so it's a project that I've paid attention to.
Oh, really? Yeah, it was a great script. And then I read a little more about his life and the script was fantastic, but it wasn't entirely -- reading about Dan, as well as being an inspirational and amazing person, he was also abrasive. And he annoyed a lot of people. He had a knack for pissing people off.
I've heard that.
And that wasn't in the script. And I felt that it needed that. So, yeah, that was the reason for that.
Mike Ryan is the senior writer for Moviefone. He has written for Wired Magazine, VanityFair.com, GQ.com, New York Magazine and Movieline. He likes Star Wars a lot. You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter
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Pythons apparently wiping out Everglades mammals (AP)
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. ? A burgeoning population of huge pythons ? many of them pets that were turned loose by their owners when they got too big ? appears to be wiping out large numbers of raccoons, opossums, bobcats and other mammals in the Everglades, a study says.
The study, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that sightings of medium-size mammals are down dramatically ? as much as 99 percent, in some cases ? in areas where pythons and other large, non-native constrictor snakes are known to be lurking.
Scientists fear the pythons could disrupt the food chain and upset the Everglades' environmental balance in ways difficult to predict.
"The effects of declining mammal populations on the overall Everglades ecosystem, which extends well beyond the national park boundaries, are likely profound," said John Willson, a research scientist at Virginia Tech University and co-author of the study.
Tens of thousands of Burmese pythons, which are native to Southeast Asia, are believed to be living in the Everglades, where they thrive in the warm, humid climate. While many were apparently released by their owners, others may have escaped from pet shops during Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and have been reproducing ever since.
Burmese pythons can grow to be 26 feet long and more than 200 pounds, and they have been known to swallow animals as large as alligators. They and other constrictor snakes kill their prey by coiling around it and suffocating it.
The National Park Service has counted 1,825 Burmese pythons that have been caught in and around Everglades National Park since 2000. Among the largest so far was a 156-pound, 16.4-foot one captured earlier this month.
For the study, researchers drove 39,000 miles along Everglades-area roads from 2003 through 2011, counting wildlife spotted along the way and comparing the results with surveys conducted on the same routes in 1996 and 1997.
The researchers found staggering declines in animal sightings: a drop of 99.3 percent among raccoons, 98.9 percent for opossums, 94.1 percent for white-tailed deer and 87.5 percent for bobcats. Along roads where python populations are believed to be smaller, declines were lower but still notable.
Rabbits and foxes, which were commonly spotted in 1996 and 1997, were not seen at all in the later counts. Researchers noted slight increases in coyotes, Florida panthers, rodents and other mammals, but discounted that finding because so few were spotted overall.
"The magnitude of these declines underscores the apparent incredible density of pythons in Everglades National Park," said Michael Dorcas, a professor at Davidson College in North Carolina and lead author of the study.
Although scientists cannot definitively say the pythons are killing off the mammals, the snakes are the prime suspect. The increase in pythons coincides with the mammals' decrease, and the decline appears to grow in magnitude with the size of the snakes' population in an area. A single disease appears unlikely to be the cause since several species were affected.
The report says the effect on the overall ecosystem is hard to predict. Declines among bobcats and foxes, which eat rabbits, could be linked to pythons' feasting on rabbits. On the flip side, declines among raccoons, which eat eggs, may help some turtles, crocodiles and birds.
Scientists point with concern to what happened in Guam, where the invasive brown tree snake has killed off birds, bats and lizards that pollinated trees and flowers and dispersed seeds. That has led to declines in native trees, fish-eating birds and certain plants.
In 2010, Florida banned private ownership of Burmese pythons. Earlier this month, U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced a federal ban on the import of Burmese pythons and three other snakes.
Salazar said Monday that the study shows why such restrictions were needed.
"This study paints a stark picture of the real damage that Burmese pythons are causing to native wildlife and the Florida economy," he said.
___
Follow Matt Sedensky at http://www.twitter.com/sedensky
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Monday, January 30, 2012
SAG Awards Fashion Face-Off: Kaley Cuoco vs. Shailene Woodley
It's a clash of stylish actresses from The Big Bang Theory vs. The Secret Life in THG's latest Fashion Face-Off from the 2012 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Every nerd's fantasy, Kaley Cuoco looked simply dazzling in her light blue gown, while Shailene Woodley, who branched out from her ABC Family hit to star alongside George Clooney in The Descendants, looked equally beautiful in a floral-patterned dress.
No one will really lose this Face-Off, but there can be only one winner, and it's up to you to pick it! Vote for the best dressed in our survey below!
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As?US wavers on pipeline, Canada eyes China
KITAMAAT VILLAGE, British Columbia?? The latest chapter in Canada's quest to become a full-blown oil superpower unfolded this month in a village gym on the British Columbia coast.
Here, several hundred people gathered for hearings on whether a pipeline should be laid from the Alberta oil sands to the Pacific in order to deliver oil to Asia, chiefly energy-hungry China. The stakes are particularly high for the village of Kitamaat and its neighbors, because the pipeline would terminate here and a port would be built to handle 220 tankers a year and 525,000 barrels of oil a day.
But the planned Northern Gateway Pipeline is just one aspect of an epic battle over Canada's oil ambitions ? a battle that already has a supporting role in the U.S. presidential election, and which will help to shape North America's future energy relationship with China.
It actually is a tale of two pipelines ? the one that is supposed to end at Kitamaat Village, and another that would have gone from Alberta to the Texas coast but was blocked by the Obama administration citing environmental grounds.
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Those same environmental issues are certain to haunt Northern Gateway as the Joint Review Panel of energy and environmental officials canvasses opinion along the 731 mile route of the Northern Gateway pipeline to be built by Enbridge, a Canadian company.
The fear of oil spills is especially acute in this pristine corner of northwest British Columbia, with its snowcapped mountains and deep ocean inlets. People here still remember the Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989, and oil is still leaking from the Queen of the North, a ferry that sank off nearby Hartley Bay six years ago.
Story: GOP tries new strategy to get Canada pipelineThe seas nearby, in the Douglas Channel, "are very treacherous waters," says David Suzuki, a leading environmentalist. "You take a supertanker that takes miles in order to stop, (and) an accident is absolutely inevitable."
Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canada's national interest makes the $5.5 billion pipeline essential. He was "profoundly disappointed" that U.S. President Barack Obama rejected the Texas Keystone XL option but also spoke of the need to diversify Canada's oil industry. Ninety-seven percent of Canadian oil exports now go to the U.S.
"I think what's happened around the Keystone is a wake-up call, the degree to which we are dependent or possibly held hostage to decisions in the United States, and especially decisions that may be made for very bad political reasons," he told Canadian TV.
Gingrich attacks
Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich quickly picked up the theme, saying that Harper, "who, by the way, is conservative and pro-American ... has said he's going cut a deal with the Chinese ... We'll get none of the jobs, none of the energy, none of the opportunity."
He charged that "An American president who can create a Chinese-Canadian partnership is truly a danger to this country."
But the environmental objections that pushed Obama to block the pipeline to Texas apply equally to the Pacific pipeline, and the review panel says more than 4,000 people have signed up to testify.
The atmosphere has turned acrimonious, with Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver claiming in an open letter that "environmental and other radical groups" are out to thwart Canada's economic ascent.
He said they were bent on bogging down the panel's work. And in an unusually caustic mention of Canada's southern neighbor, he added: "If all other avenues have failed, they will take a quintessential American approach: Sue everyone and anyone to delay the project even further."
Environmentalists and First Nations (a Canadian synonym for native tribes) could delay approval all the way to the Supreme Court, and First Nations still hold title to some of the land the pipeline would cross, meaning the government will have to move with extreme sensitivity.
Alberta has the world's third-largest oil reserves after Saudi Arabia and Venezuela: more than 170 billion barrels. Daily production of 1.5 million barrels from the oil sands is expected to increase to 3.7 million in 2025, which the oil industry sees as a pressing reason to build the pipelines.
Critics, however, dislike the whole concept of tapping the oil sands, saying it requires huge amounts of energy and water, increases greenhouse gas emissions and threatens rivers and forests. Some projects are massive open-pit mines, and the process of separating oil from sand can generate lake-sized pools of toxic sludge.
Meanwhile, China's growing economy is hungry for Canadian oil. Chinese state-owned companies have invested more than $16 billion in Canadian energy in the past two years, state-controlled Sinopec has a stake in the pipeline, and if it is built, Chinese investment in Alberta oil sands is sure to boom.
"They (the Chinese) wonder why it's not being built already," said Wenran Jiang, an energy expert and professor at the University of Alberta.
In a report on China's stake in Canadian energy, Jiang notes that if every Chinese burned oil at the rate Americans do, China's daily consumption would equal the entire world's.
Harper is set to visit China next month. After Obama first delayed the Keystone pipeline in November, Harper told Chinese President Hu Jintao at the Pacific Rim summit in Hawaii that Canada would like to sell more oil to China, and the Canadian prime minister filled in Obama on what he said.
Jiang reads that to mean "China has become leverage."
But oil analysts say Alberta has enough oil to meet both countries' needs, and the pipeline's capacity of 525,000 barrels a day would amount to less than 6 percent of China's current needs.
"I don't think U.S. policymakers view China's investment in the Canadian oil sands as a threat," says David Goldwyn, a former energy official in the Obama administration.
"In the short term it provides additional investment to increase Canadian supply; that's a good thing. Longer-term, if Canadian oil goes to China, that means China's demand is being met by a non-OPEC country, and that's a good thing for global oil supply. Right now we are spending an awful lot of time finding ways for China to meet its demand from some place other than Iran. Canada would be a great candidate."
Pipelines are rarely rejected in Canada, but Murray Minchin, an environmentalist who lives near Kitamaat Village, says this time he and other opponents are determined to block construction. "They are ready to put themselves in front of something to stop the equipment," Minchin said. "Even if it gets the green light it doesn't mean it's getting done."
Native communities offered 10 percent ownership
Enbridge is confident the pipeline will be built and claims about 40 percent of First Nation communities living along the route have entered into a long-term equity partnership with Enbridge. The communities together are being offered 10 percent ownership of the pipeline, meaning those which sign on will share an expected $400 million over 30 years.
But of the 43 eligible communities, only one went public with its acceptance and it has since reneged after fierce protests from its members.
Janet Holder, the Enbridge executive overseeing the project, says pipeline leaks are not inevitable, new technologies make monitoring more reliable, and tugboats will guide tankers through the Douglas Channel.
At the Kitamaat hearings, speakers ranged from Ellis Ross, chief of the Haisla First Nation in British Columbia, to Dieter Wagner, a German-born Canadian, retired scientist and veteran sailor who called the Douglas Channel "an insane route to take."
Ross used to work on whale-watching boats, and refers to himself as a First Nation, a term applicable to individuals as well as groups. He testified that the tanker port would go up just as marine life decimated by industrial pollution was making a comeback in his territory.
He held the audience spellbound as he described an extraordinary nighttime encounter last summer with a whale that was "logging" ? the half-doze that passes for sleep in the cetacean world.
"...Midnight I hear this whale and it's right outside the soccer field. ... It's waterfront, but I can hear this whale, and I can't understand why it's so close, something's got to be wrong.
"So I walk down there with my daughter, my youngest daughter, and I try to flash a light down there, and quickly figured out it's not in trouble, it's sleeping. It's resting right outside our soccer field.
"You can't imagine what that means to a First Nation that's watched his territory get destroyed over 60 years. You can't imagine the feeling."
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46181932/ns/world_news-americas/
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How Evi Compares to Siri: Evi's Clever, Too, But Slow [VIDEO] (Mashable)
Getting Siri's voice-recognition capabilities on your phone just became a possibility for Android users and a bit less expensive for iPhone users. Meet Evi -- a $.99 app for iPhones and free for Android. For such a nominal price, don't expect Evi to be on par with Siri. There are some major differences with Evi as opposed to the quick and integrated Siri. Evi will not schedule meetings on your calendar or let you dictate text messages. But for functions like finding local shops, restaurants and general information, it's pretty helpful.
[More from Mashable: 7 Big Privacy Concerns for New Facebook and the Open Graph]
I asked Evi: "What time is it, Evi?" and it thought I said, "What time is it TV?". Messages such as "Just a mo'" appeared on the screen to let me know it was thinking and then it said, "I'm having trouble getting a response from my servers." Yes, it was noticeably slower than Siri.
Other times it would say, "I don't know right now -- try asking again next week." I asked, "Can you set my alarm for 9 p.m.?" even though Evi is not synced with the other apps like Siri is, it said it hasn't learned to do that yet.
[More from Mashable: Facebook Apps: Highlights of the 60 New Integrated Applications]
Could it be possible that True Knowledge, the company behind Evi, will integrate the app with its operating system's other functions in the future? Check out the company's video below introducing Evi.
The voice sounds a lot like Siri, although some reviewers have said the voice sounds annoying. Yes, it thinks too long and sometimes right after you state your query it says it is not getting a response from the servers, but then, your answer appears.
But even as I write this, I keep wanting to call this app Siri because it's quite similar. However, Apple's assistant still comes out in the lead compared to Evi [Link to app store].
For as many people who use Siri for making appointments and scheduling calls, there are also many who enjoy the depth of knowledge and wit Siri contains. Ask Siri to "tell me about the Civil War" and it directs me to a related link. Ask Evi the same question and you get a brief encyclopedia response including the dates and a small photo.
Siri also has built-in cleverness. Just to play around with Evi and find out if any sassy answers were built into this app, I asked, "What's my name?" and it responded, "Who are you? Surely you know the answer to that one already." I asked Evi other absurd questions like, What should I eat for dinner?" and it pointed me to a website for an olive tapenade recipe.
If you want a bare-bones Siri with some frequent hiccups -- but a .99 cent or free price tag -- Evi is a good option for now.
What do you think about Evi? Have you used it? How does it compare to Siri? Tell us in the comments.
This story originally published on Mashable here.
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Sunday, January 29, 2012
St. Louis hosting 1st big parade on Iraq War's end
Stephanie King holds a picture of her uncle, Col. Stephen Scott who was killed in Iraq in 2008, as she prepares to participate in a parade to honor Iraq War veterans Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, in St. Louis. Thousands turned out to watch the first big welcome home parade in the U.S. since the last troops left Iraq in December. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Stephanie King holds a picture of her uncle, Col. Stephen Scott who was killed in Iraq in 2008, as she prepares to participate in a parade to honor Iraq War veterans Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, in St. Louis. Thousands turned out to watch the first big welcome home parade in the U.S. since the last troops left Iraq in December. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Participants in a parade to honor Iraq War veterans make their way along a downtown street Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, in St. Louis. Thousands turned out to watch the first big welcome home parade in the U.S. since the last troops left Iraq in December. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Spectators cheer and wave as they watch a parade to honor Iraq War veterans pass Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, in St. Louis. Thousands turned out to watch the first big welcome home parade in the U.S. since the last troops left Iraq in December. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Maj. Rich Radford, who became a symbol of the parade to honor Iraq War veterans thanks to a photo of his young daughter taking his hand while welcoming him home from his second tour in Iraq in 2010, smiles before the start of the parade Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, in St. Louis. Thousands turned out to watch the first big welcome home parade in the U.S. since the last troops left Iraq in December. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Army Sgt. 1st Class Randy Jemerson, a veteran of two tours in Iraq, takes a picture of a staging at the start of a parade to honor Iraq War veterans Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, in St. Louis. Thousands turned out to watch the first big welcome home parade in the U.S. since the last troops left Iraq in December. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
ST. LOUIS (AP) ? Looking around at the tens of thousands of people waving American flags and cheering, Army Maj. Rich Radford was moved that so many braved a cold January wind Saturday in St. Louis to honor people like him: Iraq War veterans.
The parade, borne out of a simple conversation between two St. Louis friends a month ago, was the nation's first big welcome-home for veterans of the war since the last troops were withdrawn from Iraq in December.
"It's not necessarily overdue, it's just the right thing," said Radford, a 23-year Army veteran who walked in the parade alongside his 8-year-old daughter, Aimee, and 12-year-old son, Warren.
Radford was among about 600 veterans, many dressed in camouflage, who walked along downtown streets lined with rows of people clapping and holding signs with messages including "Welcome Home" and "Thanks to our Service Men and Women." Some of the war-tested troops wiped away tears as they acknowledged the support from a crowd that organizers estimated reached 100,000 people.
Fire trucks with aerial ladders hoisted huge American flags in three different places along the route, with politicians, marching bands ? even the Budweiser Clydesdales ? joining in. But the large crowd was clearly there to salute men and women in the military, and people cheered wildly as groups of veterans walked by.
That was the hope of organizers Craig Schneider and Tom Appelbaum. Neither man has served in the military but came up with the idea after noticing there had been little fanfare for returning Iraq War veterans aside from gatherings at airports and military bases. No ticker-tape parades or large public celebrations.
Appelbaum, an attorney, and Schneider, a school district technical coordinator, decided something needed to be done. So they sought donations, launched a Facebook page, met with the mayor and mapped a route. The grassroots effort resulted in a huge turnout despite raising only about $35,000 and limited marketing.
That marketing included using a photo of Radford being welcomed home from his second tour in Iraq by his then-6-year-old daughter. The girl had reached up, grabbed his hand and said, "I missed you, daddy." Radford's sister caught the moment with her cellphone camera, and the image graced T-shirts and posters for the parade.
Veterans came from around the country, and more than 100 entries ? including marching bands, motorcycle groups and military units ? signed up ahead of the event, Appelbaum said.
Schneider said he was amazed how everyone, from city officials to military organizations to the media, embraced the parade.
"It was an idea that nobody said no to," he said. "America was ready for this."
All that effort by her hometown was especially touching for Gayla Gibson, a 38-year-old Air Force master sergeant who said she spent four months in Iraq ? seeing "amputations, broken bones, severe burns from IEDs" ? as a medical technician in 2003.
"I think it's great when people come out to support those who gave their lives and put their lives on the line for this country," Gibson said.
With 91,000 troops still fighting in Afghanistan, many Iraq veterans could be redeployed ? suggesting to some that it's premature to celebrate their homecoming. In New York, for example, Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently said there would be no city parade for Iraq War veterans in the foreseeable future because of objections voiced by military officials.
But in St. Louis, there was clearly a mood to thank the troops with something big, even among those opposed to the war.
"Most of us were not in favor of the war in Iraq, but the soldiers who fought did the right thing and we support them," said 72-year-old Susan Cunningham, who attended the parade with the Missouri Progressive Action Group. "I'm glad the war is over and I'm glad they're home."
Don Lange, 60, of nearby Sullivan, held his granddaughter along the parade route. His daughter was a military interrogator in Iraq.
"This is something everyplace should do," Lange said as he watched the parade.
Several veterans of the Vietnam War turned out to show support for the younger troops. Among them was Don Jackson, 63, of Edwardsville, Ill., who said he was thrilled to see the parade honoring Iraq War veterans like his son, Kevin, who joined him at the parade. The 33-year-old Air Force staff sergeant said he'd lost track of how many times he had been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan as a flying mechanic.
"I hope this snowballs," he said of the parade. "I hope it goes all across the country. I only wish my friends who I served with were here to see this."
Looking at all the people around him in camouflage, 29-year-old veteran Matt Wood said he felt honored. He served a year in Iraq with the Illinois National Guard.
"It's extremely humbling, it's amazing, to be part of something like this with all of these people who served their country with such honor," he said.
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Thunder top Warriors 120-109 to start road trip (AP)
OAKLAND, Calif. ? Kevin Durant had 37 points and 14 rebounds, Russell Westbrook dazzled with 28 points and 11 assists and the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder started a critical road stretch with a 120-109 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.
James Harden scored 19 points off the bench and Westbrook added six rebounds in the Thunder's fourth straight win. Oklahoma City pulled away with a 14-3 run late in the fourth quarter to begin a string of nine of 11 away from home.
Dorell Wright scored 23 and David Lee had 19 points and seven rebounds for the Warriors, who pushed another one of the NBA's elite to the brink. While Golden State already topped Miami, Chicago and Orlando this season, rookie coach Mark Jackson's bunch came up short this time.
The Thunder overcame a few second-half lapses before flexing their muscles for good.
Westbrook's running layup extended Oklahoma City's lead to 85-77 entering the final period, and the Warriors ? in typical fashion ? turned back the momentum with a frantic fourth-quarter rally.
Nate Robinson, with the Thunder late last season, shook off a defender with a nifty behind-the-back dribble and pulled up for a mid-range jumper that sliced Oklahoma City's lead to three. He pumped his chest running back on defense, waving to fans and taunting his one-time Thunder teammates.
The celebration turned out to be premature.
Oklahoma City put away the pesky Warriors with a 14-3 run over the next highlight-filled five minutes. None more impressive than Westbrook's bounce pass to Harden, who lobbed an alley-oop that Durant finished with a powerful one-handed slam.
Serge Ibaka also had 20 points and 12 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which plays at the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night. The Thunder also held guard Stephen Curry, who had a season-high 32 points Wednesday night against Portland, to 15 points and six assists.
The Thunder's dynamic duo showed no West Coast hangover.
Durant and Westbrook sliced and soared through the middle with ease, shredding Golden State's undersized perimeter players. The long and lengthy scorers each had nine points in the first quarter to give Oklahoma City a 26-16 lead.
The loudest noise of the period still belonged to a former Thunder teammate.
Robinson banked a shot from just beyond half court at the buzzer, bringing another sold-out crowd of 19,596 in the basketball-starved Bay Area roaring to its feet. He stared back at the Oklahoma City bench for several seconds in the 5-foot-9 guard's familiar flair, which had some added incentive.
Robinson, a three-time NBA slam dunk champion, was sent from Boston to Oklahoma City as part of the deal that brought center Kendrick Perkins to the Thunder at the trade deadline last year. After a short and unspectacular tenure, the Thunder released Robinson before this season.
The momentum carried over and the Warriors whittled the Thunder's double-digit lead with some strong contributions off the bench. Rookie Klay Thompson scored 10 of his 14 points in the second quarter and Brandon Rush gave Durant fits defensively.
Monta Ellis' free throw evened the score at 50 late in the half before the Thunder scored seven straight capped by Westbrook's jumper to go ahead 57-52 at the break.
Notes: Oklahoma City G Thabo Sefolosha didn't play in the second half because of a sore right foot. ... Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis was sitting courtside. ... The Warriors have sold out six of 11 home games this season. ... Thunder coach Scott Brooks grew up about an hour southeast of the Bay Area in Lathrop, Calif.
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Saturday, January 28, 2012
13 killed in clashes in Russia's volatile Caucasus
ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia (AP) ? Russian officials say an Islamist warlord, seven militants, four officers and one civilian have been killed in three separate incidents in Russia's violence-plagued southern Caucasus region.
Russia's Anti-Terrorist Committee spokesman Nikolai Sintsov said the leader of Islamist separatists in the province of Ingushetia was killed in a shootout Friday in the village of Ekazhevo along with two other militants.
Also Friday, police spokesman Vyasheslav Gasanov said four Russian military officers and five militants were killed in the neighboring province of Dagestan.
In another restive Russian province, Kabardino-Balkariya, three masked militants stormed into a school and stabbed a volleyball player in the gym, police spokesman Andrey Ushakov said.
An Islamic insurgency has spread across Russia's southern Caucasus region since two separatists wars against Russia were fought in Chechnya beginning in the 1990s. The insurgents now launch regular attacks on authorities who they blame for the abductions, torture and extra-judicial killings across the region.
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'Microplastic' threat to shores
27 January 2012
Last updated at 12:39 ET
Microscopic plastic debris from washing clothes is accumulating in the marine environment and could be entering the food chain, a study has warned.
Researchers traced the "microplastic" back to synthetic clothes, which released up to 1,900 tiny fibres per garment every time they were washed.
Earlier research showed plastic smaller than 1mm were being eaten by animals and getting into the food chain.
The findings appeared in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.
"Research we had done before... showed that when we looked at all the bits of plastic in the environment, about 80% was made up from smaller bits of plastic," said co-author Mark Browne, an ecologist now based at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
"This really led us to the idea of what sorts of plastic are there and where did they come from."
Dr Browne, a member of the US-based research network National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, said the tiny plastic was a concern because evidence showed that it was making its way into the food chain.
"Once the plastics had been eaten, it transferred from [the animals'] stomachs to their circulation system and actually accumulated in their cells," he told BBC News.
In order to identify how widespread the presence of microplastic was on shorelines, the team took samples from 18 beaches around the globe, including the UK, India and Singapore.
"We found that there was no sample from around the world that did not contain pieces of microplastic."
Dr Browne added: "Most of the plastic seemed to be fibrous.
"When we looked at the different types of polymers we were finding, we were finding that polyester, acrylic and polyamides (nylon) were the major ones that we were finding."
The data also showed that the concentration of microplastic was greatest in areas near large urban centres.
In order to test the idea that sewerage discharges were the source of the plastic discharges, the team worked with a local authority in New South Wales, Australia.
"We found exactly the same proportion of plastics," Dr Browne revealed, which led the team to conclude that their suspicions had been correct.
As a result, Dr Browne his colleague Professor Richard Thompson from the University of Plymouth, UK carried out a number of experiments to see what fibres were contained in the water discharge from washing machines.
"We were quite surprised. Some polyester garments released more than 1,900 fibres per garment, per wash," Dr Browne observed.
"It may not sound like an awful lot, but if that is from a single item from a single wash, it shows how things can build up.
"It suggests to us that a large proportion of the fibres we were finding in the environment, in the strongest evidence yet, was derived from the sewerage as a consequence from washing clothes."
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/science-environment-16709045
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Friday, January 27, 2012
Carl Levin: Mitt Romney criticism of Obama defense budget not factual (+video)
In recent Republican presidential primary debates, Mitt Romney has blasted President Obama's plan to trim defense spending. Senator Carl Levin says his criticism is just politics.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin says Mitt Romney?s tough criticism of the Obama defense budget is ?just a political statement which is not borne out by the facts.?
Skip to next paragraphIn the two most recent Republican presidential debates, the former Massachusetts governor has blasted President Obama?s plans to trim defense spending to comply with spending targets set by the Budget Control Act passed by both parties last August.?
At a Pentagon press conference Thursday afternoon, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will spell out the Obama administration?s strategy for defending the nation while spending $487 billion less on defense over the next ten years.?
Mr. Levin, a Michigan Democrat, was briefed on the plans at a dinner with Secretary Panetta on Wednesday evening. The plan would involve spending about $513 billion, not including the costs of the war in Afghanistan.?
At the most recent presidential debate on Jan. 23, Mr. Romney said Obama's plan to build nine ships a year was inadequate. "We ought to raise that to 15 ships a year," he said. ?
At the Jan.16 debate, Romney said, ?The most extraordinary thing that's happened with this military authorization is the president is planning on cutting $1 trillion out of military spending.? He added, ?Our Navy is smaller than it's been since 1917. Our Air Force is smaller and older than any time since 1947. We are cutting our number of troops. We are not giving the veterans the care they deserve. We simply cannot continue to cut our Department of Defense budget if we are going to remain the hope of the Earth.?
After dismissing that criticism as political, Levin told a Monitor-hosted breakfast for reporters Thursday, ?Our military in incredibly strong ... no other military comes close. We have shown our capabilities, our adeptness, our ability to move quickly yesterday in Somalia, before that with Bin Laden.?
Levin said he has spoken with the nation?s top military officers who ?were deeply involved in this budget request and they very much support this budget request not because they have to, but because they were involved in preparing it. They believe it is a sound budget, a strong budget.?
Military leaders are worried about one thing, Levin said. ?The fear that they have is that the sequestration will be triggered. Then you have a totally different ball game.?
Under the 2011 Budget Control Act, there will be additional automatic budget cuts of at least $1.2 trillion over the next ten years, unless Congress acts. The Pentagon would take a major share of those cuts ? some $600 billion starting in January, 2013.
At the breakfast, Levin said he thinks Republicans will vote to raise additional tax revenue to avoid those cuts at the Pentagon. ?The dam has got to be broken on revenues. What will break it I believe is the threat of sequestration."
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Just Show Me: How to clear your browser history in Chrome (Yahoo! News)
Welcome to?Just Show Me on?Tecca TV, where we show you tips and tricks for getting the most out of the?gadgets in your life. In today's episode we'll show you how to clear your history in?Google's Chrome web browser.
Clearing your history is a good idea if you're ever on a public computer or use a system that could be viewed by someone else. Your browser history tells people a lot, perhaps more then you'd like them to know! Clearing it is easy, and we'll walk you through the steps in our video.
Take a look at these other episodes of Just Show Me that'll help you use your Chrome web browser to the full potential:
For even more episodes of Just Show Me,?subscribe to Tecca TV's YouTube channel and?check out all our Just Show Me episodes. If you have any topics you'd like to see us cover, just drop us a line in the comments.
This article originally appeared on Tecca
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Thursday, January 26, 2012
USDA sets guidelines for healthier school meals (Reuters)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? School meals for millions of children will be healthier under obesity-fighting U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards unveiled on Wednesday that double the fruits and vegetables in cafeteria lunches - but won't pull French fries from the menu.
In the first major changes to school breakfasts and lunches in more than 15 years, the new USDA guidelines will affect nearly 32 million children who eat at school. They will cost the federal government about $3.2 billion to implement over the next five years.
"Improving the quality of the school meals is a critical step to building a healthy future for our kids," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.
The new meal requirements are part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act championed by first lady Michelle Obama. President Barack Obama approved the measure in late 2010.
The guidelines double the amounts of fruits and vegetables in school lunches and boost offerings of whole grain-rich foods. The new standards set maximums for calories and cut sodium and trans fat, a contributor to high-cholesterol levels.
Schools may offer only fat-free or low-fat milk and must assure that children are getting proper portion sizes, the USDA said.
The new standards will be largely phased in over a three-year period, starting in the 2012-13 school year.
About 17 percent of U.S. children and teenagers are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About one-third of U.S. adults are obese.
FRIES WITH THAT?
Lawmakers altered the guidelines in November. They barred the USDA from limiting French fries and ensured that pizza counted as a vegetable because of its tomato paste.
Trade associations representing frozen pizza sellers like ConAgra Foods Inc and Schwan Food Co as well as French fry sellers McCain Foods Ltd and J.R. Simplot Co were instrumental in blocking changes to rules affecting those items.
Margo Wootan, nutrition policy director for the non-profit Center For Science in the Public Interest, said that the new standards were a big improvement despite food industry lobbying and the congressional revamp.
"The new school meal standards are one of the most important advances in nutrition in decades," she said in a statement.
The Environmental Working Group said the changes could pack a financial punch since they may help reduce medical bills related to diabetes and other obesity-related chronic diseases.
"A healthier population will save billions of dollars in future health care costs," said Dawn Undurraga, EWG's staff nutritionist.
As an example of a new meal, the USDA said an elementary school lunch could be whole wheat spaghetti with meat sauce and a whole wheat roll, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, kiwi, low-fat milk, low-fat ranch dip and soft margarine.
That lunch would replace a meal of a hot dog on a bun with ketchup, canned pears, raw celery and carrots with ranch dressing, and low-fat chocolate milk.
As part of the new standards, schools will receive another 6 cents a meal. The $3.2 billion needed to implement the program for five years covers the cost of food and increased USDA inspections of school menus.
Food and beverages sold in vending machines and other school sites "will also contribute to a healthy diet," the USDA statement said.
The USDA gives school districts funds for meals through its National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs.
(Additional reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles, Editing by Paul Thomasch and Philip Barbara)
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'Still Alive' played on 3D printed record, takes music piracy to complicated new levels
'Still Alive' played on 3D printed record, takes music piracy to complicated new levels originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Man suspected in LA arsons to appear in court (AP)
LOS ANGELES ? A German man suspected in dozens of arsons that terrorized Los Angeles over the New Year's weekend is expected to arraigned Tuesday.
Harry Burkhart may enter his plea to 37 counts of arson in a Los Angeles courtroom. He's being held on $2.85 million bail and could face several dozen years in prison if convicted.
The 24-year-old is suspected of setting more than 50 blazes that caused an estimated $3 million in damage.
Authorities said they believe Burkhart was angry over his mother's legal troubles and went on a nighttime rampage of burning parked cars. In some of the fires, an incendiary device was placed under the engine area of cars.
Burkhart's mother is facing extradition to Germany where she's been charged with 19 counts of fraud.
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Delta 4Q profit soars on higher fares, demand
A Delta Airlines plane taxis past a gate at Logan Airport in Boston Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Delta Air Lines said Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, it earned $425 million in the fourth-quarter as it raised prices in the critical holiday season and the airline reduced flying to keep costs low. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
A Delta Airlines plane taxis past a gate at Logan Airport in Boston Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Delta Air Lines said Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, it earned $425 million in the fourth-quarter as it raised prices in the critical holiday season and the airline reduced flying to keep costs low. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
NEW YORK (AP) ? Delta says it earned $425 million in the fourth quarter as it raised prices in the critical holiday season while reducing flying to keep costs low.
The U.S.-based airline said its profit amounted to 50 cents per share. Excluding one-time gains and losses, it earned 45 cents per share in the most recent quarter. In the same period a year earlier, it earned just $19 million, or 2 cents per share.
Revenue rose 8 percent to $8.4 billion. Fuel expenses rose 5 percent. Other costs were flat. The money it made to fly a passenger a single mile (1.6 kilometers) rose 12 percent due to higher fares.
Analysts polled by FactSet Research expected Delta Air Lines Inc. to earn 37 cents per share on revenue of $8.32 billion.
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Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Federal judge will determine Golden Globes' future (AP)
LOS ANGELES ? A trial to decide the broadcast rights of the Golden Globe Awards is set to start after a judge and attorneys resolved last-minute issues concerning witnesses and exhibits.
U.S District Judge A. Howard Matz urged attorneys for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and longtime Globes producers dick clark productions to streamline the case, which could take more than two weeks to be heard after it begins on Tuesday.
The trial will feature testimony from current and former HFPA members, experts and production executives, as well as Dick Clark, who no longer owns the company that bears his name.
At issue is whether producers had the right to negotiate a $150 million deal in 2010 keeping the glitzy awards gala on NBC through 2018.
The press association contends the deal is improper and should be voided.
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Monday, January 9, 2012
Nicotine replacement therapies may not be effective in helping people quit smoking
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 9-Jan-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Marge Dwyer
mhdwyer@hsph.harvard.edu
617-432-8416
Harvard School of Public Health
Boston, MA Nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) designed to help people stop smoking, specifically nicotine patches and nicotine gum, do not appear to be effective in helping smokers quit long-term, even when combined with smoking cessation counseling, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the University of Massachusetts Boston.
The study appears January 9, 2012 in an advance online edition of Tobacco Control and will appear in a later print issue.
"What this study shows is the need for the Food and Drug Administration, which oversees regulation of both medications to help smokers quit and tobacco products, to approve only medications that have been proven to be effective in helping smokers quit in the long-term and to lower nicotine in order to reduce the addictiveness of cigarettes," said co-author Gregory Connolly, director of the Center for Global Tobacco Control at HSPH.
In the prospective cohort study the researchers, including lead author Hillel Alpert, research scientist at HSPH, and co-author Lois Biener of the University of Massachusetts Boston's Center for Survey Research, followed 787 adult smokers in Massachusetts who had recently quit smoking. The participants were surveyed over three time periods: 2001-2002, 2003-2004, and 2005-2006. Participants were asked whether they had used a nicotine replacement therapy in the form of the nicotine patch (placed on the skin), nicotine gum, nicotine inhaler, or nasal spray to help them quit, and if so, what was the longest period of time they had used the product continuously. They also were asked if they had joined a quit-smoking program or received help from a doctor, counselor, or other professional.
The results showed that, for each time period, almost one-third of recent quitters reported to have relapsed. The researchers found no difference in relapse rate among those who used NRT for more than six weeks, with or without professional counseling. No difference in quitting success with use of NRT was found for either heavy or light smokers.
"This study shows that using NRT is no more effective in helping people stop smoking cigarettes in the long-term than trying to quit on one's own," Alpert said. He added that even though clinical trials (studies) have found NRT to be effective, the new findings demonstrate the importance of empirical studies regarding effectiveness when used in the general population.
Biener said that using public funds to provide NRT to the population at large is of questionable value, particularly when it reduces the amount of money available for smoking interventions shown in previous studies to be effective, such as media campaigns, promotion of no smoking policies, and tobacco price increases.
Smoking cessation medications have been available over the counter since 1996, yet U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics show that the previous adult smoking rate decline and quitting rates have stalled in the past five years.
###
Funding for the study was provided by the National Cancer Institute, State and Community Tobacco Control Interventions Research Grant Program.
"A Prospective Cohort Study Challenging the Effectiveness of Population-based Medical Intervention for Smoking Cessation," Hillel R. Alpert, Gregory N. Connolly, Lois Biener. Tobacco Control, doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2011-050129, online January 9, 2012.
Visit the HSPH website for the latest news, press releases and multimedia offerings.
Harvard School of Public Health (http://www.hsph.harvard.edu) is dedicated to advancing the public's health through learning, discovery, and communication. More than 400 faculty members are engaged in teaching and training the 1,000-plus student body in a broad spectrum of disciplines crucial to the health and well being of individuals and populations around the world. Programs and projects range from the molecular biology of AIDS vaccines to the epidemiology of cancer; from risk analysis to violence prevention; from maternal and children's health to quality of care measurement; from health care management to international health and human rights. For more information on the school visit: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu
HSPH on Twitter: http://twitter.com/HarvardHSPH
HSPH on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/harvardpublichealth
HSPH on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/user/HarvardPublicHealth
HSPH home page: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Public release date: 9-Jan-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Marge Dwyer
mhdwyer@hsph.harvard.edu
617-432-8416
Harvard School of Public Health
Boston, MA Nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) designed to help people stop smoking, specifically nicotine patches and nicotine gum, do not appear to be effective in helping smokers quit long-term, even when combined with smoking cessation counseling, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the University of Massachusetts Boston.
The study appears January 9, 2012 in an advance online edition of Tobacco Control and will appear in a later print issue.
"What this study shows is the need for the Food and Drug Administration, which oversees regulation of both medications to help smokers quit and tobacco products, to approve only medications that have been proven to be effective in helping smokers quit in the long-term and to lower nicotine in order to reduce the addictiveness of cigarettes," said co-author Gregory Connolly, director of the Center for Global Tobacco Control at HSPH.
In the prospective cohort study the researchers, including lead author Hillel Alpert, research scientist at HSPH, and co-author Lois Biener of the University of Massachusetts Boston's Center for Survey Research, followed 787 adult smokers in Massachusetts who had recently quit smoking. The participants were surveyed over three time periods: 2001-2002, 2003-2004, and 2005-2006. Participants were asked whether they had used a nicotine replacement therapy in the form of the nicotine patch (placed on the skin), nicotine gum, nicotine inhaler, or nasal spray to help them quit, and if so, what was the longest period of time they had used the product continuously. They also were asked if they had joined a quit-smoking program or received help from a doctor, counselor, or other professional.
The results showed that, for each time period, almost one-third of recent quitters reported to have relapsed. The researchers found no difference in relapse rate among those who used NRT for more than six weeks, with or without professional counseling. No difference in quitting success with use of NRT was found for either heavy or light smokers.
"This study shows that using NRT is no more effective in helping people stop smoking cigarettes in the long-term than trying to quit on one's own," Alpert said. He added that even though clinical trials (studies) have found NRT to be effective, the new findings demonstrate the importance of empirical studies regarding effectiveness when used in the general population.
Biener said that using public funds to provide NRT to the population at large is of questionable value, particularly when it reduces the amount of money available for smoking interventions shown in previous studies to be effective, such as media campaigns, promotion of no smoking policies, and tobacco price increases.
Smoking cessation medications have been available over the counter since 1996, yet U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics show that the previous adult smoking rate decline and quitting rates have stalled in the past five years.
###
Funding for the study was provided by the National Cancer Institute, State and Community Tobacco Control Interventions Research Grant Program.
"A Prospective Cohort Study Challenging the Effectiveness of Population-based Medical Intervention for Smoking Cessation," Hillel R. Alpert, Gregory N. Connolly, Lois Biener. Tobacco Control, doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2011-050129, online January 9, 2012.
Visit the HSPH website for the latest news, press releases and multimedia offerings.
Harvard School of Public Health (http://www.hsph.harvard.edu) is dedicated to advancing the public's health through learning, discovery, and communication. More than 400 faculty members are engaged in teaching and training the 1,000-plus student body in a broad spectrum of disciplines crucial to the health and well being of individuals and populations around the world. Programs and projects range from the molecular biology of AIDS vaccines to the epidemiology of cancer; from risk analysis to violence prevention; from maternal and children's health to quality of care measurement; from health care management to international health and human rights. For more information on the school visit: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu
HSPH on Twitter: http://twitter.com/HarvardHSPH
HSPH on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/harvardpublichealth
HSPH on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/user/HarvardPublicHealth
HSPH home page: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/hsop-nrt010512.php
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48 Catholic schools in Philly to close, reorganize
PHILADELPHIA?? The Archdiocese of Philadelphia plans to shutter about a quarter of its Roman Catholic high schools and close or combine nearly 30 percent of its elementary schools mainly because of rising costs and low enrollment, officials said Friday.
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The moves spurred by an internal, yearlong analysis of the struggling school system will displace almost 24,000 students and leave the region with four fewer high schools and 44 fewer elementary schools at the beginning of the next academic year.
"We can't afford to fool ourselves," Archbishop Charles Chaput said at a news conference. "We need an honest response to serious losses that have been happening year after year in some of our schools. And this will continue to happen if we do nothing."
The system's current enrollment of 68,000 students is the same number the archdiocese served in 1911. It also represents a 35 percent drop in the student population since 2001.
Smaller families, shifting demographics, an increase in charter schools and Catholic schools' rising tuition have combined to siphon off many students. The archdiocese had already closed 30 schools over the past five years, leaving 178 schools in the city and four surrounding counties.
The closures announced Friday would bring the school total to 130.
"It's extremely sad," said Rita Schwartz, president of the local chapter of the Association of Catholic Teachers. "Right now, there is a grieving process going on in 44 elementary schools and four high schools."
Officials estimated about 1,700 teachers and 85 administrators would be displaced and have to reapply for positions in newly consolidated schools. Superintendent Mary Rochford estimated that about 300 teachers could be out of jobs once the dust has settled.
The planned closures are technically recommendations made by the archdiocese's Blue Ribbon Commission, a 16-member task force of church officials and laity created in December 2010 by Chaput's predecessor, Cardinal Justin Rigali.
Officials stressed at the time that the commission's goal was not necessarily to come up with a list of schools to close but to devise a comprehensive plan to ensure high-quality, affordable and accessible religious education.
On Friday, Chaput indicated that he would accept the commission's recommendations, barring any major factual errors in the group's 37-page report.
Catholic education nationwide has suffered for years from the double whammy of rising costs and dwindling enrollment, forcing tuition hikes that make the schools increasingly unaffordable.
In Philadelphia, the commission's analysis revealed that the average parish subsidy to schools had grown from $255,000 to $320,000 over the past 10 years. It also showed that elementary school tuition rates fell $1,500 short of the actual cost of educating each child.
Tuition varies among Catholic schools in Philadelphia, but the mean annual elementary tuition in the U.S. is $3,383, according to the National Catholic Education Association. The mean annual high school tuition is $8,787.
The commission's report also set forth strategies for sustaining the Catholic system for future generations. Philadelphia has the second-highest enrollment among dioceses nationwide, just behind Chicago, according to the education association.
The group called for the establishment of a philanthropic education foundation to help underwrite operations; for benefactors to consider sponsoring troubled schools; and for supporters to push for voucher legislation at the state Capitol.
"These recommendations are not about reshuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic," said commission member H. Edward Hanway. "Implemented well, these recommendations will fundamentally reposition our schools, making them academically stronger as well as financially more stable, better able to compete and grow ? yes, grow ? in the years ahead."
Chaput, who was just installed as archbishop a few months ago after Rigali retired, said he was told the commission's proposals could mean the archdiocese might go 10 to 15 years without more school closings.
He also stressed that Catholic school closings affect educational choices for families of all faiths. Especially in troubled urban neighborhoods, Catholic schools are often seen as a safer and more enriching alternative to failing public schools.
Mayor Michael Nutter issued a statement Friday that read in part: "Let's not forget that we are one city, and we're all in this together."
Nationwide, Catholic schools have lost more than 587,000 students since 2000, according to the National Catholic Education Association. At least 1,750 schools have closed.
___
Associated Press writer Patrick Walters contributed to this report.
___
Online:
Blue Ribbon Commission report: www.faithinthefuture.com
___
Follow Kathy Matheson at www.twitter.com/kmatheson
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45902740/ns/us_news/
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