Thursday, February 28, 2013

Medicare paid $5.1B for poor nursing home care

(AP) ? Medicare paid billions in taxpayer dollars to nursing homes nationwide that were not meeting basic requirements to look after their residents, government investigators have found.

The report, released Thursday by the Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general, said Medicare paid about $5.1 billion for patients to stay in skilled nursing facilities that failed to meet federal quality of care rules in 2009, in some cases resulting in dangerous and neglectful conditions.

One out of every three times patients wound up in nursing homes that year, they landed in facilities that failed to follow basic care requirements laid out by the federal agency that administers Medicare, investigators estimated.

By law, nursing homes need to write up care plans specially tailored for each resident, so doctors, nurses, therapists and all other caregivers are on the same page about how to help residents reach the highest possible levels of physical, mental and psychological well-being.

Not only are residents often going without the crucial help they need, but the government could be spending taxpayer money on facilities that could endanger people's health, the report concluded. The findings come as concerns about health care quality and cost are garnering heightened attention as the Obama administration implements the nation's sweeping health care overhaul.

"These findings raise concerns about what Medicare is paying for," the report said.

Investigators estimate that in one out of five stays, patients' health problems weren't addressed in the care plans, falling far short of government directives. For example, one home made no plans to monitor a patient's use of two anti-psychotic drugs and one depression medication, even though the drugs could have serious side effects.

In other cases, residents got therapy they didn't need, which the report said was in the nursing homes' financial interest because they would be reimbursed at a higher rate by Medicare.

In one example, a patient kept getting physical and occupational therapy even though the care plan said all the health goals had been met, the report said.

The Office of Inspector General's report was based on medical records from 190 patient visits to nursing homes in 42 states that lasted at least three weeks, which investigators said gave them a statistically valid sample of Medicare beneficiaries' experiences in skilled nursing facilities.

That sample represents about 1.1 million patient visits to nursing homes nationwide in 2009, the most recent year for which data was available, according to the review.

Overall, the review raises questions about whether the system is allowing homes to get paid for poor quality services that may be harming residents, investigators said, and recommended that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services tie payments to homes' abilities to meet basic care requirements. The report also recommended that the agency strengthen its regulations and ramp up its oversight. The review did not name individual homes, nor did it estimate the number of patients who had been mistreated, but instead looked at the overall number of stays in which problems arose.

In response, the agency agreed that it should consider tying Medicare reimbursements to homes' provision of good care. CMS also said in written comments that it is reviewing its own regulations to improve enforcement at the homes.

"Medicare has made significant changes to the way we pay providers thanks to the health care law, to reward better quality care," Medicare spokesman Brian Cook said in a statement to AP. "We are taking steps to make sure these facilities have the resources to improve the quality of their care, and make sure Medicare is paying for the quality of care that beneficiaries are entitled to."

CMS hires state-level agencies to survey the homes and make sure they are complying with federal law, and can require correction plans, deny payment or end a contract with a home if major deficiencies come to light. The agency also said it would follow up on potential enforcement at the homes featured in the report.

Greg Crist, a Washington-based spokeswoman for the American Health Care Association, which represents the largest share of skilled nursing facilities nationwide, said overall nursing home operators are well regulated and follow federal guidelines but added that he could not fully comment on the report's conclusions without having had the chance to read it.

"Our members begin every treatment with the individual's personal health needs at the forefront. This is a hands-on process, involving doctors and even family members in an effort to enhance the health outcome of the patient," Crist said.

Virginia Fichera, who has relatives in two nursing homes in New York, said she would welcome a greater push for accountability at skilled nursing facilities.

"Once you're in a nursing home, if things don't go right, you're really a prisoner," said Fichera, a retired professor in Sterling, NY. "As a concerned relative, you just want to know the care is good, and if there are problems, why they are happening and when they'll be fixed."

Once residents are ready to go back home or transfer to another facility, federal law also requires that the homes write special plans to make sure patients are safely discharged.

Investigators found the homes didn't always do what was needed to ensure a smooth transition.

In nearly one-third of cases, facilities also did not provide enough information when the patient moved to another setting, the report found.

___

On the Web:

The OIG report: http://1.usa.gov/VaztQm

The Medicare nursing home database: http://www.medicare.gov/NursingHomeCompare/search.aspx?bhcp=1&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

___

Follow Garance Burke on Twitter at ?http://twitter.com/garanceburke.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2013-02-28-Nursing%20Homes-Poor%20Care/id-2429e3a092e643079bc13ea7dfc520ac

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Mauritius' Sun Resorts says Q4 pretax profit down 20 pct

MADRID, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi has rarely been accused of failing to deliver in big games, having scored in two European Cup finals, but after subdued performances against AC Milan and Real Madrid, questions are being asked. The four-times World Player of the Year and leading scorer in one of the greatest club teams of all time, was a shadow of his usual self at the San Siro in a Champions League last-16 first leg last week, when Barcelona slumped to a 2-0 defeat. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mauritius-sun-resorts-says-q4-pretax-profit-down-090312480--finance.html

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S.Africa 2013 budget deficit seen at 4.6 pct of GDP

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa expects its budget deficit to widen further than previously thought in the current fiscal year ending in March as disruptions in the mining sector add to already subdued economic growth, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Wednesday.

In his three-year budget tabled to parliament, Gordhan said previous deficit estimates for the years to 2015/16 had also had to be raised as revenue collection from companies and individuals is expected to underperform.

Gordhan said the budget deficit for 2013/14 would be 4.6 percent of GDP, a shade lower than 4.7 percent forecast by economists.

Tax revenue for this year is now likely to be 16.3 billion rand below 2012 projections, while 2013/14 and 2014/15 is expected to underperform by 13.2 billion rand and 27.8 billion rand respectively.

"This underperformance began in August 2012 with the outcome in the second half of the year 5.7 percent lower than in the first half, owing to mining sector disputes and sluggish employment growth," the budget said.

Unrest in South Africa's platinum belt left more 50 people dead last year, and is estimated to have cost the economy $1.1 billion. Miners stayed away from work and went on strikes without pay.

Combined with the chronic joblessness limiting South Africa's tax base, Gordhan forecast the 2014/15 deficit at 3.9 percent.

The public sector borrowing requirement increases to 7.4 percent of GDP in 2012/13, from 7.1 percent projected last year, while the primary balance on the main budget - the gap between revenue and non-interest spending - is seen at 3 percent this year, narrowing to 0.9 percent in 2015/16.

Gordhan said expenditure would not increase, as announced in October. The government is drawing down on its contingency reserve while departments are trimming their spending projections on some projects, he said.

"With economic growth weaker than anticipated and revenue collections below projection, the fiscal environment is more constrained than before," he told parliament.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/africa-2013-budget-deficit-seen-4-6-pct-131839561--business.html

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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

GlaxoSmithKline unit joins patent pool for AIDS drugs

LONDON (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline's HIV/AIDS drugs business is to share intellectual property rights on children's medicine in a patent pool designed to make treatments more widely available in poor countries.

ViiV Healthcare, majority-owned by GSK, is the second research-based pharmaceutical business to sign up to the new Medicines Patent Pool, following a lead set in 2011 by Gilead Sciences.

Although more than half of people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS now get the drugs they need - thanks to a major roll-out of treatment in Africa - an estimated 6.8 million still go without, according to UNAIDS.

The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), launched in 2010 by the UNITAID health financing system that is funded by a levy on airline tickets, aims to address the remaining gap by getting patent holders to share know-how with makers of cheap generic drugs.

In the case of ViiV, a key pediatric medicine known as abacavir will be made available to generic manufacturers which will be able to take a license to make and sell it in 118 poor countries, the patent pool said on Wednesday.

ViiV and the patent pool have also agreed to negotiate further licenses that will allow generics firms to manufacture low-cost versions of an experimental drug, dolutegravir, that is currently awaiting regulatory approval in Western markets.

There are 3.4 million children living with HIV worldwide but only 562,000 have access to medicines. Treating them is challenging because many drugs are not adapted for use in children.

Abacavir and dolutegravir are both seen as priority products for fighting HIV in poor countries. ViiV also sells other older drugs, some of which are already off patent and available as cheaper generics.

ViiV - which is owned 76.5 percent by GSK, 13.5 percent by Pfizer and 10 percent by Shionogi - only signed up to the patent pool after lengthy negotiations.

Some other major drugmakers have yet to join.

Bristol-Myers Squibb, Roche and privately owned Boehringer-Ingelheim are currently discussing plans to join the scheme, but Abbott, Johnson & Johnson and Merck have so far remained outside.

J&J decided in November to take unilateral action by not enforcing its patents on HIV drug Prezista in a limited number of poor countries, in a move that disappointed campaigners who argued joining the pool would have been more effective.

(Reporting by Ben Hirschler, Editing by Kate Kelland and Mark Potter)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/glaxosmithkline-unit-joins-patent-pool-aids-drugs-143054011--finance.html

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Amandla Stenberg To Star In NBC Comedy And More Pilot Casting News

  • Joseph Gordon-Levitt

    <strong>Age he started:</strong> Age 7 (1988) <strong>Then:</strong> He got his first major TV role on ABC's 1991 "Dark Shadows" series before starring on NBC's short-lived "The Powers That Be." Then, of course, was his stint on "Roseanne" before landing a lead on "3rd Rock From the Sun," which lasted six seasons and launched his career. <strong>Now:</strong> JGL is a major movie star, headlining hits like "(500) Days of Summer," "Inception," "Looper" and "The Dark Knight Rises."

  • Christina Applegate

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 10 (1981) <strong>Then:</strong> Applegate got her start guest-starring role on TV, with one short-lived series under her belt before landing her big break on "Married ... With Children," which brought young men 11 seasons full of Kelly Bundy antics to drool over. <strong>Now:</strong> Even though she still dabbles in movies ("Anchorman" sequel, anyone?), Applegate is staying loyal to her TV roots, currently starring on NBC's sophomore sitcom "Up All Night" after her Golden Globe-nominated roles on "Jesse" and "Samantha Who?"

  • Mayim Bialik

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 12 (1987) <strong>Then:</strong> Before her name was synonymous with "Blossom," Bialik was the title character in a failed sitcom, Fox's "Molloy," co-starring Jennifer Aniston. She also did stints on "MacGyver," "Webster" and "The Facts of Life." <strong>Now:</strong> After stepping out of the spotlight to raise a family, Bialik returned to her TV comedy roots with arcs on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" before joining the cast of CBS's "The Big Bang Theory."

  • Jessica Biel

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> 12 (1994) <strong>Then:</strong> Biel's breakout role was also one of her first, as the eldest Camden daughter on The WB's hit "7th Heaven," which ran for 11 seasons. <strong>Now:</strong> Mrs. Justin Timberlake has continued her career on the big screen with recent roles in "Hitchcock," "Total Recall" and celeb-packed ensemble hits "Valentine's Day" and "New Year's Eve."

  • Anna Chlumsky

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> 9 years old (1989) <strong>Then:</strong> Chlumsky's first major role came when she was just 11 years old, but it was a memorable one. She played Vada Margaret Sultenfuss, the precocious daughter of a funeral home owner, in the hit coming-of-age movie "My Girl" and its sequel. <strong>Now:</strong> She took a break from acting to go to college and start a family, but returned to Hollywood and soon got a part in Armando Iannucci's "In the Loop," a role that led to her now-starring role in HBO's political satire series "Veep" alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

  • Claire Danes

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 11 (1990) <strong>Then:</strong> At just 14, "My So-Called Life" made Danes a household name, a role model for angsty teen girls everywhere and an Emmy nominee and a Golden Globe winner. <strong>Now:</strong> Danes has since added two more Golden Globes and two more Emmys to her awards collection -- one each for portraying Temple Grandin in HBO's movie of the same name, and the latest for her current role on Showtime's hit sophomore drama "Homeland."

  • Leonardo DiCaprio

    <strong>Age he started:</strong> Age 16 (1990) <strong>Then:</strong> DiCaprio's first big role was on NBC's short-lived soap "Santa Barbara," but that landed him steady TV work on shows like "Parenthood" (NBC's 1990 iteration) and a memorable role on "Growing Pains." <strong>Now:</strong> One of the highest paid actors in Hollywood, DiCaprio has played everyone from a modern-day Romeo to Howard Hughes and J. Edgar Hoover, and has worked with every major director, including Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese.

  • Fergie

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 9 (1984) <strong>Then:</strong> Fergie -- then known as Stacy Ferguson -- sang and danced on TV each week as herself for several seasons on "Kids Incorporated." The show launched her music career with girl group Wild Orchid. <strong>Now:</strong> After leaving Wild Orchid, Fergie shot to superstardom as the leading lady of the Black Eyed Peas, and has since launched a successful solo career and an animated voiceover career as well (she's done several voices for Fox's "The Cleveland Show").

  • Johnny Galecki

    <strong>Age he started:</strong> Age 12 (1987) <strong>Then:</strong> Galecki started off his acting career with several TV movies and a few short-lived series, but it was his roles in 1989's "Christmas Vacation" and the latter seasons of"Roseanne" that really put him on the map. <strong>Now:</strong> His starring role as Leonard Hofstadter on CBS's "The Big Bang Theory" has taken his career to the next level. He even played "himself" on a few episodes of HBO's insider Hollywood series "Entourage."

  • Sarah Michelle Gellar

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 6 (1983) <strong>Then:</strong> At only 15, Gellar starred in teen TV soap "Swans Crossing" before being cast as Erica Kane's daughter Kendall on "All My Children." She eventually won her career-making title role on The WB's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." <strong>Now:</strong> After marrying Freddie Prinze Jr., her costar from "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and the "Scooby Doo" franchise, they welcomed their second child together just as her return to TV on The CW's short-lived "Ringer" was coming to an end.

  • Neil Patrick Harris

    <strong>Age he started:</strong> Age 15 (1988) <strong>Then:</strong> After receiving a Golden Globe nomination for his very first role -- co-starring with Whoopi Goldberg in "Clara's Heart" -- Harris landed the title role on "Doogie Howser, M.D." playing the teen doctor for four seasons and earning another Golden Globe nomination. <strong>Now:</strong> With several more TV series, movies and a cult-favorite sing-along blog under his belt, Harris can be seen as the ultimate bro Barney Stinson every week on CBS's hit sitcom "How I Met Your Mother," now in its eighth season.

  • Jennifer Love Hewitt

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 10 (1989) <strong>Then:</strong> Another singer-slash-actress who got her start on "Kids Incorporated," Hewitt showed off her pipes on the big screen alongside Lauryn Hill and Whoopi Goldberg in "Sister Act 2" before landing the role on The WB's hit drama "Party of Five," which made her a household name. <strong>Now:</strong> Even though her "Po5" spinoff failed, Hewitt's teen movie roles ("I Know What You Did Last Summer," "Can't Hardly Wait") kept her working consistently. After five years as the lead in CBS's "Ghost Whisperer," a Lifetime TV movie "The Client List" was a big enough hit to become her latest TV series role.

  • Ron Howard

    <strong>Age he started:</strong> Age 18 months (1956) <strong>Then: </strong>Howard started early and worked consistently before landing a career-making role as Opie Taylor on"The Andy Griffith Show" for eight seasons, starting at the age of 6. Tack on 10 more TV years to his resume in another iconic role -- playing Richie Cunningham on "Happy Days" -- and you've got proof that sometimes big-time success can strike twice for one child actor. <strong>Now:</strong> He was and will be the voice of "Arrested Development," but it's his work behind the camera that's most notable now, having produced TV shows and movies, as well as directing big screen hits from "Splash" to "Parenthood," "The DaVinci Code" to "Frost/Nixon" and the upcoming Jay-Z documentary.

  • Joshua Jackson

    <strong>Age he started:</strong> Age 13 (1991) <strong>Then:</strong> A role in all three "Mighty Ducks" movies made Jackson a pre-teen heartthrob early on in his career, which led to roles in the requisite teen movies ("Apt Pupil," "Urban Legend," "The Skulls") and a hit teen TV soap with The WB's "Dawson's Creek," which ran for six seasons. <strong>Now:</strong> Jackson is currently wrapping up the fifth and final season of his starring role on Fox's sci-fi drama "Fringe."

  • Mila Kunis

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 12 (1995) <strong>Then:</strong> After several TV guest spots and a guest arc on "7th Heaven," Kunis landed a lead role on "That '70s Show," which ran for eight seasons. Her distinctive voice can also be heard on "Family Guy" each week -- she's Peter and Lois Griffin's awkward daughter Meg. <strong>Now:</strong> Kunis is now a major movie star, playing everything from the romantic comedy female lead ("Ted," "Friends With Benefits") to more dramatic roles (her memorable "Black Swan" part won her nominations from both the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards).

  • Tina Majorino

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 5 (1990) <strong>Then:</strong> Majorino started her career acting with some pretty big names on ABC's "Camp Wilder" before breaking hearts on the big screen with emotional dramatic roles in movies like "When A Man Loves A Woman" and "Corinna, Corinna." She transitioned to more mature fare as she grew up, with a part on cult-favorite series "Veronica Mars." <strong>Now:</strong> A role in "Napoleon Dynamite" (and the eventual short-lived animated series spinoff on Fox) led to stints on "Big Love," "Bones" and "True Blood" before Majorino joined the cast of ABC's long-running hit "Grey's Anatomy" as a new intern this season.

  • Alyssa Milano

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 8 (1980) <strong>Then:</strong> Though her career started in the theater, it was her role as Samantha Micelli, the daughter of Tony Danza's character on "Who's The Boss," that really put Milano on the map. In 1985, she played Arnold Schwarzenegger's daughter in "Commando" and her later roles -- Jennifer Mancini on "Melrose Place" and Phoebe Halliwell on "Charmed" -- secured her longevity. <strong>Now:</strong> As well as recent appearances in the movies "Hall Pass," "New Year's Eve" and the Lifetime telefilm "Sundays at Tiffany's," Milano will play the lead in ABC's midseason drama "Mistresses."

  • Hayden Panettiere

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 11 months (1990) <strong>Then:</strong> Panettiere began appearing in commercials from 11 months old, but in 1994, she landed the role of Sarah Roberts on the soap "One Life To Live," and followed it as "Guiding Light's" Lizzie Spaulding. She has worked consistently ever since. Though she had a notable guest stint on the final season of "Ally McBeal," her role as Claire Bennet in NBC's "Heroes" is her most recognizable to date. <strong>Now:</strong> As a singer, voice-over artist and actress, 23-year-old Panettiere has appeared in numerous films, video games and TV shows, and is currently starring in ABC's "Nashville" alongside Connie Britton.

  • Sarah Jessica Parker

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 12 (1977) <strong>Then:</strong> After playing "Annie" on Broadway, Parker's first TV role came in 1982, when she scored the lead part in CBS's "Square Pegs." The show only lasted a season, but Parker soon leveraged that visibility into features, appearing in "Footloose," "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Flight of the Navigator" in the late '80s. <strong>Now:</strong> Parker is best known for portraying the lovelorn Carrie Bradshaw in the "Sex and the City" series (and subsequent movie sequels), and currently has a guest role on "Glee" in addition to her movie work.

  • Emma Roberts

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 9 (2001) <strong>Then:</strong> Roberts -- the niece of Julia Roberts -- made her movie debut in Ted Demme's "Blow," appearing as the daughter of Johnny Depp's character. In 2004, she starred as the lead in Nickelodeon's teen series "Unfabulous," which ran until 2007. <strong>Now:</strong> Now a bona fide film star, Roberts has starred in films as diverse as "Valentine's Day," "Nancy Drew," "It's Kind of a Funny Story" "Scream 4" and "Celeste and Jesse Forever."

  • Fred Savage

    <strong>Age he started:</strong> Age 9 (1986) <strong>Then:</strong> Savage first appeared on television on the show "Morningstar/Eveningstar" before he was 10, but it was his role as the grandson in the movie "The Princess Bride" that really launched his career. Savage followed that up with the starring role as Kevin Arnold on "The Wonder Years" from 1988-1993. <strong>Now:</strong> As an actor, Savage has recently appeared in shows such as "Happy Endings" and "Family Guy," and has directed multiple episodes of "2 Broke Girls," "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia," "Happy Endings" and "Modern Family."

  • Mae Whitman

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 6 (1994) <strong>Then:</strong> Whitman debuted as Meg Ryan's daughter in the film "When a Man Loves a Woman," then played the president's daughter in "Independence Day," George Clooney's daughter in "One Fine Day," and Sandra Bullock's daughter in "Hope Floats." <strong>Now:</strong> In addition to reuniting with her "Arrested Development" co-stars for the new Netflix rivival, Whitman plays Amber on NBC's family drama "Parenthood."

  • Kenan Thompson

    <strong>Age he started:</strong> Age 16 (1994) <strong>Then:</strong> Thompson made his film debut in "D2: The Mighty Ducks" and his TV debut on "All That," before playing one of the titular roles on Nickelodeon's successful comedy "Kenan and Kel" from 1996-2000. <strong>Now:</strong> Thompson has spent the last decade as part of the cast of "Saturday Night Live," in addition to other movies and TV guest appearances.

  • Christopher Walken

    <strong>Age he started:</strong> Age 10 (1953) <strong>Then:</strong> Walken appeared as an extra in a number of TV series as a child before scoring the role of narrator in "The Wonderful John Acton." From 1954-1956, Walken and his brother alternated the role of Michael Bauer on "Guiding Light." <strong>Now:</strong> A beloved star of stage and screen, Walken's most recent credits include a guest spot on "30 Rock" and a lead role in the movie "Seven Psychopaths."

  • Michelle Williams

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 13 (1993) <strong>Then:</strong> Williams began her career in the early 1990s, guest starring on TV shows like "Step by Step" and "Baywatch," and in 1994, she made her film debut in "Lassie." When she was 17, Williams won the role of Jen Lindley on "Dawson's Creek" and became the youngest of the show's four lead stars. <strong>Now:</strong> Following the end of the long-running "Dawson's," Williams has gone on to have an impressive film career, earning accolades since starring in 2005's "Brokeback Mountain." Her roles in "My Week With Marilyn" and "Blue Valentine" took her Oscar nomination tally up to three, and next year she'll play Glinda in Sam Raimi's "Oz: The Great and Powerful."

  • Tatyana Ali

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 6 (1985) <strong>Then:</strong> Ali began her acting career as a regular on "Sesame Street" and then, in 1990, she was cast in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," starring Will Smith. She played Will's little cousin Ashley until the series came to an end in 1996. <strong>Now:</strong> She has since pursued a singing career, but now recurs as Roxanne on the CBS soap "The Young and the Restless."

  • Scott Baio

    <strong>Age he started:</strong> Age 16 (1976) <strong>Then:</strong> Soon ater playing the title character in "Bugsy Malone," which co-starred Jodie Foster, Baio was cast on "Happy Days" as The Fonz's cousin, Chachi Arcola. Of course, that turned into the short-lived 1982 spinoff "Joanie Loves Chachi," and then came "Charles in Charge." <strong>Now:</strong> Baio became a reality star for a bit with "Scott Baio Is 45 ... and Single" and its successor "Scott Baio Is 46 ... and Pregnant." Now, he plays a version of himself -- a former actor who becomes a stay-at-home dad -- on Nick At Nite's "See Dad Run." How did he maintain a sense of normalcy after becoming so famous so young? "Simple answer: "my mom and dad," Baio said on "Anderson Live" this week. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/scott-baio-see-dad-run_n_2200194.html">"They kept my head square and I never had any interest in any drugs ever. I've never done a drug in my life."</a>

  • Tempestt Bledsoe

    <strong>Age she started:</strong> Age 11 (1984) <strong>Then: </strong>Bledsoe is most famous for playing Vanessa Huxtable on "The Cosby Show." She appeared on the show from 1984 until its final season in 1992. Blesdoe popped up on "The Cosby Show" spinoff "A Different World" and then went on to host her own mid-'90s talk show. <strong>Now: </strong>Bledsoe returned to acting this TV season on NBC's "Guys with Kids." The actress told HuffPost TV that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/03/guys-with-kids-bledsoe-anderson_n_1875704.html">she wants her younger TV sister Rudy to guest star</a>. "I haven't worked with Keshia [Knight Pulliam] in a long time -- I'd like to work with her again. I think that'd be funny," she said. "And she's such a lovely young lady now, I want her to come on and be really mean or evil or manipulative. [Laughs.] And really hot and sexy at the same time. Maybe she can try to steal my husband."

  • Eliza Dushku

    <strong>Age she started: </strong>Age 12 (1992) <strong>Then: </strong>Dushku's career kicked off when she won the lead role of Alice in the 1992 film "That Night." She then played opposite Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio in "This Boy's Life" and after that, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis's teenage daughter in "True Lies." <strong>Now:</strong> After high school, Dushku joined "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and its spinoff "Angel" before winning a leading role in the teen hit "Bring It On." She went on to star in "Tru Calling" and Joss Whedon's short-lived "Dollhouse."

  • Seth Green

    <strong>Age he started: </strong>Age 8 (1984) <strong>Then: </strong>Green had the opportunity to co-star in "The Hotel New Hampshire" with Jodie Foster and Rob Lowe; the 1987 film "Can't Buy Me Love," playing Patrick Dempsey's little brother, Chuckie Miller; and in Woody Allen's "Radio Days" ... all before his 13th birthday. He went on to have success with "Can't Hardly Wait," the "Austin Powers" franchise and, of course, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." <strong>Now:</strong> In addition to lending his voice to Chris Griffin on "Family Guy," Green is also the co-creator, executive producer, writer, director and frequent voice of the Emmy-winning stop-motion comedy "Robot Chicken."

  • Wil Wheaton

    <strong>Age he started:</strong> Age 9 (1981) <strong>Then: </strong>After minor roles, Wheaton first gained widespread attention in 1986 as Gordie in "Stand by Me." For the next four years, he played Wesley Crusher in the first four seasons of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," a role that recurred throughout the series. <strong>Now:</strong> He's continued to have cameos all over the TV spectrum. In recent years, Wheaton has had two recurring small screen roles: an antagonistic version of himself on "The Big Bang Theory" and an uber-hacker on "Leverage"

  • Elisabeth Moss

    <strong>Age she started acting:</strong>Age 8 (1990) <strong>Then:</strong> Moss made her debut on the NBC miniseries "Lucky/Chances" and then had an arc on "Picket Fences" in the early '90s, but it was "The West Wing" that made her famous. From 1999-2006, Moss played Zoey Bartlet, the president's youngest daughter. <strong>Now:</strong> For the past five seasons, Moss has starred as fan-favorite Peggy Olson on "Mad Men" and has been nominated for two Emmys for her portrayal.

  • Rick Schroder

    <strong>Age he started acting: </strong>Age 9 (1979) <strong>Then: </strong>After winning a Golden Globe for his debut role in "The Champ," Schroder went on to become a child star on "Silver Spoons," where he played the lead character Ricky Stratt. <strong>Now:</strong> Schroder has worked steadily since his early years, making it through without much controversy (besides being a member of the National Rifle Association). He's had many notable TV roles including playing Mike Doyle on "24," a guest stint on "Scrubs," and of course, the three years he spent on "NYPD Blue" as Det. Danny Sorenson.

  • Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/27/amandla-stenberg-nbc-comedy-pilot_n_2771404.html

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    Tuesday, February 26, 2013

    Snooki Selling Car From Jersey Shore on eBay

    Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/snooki-selling-car-from-jersey-shore-on-ebay/

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    Google Had a Big Ol' Hole In Its Two-Step Verification System

    The coast is clear now, but for a while there, Google's two-step verification system wasn't keeping you as safe as you thought. In fact, it was providing an avenue for folks to get in. App-specific passwords were propping your door open. More »


    Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/9PZivD_Z3ng/google-had-a-big-ol-hole-in-its-two+step-verification-system

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    Hundreds of Skype screenshots too sexy for Zumba trial: defense lawyer

    Robert F. Bukaty / AP file

    Mark Strong, who is accused of helping his ex-mistress run a prostitution business, wants Skype screenshots of her liaisons excluded as evidence in his trial.

    By Tracy Connor, Staff Writer, NBC News

    An insurance agent charged with helping a Zumba instructor run a prostitution business thinks X-rated images of the liaisons are too hot for the jury to handle.

    A lawyer for Mark Strong asked a Maine judge on Monday to exclude a whopping 577 Skype screenshots, arguing the prosecution wants to "drown" his client in "extremely sexual" and prejudicial evidence, the Bangor Daily News reported.

    Joel Page / AP

    Alexis Wright will go on trial in the spring for allegedly running a prostitution business out of her Zumba studio.

    "I think some of this stuff is going to horrify some of these people to the point where he won't possibly get a fair trial," defense attorney Daniel Lilley said on the fifth-day of the trial.

    Prosecutors contend the images found on Strong's computer of his ex-mistress, Alexis Wright, and a string of men show he was "actively involved" in the prostitution business.

    Strong's attorney countered at worst it shows his client is a "voyeur."

    The judge has not yet ruled on whether jurors can see the Skype shots, but signaled that she's inclined to allow them, the newspaper reported.

    Strong, 57, who also worked as a part-time private eye in Thomaston, Maine, faces 13 prostitution-related counts.

    Wright, 30, is charged with 106 counts for allegedly selling sex to dozens of men at her Kennebunk, Maine, dance studio and home. She will be tried later.

    A police computer expert testified Monday that Strong deleted email from his computer a day after Wright's office and home were raided, but he seized the Skype images, spreadsheets and tax documents.

    The detective returns to the stand on Tuesday, but only after the judge rules on a defense motion to throw out the remaining charges against Strong. Forty-six counts of privacy invasion have already been dismissed.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report

    ?

    Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/25/17090751-hundreds-of-skype-screenshots-too-sexy-for-zumba-trial-defense-lawyer?lite

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    Monday, February 25, 2013

    The News of the World (and the Fake Sheikh) are back in business ...

    The Sun on Sunday has morphed over the past month into the News of the World. The seventh day Sun has returned to the agenda of News International's late, unlamented title.

    Three weeks ago the splash was a celebrity "confession" about a pop star's "wild night with a stripper". Two weeks ago, the lead was a kiss and tell (a woman telling tales about Manchester United footballer Patrice Evra).

    sun

    Last week, a page one blurb headlined "My love for Ashley by topless bisexual nympho" alerted readers to an inside spread in which a woman told of her relationship with footballer Ashley Cole.

    But they were mere pointers to today's confirmation of the new News of the World: a classic sting by the Fake Sheikh (aka Mazher Mahmood).

    Billed as a "world exclusive" (though I can't imagine anyone fighting to get it), the story is given five pages. It claims to have exposed a former world heavyweight boxing champion, Herbie Hide, "as a drug Mr Fixit ready to throw a title fight for ?1 million."

    It is a cut-and-paste Mahmood "investigation." Hide, now 41, who last fought three years ago, was "approached" by NoW (sorry SoS) reporters posing as businessmen "interested in organising exhibition bouts in the Middle East."

    He was secretly taped and filmed agreeing, in return for ?1 million, to throw a fight. He was also persuaded to procure four grams of cocaine "when our reporter suggested that cocaine was not readily available in Norwich."

    According to the Mahmood article, Hide called a friend who turned up with the drug (which turned out to be a mixture of cocaine and mephedrone).

    And in classic fashion, the last couple of paragraphs tell how the NoW (sorry again, the Sun) has "passed its dossier" to the police.

    The rest of the SoS content was remarkably similar to that of the old News of the World, which was closed down on Rupert Murdoch's orders in July 2011 following the confirmation of its phone-hacking activities.

    On page 3 were pictures of a celebrity in a bikini on a Caribbean beach, one of which showed her two children (isn't that against the editors' code?). There was an "exclusive" spread about Katie Price (aka Jordan) being pregnant. A serious spread, with editorials and Guido Fawkes's political gossip column, featured a lengthy "exclusive" article by the chancellor George Osborne explaining away the significance of Britain losing its AAA rating.

    And on it went, through a couple more celebrity spreads, an odd tale of woman alleged to be "tanorexic" (don't ask), and a spread about a woman, now 43, telling of abuse by her stepfather when she was 13, a continuation of Sara Payne's former NoW anti-paedophilia campaign.

    Gradually, in a post-Leveson environment, the paper has become indistinguishable from the News of the World. The advantage for Murdoch is that it's much, much cheaper to produce and, of course, it's hacking-free.

    PS: Memo to Sue Douglas, hopeful of acquiring The People in order to turn it into the News of the People, your USP has just disappeared.

    Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2013/feb/24/sun-on-sunday-newsoftheworld

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    Iceland's plan to ban Internet porn sparks uproar

    REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) ? In the age of instant information, globe-spanning viral videos and the World Wide Web, can a thoroughly wired country become a porn-free zone? Authorities in Iceland want to find out.

    The government of the tiny North Atlantic nation is drafting plans to ban pornography, in print and online, in an attempt to protect children from a tide of violent sexual imagery.

    The proposal by Interior Minister Ogmundur Jonasson has caused an uproar. Opponents say the move will censor the Web, encourage authoritarian regimes and undermine Iceland's reputation as a Scandinavian bastion of free speech.

    Advocates say it is a sensible measure that will shelter children from serious harm.

    "When a 12-year-old types 'porn' into Google, he or she is not going to find photos of naked women out on a country field, but very hardcore and brutal violence," said Halla Gunnarsdottir, political adviser to the interior minister.

    "There are laws in our society. Why should they not apply to the Internet?"

    Gunnarsdottir says the proposals currently being drawn up by a committee of experts will not introduce new restrictions, but simply uphold an existing if vaguely worded law.

    Pornography is already banned in Iceland, and has been for decades ? but the term is not defined, so the law is not enforced. Magazines such as Playboy and Penthouse are on sale in book stores, and more hardcore material can be bought from a handful of sex shops. "Adult" channels form part of digital TV packages.

    Iceland's left-of-center government insists it is not setting out to sweep away racy magazines or censor sex. The ban would define pornography as material with violent or degrading content.

    Gunnarsdottir said the committee is still exploring the details of how a porn ban could be enforced. One possibility would be to make it illegal to pay for porn with Icelandic credit cards. Another, more controversial, route would be a national Internet filter or a list of website addresses to be blocked.

    That idea has Internet-freedom advocates alarmed.

    "This kind of thing does not work. It is technically impossible to do in a way that has the intended effect," said Smari McCarthy of free-speech group the International Modern Media Institute. "And it has negative side effects ? everything from slowing down the Internet to blocking content that is not meant to be blocked to just generally opening up a whole can of worms regarding human rights issues, access to information and freedom of expression."

    Despite its often chaotic appearance, the Internet is not a wholly lawless place. It is regulated, to varying degrees, around the world. Police monitor the net for child pornography and other illegal material, and service providers in many countries block offending sites.

    Some governments also censor the Internet at a national level ? though the likes of authoritarian Iran, North Korea and China are not countries liberal Iceland wants to emulate.

    European countries including Britain, Sweden and Denmark ask Internet service providers to block child pornography websites, measures that have met with only limited opposition.

    But broader filtering has mostly been resisted. A few years ago, Australia announced it would introduce an Internet filtering system to block websites containing material including child pornography, bestiality, sexual violence and terrorist content. After an outcry, the government abandoned the plan last year.

    Critics say such filters are flawed and often scoop up innocent sites in their net ? as when Denmark's child pornography filter briefly blocked access to Google and Facebook last year because of a glitch.

    On the streets of Iceland's capital, Reykjavik, there was some support for a porn ban, but also skepticism about how it would work.

    "I think this is a good idea, but I think it might be problematic to implement this," said shop assistant Ragnheidur Arnarsdottir. "It is difficult to fight technology."

    Iceland's moves are being closely watched. It may be a tiny country of only 320,000 people, but its economic and social experiments ? like its active volcanos ? often have international impact.

    For centuries economically dependent on fishing, Iceland transformed itself in the early 21st century into a pioneer of aggressive credit-driven banking. Then in 2008, the country's debt-burdened banks all collapsed, making Iceland the first and most dramatic casualty of the global financial crisis, and leaving a string of failed businesses around the world.

    The economy is now bouncing back, aided by Iceland's status as one of the world's best connected countries, with one of the highest levels of Internet use on the planet. Recent initiatives to boost growth include plans to make Iceland a global center of media and technology freedom ? a status that advocates like McCarthy fear could be threatened by an online porn ban.

    Anti-porn activists, however, are hailing Iceland as a pioneer. It is certainly not afraid to go its own way. Although the country has largely liberal Scandinavian values, it broke with most of Europe in 2010 by banning strip clubs.

    "This is a country with courage," said Gail Dines, a professor of sociology and women's studies at Wheelock College in Boston and author of the book "Pornland."

    "Iceland is going to be the first country with the guts to stand up to these predatory bullies from L.A. (in the porn industry)," she said. "It is going to take one country to show that this is possible."

    But opponents say the project is both misguided and doomed.

    "I can say with absolute certainty that this will not happen, this state filter," said Icelandic parliamentarian Birgitta Jonsdottir, a prominent advocate of online freedom.

    She is confident those drafting the anti-porn measures will see the error of their ways. They may also run out of time ? Iceland is due to hold parliamentary elections in April, and the unpopular coalition government could be thrown out.

    Jonsdottir said the key to protecting children and others from hardcore harm is for citizens to better inform themselves about the Internet and how it works.

    "People just have to make themselves a bit more knowledgeable about what their kids are up to, and face reality," she said.

    Gunnarsdottir, the political adviser backing the ban, just hopes the emotional debate around the issue will cool down.

    "I think we should be able to discuss the Internet with more depth, without just shouting censorship on the one hand and laissez-faire on the other hand," she said.

    "Is it freedom of speech to be able to reach children with very hardcore, brutal material? Is that the freedom of speech we want to protect?"

    ___

    Lawless reported from London. Jill Lawless can be reached at http://Twitter.com/JillLawless

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/icelands-plan-ban-internet-porn-sparks-uproar-074215822.html

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    Iran says it has brought down a mock spy drone

    LONDON (Reuters) - Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had conducted tests aimed at bringing down a "hypothetical" foreign surveillance drone during a military exercise, the official Fars news agency said on Saturday.

    The Islamic Republic News Agency, another official news agency, also reported the exercise, but omitted the word hypothetical giving the impression that a real drone had been downed.

    Other official Iranian media outlets later referred to the downing of a "hypothetical" aircraft.

    In the past, there have been incidents of Iran claiming to have seized U.S. drones.

    In early January Iranian media said Iran had captured two miniature U.S.-made surveillance drones over the past 17 months.

    Several drone incidents over the past year or so have highlighted tension in the Gulf as Iran and the United States flex their military capabilities in a standoff over Iran's disputed nuclear program.

    Iran said in January that lightweight RQ11 Raven drones were brought down by Iranian air defense units in separate incidents in August 2011 and November 2012.

    (This story is corrected to make clear that real drone was not downed)

    (Writing by Stephen Powell; Editing by Jon Hemming)

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iran-says-brought-down-mock-spy-drone-193149409.html

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    Reusse: SW Minnesota State coach toughs it out on the court and off

    This is Tim Miles' first season coaching the Nebraska men's basketball team. Recently, he had a speaking appearance in Omaha and was on the road back to Lincoln when he started a cellphone conversation with Brad Bigler.

    "There were some things Brad's team was doing defensively that I wanted to ask him about,'' Miles said. "We got into the conversation and I missed Lincoln. It's not easy to miss Lincoln -- with eight exits -- in Nebraska, but I blew by it by about 20 miles.''

    Miles' interest in breaking down defense with Bigler was intriguing for a few reasons: Tim is coaching in the Big Ten and Brad in Division II at Southwest Minnesota State. Tim was the Southwest coach from 1997 to 2001, and Brad was his point guard much of that time.

    So, this was the mentor kicking around defensive concepts with the prot?g?.

    "He's the son of a coach,'' Miles said. "His dad, Mark, is one of those solid-as-a-rock guys. When Brad talks about basketball, he traces everything back to his father.''

    Mark Bigler coached his son at Fort Madison, a small town in southeastern Iowa. He is now the coach at Davenport West, one of the state's large schools.

    Brad was recruited to Southwest State by Perry Ford. Before he got to Marshall, Minn., Ford left for Augustana (S.D.) and Miles was hired from Mayville (N.D.) State as his replacement.

    "Brad was 5-foot-10 and maybe 140 pounds, but he played with as much resolve as anyone,'' Miles said. "What's the saying? 'Cool water runs deep.' That was him. No matter what situation we put in him, he always made plays.

    "He had amazing strength as a person. And we've seen that through these tragedies.''

    The tragedies have been chronicled nationally and regionally:

    In July 2011, Brad, his mother, Diane Bigler-Hagenow, and three companions were kayaking on Hawk Creek near the Minnesota River. Diane was the enthusiastic kayaker, but the group ran into trouble with a rapids and she drowned.

    On July 28, 2012, Brad's wife, Heather, was driving to the family cabin in Starbuck, with Brad in the passenger's seat, with their 5-month-old son, Drake, and Heather's mom in the back. The vehicle was smashed by a drunk driver and Drake died.

    "I know it's tough every day for them, but not many of us could handle things like this the way Brad and his family have done," Miles said. "When you mention resiliency, Brad talks about what type of person his mother was, about what he still takes from his father, and now from Heather.''

    Miles was on the phone late Saturday afternoon, after his Nebraska team had upset Iowa 64-60 in Lincoln. The fact a Big Ten coach would return a message after a big victory to talk about a former player and now a D-II coach ... that says something about these men.

    Bigler and his Mustangs were in St. Paul playing Concordia on Friday night. Southwest held on for a 71-69 victory. The Mustangs then lost the regular-season finale Saturday night in Mankato, falling 85-75 to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular-season champion Minnesota State.

    "The ratings came out and we were ninth in the region ... but we're fifth in the South Division,'' Bigler said. "This conference is so tough.''

    The Mustangs finished with 16 assists against Concordia -- a tick above the season average. Assists are a go-to statistic for Bigler.

    "We take pride in setting up teammates,'' he said. "If we have an offensive philosophy, that's it: move the ball, set up your teammates.''

    Miles coached Southwest State to its best season, in 2000-01 -- earning a trip to the Division?II Elite Eight in Bakersfield, Calif. Bigler was a point guard. Miles left for North Dakota State and Greg Stemen took over as the coach.

    Bigler was in his sixth year as an assistant in August 2009, when Stemen told his staff in confidence that he was about to take a job in business.

    "I didn't even tell Heather,'' Bigler said. "She was pregnant and we were moving into a new home. I didn't want to give her more to worry about.''

    On Sept. 30, 2009, Stemen resigned and Bigler became the interim coach. He was 30 ... and secured the job full-time when the Mustangs reached the 2010 NSIC title game.

    Thirty years old seems young for a Division?II job?

    "Maybe, but Brad was one of those guys,'' Miles said. "You knew he was going to be a coach, and he'd be good at it right away.''

    Patrick Reusse can be heard 3-6 p.m. weekdays on 1500-AM. ? preusse@startribune.com

    Source: http://www.startribune.com/sports/192768301.html

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    Sunday, February 24, 2013

    Sasha Obama recital, Michelle 'mom dancing': A weekend of First Family moves

    Sasha Obama recital: President Obama took an hour off to be Dad at his youngest daughter's dance recital while a video of Michelle Obama? 'mom dancing' with Jimmy Fallon went viral.

    By Staff and wires / February 24, 2013

    First Family dance: This weekend Michelle Obama's "Mom Dancing" video went viral, and President Obama took time off to go to Sasha's dance recital. Here, the first lady, center, danced on the "The Dr. Oz Show" with New Jersey third gradersand host Mehmet Oz. The episode will air on Feb. 28.

    Barbara Nitke/Sony Pictures Telvision/AP

    Enlarge

    Even as Michelle Obama?s ?Mom Dancing? video with Jimmy Fallon was going viral this weekend, Sasha Obama?s dance recital was not to be missed: President Obama took an hour out of his schedule last night to attend his youngest daughter's dance recital at an arts center in suburban Maryland.

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    The White House said 11-year-old Sasha performed during a recital Saturday evening at the Music Center at Strathmore, a nonprofit arts center in North Bethesda, Md.

    Mr. Obama, who told People magazine in Decemeber that he has a penchant for dancing Gangam Style to embarrass his daughters,? returned to the White House about an hour after arriving at the arts center.

    Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/jv6cfW9P0fk/Sasha-Obama-recital-Michelle-mom-dancing-A-weekend-of-First-Family-moves

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    More NC GOP bright ideas: bring back cursive

    Back to the basics of miscommunications:

    In the age of texting, tweeting and other technological ways of communicating, North Carolina?s elementary school students could soon have to master a more old-fashioned craft: writing in cursive. ?Every child should know cursive,? said state Rep. Pat Hurley, an Asheboro Republican and a primary sponsor of the bill. ?Our children can?t write a simple sentence. They think printing their name is their signature.?

    I have yet to read a hand-written note in cursive that didn't have at least one inscrutable word in it. You know why they call it cursive, right? Because when you come back from the store and you've got gorgonzola instead of garbanzo, it's not the note writer who has to run back to the store, it's the note reader. And he or she will be cursing all the way to and from said store, with maybe a little sotto voce grumbling at the beans themselves. Which they don't deserve, but that's what happens when unnecessary confusion arises.

    Just an added note for Rep. Hurley: when I looked at your bio to see if you were a teacher, or a graphologist, or a calligrapher, or a reformed forger, or some other occupation which might shed some light on your interest in this subject, I see you put "Legislator" in that category. See, we already know that, because, you know. We're looking at your North Carolina General Assembly page. The "Occupation" thing is for other stuff you do.

    So, in the absence of any helpful information, I'm just going to take a shot in the dark: are you a marriaqe counselor? Because they're the only people who will benefit from this bill.

    Source: http://bluenc.com/more-nc-gop-bright-ideas-bring-back-cursive

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    Teachers create own iPad texts

    SALEM - Some Salem junior high teachers unhappy with the science textbooks available used today's technology to create their own books for use on the iPad tablets in their classrooms.

    Known as iBooks, the instructional creations incorporate videos, interactive 3-D images and even the capability for sample questions and quizzes the students can use as part of the education process.

    "They felt they could create something that was better than what was being offered out there," Salem Schools Superintendent Tom Bratten said.

    The iBooks also incorporate the new state standards schools are required to teach so lessons can focus on what students need to learn. All districts must have the new standards in place by 2015, but Bratten said they've already been using most of them since last year.

    Eighth grade science teacher Ruth Baker, seventh grade science teacher Amie Cochran and intervention specialist and technology liaison Nicole Rothbauer explained what they did to board members during their meeting Thursday night, equipping them with iPads so they could see the iBooks and their capabilities first-hand.

    The three of them each put 50 to 90 hours of their own time into the project over the summer, with Rothbauer learning how to use a Mac computer to help write the iBooks and Baker and Cochran working on the content. To date, they have three iBooks completed which they're already using in the classrooms and have two more nearly completed. They have a couple more iBooks they want to work on this summer.

    "When we've used them in the classroom, I've never seen the students so engaged. It's a wonderful experience," Cochran said.

    Baker explained that students can go at their own pace, they can get definitions of terms and learn through the visuals available.

    Cathy Sanor, Director of Curriculum and Federal Programs at the district, said Rothbauer has shared what she learned through the writing program with other teachers and they're working on their own iBooks for use in the classrooms as a teaching tool. Junior High Principal Sean Kirkland praised the teachers for what they've done and board member Brad Myers said these are the types of efforts the public doesn't see that teachers do in their off hours.

    Mary Ann Greier can be reached at mgreier@salemnews.net

    Source: http://www.salemnews.net/page/content.detail/id/563585.html

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    Williams scores 46 to lead New Mexico past CSU

    FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) -- With 9 minutes left, New Mexico guard Kendall Williams trudged to the bench with a career-high 28 points - and four fouls.

    While he caught his breath, No. 22 Colorado State built a six-point lead over the 16th-ranked Lobos.

    Moby Arena was rocking and the Rams were rolling, about to extend the nation's third-longest home winning streak to 28 games.

    Williams had other things in mind - and 18 points left to score.

    "Luckily, some shots went in," said the junior guard from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., who finished with a career-best 46 points - almost double his previous career high of 24 - in leading New Mexico to a 91-82 win Saturday.

    Williams set a Mountain West Conference record with 10 3-pointers and his 46 points were the most in the 47-year-old arena, topping the 44 scored by Portland State's Freeman Williams on Nov. 29, 1975.

    "He should be hands-down player of the week, I would think," Lobos coach Steve Alford deadpanned.

    Williams helped the Lobos overcome that 70-64 deficit at the 6-minute mark by hitting a trio of 3-pointers, a dunk and seven free throws down the stretch as New Mexico outscored the Rams 27-12.

    "He got on a roll today," Alford said. "And it was a 40-minute roll."

    Actually, it was a 33-minute roll. He spent seven minutes on the bench in foul trouble.

    "That's what's really impressive," Alford said. "He sat about a four-minute stretch there in the second half and still scores and does what he does. It's pretty amazing. But he did a great job in that last six minutes not picking up that fifth" foul.

    Center Alex Kirk added 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Lobos (23-4, 10-2), who increased their lead in the conference race to two games over the Rams (21-5, 8-4).

    Colton Iverson had 26 points and 15 boards for the Rams, who looked like they were going to move into a first-place tie atop the standings after taking a 70-64 lead at the 6-minute mark.

    Williams' treys highlighted a 14-2 run that gave New Mexico a 78-72 lead before the Rams sent the Lobos to the line over the final two minutes.

    "Well, that was a special night to watch," Alford said. "I told him that. I said I never had a 10-3 game, I never got to 46. Forty-two was the most I ever scored and eight 3s was the most I ever made in a game."

    "There's not too many one-ups you can get on Coach Alford, especially in scoring," Williams said. "I might be on top of the world for the rest of the weekend."

    Williams' previous career best was 24 points against Indiana State and New Mexico State earlier this season.

    "The players kept feeding me the ball," said Williams, who had 15 family members, including his grandmother, in the stands. "It was really just a team effort, some of the shots I hit were tough. But if the teammates didn't put me in position and the coaches didn't put me in position, I wouldn't have had quite the night I had."

    The Rams blamed themselves for Williams' big game.

    "We had no answer for him," Rams coach Larry Eustachy said. "... He was completely unstoppable. I want to see film on how many of those shots were contested."

    His bet is that not many were.

    The Rams, who gave up 45 points to Air Force's Michael Lyons a week earlier, left Williams open early on while locking down Tony Snell, who scored 10 points Saturday after getting 23 in their first meeting last month.

    "He hadn't been shooting well this year," Dorian Green said. "We gave him some uncontested looks, let him get hot. Guys are too good in our league to do that."

    "We gave him open looks early," Wes Eikmeier added. "He got hot and then he was feeling it the rest of the night."

    Green (20) and Eikmeier (22) gave the Rams three 20-point scorers in their losing effort. Eikmeier scored 11 straight to put the Rams ahead 55-50.

    The Lobos quieted the crowd with a 12-6 run to regain the lead at 62-61, but Williams, less than a minute after returning to the lineup, was whistled for his fourth foul and took a seat at the nine-minute mark.

    "I was real mad," Williams said. "My emotions were high, but (assistant coach Craig) Neal came over while Coach Alford was doing his thing and calmed me down and says, `You're going to have to bring it home, kid. Don't foul and get the shots that you need.' And that's exactly what I did."

    The Rams were coming off a two-point loss at UNLV on Wednesday night that snapped their six-game winning streak, which began after a 66-61 loss to the Lobos in Albuquerque last month.

    They hadn't lost at home since Nov. 11, 2012, to Southern Miss., which was coached at the time by Eustachy, who took the Rams job last offseason.

    Williams' 10th 3-pointer - in 13 tries - broke the conference mark of nine set by several players, most recently UNLV's Chace Stanback against Central Arkansas on Dec. 28, 2011. It was a difficult shot from the right corner.

    "Why not? Just throw it up there, had hit a few already," Williams said. "With the hoop the size it was tonight and the rhythm I was feeling, it just felt like I had to throw that one up."

    ---

    Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton

    Source: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BKC_T25_NEW_MEXICO_COLORADO_STATE?SITE=NCWIN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

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    New more effective treatment option for breast cancer patients approved by FDA

    Feb. 22, 2013 ? Patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer, now have a new, effective and less toxic therapeutic option.

    On Friday, Feb., 22, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the new treatment drug, Kadcyla (trastuzumab emtansine), also known as TDM-1, which combines Traztuzumab, also called Herceptin, with the powerful chemotherapy drug emtansine.

    The drug therapy is developed by Roche-owned Genentech, which funded the study.

    Results from clinical trials of the drug TDM-1, known as "Super Herceptin," showed that it was more effective and less toxic than the standard regimen for this type of tumor. The medication kept patients free of disease for longer than the standard chemotherapy regimen.

    Rush was one of only two medical centers in Illinois and a small number across the country studying the treatment.

    HER-2 positive breast cancer patients have been found to be positive for carrying a protein that promotes the growth of cancer cells. TDM-1 is taken directly to cells that have the HER2 protein on the membrane, such as the cancer cells, while sparing normal cells. This results in less toxicity from the chemotherapy drug.

    "TDM-1 works like the original drug Herceptin by hunting down and interfering with the cancer cells," said Dr. Melody Cobleigh, Director of the Comprehensive Breast Center at Rush and lead investigator of the TDM-1 clinical trials at Rush. "But this newer version, called TDM-1, is Herceptin with a chemotherapy drug attached. The combination delivers a one-two punch, seeking out the cancer cells and not only stopping growth but delivering the chemo right to the cell."

    "The tumor cell basically eats the TDM-1 and then, the TDM-1 gets released and destroys the tumor cell from the inside out," said Cobleigh.

    "The best part for patients is that it is very tolerable and does not have the debilitating side effects characteristic of other cancer drugs," said Cobleigh.

    With TDM-1, patients did not even lose their hair and experienced far fewer other side effects.

    "This really can have an impact on patient's lives," said Cobleigh.

    About 1,000 patients with HER-2 positive breast cancer were enrolled in the Phase III, randomized, multicenter, trial of TDM-1. One group of patients received TDM-1 and the other group received two standard chemotherapy drugs. The TDM-1 patients remained cancer-free for 9.6 months -- progression-free survival -- while the standard treatment group was cancer-free for 6.4 months. Progression-free survival is the time that elapses between the start of a treatment and the time the cancer gets worse.

    "This therapy has shown to be effective when other standards treatments have stopped working," said Cobleigh. "For men and women, the treatment gave them the opportunity to lead normal lives."

    For more information about the drug therapy being offered at Rush, please contact the Rush Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center at (312) 563-2325.

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    The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Rush University Medical Center, via Newswise.

    Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


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

    Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/z7avcKfsdxk/130222120705.htm

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    Saturday, February 23, 2013

    23 Terrifying Runways That Will Stoke Your Fear of Flying

    Flying can be a white-knuckle affair for even the heartiest of travelers. But it turns out what you should really fear are airports; almost 60 percent of all aircraft incidents happen there during taxiing, take-off, approach or landing. Here are runway horrorshows from around the globe that may make you rethink your next trip. More »


    Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/xbE62YeMmuI/23-terrifying-runways-that-will-stoke-your-fear-of-flying

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    Guam's Solving Its Snake Problem With a Horrifying Rain of Poisoned Mouse Paratroopers

    Guam has a problem with brown tree snakes. Specifically, it has two million brown tree snakes, and they're slowly decimating other native species. So scientists have come up with a solution, the only logical one really: fill a bunch of dead mice with painkillers, give each corpse a tiny parachute, and throw them all out of helicopters into the jungle. No but really. More »


    Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/7BqEhNHrzPI/guams-solving-its-snake-problem-with-a-horrifying-rain-of-poisoned-mouse-paratroopers

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    How Dinosaurs Grew the World's Longest Necks

    How did the largest of all dinosaurs evolve necks longer than any other creature that has ever lived? One secret: mostly hollow neck bones, researchers say.

    The largest creatures to ever walk the Earth were the long-necked, long-tailed dinosaurs known as the sauropods. These vegetarians had by far the longest necks of any known animal. The dinosaurs' necks reached up to 50 feet (15 meters) in length, six times longer than that of the current world-record holder, the giraffe, and at least five times longer than those of any other animal that has lived on land.

    "They were really stupidly, absurdly oversized," said researcher Michael Taylor, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Bristol in England. "In our feeble, modern world, we're used to thinking of elephants as big, but sauropods reached 10 times the size elephants do. They were the size of walking whales."

    Amazing necks

    To find out how sauropod necks could get so long, scientists analyzed other long-necked creatures and compared sauropod anatomy with that of the dinosaurs' nearest living relatives, the birds and crocodilians.

    "Extinct animals ? and living animals, too, for that matter ? are much more amazing than we realize," Taylor told LiveScience. "Time and again, people have proposed limits to possible animal sizes, like the five-meter (16-foot) wingspan that was supposed to be the limit for flying animals. And time and again, they've been blown away. We now know of flying pterosaurs with 10-meter (33-foot) wingspans. And these extremes are achieved by a startling array of anatomical innovations." [Image Gallery: 25 Amazing Ancient Beasts]

    Among living animals, adult bull giraffes have the longest necks, capable of reaching about 8 feet (2.4 m) long. No other living creature exceeds half this length. For instance, ostriches typically have necks only about 3 feet (1 m) long.

    When it comes to extinct animals, the largest land-living mammal of all time was the rhino-like creature Paraceratherium, which had a neck maybe 8.2 feet (2.5 m) long. The flying reptiles known as pterosaurs could also have surprisingly long necks, such as Arambourgiania, whose neck may have exceeded 10 feet (3 m).

    The necks of the Loch Ness Monster-like marine reptiles known as plesiosaurs could reach an impressive 23 feet (7 m), probably because the water they lived in could support their weight. But these necks were still less than half the lengths of the longest-necked sauropods.

    Sauropod secrets

    In their study, Taylor and his colleagues found that the neck bones of sauropods possessed a number of traits that supported such long necks. For instance, air often made up 60 percent of these animals' necks, with some as light as birds' bones, making it easier to support long chains of the bones. The muscles, tendons and ligaments were also positioned around these vertebrae in a way that helped maximize leverage, making neck movements more efficient.

    In addition, the dinosaurs' giant torsos and four-legged stances helped provide a stable platform for their necks. In contrast, giraffes have relatively small torsos, while ostriches have two-legged stances. [Image Gallery: Animals' Amazing Headgear]

    Sauropods also had plenty of neck vertebrae, up to 19. In contrast, nearly all mammals have no more than seven, from mice to whales to giraffes, limiting how long their necks can get. (The only exceptions among mammals are sloths and aquatic mammals known as sirenians, such as manatees.)

    Moreover, while pterosaur Arambourgiania had a relatively giant head with long, spear-like jaws that it likely used to help capture prey, sauropods had small, light heads that were easy to support. These dinosaurs did not chew their meals, lacking even cheeks to store food in their mouths; they merely swallowed it, letting their guts break it down.

    "Sauropod heads are essentially all mouth. The jaw joint is at the very back of the skull, and they didn't have cheeks, so they came pretty close to having Pac Man-Cookie Monster flip-top heads," researcher Mathew Wedel at the Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Calif., told LiveScience.

    "It's natural to wonder if the lack of chewing didn't, well, come back to bite them, in terms of digestive efficiency. But some recent work on digestion in large animals has shown that after about 3 days, animals have gotten all the nutrition they can from their food, regardless of particle size.

    "And sauropods were so big that the food would have spent that long going through them anyway," Wedel said. "They could stop chewing entirely, with no loss of digestive efficiency."

    What's a long neck good for?

    Furthermore, sauropods and other dinosaurs probably could breathe like birds, drawing fresh air through their lungs continuously, instead of having to breathe out before breathing in to fill their lungs with fresh air like mammals do. This may have helped sauropods get vital oxygen down their long necks to their lungs.

    "The problem of breathing through a long tube is something that's very hard for mammals to do. Just try it with a length of garden hose," Taylor said.

    As to why sauropods evolved such long necks, there are currently three theories. Some of the dinosaurs may have used their long necks to feed on high leaves, like giraffes do. Others may have used their necks to graze on large swaths of vegetation by sweeping the ground side to side like geese do. This helped them make the most out of every step, which would be a big deal for such heavy creatures.

    Scientists have also suggested that long necks may have been sexually attractive, therefore driving the evolution of ever-longer necks; however, Taylor and his colleagues have found no evidence this was the case.

    In the future, the researchers plan to delve even deeper into the mysteries of sauropod necks. For instance, Apatosaurus, formerly known as Brontosaurus, had "really sensationally strange neck vertebrae," Taylor said. The scientists suspect the necks of Apatosaurus were used for "combat between males ? fighting over women, of course."

    Taylor and Wedel detailed their findings online Feb. 12 in the journal PeerJ.

    Follow LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on Facebook?& Google+.?

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

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dinosaurs-grew-worlds-longest-necks-154618663.html

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