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It's Monday, and you know what that means; another Engadget HD Podcast. We hope you will join us live when the Engadget HD podcast starts recording at 8:30PM. If you'll be joining us, be sure to go ahead and get ready by reviewing the list of topics after the break, then you'll be ready to participate in the live chat.

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Bomb blast kills 13 in center of Syrian capital

By Oliver Holmes

BEIRUT (Reuters) - A bomb blast in the government-held center of Damascus killed 13 people on Tuesday, state television said, while rebels and loyalists to President Bashar al-Assad traded accusations over what they said was a chemical weapons attack the day before.

Residents described scenes of carnage in Marjeh Square, in a the commercial district in the heart of the capital, with dozens of cars and buildings damaged by the bomb which went off in front of the former Interior Ministry building.

"Glass was shattered around the whole block and shopkeepers were using brooms to clean up the glass in front of their shops," said one resident who declined to be named, fearing arrest for speaking to the media.

State-run Syria Television said 70 people were also wounded, several critically, in what it said was an attack by "terrorists" fighting to overthrow Assad.

Three mortar bombs landed in the government-held district of Baramkeh a few hours after the bomb, opposition activists said.

The British-based Syrian Observatory said nine civilians and five security personnel had been killed, but said the toll was likely to rise. It came a day after Prime Minister Wael al-Halki survived an attack on his convoy in the Syrian capital.

Opposition activists described similar scenes of bloodshed in the central city of Hama where they said 13 civilians were killed in heavy government bombardment.

Fighting in Syria, now entering its third year, has intensified in the last month with government forces attempting to roll back rebel advances.

Some 70,000 people have now been killed in the civil war.

Each side blamed the other for what they both said was a chemical attack in the northern city of Saraqeb on Monday.

The United States has long said it views the use of chemical weapons in Syria as a "red line", but wary of the false intelligence that was used to justify the 2003 war in Iraq, Washington has said it wants proof before taking action.

Iran, the Syrian government's main backer and self-declared enemy of the United States, echoed that line on Tuesday and said it also saw any the use of chemical weapons as a "red line".

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi did not indicate what action Tehran might take if chemical weapons use was proven, but said that the opposition was to blame.

Rebel video showed small canisters they said held a poison gas and footage of a clinic with several people lying on cots wearing oxygen masks or vomiting into trash cans.

State television carried a news flash saying the rebels had mixed a weapon with a chemical powder and used them in attacks they then blamed on Assad's forces.

It is difficult to determine what weapon might have caused widespread cases of choking and sometimes death, as a U.N. observation team trying to examine alleged sites of attacks has been stalled. Some potent mixes of tear gas can also cause severe choking, vomiting and death.

Both Assad's forces, backed by Russia and Iran, and rebels, supported by the West, have been accused of war crimes.

Reuters cannot independently verify reports as the government restricts access to journalists in Syria.

The revolt in Syria began with peaceful protests but turned violent as Assad's security forces escalated their harsh crackdown on dissent.

(Additional reporting by Marwan Makdessi in Damascus, Erika Solomon in Beirut and Yeganeh Torbati in Dubai)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-prime-minister-survives-damascus-bombing-six-die-005119882.html

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Budget cuts nix $51m in federal work study (The Arizona Republic)

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UFC 159 was clearly cursed by demons (Video)

"It was a very weird night."

UFC president Dana White started the post-UFC 159 press conference with these words. The event featured a nasty broken thumb on Yancy Medeiros, and equally nasty broken toe on Jon Jones, two fight stoppages because of eyepokes, and one fight that was canceled hours before it was supposed to happen.

But the craziest part of all? The demonic voice that was heard between rounds of Michael Bisping's win over Alan Belcher.

Did the gates of hell open before the fight, and did Satan send his minions to New Jersey? Were Bisping's cornermen, who were bathed in creepy red light, actually demons? Middle Easy thinks it was a spell from "Passages of the Dead."

It's possible the UFC ticked off the wrong person and got the evil eye thrown its way. The bigger question: Are we all cursed for watching the bouts?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-159-clearly-cursed-demons-video-172924960.html

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U.S. earnings beating forecasts but jury's out on rest of season

By Caroline Valetkevitch and Ben Berkowitz

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. companies have easily beaten expectations for first-quarter earnings so far in the reporting season, but nearly half of the members of the S&P 500 are yet to announce results and they are unlikely to be as robust.

With results in from 271 of the S&P 500 companies, year-over-year earnings growth is projected at 3.9 percent, compared with a forecast for 1.5 percent growth at the start of the earnings season, Thomson Reuters data shows. That figure includes those that have reported and analyst estimates for those who have not.

The companies yet to report are expected to post an aggregate earnings decline of 0.4 percent, according to Thomson Reuters data - whereas the companies that have already reported have posted growth of 6.1 percent.

Among the biggest companies yet to report are Dow components Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Home Depot .

Some 69 percent of the S&P 500 have beaten forecasts, once again conforming to the pattern of lowering expectations enough to "surprise" by beating them. The 69 percent figure exceeds the long-term average of 63 percent. This has been the pattern for the last 15 quarters, with growth estimates at the beginning of earnings ultimately being beaten by at least a full percentage point.

From April 1 to April 24, S&P 500 earnings growth expectations fell 170 basis points for the second quarter, 130 basis points for the third quarter and 70 basis points for the fourth quarter.

"If this recent pattern holds, you're going to find that those beats will continue and therefore lead earnings season to be one of continued positive surprise," said Mark Luschini, chief investment strategist at Janney Montgomery Scott in Philadelphia.

So far, this has been good enough for investors. Since earnings season began with Alcoa's report on April 8, the S&P 500 has gained 1.2 percent, and it closed Friday less than 1 percent from its all-time high of 1,593.37 reached on April 11. So far this year, it has climbed nearly 11 percent.

GOING FORWARD, WITH CAUTION

Even though profits have been better than expectations, revenue forecasts have declined, a sign, once again, that companies are exceeding results on the bottom line because of reduced expenses, and not because of stellar sales. So far, just 42 percent of companies are beating revenue expectations, below the long-term average.

First-quarter revenue now is expected to fall 0.3 percent, which is worse than the forecast for 1 percent growth when the season started.

That means companies - yet again - have been able to squeeze out higher profits through cost-cutting and other measures. But that does not bode well for hiring and stands as a potential headwind to the economy in coming quarters.

"It does concern me. It's not sustainable over the medium or the long term. There's only so much companies can do to sustain growth without increasing sales," said Paul Zemsky, head of asset allocation at ING Investment Management, in New York.

There are plenty of examples of major companies that were deeply reserved about the second quarter or the remainder of the year.

Among those were Apple Inc and Amazon.com Inc . Apple, until recently the world's biggest company by market value, saw its first quarterly profit decline in a decade and issued a soft outlook for the second quarter that fell short of investor hopes. The stock has lost about 40 percent of its value since September.

"The market was telling you the numbers were too high," BGC analyst Colin Gillis said of Apple's outlook, adding that it was "pretty much even worse than even I was expecting."

(Additional reporting by Rodrigo Campos and Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-earnings-beating-forecasts-jurys-rest-season-211946052.html

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Mad Men, Season 6

I was pretty certain the MLK assassination would happen this season. I might have predicted it would occasion an episode about race. Instead, the show went small: A national tragedy became a platform for characters to ponder domestic themes. They turned inward to huddle with kin, fret over family.

Pete Campbell wants to go home when he hears the news, or he wants to utilize the news to strong-arm Trudy into taking him back. But Trudy won?t have it. And so Pete is driven to weirdly declare that the important thing to consider here is the fact that Dr. King had four children.?

Ginsberg hears the radio report while out on a date. And then flees home?though it seems he might soon ditch the odd-couple routine he?s been trapped in with his father. I think the love of a good woman might well soothe Ginsberg?s neuroses. And tidy up his wardrobe. Not the suavest first-date moves from the kid, but sometimes a fellow can evince so little game that it somehow turns into a weird form of game. (Meanwhile, this schoolteacher is fetching times four, and I am firmly in favor of her taking Ginsberg?s virginity.)

For Peggy, an attempt to purchase a house (her agent?s theory: when there?s blood on the streets, buy property) is paired with consternation over what kind of home it might be. When Abe abandons her to cover potential riots in Harlem, Peggy is left standing alone in the lobby of the Ad Club awards show?looking on enviously as Megan is comforted by Don. Later, she fears Abe?s checked out of the home-buying process entirely. But it turns out Abe not only cares, he has very specific requests: No to the UES. Yes to the UWS. Diverse neighborhood, please. And?putting a dazzle in Peggy?s eyes?Abe would like to have kids! I?ve never seen Peggy happier. I am eager to follow her quest to have it all (mom, breadwinner, supporter of starving journalist) as well as her real estate hunt. She?s already missed on a 2BR/1.5BA on York with outdoor space for under $30K. I?m seeing a brownstone in her future.

At the Francis abode, Henry is disenchanted with Mayor Lindsay and ready to strike out on his own as a state senator. Meanwhile, Betty is again bringing the dramz. Her response to a political assassination is to try on cute dresses and nurture her husband?s urge to up his public profile. When Bobby picks at his bedroom wallpaper, she launches into a???Why are you destroying this house?? rant. It can?t be easy for Bobby. People are burning down buildings all over the country, yet he?s the one accused of property destruction.

I?ve sensed brewing?Mad Men?backlash this season. Some whine that the plots are slow. Some argue that the advancing era doesn?t lend itself as well to stylish art direction. But the most common complaint I?ve heard is that Don Draper has failed to progress as a character and is congealing into a grim, awful man. I actually find that a fascinating development?I?m impressed by a show that, steadily over the course of several seasons, manages to turn a sexy pop culture heartthrob into a figure both reviled and pitied. And in this episode, I felt, we saw Don evolve in unexpected ways.

First, there was the remarkable,?Philip Larkin-esque?soliloquy in which Don alludes to his horrific childhood and, thanks to a double dose of?Planet of the Apes?(a movie which hinted at concerns over the kind of world 1960s adults would be handing to their kids), discovers that he actually loves his own son. Don?s feeling pretty good about himself?in a narcissistic way. Then he realizes the father figure in his boy?s life is in fact Henry Francis, a man who may not be important enough to get shot but sure is important to Bobby. We close on some Batman-level brooding, Don on his balcony in the dark night, sirens wailing. Thank goodness "Cat?s in the Cradle"?wasn?t released until 1974, or I fear it might have been our fadeout tune.

How do you two rate the handling of this major historical event we?d been anticipating? Still seemed to treat race rather obliquely. I thought it was interesting that Joan?so socially adept in the past?was given that cringemaking, white guilt moment in which she hugs Dawn, unsolicited.

And what was going on with the tweaked-out insurance guy? At first, I thought?Ethan fromLost?had shown up to make more cryptic pronouncements. But it seems even insurance guys are getting groovy these days, questioning the whole property thing, man.

You maniacs, you blew it up,

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=74dded62df3259f03835354e6dabb5f1

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May Day! Grab your craft supplies - Today's Family with Beth Warden

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.todaysfamilyradio.com/index.php/may-day-grab-your-craft-supplies/

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Adichie focuses on Nigeria's present for new novel

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) ? Modern life in Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, has become almost a character itself in novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's new book, "Americanah."

Within its pages, one catches self-acknowledged glimpses of the writer herself, who shot to fame with her previous novel, a love story set during Nigeria's civil war entitled "Half of a Yellow Sun."

As that book is made into a movie, more international attention is expected to focus on Adichie, who is part of a raft of new Nigerian writers finding acclaim after years of military-induced slumber in a nation with a rich literary history. Yet Adichie, like her new book's heroine, finds herself straddled between a life in the United States and one in Nigeria, where even seemingly innocuous comments on hair care and wigs can stir resentment.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/adichie-focuses-nigerias-present-novel-111644278.html

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Syrian state TV says prime minister has escaped assassination attempt in Damascus

DAMASCUS, Syria - State-run Syrian TV says the country's prime minister has escaped an assassination attempt when a bomb went off near his convoy.

The TV says Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi was unhurt in the attack in the capital's western neighbourhood of Mazzeh. The TV said Monday's bombing left a number of casualties.

The attack was not the first targeting a high official in the Syrian capital.

On July 18, a blast at the Syrian national security building in Damascus during a meeting of Cabinet ministers killed the defence minister and his deputy, who was President Bashar Assad's brother-in-law. That attack also wounded the interior minister.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-state-tv-says-prime-minister-escaped-assassination-073754407.html

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Libya to help ease Egypt crisis with $1.2 bln oil deal

By Jessica Donati and Ghaith Shennib

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libya will soon start shipping oil to neighbouring Egypt on soft credit terms, two senior Libyan officials said, as Cairo struggles to pay for energy imports and avoid fuel shortages.

The officials told Reuters that Tripoli would supply Cairo with $1.2 billion worth of crude at world prices but on interest free credit for a year, with the first cargo expected to arrive next month.

Egypt has slid into economic crisis since president Hosni Mubarak was overthrown two years ago. Most international companies have reduced oil product supplies to the country fearing non-payments, as the government tries to curb soaring energy subsidy costs which swallow up a fifth of its budget.

Libya plans to ship one to two cargoes a month for refining in Egypt under a deal that involves 12 million barrels of crude over 12 months, the oil industry officials said.

With foreign currency reserves running low, Egypt has not bought any crude on the open market since January. In rough terms the Libyan deal would be worth slightly more than half its 2012 imports, which the central bank put at $2 billion.

"Their situation is very bad, and if necessary they can take up to a year to pay (for each delivery)," said one of the Libyan officials.

Libyan authorities themselves face a daily struggle to keep services running and take control of a country awash with weapons looted from the arsenal of Muammar Gaddafi, who was toppled in 2011.

But the official said Libya could not shy away from helping an important trading partner. "If you are a good neighbour and something is wrong with your neighbour, you will not feel comfortable with yourself. It's human nature," he said.

Cairo has so far failed to agree a $4.8 billion loan deal with the International Monetary Fund and has sought help from energy producing countries in the region and beyond.

Tripoli has already deposited $2 billion at the Egyptian central bank and Qatar has announced $8 billion in loans, grants and other deposits since Islamist President Mohamed Mursi was elected last June.

WORLD PRICES

Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) declined immediate comments on the details of the deal, although one of the oil industry officials said it would supply Sirteca, the cheapest of all the country's grades. "Shipments will be sold at world prices," said the second Libyan official.

An official at the Egyptian oil ministry confirmed some of the deal's terms. "(It will be) one million barrels a month and deferred payment for 12 months without interest starting from the first half of May, God willing," the official told Reuters.

However, the official maintained that the two sides were still discussing the kind of crude oil to be supplied and how long the shipments would last. The Libyan officials said that if the first cargo was sent next month as planned, they would last until April 2014.

The Libyan deal should ease the problems of Egypt, which owes at least $5 billion to oil companies, half of it overdue.

Cairo aims to raise prices of subsidised energy gradually, bringing them close to world levels in four years, to reduce the burden on its huge budget deficit. In the short term, it wants to avoid arousing more social unrest by ensuring energy supplies during the approaching summer when energy consumption peaks.

Libya has already shown willingness to step back into its old role as North Africa's version of a Gulf petro-state by using cash to open doors.

Libya's new rulers authorised a payment of almost $200 million to Mauritania after it extradited Gaddafi's former spy chief Abdullah al-Senussi last year, although they later denied there was a quid pro quo.

Diplomats and analysts have also suggested Libya's growing support may help persuade Egypt to hand over Gaddafi's cousin Ahmed Gaddaf Alddam, who was arrested in Cairo in March.

Egypt sent two other ex-Gaddafi officials to Libya last month but barred the extradition of Gaddaf Alddam, who is claiming Egyptian citizenship. Libya is appealing the Egyptian court ruling.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/libya-help-ease-egypt-crisis-1-2-bln-124645011.html

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Mississippi man suspected in ricin case has been arrested, FBI says (Washington Post)

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A World of Hurt: Why You Need More Than Painkillers to Feel Better

Sharon Harris was barely out of college when she got a devastating diagnosis: She had lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that causes pain, inflammation, and damage to various parts of the body. Harris? doctors limited her pain-relief drugs to over-the-counter versions, so she soon figured out she had to find other ways to cope with ?flares? when her symptoms worsened. ?I?ve always been skeptical of taking medication [so] I enlisted the help of yoga and massage experts,? remembers Harris, now 34 and living in Detroit. ?I read countless stories about how the two techniques helped minimize pain.?

At the start, Harris found yoga painful and difficult to do, but over time it got easier. ?Yoga encourages you to stretch muscles that you never knew you had,? she says. ?It also pushes you to meditate and visualize ?pushing out? your pain using concentrated breathing techniques.? After a class Harris says she feels ?renewed, more aware, and more relaxed,? adding that she goes for a massage once a month: ?I carry a lot of pain in my back and neck; massages tend to alleviate those aches and pains.?

For many of the millions of Americans dealing with chronic pain?the American Academy of Pain Medicine puts the total at 100 million?Harris? pain management program, which combines few or no drugs with alternative and mind-body therapies, isn?t at all unusual. One reason is that abuse of painkillers?especially powerful opioids like oxycodone?are becoming harder than ever to get, even if you have a legitimate reason to use them. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided against approving a generic version of oxycodone, which goes by the brand name Oxycontin. That means, among other things, that the price of this powerful narcotic painkiller will remain high.

The FDA?s decision to only allow a brand-name, abuse-resistant version of oxycodone is based on data showing that painkiller abuse?is rampant and growing. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that nearly two million Americans were dependent on or abusing prescription pain relievers?five times greater than the number of people addicted to heroin.

Between physicians prescribing these and other drugs less often or in lower amounts to avoid abuse, and the high and rising cost of many prescriptions, the upshot is that fewer pain patients who need relief are likely to get it. This means they need to turn to over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen, and drug-free approaches like Harris? yoga-and-massage regimen, as well as acupuncture, biofeedback, and other therapies.

Akash Bajaj, M.D., a pain specialist in Marina del Ray, California, says concerns about addiction have pushed him to often try other modalities instead of starting with narcotic pain relievers. That?s especially true, he says, with patients in their 20s and 30s, who could be on pain meds for decades if injury damage is permanent, or they develop chronic pain conditions like arthritis or migraines. ?Always, my go-to is other types of pain relief, including physical therapy, chiropractic, and nerve blocks that go right to the source of the pain, as well as combinations of treatments for maximum effect,? says Dr. Bajaj. He says those patients for whom he does prescribe strong pain relievers must come back to see him again soon after the first visit so he can reassess their medication needs. ?That also allows me to give out just a few pills at first, which can lessen the likelihood of addiction, since then they don?t have the pills on hand to use after they?re no longer needed for pain relief,? he explains.

Dr. Bajaj adds that while handing out drugs is a quick encounter between a patient and doctor, it can irretrievably alter someone?s life if addiction develops. So he also considers a patient?s emotional state, because intractable pain affects mental and emotional health, too. ?I tell my patients there are two models of pain relief?a rehabilitee model and a palliative model. With the palliative model, we only address the immediate pain relief. But with the rehabilitative model, the patient becomes a part of the team and takes on some of the responsibility for getting better.? ?

There?s good evidence that taking a more action-oriented approach to pain relief works better for many pain patients. It?s certainly helped Harris, who says her spiritual beliefs have helped too. ?As I combat lupus I strongly believe that there is a spirit/mind connection,? she says. ?I?ve noticed that I always feel better after a church service or after I?ve read Bible scriptures.? And it?s that holistic?body, mind, and spirit?approach that may offer the most lasting relief from a life full of pain.

Are you experiencing chronic pain? What has helped you find relief?

Related Stories on TakePart:

??Why Are Some Prescription Drugs So Hard to Get?

??In Serious Pain? Getting Your Meds May Get Even Harder

??Reformulated OxyContin Makes Abusers Switch to Heroin

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Fran Kritz is a?freelance writer specializing in health and health?policy and lives in Silver?Spring, Maryland. Takepart.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/world-hurt-why-more-painkillers-feel-better-184255538.html

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Kate Middleton Polka Dot Dress Sells Out Within Hours

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Computer scientists suggest new spin on origins of evolvability: Competition to survive not necessary?

Apr. 26, 2013 ? Scientists have long observed that species seem to have become increasingly capable of evolving in response to changes in the environment. But computer science researchers now say that the popular explanation of competition to survive in nature may not actually be necessary for evolvability to increase.

In a paper published this week in PLOS ONE, the researchers report that evolvability can increase over generations regardless of whether species are competing for food, habitat or other factors.

Using a simulated model they designed to mimic how organisms evolve, the researchers saw increasing evolvability even without competitive pressure.

"The explanation is that evolvable organisms separate themselves naturally from less evolvable organisms over time simply by becoming increasingly diverse," said Kenneth O. Stanley, an associate professor at the College of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Central Florida. He co-wrote the paper about the study along with lead author Joel Lehman, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Texas at Austin.

The finding could have implications for the origins of evolvability in many species.

"When new species appear in the future, they are most likely descendants of those that were evolvable in the past," Lehman said. "The result is that evolvable species accumulate over time even without selective pressure."

During the simulations, the team's simulated organisms became more evolvable without any pressure from other organisms out-competing them. The simulations were based on a conceptual algorithm.

"The algorithms used for the simulations are abstractly based on how organisms are evolved, but not on any particular real-life organism," explained Lehman.

The team's hypothesis is unique and is in contrast to most popular theories for why evolvability increases.

"An important implication of this result is that traditional selective and adaptive explanations for phenomena such as increasing evolvability deserve more scrutiny and may turn out unnecessary in some cases," Stanley said.

Stanley is an associate professor at UCF. He has a bachelor's of science in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a doctorate in computer science from the University of Texas at Austin. He serves on the editorial boards of several journals. He has over 70 publications in competitive venues and has secured grants worth more than $1 million. His works in artificial intelligence and evolutionary computation have been cited more than 4,000 times.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Central Florida.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Joel Lehman, Kenneth O. Stanley. Evolvability Is Inevitable: Increasing Evolvability without the Pressure to Adapt. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (4): e62186 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062186

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/yFudqCEhgpw/130426115612.htm

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Boston bombing suspect moved to prison from hospital: officials

(Ends first round) NEW YORK, April 25 (Reuters) - Selections in the first roundof the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on Thursday (picknumber, NFL team, player, position, college): 1-Kansas City, Eric Fisher, offensive tackle, Central Michigan 2-Jacksonville, Luke Joeckel, offensive tackle, Texas A&M 3-Miami (from Oakland), Dion Jordan, defensive tackle, Oregon 4-Philadelphia, Lane Johnson, offensive tackle, Oklahoma 5-Detroit, Ezekiel Ansah, defensive end, Brigham Young 6-Cleveland, Barkevious Mingo, linebacker, LSU 7-Arizona, Jonathan Cooper, guard, North Carolina 8-St. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boston-suspects-had-spontaneous-bomb-plan-york-013726316--sector.html

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The future of HD TV programming - Shop RTO

You?ll be watching your favorite TV shows through an app.

When your family sits down to watch your favorite sitcom or TV drama, you?ll grab your computer, touch the app, pop some popcorn and enjoy the evening. That?s the future of TV or so futurists see at the moment. And, reviewing current statistics, that future may not be that far off. According to the Benton Foundation, recorded TV and Internet delivered programming has recently surpassed live TV.

Technical advances, including 4k streaming and personalized advertising, will speed up the transition from linear TV to app-based on demand programming, and TV Everywhere will make it easier for cable networks to transition into this new world. And eventually, all of this will fundamentally change how TV is delivered.?Stepping up to replace it are apps from companies like Netflix, HBO and ESPN, which deliver programming to multiple screens.

The merging of HDTV, computer technology and Internet are already here. The complete transition is the next phase. Are you ready? Or, do you care? As long as you get your ?Modern Family? fix, you?ll take whatever technology there is. It?s the family experience that matters.

Just another ShopRTO HDTV tip.

ShopRTO?provides consumers home living and decorating tips and promotes rent to own as a shopping option for affordable home furnishings.

Source: http://shoprto.com/the-future-of-tv-programming.html

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How much does a trip to India cost? | Live Free Die Travelling

So you have a dream to travel to India and you need an answer to the simple question? ?How much does it cost to travel to and in India??
Well that really depends upon a number of factors; some which apply to all travellers, some which are consequent upon your itinerary and others which are very specifically determined by the comfort and style of travelling that only you can select.

6 weeks in India

My partner and I have just returned from a 6 week tour of India when we made every effort to realise her childhood dreams of visiting some of the most significant ancient places in India including the Taj Mahal in Agra and the Golden Temple at Amritsar.

Quit our jobs

Having resigned our positions in fairly stressful occupations and been going through a precarious house sale we decided our first incursion into the madness of India should be into the less frenetic Kerala State in the south for a relaxing recuperation on the beach. After that we moved throughout India in an attempt to capture as much as possible but certainly not wishing it to be a pure ?Tick in the Box? lightning tour.

What do I need to know?

I will attempt to highlight all the considerations needed to plan your tour of India and begin to understand the cost implications of each decision. Based upon our financial situation we decided, even though we might easily have afforded more, to average no more than ?65 daily but in this cost was the amortised cost of our flights which were paid for up front.

?65 daily budget for all costs including flights

For the backpacker this will shock because this is a huge amount on a backpacker budget but for us as house owners and ex professionals in our 50s, having become accustomed to good standard hotels, food, travel etc, this was sometimes a challenge but generally speaking quite fun to keep stock of on the trip. After all we no longer had jobs to support us!!

The factors to be considered (in no specific order of importance)

• Getting to India
• Accommodation in India
• Travel throughout India
• Activities in India
• Tourist Attractions in India
• Food and Drink
• Currency Exchange Rate
• On line banking
• Insurance
• Health
• Passport validity dates and Indian Visas
• Religious, Spiritual or Self Development ambitions
• Luggage
• Onward travel

Now- In more depth

Getting to India

• Where are you coming from?
• Is this a separate stage in a longer Asian tour
• Do you wish to fly or perhaps cruise on a liner
• Cost of flights
• Our flight costs from London Gatwick to Cochin International via Dubai were ?530 rtn and identified using Skyscanner a very convenient to use travel comparison site.
• Do you wish to break up your long haul flight with a stopover
• Do you wish to fly Economy, 1st Class or Business Class
• Do you have frequent flyer miles you could utilise
• Do you have a favourite airline and if so does it fly to India
• Which airport in India do you wish to land in and then where to leave from (we flew into Cochin and departed from Delhi to avoid having to return all the way to Cochin)?
• How will you get to the airport in your country (to avoid heavy parking charges for a 6 week period we hired a ?one way? car rental with drop off at Gatwick Airport)?cost about ?35
• Could you make this a ?Round the World? experience and take advantage of some offers on multi stop tickets whilst at the same time possibly visiting other countries you have always had on your ?bucket list?
• If you think there is a likelihood that you may wish to change dates on your flight/flights then consider buying a flexi ticket for a small premium giving you additional flexibility. I did this on my return ticket to allow me to extend my trip and achieved this through STA Travel who provided and excellent service.

Accommodation

• This comes in all forms from Former Raj Palaces, Colonial Mansions, small guest houses (homestays), budget, backpacker, 5*, houseboats and all manner in between
• To capture the true essence of India and to stimulate our passion for variety we sought to use as many different accommodations as possible within our budget.
• What is your tolerance to ?unusual? standards and could you adjust?otherwise you may have to consider quite expensive options to meet your standards?this is India the place you want to experience and it would not be India if everything was as you would expect back home.
• We would recommend booking your first night in any new location via the internet to ensure you reduce the stress related with searching in a new environment?often in the early hours of the morning.
• We usually booked a basic double room with en suite facilities and paid between Rs700 and Rs1400 but on the special occasion of my birthday, whilst visiting the Taj Mahal, we spent Rs2500 on the room.?
• The 24 hour Houseboat experience cost Rs9000 for two of us and this gave us our own room on board with and evening meal and breakfast served to us. The boat was ours exclusively and the slow meandering around the backwaters of Kerala is very much recommended.
• By stark contrast, and to gain an extra experience and a relaxing chill out we booked the Uppal Hotel in Delhi close to the airport so that we could do nothing other than relax by the pool before heading home?a sort of airlock/recalibration experience. This 5* luxury cost ?45 with the meals on top pretty much doubling that. Trust me though, whilst this piece of luxury may have been welcome after 6 weeks on the road and rail it was nothing other than what you would expect from a quality hotel ANYWHERE in the world?.this had nothing Indian about it other than some misinterpretations in the language.

Travel internal to India

Flights?

Trains

Now?you simply have to experience at least one train trip whilst in India otherwise you will never be able to tell the folks back home you REALLY experienced India.
Trains are extremely cheap, really cheap, cheap or very reasonable dependent upon the class of carriage you opt for. India has the largest rail network in the world and there is an excellent article outlining everything you need to know about trains in India here.

But in summary you have 3rd class, 2nd class, sleeper class and first class with variables dependent upon whether you go for the A/C (air conditioning) options which are not always available on certain routes. The express train is an oxymoron compared to European or American high speed services but will still get you there marginally before the non-express train.

Costs for our train journeys varied from Rs300 to Rs1600 (exchange rate at time ?1=Rs80) and these were all significant distances and usually overnight with varying sleeper classes experienced (we NEVER went cattle class because despite it costing only a few Rupees? this was just not worth it?packed, dirty and uncomfortable as opposed to packed, fairly dirty and less uncomfortable!)

Booking rail tickets has its own complications and is one of the areas which DOES require a little bit of prior planning. Do take additional photocopies of your passport with you along with additional passport type photographs?India is not quite up to speed with paperless processes so it is good to be prepared. These precautions could help you gain access to the emergency tourist quota of tickets available on most trains at a slight premium.

Bus

Like the trains in India there is a massive network which is the mainstay transport for the majority. It does mean there are varying standards however; in general, any routes servicing the needs of the tourist have a variety of buses and standards.
The bus is cheap. Munnar to Bangalore was about Rs1600 for two on a ?Volvo deluxe sleeper? and was about 11 hours journey?.at least two hours of which was equivalent to the scariest ride in Disneyland!!
There are standard tourist class buses similar to the UK National Express (old version of course) or the American Greyhound services and then there are the buses catering for overnight journeys which can be semi sleeper or full sleeper and we tried both of these. Usually you will need to take the bus from remote places like Daramsala, Periyar, Munnar etc because the rail link does not reach here and you only other option would be to hire a taxi (driver and car as opposed to a metered ride)

Taxi

We discovered whilst in Kerala that the best way to get to some of our destinations was by hiring a driver and car (taxi) at a negotiated fixed rate dependent upon the distance covered and the terrain. We used drivers on numerous occasions and this did give us flexibility and saved worrying about directions, catching buses, changing buses, toilets etc?all covered and accommodated by having your own man. For backpackers this appears expensive but if you have a few people going the same way then it provides and economy of scale with no hassle.
A driver and A/C car will cost between ?25 and ?40 per day and the trip can be up to 5 hours driving into the hills, it sounds perhaps a little expensive but when you consider the time and distance this is pretty good value. A friend of ours from Wales, UK, hired a driver for 2 weeks and directed him to find good clean budget accommodation each evening as part of his duties and the cost was about ?400 for the 2 weeks?and the experienced chauffeur took them to places they could never have expected to reach by public transport?.and they did not have to worry about the accommodation (cost of accommodation was separate but the driver was directed to find it within the budget set by our friend)

Auto Rickshaw

Everywhere in India has its own auto rickshaws or tuk tuks?.you will simply have no option but to use them but after the first time when you will probably be frightened for your life you will come to enjoy the freedom to see around and simultaneously be mesmerised by the driving antics all around you.

These modes of transport afford you the best, quickest and most reliable form of short distance travel?enjoy.

The price is another element of course and you simply must agree the price prior to getting in the tuk tuk. The driver will ALWAYS request a higher fare so the easiest and best way to negotiate a price/barter if you are not familiar with the ?going rate? is to cut the drivers price in half and then when he gasps just insist it is your last offer?he will come back with different and then you can decide to be fair and add about 10-20% on top of your final offer. The process is fun and let?s face it the costs are ridiculously low compared to a cab in our country?a good friendly driver is worth holding on to and they will undoubtedly offer you their extended services. Rides cost from Rs10 to Rs250 on long journeys.

Where to visit

India is a massive country and the question of where to go is probably the biggest set of decisions to be made in the planning of your trip.
That said, our trip was largely spontaneous so we planned nothing other than our first port of call and then ?winged it? from then on; but this was OUR conscious decision because we wished for the flexibility this afforded us you may well need to organise things differently. In the whole of this marvellous country we had only two key places which were ?must sees? and the journeys between were easy to fill with unique experiences in this land of plenty.
Arriving in a city is one thing; the ?attractions? in that city are another; so you need to be prepared for the number and scale of what there is to see in each location. Travel guides and websites like this one have a wealth of useful information to help make your choices.

Attractions & Things to Do

All attractions will have an associated cost whether it be in getting there or entrance fees once you do get there. Because they are common places of worship, most of the temples are cost free other than your cost to get there, the exceptions being the ?Muslim Mosques where you will often incur a cost. As an Indian citizen the entrance cost for most attractions is a mere RS20 when to the tourist the costs range from Rs100 to Rs750 at the Taj Mahal (but worth it for sure).

Wildlife reserves and the official and unofficial safaris or tours come at a price and in most cases these are actually set by the Government which means that most tour operator offer almost EXACTLY the same tour dressed up slightly differently.

A worthwhile visit to a Spice Garden in Periyar was Rs100 and worth every Rupee whilst the entrance fee to the Tea Museum & Factory was about Rs500 and didn?t match the garden for value. The facts are that you WILL pay??out so just budget for it.

My estimate would be to factor in Rs300 per attraction and the cost should average out nicely

?Places of Interest

• Temples?
• Mosques
• Wildlife reserves
• State Monuments
• People Places
• Shopping opportunities
• Adventure opportunities
• Food, Drink and Culture
• Museums
• Formal Gardens
• Botanic Gardens
• Zoos
• Galleries
• Theatres
• Parades
• Festivals
• Rituals
• Villages

Insurance

• A good comprehensive insurance is a must when heading to foreign countries and perhaps more so when heading to India with the omnipresent potential for ailments due to the completely different culture.
• Insurance is often best purchased on a long term basis so that it covers for more than one trip but you do need to be conscious of length of trips.
• Age plays a factor in your insurance?.my son bought yearly backpacker insurance for a pittance ?but the same company would not cover me because I was over 55. I eventually gained insurance for 4 months for about ?120.

Food and Drink

Food

One of the reason for travelling to India must surely be to sample the fantastic aromatic and spicy dishes on offer around the country. As for the budget then the news is fairly good depending upon where you eat.

You can experience great food from many of the kerbside stalls, experience equally great food from the many shady looking cafes and restaurants, experience equally wonderful food in better surroundings and trappings in a more expensive place. Generally speaking though, regardless of how diligent you are at?hygiene, there is every chance you might get the dreaded Delhi belly at some point and the guarantee is you will have no clue which part of the Indian culture brought it on!

Sensible precautions are obviously recommended but even this may do nothing other than perhaps spoil an experience of a lifetime by not trying some of the local food.

?2 for breakfast ?4 for lunch and ?4 for evening meal

As for the cost?.meals in middle of the road restaurants will cost between ?1 and ?4 for most main courses?often for the whole meal including drinks. Budget for about ?2 for breakfast ?4 for lunch and ?4 for evening meal if you can stomach it. We probably did not come near this though and the portions of food in general are enormous. Sadly this was no help to me because my partner is vegetarian and I aint?.she wins in India!!!

Drink

Drink though is much more of an issue. Unless you are staying 5* and prepared to pay a sizeable amount for a bottle of wine?forget wine on the trip. The local wine we sampled was the only drink?almost in my whole life?that I refused to drink and sent back.

All?alcohol?in many parts of India is restricted to say the least but when available and on offer, beer will cost between Rs150 and Rs350 per 650ml bottle.

In Rishikesh for example there was no beer ANYWHERE and no meat either?despite this we actually stayed here the longest period during our trip.

Currency Exchange Rate

Little to say on this one other than to gauge when the right time is to change any currency but the best option is to load up a Cash Currency Card available from a number of places but we got ours from Thomas Cookes in UK. Thisis a safe way to carry currency and saves on cash withdrawal charges.It is just like a debit card really but preloaded.

Online Banking

There is no cost implications here but it is worthwhile notifying your bank so that your card is not stopped. Be aware that you willincur banking charges for each withdrawal?and this can mount up because the maximum I have been able to withdraw per visit has been Rs10000 just over ?100. It is worth taking two bank cards if you have two bank accounts?just belt and braces.

Health

• Make sure you have any medical and dental check-ups needed before travelling
• Make sure you have all?inoculations?and jabs?relevant?to where you are visiting; some of these will cost to have updated.
• If travelling for a longer period ensure you have sufficient medication or contact lenses to last the duration.
• Purchase what ever Malaria protection your doctors recommend.
• Medical assistance in India is remarkably good and surprisingly cheap too.

Passport validity dates and Indian Visa

Your passport must have sufficient time left on it otherwise you will need to consider renewing it prior to travel at the relevant cost.

You will certainly require a visa and this varies in cost from country to country. In the UK we paid ?100 but you dohave to send away your passport and allow time for processing so do allow at least 2 weeks.

Religious, Spiritual or Self Development ambitions

If you are intentupon conducting any courses whilst in In India you should factor in the cost of these. There are a plethora of yoga, meditation and slf enlightenment courses on offer virtually everywhere in India and the difficulty will be to determine one that suits and at what cost.

As an example, yoga and meditation courses we attended in and Ashram in Rishikesh cost us Rs100 to Rs150 per session and a course can last pretty much any length of time you wish.

Luggage

All the Samsonite and Gucci designer luggage is going to be wasted in India. There are few places you could use a ?wheelie? case so dont even consider bringing it. Both of us bought rucksacks with front opening capability and are really glad we done so?but it is an extra expense of about ?50 to ?110.

Onward travel

If you have booked return flights then this really doesn?t apply but for me I had decided to head into Nepal and so there is the cost?associated?with this to consider.

My flight from Delhi to Kathmandu cost ?60 and my entry visa another $40.

Summary Cost

The final figure for our trip is now fully realised and we were able to stay within our budget give or take a few quid so the upshot is that doing a long trip like this is possible on ?65 per day.

If you do decide on a shorter trip then obviously the cost of the flights would be more significant when looked at on a daily basis.

I hope this brief article might help you at least to consider certain elements in your planning and if you have questions on any aspect please feel free to post a comment and I will respond fairly sharply?..safe trip and do not be put off by some of my flippant comments?India is a unique and wonderful place to travel to.

cheers ?Gary

How much does a trip to India cost?

Need more info, have a question or got some feedback? If so, please use the comments section below and I'll get back to you in a flash! ?

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Source: http://www.livefreedietravelling.com/travel/how-much-does-a-trip-to-india-cost/

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Microsoft launches Bing Offers to round up local bargains, gives Bing Deals the axe

Call it a deal, offer or a bargain -- isn't a discount by any name just as sweet? Microsoft seems to think so, and it recently retired Bing Deals in favor of a locally focused newcomer: Bing Offers. Like its predecessor, Offers culls discounts from a number of sources, but rather than pulling deals from all over the web it focuses on group-discount bargains from outfits like Livingsocial, Groupon and Homerun. The aggregator spreads the discounts across the standard categories: food activities, health and fitness, beauty, travel and retail / services. Although the name has changed, a Microsoft spokesperson told TechCrunch that Offers is essentially the latest update to Bing Deals, noting that the site has gone through "a number of iterations" since it launched in 2011. Hit the source link to start pinching pennies.

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Source: Bing Offers

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/-5U-5pNoBtc/

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38 die in mental hospital fire outside Moscow

In this image taken from Ministry for Emergency Situations, Moscow region branch website, a psychiatric hospital outside Moscow is on fire early Friday morning, April 26, 2013. At least 38 people died in the fire in the psychiatric hospital outside Moscow late Thursday night. Police said the fire, which broke out at about 2 a.m. local time (6 p.m. Eastern, 2200 GMT) in the one-story hospital in the Ramenskoye settlement, was caused by a short circuit. (AP Photo/Ministry for Emergency Situations, Moscow region branch website) EDITORIAL USE ONLY

In this image taken from Ministry for Emergency Situations, Moscow region branch website, a psychiatric hospital outside Moscow is on fire early Friday morning, April 26, 2013. At least 38 people died in the fire in the psychiatric hospital outside Moscow late Thursday night. Police said the fire, which broke out at about 2 a.m. local time (6 p.m. Eastern, 2200 GMT) in the one-story hospital in the Ramenskoye settlement, was caused by a short circuit. (AP Photo/Ministry for Emergency Situations, Moscow region branch website) EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Ministry for Emergency Situations workers and fire fighters work at a site of a fire of a psychiatric hospital Friday morning, April 26, 2013. At least 38 people died in the fire in the psychiatric hospital outside Moscow late Thursday night. Police said the fire, which broke out at about 2 a.m. local time (6 p.m. Eastern, 2200 GMT) in the one-story hospital in the Ramenskoye settlement, was caused by a short circuit. (AP Photo/Pavel Sergeyev)

Map locates fire a psychiatric hospital outside of central Moscow

Ministry for Emergency Situations workers and fire fighters work at a site of a fire of a psychiatric hospital Friday morning, April 26, 2013. At least 38 people died in the fire in the psychiatric hospital outside Moscow late Thursday night. Police said the fire, which broke out at about 2 a.m. local time (6 p.m. Eastern, 2200 GMT) in the one-story hospital in the Ramenskoye settlement, was caused by a short circuit. (AP Photo/Pavel Sergeyev)

Ministry for Emergency Situations workers and fire fighters work at a site of a fire of a psychiatric hospital Friday morning, April 26, 2013. At least 38 people died in the fire in the psychiatric hospital outside Moscow late Thursday night. Police said the fire, which broke out at about 2 a.m. local time (6 p.m. Eastern, 2200 GMT) in the one-story hospital in the Ramenskoye settlement, was caused by a short circuit. (AP Photo/Pavel Sergeyev)

MOSCOW (AP) ? A fire swept quickly through a psychiatric hospital outside Moscow early Friday, killing 38 people, most of them sedated and in their beds, officials said.

The one-story brick-and-wood hospital building housed patients with severe mental disorders, Health Ministry officials said. An Emergencies Ministry official said the fire started in a wooden annex and then spread to the main brick building, which had wooden beams.

The patients were under sedatives and most of them did not wake up, Yuri Deshevykh of the Emergencies Ministry told RIA Novosti.

At least 29 people were burned alive, said Irina Gumennaya, a spokeswoman for the federal Investigative Committee.

Investigators said the 38 dead included 36 patients and two doctors. They said a nurse managed to escape and save one patient, while another patient got out on his own. The Emergencies Ministry also posted a list of the patients indicating they ranged in age from 20 to 76. Gumennaya told Russian news agencies that most of the people died in their beds.

Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyev said some of the hospital windows were barred. Gumennaya cited the surviving nurse as saying that the doors inside the hospital were not locked.

Investigators said they are looking at violations of fire regulations and a short circuit as possible causes for the blaze that engulfed the hospital in the Ramensky settlement, some 85 kilometers (53 miles) north of Moscow.

Vadim Belovoshin of the Emergencies Ministry said that it took firefighters an hour to get to the hospital because a ferry across a canal was closed and they had to make a detour.

Vorobyev told Russian state television that the fire alarm seems to have worked, but the fire spread too quickly.

Russia has a poor fire safety record, with about 12,000 deaths reported in 2012. In January, a fire in an underground parking lot killed 10 migrant workers from Tajikistan who were working and living there. In a similar incident in September, 14 Vietnamese workers were killed by fire at a clothing factory near Moscow.

In one of the most high-profile cases of negligence, more than 150 people died in a night club in the city of Perm after a pyrotechnic show ignited a wooden ceiling.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-04-26-EU-Russia-Fire/id-f6e6b7129e8546068fdb8ec840807847

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Idea gains on hopes of better-than-expected Jan-March earnings

MUNICH, April 23 (Reuters) - Barcelona centre half Gerard Pique acknowledged his team were thoroughly second best as Bayern Munich romped to a 4-0 win in their Champions League semi-final first leg at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday. "They gave us a thrashing," he said. "We will try to turn it around in the return leg (on May 1) and put in a good performance for the fans. "They were better and faster than us. There is no point talking about the referee, there is no excuse." Arjen Robben, who sparkled on the wing for Bayern and scored one of the goals, hailed his team's spectacular performance. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/idea-gains-hopes-better-expected-jan-march-earnings-071652073--sector.html

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Pot smokers aren't totally off the hook in Colorado

DENVER (AP) ? Medical and recreational marijuana may be legal in Colorado, but employers in the state can lawfully fire workers who test positive for the drug, even if it was used off duty, according to a court ruling Thursday.

The Colorado Court of Appeals found there is no employment protection for medical marijuana users in the state since the drug remains barred by the federal government.

"For an activity to be lawful in Colorado, it must be permitted by, and not contrary to, both state and federal law," the appeals court stated in its 2-1 conclusion.

The ruling concurs with court decisions in similar cases elsewhere and comes as businesses attempt to regulate pot use among employees in states where the drug is legal. Colorado and Washington state law both provide for recreational marijuana use. Several other states have legalized medical use. Police departments have been especially concerned since officers are sworn to uphold both state and federal laws.

The Colorado case involves Brandon Coats, 33, a telephone operator for Englewood, Colo.-based Dish Network LLC. Coats was paralyzed in a car crash as a teenager and has been a medical marijuana patient in the state since 2009.

He was fired in 2010 for failing a company drug test, though his employer didn't claim he was ever impaired on the job.

Coats sued to get his job back, but a trial court dismissed his claim in 2011. The judge agreed with Dish Network that medical marijuana use isn't a "lawful activity" covered by a state law intended to protect cigarette smokers from being fired for legal behavior off the clock. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, more than half of all states have such laws.

Dish Network did not return a call seeking comment.

Coats' attorney, Michael Evans, issued a statement saying the ruling has wide implications for Colorado marijuana laws.

"This case not only impacts Mr. Coats, but also some 127,816 medical marijuana patient-employees in Colorado who could be summarily terminated even if they are in legal compliance with Colorado state law," Evans noted.

Evans plans to ask the state Supreme Court to review the case.

Morgan Fox, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, called it a setback.

"It's unfortunate, considering how much support there is for medical marijuana, that employers don't see this like any other medication," Fox said.

The Marijuana Policy Project said the ruling appears to be limited to state law because it does not fall under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

Judge John Webb dissented in the split decision, saying he couldn't find a case addressing whether Colorado judges should consider federal law in determining the meaning of a Colorado statute.

Marijuana supporters say the courts are discriminating against them because Colorado's Lawful Off-Duty Activities law protects workers being fired for legal behavior off the clock, citing cigarette smoking as a protected activity.

The court said lawmakers could act to change the law to protect people who use marijuana, but there have been no plans to do that at the state Capitol.

Colorado's amendment legalizing recreational marijuana doesn't give people a constitutional right to smoke pot and doesn't protect users from criminal prosecution, from being fired or from other negative consequences. Backers said smoking off the job was a gray area and warned people to be familiar with their employers' drug policies.

Coats told reporters Thursday afternoon that he obtained a prescription for medical marijuana to deal with debilitating muscle spasms that would otherwise prevent him from working. He has been looking for a job ever since being dismissed by Dish.

"I'm not going to get better anytime soon," said Coats. "I need the marijuana, and I don't want to go the rest of my life without holding a job."

The Washington state Supreme Court also has found that workers can be fired for using marijuana, even if authorized by the state's medical marijuana law.

Last year, a federal appeals court ruled against a cancer survivor in Battle Creek, Mich., who was fired from his job with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. after failing a drug test for marijuana. Joseph Casias had a medical marijuana card and said he used pot to alleviate symptoms of an inoperable brain tumor.

According to the Marijuana Policy Project, the California Supreme Court also has ruled that people could be fired for testing positive for marijuana. The Legislature passed a bill to change that in 2008, but it was vetoed.

In Arizona, however, a law approved by voters in 2010 forbids employers from terminating someone who possesses a state-issued card allowing them to use marijuana medically.

___

Associated Press writers Colleen Slevin, Peter Banda, Nicholas Riccardi and Eugene Johnson contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/court-says-pot-smokers-fired-even-colo-200634860.html

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Should use of chemical weapons in Syria be a 'game changer?'

The Obama administration said in a letter to senators today that it has seen evidence that the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may have used chemical weapons against its opponents "on a small scale."

The letter drew howls from predictable quarters that the US must now do more to arm rebels or perhaps even go directly to war with Syria; cautions from Obama administration officials like Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel that evidence isn't firm enough yet to be the "game changer" President Barack Obama had promised in March; and a reiteration from the administration itself that proven use of chemical weapons by Assad would draw a sharp response from the US.

"The President has made it clear," Miguel E. Rodriquez, Obama's director of legislative affairs wrote to Sens. John McCain and Carl Levin today, "that the use of chemical weapons ? or the transfer of chemical weapons to terrorist groups ? is a red line for the United States of America."

But why should the US commit itself to war with Syria on the basis of whether it used chemical weapons? There's an unspoken assumption that chemical weapons are a special horror that requires special responses, but the underpinnings for this are rarely explored.

RECOMMENDED: Syria's chemical weapons: How secure are they?

The catalog of likely war crimes by the Assad regime has steadily expanded since anti-government protests first broke out in early 2011. Thousands have been killed by cluster bombs, mortars, and scud missiles that have rained down on Syrian cities, with no discrimination between rebel fighters and civilians. Rebels, too, have been implicated in war crimes: executing prisoners, carrying out indiscriminate bombings in civilian areas, and participating in sectarian massacres.

At least 70,000 Syrians have died in the conflict and 1.4 million have fled the country, mostly to neighboring Jordan, Turkey, and Lebanon, where they're straining the budgets of the local governments and the United Nations agencies tasked with providing humanitarian assistance. Aside from death tolls and home losses, millions of Syrians are being plunged into poverty.

So, the human need is great, regional strategic fears are mounting, and from the outside, the whole thing looks like a bloody stalemate. But the US has been reluctant to couple its insistence that Mr. Assad "must go" with the sort of military assistance that could prove decisive.

That's because Obama and many of his advisers are worried about the substantial presence amid the rebel fighters of the same brand of jihadis the US spent a fortune fighting in neighboring Iraq and the prospects for a major sectarian bloodletting in the country in the wake of a defeat for Assad. The US has also been reluctant to act without UN Security Council backing, something Russia has steadfastly opposed, at least until now.

But if all of these things have stayed Obama's hand, why would the "small" use of a chemical weapon, presumably some of the sarin nerve gas that has long been in the Syrian government's arsenal, change his strategic calculation?

Yes, there's a UN convention against chemical weapons (as there are against a great many things), but the world is filled with horrible crimes, and it seems to me the best way to measure them is by the number of their victims rather than the means of assault.

For instance, Saddam Hussein's famous chemical assault on the Kurdish town of Halabja in 1988 claimed about 5,000 lives. But in the overall context of the punitive Anfal Campaign that he pursued in the late 1980s against Iraq's Kurdish population, the use of chemical weapons was small potatoes. Human Rights Watch estimated a minimum of 50,000 Kurds were killed during one six-month period in 1988 and perhaps as many as 100,000, almost all of them non-combatants.

Yet internationally, Halabja is spoken of again and again as evidence of Hussein's particular evil; the vastly greater number of people killed with conventional weapons is rarely mentioned at all.

But both Obama's people and his more hawkish critics in congress appear to be in agreement that greater US action will be mandated by the use of chemical weapons in Syria. So what's the quality of evidence?

So far, evidence is sketchy and it appears to come entirely via Syrian opposition sources, who have a clear incentive to exaggerate or fabricate Syrian government crimes as they pursue international support for their cause. The administration's letter said, rather awkwardly, that the US intelligence community "does assess with varying degrees of confidence that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale."

Varying degrees of confidence? Does that mean that one intelligence agency says "highly unlikely, but maybe" and in the analysis of another the situation is "highly likely, but not 100 percent for certain?" Given the poor intelligence analysis and the misuse of raw intelligence in the rush to war with Iraq in 2003, caution is clearly required.

The letter also says the "chain of custody" on "physiological samples" provided by opposition groups to the US claiming they prove chemical weapons use is unclear ? by which the administration means it can't guarantee precisely when the samples, which Wired indicates were blood samples containing evidence of sarin gas exposure, were drawn, where they were drawn, or under what circumstances.

In other words, they could have been tampered with, or the evidence of sarin in them could have come from some other cause (rebel fighters handling captured chemical weapons?). Or maybe rebels used the captured sarin.

The good news for those worried about a rush to war is that Obama's people went to enormous pains today to insist that much harder evidence will be needed before the matter is considered settled. It was hard to read their comments as anything but a rebuke about the way things were done ahead of the Iraq war.

Obama's legislative affairs director Mr. Rodriquez wrote to Sens. McCain and Levin today: "Intelligence assessments alone are not sufficient - only credible and corroborated facts that provide us with some degree of certainty will guide our decision-making, and strengthen our leadership of the international community."

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chemical-weapons-syria-game-changer-205845715.html

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