Besides drinking beer, there are two other pastimes that Bavarians love: driving and sport-shooting, including hunting. Bavarians build BMW?s ?Ultimate Driving Machines.? Bavarians? national dress is hunter green. No one who visits Munich is likely to miss the German Hunting and Fishing Museum in the middle of the main shopping street. When in Munich, I saw the world?s best-known opera devoted to shooting and hunting, Carl Maria von Weber?s ?Der Freisch?tz? (?The Marksman?), with its unforgettable Hunters? Chorus singing, ?What on earth can equal the pleasure of hunting??
Nationwide in Germany, there are hundreds of Sch?tzenvereins (shooting clubs) with thousands of members. At fairs and festivals, members march through village streets sporting their weapons. In the 19th century, German immigrants brought Schuetzenvereins to the United States, including one in Baltimore in the 1850s; some of the descendants of those immigrants are core supporters of shooting and hunting. At brewing beer, driving cars and shooting guns, Bavarians are world class.
When individual Bavarians want to own and operate Ultimate Driving Machines, they don?t think twice about getting licenses to drive and registrations to own these vehicles. They don?t think twice that they have to be of the legal age to drive, have to show that they know the traffic laws, have to show that they know how to operate these machines safely and have to present liability insurance in case their Ultimate Driving Machines injure anyone.
It?s no different in America. Those who want to own and operate a car are not troubled that they must show that they are of legal age, must demonstrate that they know the traffic laws, must show that they can operate cars safely and must maintain liability insurance on the cars they own. They do not think of licensing as a limitation on their freedom but as a protection for us all against potentially dangerous use of driving machines.
Just as Bavarians accept that they must be licensed to own and operate their Ultimate Driving Machines, so too do they accept, without objection, that they must be licensed to own and shoot firearms. What are these requirements? They are similar to those for cars.
Applicants must show that they are of legal age. They must show that they are ?reliable,? i.e., that they have not recently been convicted of certain crimes. A background check is required. Applicants must have ?personal aptitude? ? they are not mentally ill or substance abusers. They must pass a test that shows that they have ?specialized knowledge.? They must maintain liability insurance.
Sounds oh so reasonable, right?? Wait for the next part.
Finally, applicants must show that they have a ?need? to own a gun. The law defines ?need? broadly to include ?personal or economic interests meriting special recognition, above all as a hunter, marksman, traditional marksman, collector of weapons or ammunition, weapons or ammunition expert, endangered person, weapons manufacturer, weapons dealer or security firm ?? Licensing their use of firearms is no more an imposition on their freedom than is licensing the use of Ultimate Driving Machines.
Trust the government, says the commentary.? If you want a weapon it?s virtually the same thing as needing a weapon.? We really do want to serve you.? Trust us.
Do I seem like a guy who is amenable to these ?reasonable? proposals???WRSA notes that I?m?a dangerous old guy.? Don?t try to sell a pack of lies to dangerous old guys.? After all, we have guns, and we?re dangerous.? We just want to be left alone.
Comparing proteins at a glancePublic release date: 29-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Lynn Yarris lcyarris@lbl.gov 510-486-5375 DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Berkeley Lab researchers unveil technique for easy comparisons of proteins in solution
A revolutionary X-ray analytical technique that enables researchers at a glance to identify structural similarities and differences between multiple proteins under a variety of conditions has been developed by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). As a demonstration, the researchers used this technique to gain valuable new insight into a protein that is a prime target for cancer chemotherapy.
"Proteins and other biological macromolecules are moving machines whose power is often derived from how their structural conformations change in response to their environment," says Greg Hura, a scientist with Berkeley Lab's Physical Biosciences Division. "Knowing what makes a protein change has incredible value, much like knowing that stepping on a gas pedal makes the wheels of a car spin."
Hura led the development of what is being called a structural comparison map for use with small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), an imaging technique for obtaining structural information about proteins and protein complexes in solution. Cynthia McMurray, a biologist with Berkeley Lab's Life Sciences Division, provided the cancer-relevant protein used to test the new SAXS structural comparison map.
Says McMurray, "In biology, the first step in correcting a problem, such as the formation of a cancerous lesion, is understanding the conditions under which the problem arose. With the SAXS structural comparison map, we can compare multiple protein structures en masse and quickly identify areas of interest."
Hura is the lead author and McMurray one of two corresponding authors of a paper in the journal Nature Methods that describes this research. The paper is titled "Comprehensive objective maps of macromolecular conformations by quantitative SAXS analysis." Also a corresponding author is John Tainer, who holds joint appointments with Berkeley Lab's Life Sciences Division and the Scripps Research Institute. The other authors are Helen Budworth, Kevin Dyer, Robert Rambo and Michal Hammel.
In perhaps no other area of science does the maxim "function follows form" hold more true than for proteins and protein complexes. The structural conformations created by the folding, twisting and turning of a protein's amino acid chain can allow or prevent the protein from doing what it's supposed to do and this can mean the difference between a healthy and an unhealthy cell. A protein can assume multiple distinct conformational states as it undergoes various chemical processes such as phosphorylation, nucleotide or ligand binding, ATP hydrolysis or the formation of complexes.
The most widely used technique for determining a protein's structure remains crystallography, but many proteins and protein complexes can't be crystalized. Furthermore, though precise, crystallography is a low-throughput process that can only capture one conformational state at a time. Enter SAXS, a high-throughput technique that can image any protein or protein complex in solution under any condition, and provide nanoscale resolution for distinguishing and characterizing the different conformational states that flexible biological macromolecules such as proteins can assume.
"With SAXS, there are relatively few restraints on conditions, construction, concentration or solution chemistry," Hura says. "However, analytical methods have not kept pace with the hardware. While there are many factors that may induce a protein to undergo structural changes, these factors are difficult to predict. Our structural comparison map technique gives us a high-throughput screening capability. The combination of SAXS and our maps allows us to highlight those factors that make the biggest difference in structural conformations. We're also able to track trends and identify intermediate states and other factors that shift equilibrium from one structure to another."
The data in a structural comparison map is presented in the form of a color-coded checkerboard with similarity scores displayed as gradients moving from red, indicating high, to white, indicating low, and various shades of orange and yellow in between.
"With structural comparison maps, I can immediately see which structures under which conditions are the same and which are not," says McMurray. "The maps provide both structural and chemical information and enable us to identify those conformations we should be looking at."
To test the structural conformation map technique, co-author Budworth, a member of McMurray's research group, prepared samples of a protein known as MutS, an inviting chemotherapeutic target because of its ability to remove problematic DNA that can lead to cancer and other genetic mutations.
"MutS is a heterodimer whose two macromolecules undergo an ordered series of nucleotide-dependent steps to initiate DNA repair," Budworth says. "Each discrete nucleotide-bound state is a conformational state decision point that primes the next pathway step. A mechanistic understanding of these steps is crucial to learning how cells avoid mutation."
Says McMurray, "Initially this was a very big puzzle because MutS had no crystal structure, nor could we take a look at any one conformational state and say this is good or this is bad. The structural conformation maps allowed us to characterize the different conformational states individually and then compare them to one another. We discovered that DNA has surprisingly little impact on MutS conformational structures, a fact that was not evident from biochemical measurements, but obvious when examining the maps."
From the SAXS imaging and structural conformation map analysis, McMurray and her group believe that DNA is sculpted to the protein conformation and that nucleotide-binding drives MutS conformational changes. This, they say, holds implications for future cancer therapies.
The MutS samples were subjected to SAXS at the SIBYLS beamline of Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source, a synchrotron that generates premier beams of X-ray and ultraviolet light for scientific research. The acronym SIBYLS stands for Structurally Integrated Biology for Life Sciences. The beamline is maintained by Berkeley Lab's Life Sciences Division under the direction of corresponding author Tainer.
Says Tainer, "The structural comparison map technique is a big step forward in the development of tools that will help biologists use the full potential of the awesome throughput we expect to achieve with the next generation of light sources."
###
This research was supported by funds from the DOE Office of Science and from the National Institutes of Health.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. For more, visit http://www.lbl.gov.
The Advanced Light Source is a third-generation synchrotron light source producing light in the x-ray region of the spectrum that is a billion times brighter than the sun. A DOE national user facility, the ALS attracts scientists from around the world and supports its users in doing outstanding science in a safe environment. For more information visit www-als.lbl.gov.
DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit the Office of Science website at science.energy.gov.
[ | 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.
Comparing proteins at a glancePublic release date: 29-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Lynn Yarris lcyarris@lbl.gov 510-486-5375 DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Berkeley Lab researchers unveil technique for easy comparisons of proteins in solution
A revolutionary X-ray analytical technique that enables researchers at a glance to identify structural similarities and differences between multiple proteins under a variety of conditions has been developed by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). As a demonstration, the researchers used this technique to gain valuable new insight into a protein that is a prime target for cancer chemotherapy.
"Proteins and other biological macromolecules are moving machines whose power is often derived from how their structural conformations change in response to their environment," says Greg Hura, a scientist with Berkeley Lab's Physical Biosciences Division. "Knowing what makes a protein change has incredible value, much like knowing that stepping on a gas pedal makes the wheels of a car spin."
Hura led the development of what is being called a structural comparison map for use with small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), an imaging technique for obtaining structural information about proteins and protein complexes in solution. Cynthia McMurray, a biologist with Berkeley Lab's Life Sciences Division, provided the cancer-relevant protein used to test the new SAXS structural comparison map.
Says McMurray, "In biology, the first step in correcting a problem, such as the formation of a cancerous lesion, is understanding the conditions under which the problem arose. With the SAXS structural comparison map, we can compare multiple protein structures en masse and quickly identify areas of interest."
Hura is the lead author and McMurray one of two corresponding authors of a paper in the journal Nature Methods that describes this research. The paper is titled "Comprehensive objective maps of macromolecular conformations by quantitative SAXS analysis." Also a corresponding author is John Tainer, who holds joint appointments with Berkeley Lab's Life Sciences Division and the Scripps Research Institute. The other authors are Helen Budworth, Kevin Dyer, Robert Rambo and Michal Hammel.
In perhaps no other area of science does the maxim "function follows form" hold more true than for proteins and protein complexes. The structural conformations created by the folding, twisting and turning of a protein's amino acid chain can allow or prevent the protein from doing what it's supposed to do and this can mean the difference between a healthy and an unhealthy cell. A protein can assume multiple distinct conformational states as it undergoes various chemical processes such as phosphorylation, nucleotide or ligand binding, ATP hydrolysis or the formation of complexes.
The most widely used technique for determining a protein's structure remains crystallography, but many proteins and protein complexes can't be crystalized. Furthermore, though precise, crystallography is a low-throughput process that can only capture one conformational state at a time. Enter SAXS, a high-throughput technique that can image any protein or protein complex in solution under any condition, and provide nanoscale resolution for distinguishing and characterizing the different conformational states that flexible biological macromolecules such as proteins can assume.
"With SAXS, there are relatively few restraints on conditions, construction, concentration or solution chemistry," Hura says. "However, analytical methods have not kept pace with the hardware. While there are many factors that may induce a protein to undergo structural changes, these factors are difficult to predict. Our structural comparison map technique gives us a high-throughput screening capability. The combination of SAXS and our maps allows us to highlight those factors that make the biggest difference in structural conformations. We're also able to track trends and identify intermediate states and other factors that shift equilibrium from one structure to another."
The data in a structural comparison map is presented in the form of a color-coded checkerboard with similarity scores displayed as gradients moving from red, indicating high, to white, indicating low, and various shades of orange and yellow in between.
"With structural comparison maps, I can immediately see which structures under which conditions are the same and which are not," says McMurray. "The maps provide both structural and chemical information and enable us to identify those conformations we should be looking at."
To test the structural conformation map technique, co-author Budworth, a member of McMurray's research group, prepared samples of a protein known as MutS, an inviting chemotherapeutic target because of its ability to remove problematic DNA that can lead to cancer and other genetic mutations.
"MutS is a heterodimer whose two macromolecules undergo an ordered series of nucleotide-dependent steps to initiate DNA repair," Budworth says. "Each discrete nucleotide-bound state is a conformational state decision point that primes the next pathway step. A mechanistic understanding of these steps is crucial to learning how cells avoid mutation."
Says McMurray, "Initially this was a very big puzzle because MutS had no crystal structure, nor could we take a look at any one conformational state and say this is good or this is bad. The structural conformation maps allowed us to characterize the different conformational states individually and then compare them to one another. We discovered that DNA has surprisingly little impact on MutS conformational structures, a fact that was not evident from biochemical measurements, but obvious when examining the maps."
From the SAXS imaging and structural conformation map analysis, McMurray and her group believe that DNA is sculpted to the protein conformation and that nucleotide-binding drives MutS conformational changes. This, they say, holds implications for future cancer therapies.
The MutS samples were subjected to SAXS at the SIBYLS beamline of Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source, a synchrotron that generates premier beams of X-ray and ultraviolet light for scientific research. The acronym SIBYLS stands for Structurally Integrated Biology for Life Sciences. The beamline is maintained by Berkeley Lab's Life Sciences Division under the direction of corresponding author Tainer.
Says Tainer, "The structural comparison map technique is a big step forward in the development of tools that will help biologists use the full potential of the awesome throughput we expect to achieve with the next generation of light sources."
###
This research was supported by funds from the DOE Office of Science and from the National Institutes of Health.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. For more, visit http://www.lbl.gov.
The Advanced Light Source is a third-generation synchrotron light source producing light in the x-ray region of the spectrum that is a billion times brighter than the sun. A DOE national user facility, the ALS attracts scientists from around the world and supports its users in doing outstanding science in a safe environment. For more information visit www-als.lbl.gov.
DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit the Office of Science website at science.energy.gov.
[ | 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.
VICKSBURG, Miss. (AP) -- The Coast Guard closed the Mississippi River at Vicksburg after barges hit a railroad bridge there Sunday and about 30 barges broke free from the towboat "Captain Buck Lay."
Nine towboats ? six bound upriver and three heading downriver ? with a total of 134 barges were waiting to get through Sunday evening, Petty Officer Ryan Tippets said.
Every barge was accounted for, but the river remained closed with no word on when it might reopen. Tippets says three barges carried grain and the rest held coal.
"I haven't heard any word on how much of that has gotten into the water. I'm not sure which ones sank," he said.
One barge sank in the traffic channel, Tippets said. He did not know whether it must be removed before the channel can reopen, or when salvage was expected to begin.
He said two others were partly submerged and pushed against the bank, a third was pushed up on a river dike and the rest had been collected.
The Captain Buck Lay is owned by Memco Barge Line Inc., Tippets said.
American Electric Power Company Inc. bought Memco in 2001 from Progress Energy's Electric Fuels Corp. subsidiary, according to a statement on AEP's website. A call to an online listing for Memco in Chesterfield, Mo., was answered by a recording for AEP River Operation. A dispatcher there referred an inquiry to AEP during business hours.
April 22 (Reuters) - Pep Guardiola is not the only connection between Bayern Munich and Barcelona, who meet in their Champions League semi-final, first leg at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday. Both teams are dominating their leagues to an almost embarrassing extent, have won the Champions League four times apiece, share an acrimonious rivalry with Real Madrid, and owe part of their success to the flamboyant Dutchman Louis van Gaal. Both have also been in two Champions League finals in the last four years, though the Catalans won both of theirs and the Bavarians came out losers on each occasion. ...
Army COL Gregory Gadson will provide the keynote talk for World T.E.A.M. Sports' April 26-28 Face of America ride honoring disabled veterans. He will also participate in the two day, 110-mile bicycle and hand cycle ride.
Arlington, Virginia (PRWEB) April 12, 2013
Iraq War veteran and a star of the 2012 theatrical film ?Battleship,? Army COL Gregory Gadson is returning to World T.E.A.M. Sports? Face of America ride this month as keynote speaker for the non-profit?s April 26 commemorative dinner in Arlington.
The Chesapeake, Virginia native is a former participant of the Face of America ride, having ridden the 110-mile, two-day ride with a hand cycle. His participation in the non-profit?s Washington to Gettysburg bicycle ride was only two years after a May 7, 2007 attack in Baghdad cost him both legs above the knees and limited the use of his right hand and arm.
At the 2009 Face of America, COL Gadson rode with 21 disabled veterans, 107 active and retired military and 167 civilians using a new pair of prosthetic legs. ?This is my first long bike tour,? COL Gadson told writer Bob Vogel, ?I have a good team with me, and the ride is going well. Without the folks who are riding with me, I wouldn?t be doing as well as I am. It?s a team effort, not a race, and it?s great fellowship.?
COL Gadson will ride as an honored guest in the 2013 Face of America ride, joining more than 100 disabled veterans from the United States and Canada. This year?s ride includes more than 400 active duty and retired military, as well as civilian riders from across the country.
?COL Gadson is the embodiment of what World T.E.A.M. Sports is all about,? said the organization?s Chief Operations Officer, Van Brinson. ?His refusal to let what some would see as an insurmountable obstacle slow him down has turned him into a role model and an inspiration for those going through similar circumstances. COL Gadson is a motivation to each and every one of us, and we at World T.E.A.M. Sports consider ourselves fortunate to have him as an ally.?
A West Point graduate, COL Gadson played football in high school and at the U.S. Military Academy. In 2007 the National Football League?s New York Giants contacted COL Gadson to meet and talk with the team. Inspired by his courage, determination and positive attitude, the team began a playoff run that led to a Super Bowl Championship against the New England Patriots. At the National Football Conference Championship Game in Green Bay, Wisconsin, COL Gadson served as honorary co-captain for the Giants.
In 2012, COL Gadson appeared as Lieutenant Colonel Mick Canales, a disillusioned Army veteran who confronts alien invaders in Universal Pictures? science fiction theatrical movie, ?Battleship.? The $302 million-grossing film was his first acting role.
Richard Rhinehart World T.E.A.M. Sports 855-987-8326 4 Email Information
NEW YORK/COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (Reuters) - U.S. regulators are discussing whether the batteries that burned on Boeing Co's 787 Dreamliner hold any lessons for other aircraft or vehicles.
George Nield, associate administrator for commercial space transportation at the Federal Aviation Administration, said a dialogue is taking place about whether the overheating of two lithium-ion batteries on the 787 could have broader implications.
"Everyone's looking to see if there are any lessons to be learned from this," Nield told Reuters during a conference hosted by the Space Foundation this week.
The discussion marks a shift for the agency. Two months after the Dreamliner was approved for service in 2011, a lithium-ion battery caught fire on a Cessna business jet, prompting the FAA to order that lithium-ion batteries be replaced with less hazardous cells on all of those jets within a week. But the agency concluded there were no broader lessons to be learned for the 787 or other aircraft.
Nield, who noted that the International Space Station is among the platforms that use the batteries, said the discussion is different now.
"There might not have been a lot (of dialogue) in the past, but I can assure you there will be going forward," Nield said.
POPULAR BUT TRICKY
Lightweight and power-packed, lithium-ion batteries are used to power electric cars, laptops, tablets, cell phones, satellites. They are even used on the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet. The number of cells manufactured globally has leapt to 4.4 billion in 2012 from 800 million in 2002.
But safety remains an issue. The battery industry still does not have a foolproof way to predict or prevent internal short circuits in the cells, according to experts who spoke about the issue this week at the National Transportation Safety Board forum.
The NTSB is investigating what caused one of the 787 batteries to overheat and catch fire in January. A second battery smoldered and emitted smoke during a flight in Japan, prompting the pilots to make an emergency landing and evacuate the plane.
When the FAA initially approved Boeing's lithium-ion battery system in 2007, it lacked rules to govern their use on planes, and set "special conditions" for Boeing to follow to ensure they would be safe.
When the two batteries failed in January, the FAA's process came under scrutiny and critics said the agency could have applied lessons from past battery incidents.
The NTSB has set April 23-24 for an investigative hearing on the Boeing battery that caught fire.
The FAA also has launched an extensive review of Boeing's manufacturing, production and design process for the 787, aimed at addressing the batteries and other problems that have cropped up during the first year of service by the new high-tech plane.
Asked about the Cessna fire, the FAA told Reuters its investigation at the time "determined the fire was caused by mishandling and misuse of the battery while the aircraft was in a maintenance hangar. The battery size, composition and design were different than those of the 787 battery."
Cessna declined to comment.
Since the 787 was grounded last January 16, Boeing has tapped engineers from its airplane and space divisions as well as outside experts as part of a 200-member team that developed a package of measures aimed at preventing further battery problems aboard the 787. The FAA is now evaluating the revamped battery system to determine whether it is safe for the 787 to resume flights.
Ray Conner, who heads Boeing's commercial aircraft division, told an investor conference last month that Boeing tapped the expertise of engineers from other divisions who were familiar with lithium-ion batteries to develop the new battery system.
In the Cessna case, the FAA required that lithium-ion batteries in the Cessna Citation Model 525C, be replaced with nickel-cadmium or lead-acid batteries, older technologies that are not as volatile. Airbus officials have said they think lithium-ion batteries can eventually be made safe, but that the company was shifting to nickel-cadmium for its forthcoming A350 jet, because it doesn't want to risk a delay in bringing the plane to market.
Boeing has said it isn't considering shifting away from lithium-ion batteries.
(Reporting By Andrea Shalal-Esa. Additional reporting by Peter Henderson and Alwyn Scott.)
Adelie penguins play around in Antarctica's Ross Sea.
By Douglas Main LiveScience
Antarctic warming has been a boon for one large colony of Ad?lie penguins, a finding that's surprising scientists.
A recent study found that over the last 60 years, a colony of the birds on Beaufort Island in the Ross Sea, south of New Zealand, increased by 84 percent, from 35,000 breeding pairs to 64,000 breeding pairs. This increase has come as glaciers have retreated from the island, leaving more bare, snow-free ground, where the penguins make their nests, according to the study, published this week in the journal PLOS ONE.
For food, the penguins still depend on sea ice, from which they forage. As the extent of sea ice has declined in Antarctica, it brings bad news for other colonies of the aquatic birds.
The finding is surprising since other colonies of Ad?lie penguins have declined in population, and many continue to do so. The scientists suspect that the increase in population on Beaufort Island is primarily due to the increase in available nesting habitat; since 1980, the amount of flat, bare ground has increased by 20 percent, according to a news release describing the study. There may be other reasons for the increase in population, such as prey availability, though this is uncertain,?the study found.
"This research raises new questions about how Antarctic species are impacted by a changing environment," said Michelle LaRue, study co-author and researcher at the University of Minnesota, in the statement. "This paper encourages all of us to take a second look at what we're seeing and find out if this type of habitat expansion is happening elsewhere to other populations of Ad?lie penguins or other species."
The study estimates penguin populations and habitat size using high-resolution aerial photographs taken as far back as 1958, and, more recently, satellite imagery.
The penguins are smaller than the more well-known Emperor penguins, standing about 18 to 30 inches (46 to 75 centimeters) tall and weighing about 10 to 12 pounds (4.5 to 5.4 kilograms). They are listed as near-threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature because they are "expected to undergo a moderately rapid population decline over the next three generations owing to the effects of projected climate change," according to a 2012 study cited by the IUCN.
Email Douglas Main?or follow him @Douglas_Main. Follow us?@OAPlanet, Facebook?or Google+.Original article on LiveScience's OurAmazingPlanet.
Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
University of Cape Town student newspaper Varsity conducted the poll
Found that 38% think white people were the most attractive
African people came last with only 8% of the vote
Student bodies and human rights activists have criticised the article.
By Jaymi Mccann
PUBLISHED: 14:13 EST, 5 April 2013 | UPDATED: 19:45 EST, 5 April 2013
A South African student newspaper caused a racial storm after publishing a poll that said white people are the most attractive race.
The University of Cape Town?s (UCT) Varsity newspaper conducted a survey of 60 students to decide which race is the most attractive.
It showed that 38 per cent of those surveyed thought that whites were the most attractive, while Africans had the lowest rating with just eight per cent.
Outrage: White people were found to be the most attractive with 38 per cent of the vote, while African people came last with just eight per cent
The survey took in a wide range of ethnicities, with people from who were white, Indian, East Asian, mixed race, black or ?coloured? backgrounds.
The poll, which was conducted to accompany an article entitled ?Is Love Colour Blind? by student Qamran Tabo, has been condemned as racist.
The paper was forced to apologise after students and human rights activists complained.
?
The UCT Young Communist League of South Africa lodged a complaint with the country?s Human Rights Commission as they believe that the ?charade of a survey? incited racial hatred.
They said: ?The article and its alleged survey were always leading to inculcate a culture of one race being the jewel of all others. It is despicable to read.??
The university, which is considered among the best in Africa, only chose to remove its race-based admissions policy in February.
Academic: The University of Cape Town is considered one of the best universities in Africa
The UCT Student Representative Council said that they paper should have showed greater respect to an issue that had a ?painful historical significance?.?
Even South African human rights activist Zackie Achmat tweeted that the poll was ?racist nonsense?.
Critics took to Twitter to condemn the article.
Palee92 wrote: 'Uct varsity newspaper has lost the plot. Why are even wasting time discussing what the most attractive race is'
BabS_Nyembezi said: 'Wow. But the editorial team of UCT's "Varsity". I wish, for their sakes, the whole piece had been a misprint. They can't have been thinking.'
Editor-in-chief of Varsity Alexandra Nagel issued an apology to anyone who was offended.
She said: ?I am aware of the controversy surrounding the sensitivity of race and I understand that the right to freedom of expression has its limits when used unnecessarily to discriminate against others, slandering religion, race, sexuality.?
?However, Varsity feels that the writer was not abusing this right nor had the intention of issuing an attack on individual racial groups, but simply pinpointing a matter that is still affecting the lives of South Africans.?
In one of my recent radio interviews, I was asked what the best time of the year for a cruise in or around South America would be. Let me start by talking about the general weather conditions during the year in South America. Excluding, of course, the Andes and other mountains where there are no cruises.
A lot of attention is given to a so called ?rainy season.? Generally, when planning a trip out guests want to avoid the ?rainy season,? which is completely wrong!
In South America, the summer is the rainy season. It just rains more during the summer thunderstorms, then in a winter drizzle. A lot of seasoned travelers have been to different areas of the world, where the word rainy season has a completely different meaning ? in South America, there are no Asian and especially no Indian Monsoons! So, when you hear about South America?s ?rainy season,? just remember that means it?s a time of the year when it rains more than during other times.
For a South American cruise, another factor is essential: the water level in the rivers. Especially for an Amazon river cruise, the more water in the river the better. For the Amazon, therefore, the rainy season is a very good time! Ships can go all the way into smaller tributaries, close to vegetation where you can see many animals that have fled from the waters into the trees. The rainforest blossoms, and everything is green because during the dry season, which is winter, a lot of trees loose their leaves.
Also for a cruise in the Pantanal, where many fishing cruises operate on the Brazilian side, you need the rain. Without it many of the small rivers are not navigable there. That is valid for the fishing cruises. Whereas for the leisure cruises on the Paraguay River within Paraguay, the same principle as for the Amazon river applies.
Now for the classic leisure South American cruises doing the classic route from Miami down along the East coast, calling in Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, Santiago and Lima, passing through the Panama canal and ending up in Miami again. You absolutely want to travel during the South American summer. Only between November and April do you really enjoy the Waters of Patagonia. During this time you also have enough daylight in the very south near Ushuaia. The November to April season around Patagonia is as if you were going on a cruise to Alaska from May to October.
Having said all that, I wanted to add another two details:
In April-May, the autumn of the Southern Hemisphere has a unique weather pattern. That is the time when the dry air of the Antarctic is pushing north. Extreme blue skies are the result. This means South America?s autumn is best time for anybody wanting to come home from their South America cruise with a lot of great photographs! In November the moist air from the Amazon pushes south and so skies are cloudier.
The other detail is that March, April, May is the slowest time of the year. Bargains abound!
Therefore, my recommendation: The best time to take a cruise in or around South America is the late summer and early autumn, from November to May. This is when it is warm down in South America and cold in the Northern Hemisphere!
Interested in booking aSouth America Cruise? View all our South America Cruise itineraries:
President Juergen Keller was born in Southwest Germany, and has studied in his home country, as well as Spain, Portugal and Brazil. He wrote his Masters Thesis at the World Bank library in Washington, D.C. Even while studying, Juergen began taking American, Canadian and Brazilian high school students and adults on multi-country tours throughout Europe. While working as Export Manager for an international company, the itch to share his love of traveling inspired him to found SouthAmerica.travel in 1999.
Pet supplies is a multi-billion dollar industry, but one sector of this lucrative market has been ignored for far too long. Sony is aiming to remedy that with its latest line of consumer technology ? Animalia.
Animalia is being billed as ?Tech for pets.? The first products available include speakers for hamsters, a home theater system for dogs, and best of all ? headphones for cats that always look like they?re on.
Like everything else today, this is merely an April Fools? Day joke, but there is a consumer electronics market for pets. Famous DJ Deadmau5 created a pair of headphones last year that were specifically fitted for his cat.
For other fake pet technologies, check out this Google Translate April Fools? prank from 2010 that promised to translate what animals were saying.
The WCFA has taken part in a petition that definitely needs all of our attention. ?The purpose for the petition is to ask the State?Insurance?Regulators to step in and stop the insurance companies from restricting access to mammograms.
In the petition that goes out, it reads as follows:
?
Dear National Association of Insurance Commissioners President Roger A. Sevigny, President-Elect Jane L. Cline, & association members:
In spite of the recent controversy regarding whether routine mammograms should be given to women aged 40-49, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the American Cancer Society, as well as countless other experts, agree that mammograms reduce the rate of death due to breast cancer by an average of fifteen percent.
We, your constituents, ask that you prevent recent USPSTF recommendations from being used to restrict access to mammograms for women.?Your decisions and legislation will help decide whether women in each state get to choose the best preventive care options with the help of their doctors, or insurance companies make that choice for them by not covering appropriate care.
Please make your own recommendations wisely. Do not allow insurance companies to restrict access to life-saving mammograms. Let patient and doctor decide what preventive care is appropriate and necessary.
Sincerely,
?
?
?
Johnny Wayfer and the entire?West Coast Football Association Family
I am asking each and every one of you to please, please log on to this link: TheBreastCancerSite.com Petition for Mammograms?and complete this short petition that could very well save our loved ones lives.
WISCONSIN BANK & TRUST PRESENTS DONATION TO MADISON-BASED BREAST CANCER RECOVERY FOUNDATION, INC.?
Pink Ribbon Debit Card Charity Partnership Results in $2,800 Donation in Program?s First Seven Months?
Presentation held March 27 at WB&T?s Madison Office
Madison, WI, March 27, 2013?Wisconsin Bank & Trust?presented a donation to Madison-based Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation, Inc. made possible by almost 115,000 individual swipes of the bank?s Pink Ribbon Debit Card during 2012. Gail Riedasch, Executive Director of Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation, accepted the donation on behalf of the non-profit organization at an event held at Wisconsin Bank & Trust?s main office at 8240 Mineral Point Road in Madison.
?We are amazed at how quickly the Pink Ribbon Debit Card program took off after its launch last spring,? said Jeff Boudreau, Vice President and Retail Sales Manager at Wisconsin Bank & Trust. ?The program allows our checking account holders to ?Take a Swipe at Breast Cancer? right here in our community. This is a grass roots effort that is gaining momentum. We look forward to more people stepping up to help women breast cancer survivors heal emotionally in the coming year.?
The Pink Ribbon Debit Card program began on May 1, 2012 and has since expanded to 1,363 cardholders who collectively made 114,693 transactions through December 31. Every swipe of a Pink Ribbon Debit Card generates a donation of 2.5 cents to Breast Cancer Recovery, whose mission is to provide environments for women breast cancer survivors to heal emotionally.
Gail Riedasch of Breast Cancer Recovery said, ?All of us at Breast Cancer Recovery are excited about the partnership with Wisconsin Bank and Trust. The staff and Board of Directors extend our thanks to Wisconsin Bank & Trust?s customers for helping support our programs. These dollars go directly to helping meet the needs of women in our community.?
Wisconsin Bank & Trust?s program is part of a larger effort organized by parent company Heartland Financial USA to support breast cancer charities. Across the company more than $26,678 was raised in just seven short months through Pink Ribbon Debit Card programs at Wisconsin Bank & Trust and its sister banks in other states.
The Pink Ribbon Debit Card is free and available with all Wisconsin Bank & Trust personal checking accounts. Current Wisconsin Bank & Trust customers interested in joining the Pink Ribbon Debit Card program can visit any branch or?www.wisconsinbankandtrust.com?for more information.
About Breast Cancer Recovery
Breast Cancer Recovery?s flagship program Infinite Boundaries? retreats are based on the belief that the journey to recovery and healing involves the whole woman, mind and body.? Retreats are designed to help women find inner strength and experience the hope needed to live each day beyond the boundaries of breast cancer. Survivors have the opportunity to discuss the issues surrounding their breast cancer, gather information and experience and enjoy the company of new-found ?sisters? in healing environments. Special care is taken in choosing scenic, natural settings because we believe that healing can be found in nature. Please visit our website to find more information:?www.bcrecovery.org?
About Wisconsin Bank & Trust
Wisconsin Bank & Trust (WB&T) is a community bank with assets of $670 million serving customers in the Madison, Monroe, Green Bay, Sheboygan and southwest areas of Wisconsin. The bank operates ten branch offices, all located in Wisconsin, and is a subsidiary of Heartland Financial USA, Inc.? WB&T is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and an Equal Housing Lender.? Learn more at?www.wisconsinbankandtrust.com.
FILE - In this March 12, 2013 file photo, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. They have settled on a political framework, but now, the lawmakers writing a bipartisan immigration overhaul need to resolve the nitty-gritty _ and, perhaps, keep their parties? political flanks mollified. But even as the final stages of talks begin, before some lawmakers began appearing on Sunday shows to discuss a breakthrough, Rubio warned he was not ready to lend his name ? and political clout ? to such a deal without hashing out the details. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
FILE - In this March 12, 2013 file photo, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. They have settled on a political framework, but now, the lawmakers writing a bipartisan immigration overhaul need to resolve the nitty-gritty _ and, perhaps, keep their parties? political flanks mollified. But even as the final stages of talks begin, before some lawmakers began appearing on Sunday shows to discuss a breakthrough, Rubio warned he was not ready to lend his name ? and political clout ? to such a deal without hashing out the details. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
FILE - In this Wednesday, March 27, 2013 file photo, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., makes a point as he is joined by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Sen. Michael Bennett, D-Colo., during a news conference after their tour of the Mexico border with the United States in Nogales, Ariz. A group of influential U.S. senators shaping and negotiating details of an immigration reform package have vowed to make the legislation public when Congress reconvenes in April. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Big business and big labor have settled on a political framework for an immigration overhaul. Now, the lawmakers writing bipartisan legislation need to resolve the nitty-gritty ? and keep their parties' political flanks mollified.
Business and labor negotiators late last week agreed on a deal that would allow tens of thousands of low-skilled workers into the country and pay them fair wages. It was a last major sticking point before the deal goes to the eight senators ? four Democrats, four Republicans ? to sign off on the details and propose legislation. They are looking to set in motion the most dramatic changes to the faltering U.S. immigration system in more than two decades.
"There are a few details yet. But conceptually, we have an agreement between business and labor, between ourselves that has to be drafted," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
The so-called Gang of Eight's plan would provide a new class of worker visas for low-skilled workers, secure the border, crack down on employers, improve legal immigration and create a 13-year pathway to citizenship for the millions of illegal immigrants already here.
"With the agreement between business and labor, every major policy issue has been resolved," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat who brokered the labor-business deal.
But that effort hasn't taken the form of a bill and the senators searching for a compromise haven't met about the potential breakthrough. They plan to introduce their framework when they return from recess the week of April 8 and move quickly to schedule a vote.
Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., said the hard part is done.
"That doesn't mean we've crossed every 'i' or dotted every 't,' or vice versa," Flake said.
But even as the final stages of talks begin, one member of the group urged colleagues not to get too far ahead of themselves. Just before lawmakers began appearing on Sunday shows to discuss the breakthrough, Sen. Marco Rubio warned he was not ready to lend his name ? and political clout ? to such a deal without hashing out the details.
"Reports that the bipartisan group of eight senators have agreed on a legislative proposal are premature," said Rubio, a Florida Republican who is among the lawmakers working to write the legislation.
Rubio, a Cuban-American who is weighing a presidential bid in 2016, is a leading figure inside his party. Lawmakers will be closely watching any deal for his approval, and his skepticism about the process did little to encourage optimism.
Rubio, who is the group's emissary to conservatives, called the agreement "a starting point" but noted 92 senators from 43 states haven't yet been involved in the process.
That's where figures such as Rubio and assistant Democratic leader Dick Durbin of Illinois come in. Both will be able to give political cover to ? or coax ? members of their party who were not involved in drafting this agreement that could allow an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants to earn U.S. citizenship.
"As to the 11 million, they'll have a pathway to citizenship, but it will be earned, it will be long, and it will be hard, and I think it is fair," Graham said.
A week ago, such a compromise seemed impossible.
Then the pro-business U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO labor coalition reached its deal late Friday to allow tens of thousands of low-skilled workers into the country to fill jobs in construction, restaurants and hotels.
Schumer negotiated the deal between Chamber of Commerce head Tom Donohue and AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka during a late Friday phone call. Under the compromise, the government would create a new "W'' visa for low-skilled workers, who would earn the same wages paid to Americans or the prevailing wages for the industry they're working in, whichever is higher. The Labor Department would determine prevailing wage based on customary rates in specific localities, so it would vary from city to city.
The detente between the powerful business lobbying group and the nation's leading labor federation still needs senators' approval, including a nod from Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican whose previous efforts came up short. He has returned to the negotiating table yet again.
The immigration debate already has President Barack Obama's attention.
"This is a legacy item for him," said David Axelrod, a longtime political confidant of Obama. "There is no doubt in my mind that he wants to pass comprehensive immigration reform."
Graham was interviewed Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union." Schumer, Flake and Axelrod appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press."
CAIRO (AP) ? An Egyptian rights group says police have detained 13 people including five lawyers, accusing them of assaulting police in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria.
The arrest inside the police station is rare instance in which lawyers face potential criminal charges. The opposition says there is an expanding crackdown on anti-government activists.
The arrests Saturday on accusations that include insulting security officials and illegal assembly prompted an angry response from lawyers at Cairo's Bar Association, who demanded an apology from the police.
The Haqanya Center for Rights said the detainees are also accused of attempting to free other detainees held at the police station.
The lawyers were at the station to represent activists reportedly arrested by members of a political party affiliated with Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and handed to the police.
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Public release date: 29-Apr-2013
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In one of my recent radio interviews, I was asked what the best time of the year for a cruise in or around South America would be. Let me start by talking about the general weather conditions during the year in South America. Excluding, of course, the Andes and other mountains where there are no cruises.
For a South American cruise, another factor is essential: the water level in the rivers. Especially for an Amazon river cruise, the more water in the river the better. For the Amazon, therefore, the rainy season is a very good time! Ships can go all the way into smaller tributaries, close to vegetation where you can see many animals that have fled from the waters into the trees. The rainforest blossoms, and everything is green because during the dry season, which is winter, a lot of trees loose their leaves.
Now for the classic leisure South American cruises doing the classic route from Miami down along the East coast, calling in Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, Santiago and Lima, passing through the Panama canal and ending up in Miami again. You absolutely want to travel during the South American summer. Only between November and April do you really enjoy the Waters of Patagonia. During this time you also have enough daylight in the very south near Ushuaia. The November to April season around Patagonia is as if you were going on a cruise to Alaska from May to October.
The WCFA has taken part in a petition that definitely needs all of our attention. ?The purpose for the petition is to ask the State?Insurance?Regulators to step in and stop the insurance companies from restricting access to mammograms.
Madison, WI, March 27, 2013?Wisconsin Bank & Trust?presented a donation to Madison-based Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation, Inc. made possible by almost 115,000 individual swipes of the bank?s Pink Ribbon Debit Card during 2012. Gail Riedasch, Executive Director of Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation, accepted the donation on behalf of the non-profit organization at an event held at Wisconsin Bank & Trust?s main office at 8240 Mineral Point Road in Madison.