google news: July 2013

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

New Journal of Integrated Pest Management articles useful for farmers and military

Public release date: 31-Jul-2013
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Contact: Richard Levine
rlevine@entsoc.org
301-731-4535
Entomological Society of America

The latest issue of the Journal of Integrated Pest Management contains articles on controlling corn earworms, beetles, and other insect pests, plus an article highlighting the accomplishments of the Research Program for Deployed Warfighter Protection

The latest issue of the Journal of Integrated Pest Management -- an open-access, peer-reviewed, extension journal covering the field of integrated pest management (IPM) -- contains articles on using IPM to control corn earworms, beetles, and other insect pests, plus an article highlighting the accomplishments of the Research Program for Deployed Warfighter Protection against disease-carrying insects.

In "Corn Earworms (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) as Pests of Soybean," the authors discuss the life history, ecology, plant damage, and management of Helicoverpa zea as it relates to soybean production.

In "Plectris aliena (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): A New Invasive Soil Pest in North Carolina Agro-Ecosystems," the authors write about the life cycle of Plectris aliena, a new invasive soil pest that is causing significant economic losses in sweetpotato in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

In "Evaluation of Integrated Pest and Disease Management Module for Shallots in Tamil Nadu, India: a Farmer's Participatory Approach," the authors discuss efforts made to evaluate the Integrated Pest Management module for shallots through Farmer's Participatory Approach in Tamil Nadu, India.

And in "The Deployed Warfighter Protection (DWFP) Research Program: Developing New Public Health Pesticides, Application Technologies, and Repellent Systems," the authors write about the DWFP program accomplishments, including the rodent feed-through technique with insecticidal baits for controlling phlebotomine sand flies; developing attractive targeted sugar bait for use against mosquitoes and sand flies; developing a lethal oviposition trap for container-breeding mosquitoes and evaluating using pyriproxyfen (an insect growth regulator) and autodissemination by these mosquitoes to block their reproduction and metamorphosis; defining the limitations of insect repellents against infected vectors; and developing the Florida Fly Baiter and several types of novel sprayer equipment for insecticide application.

###

Members of the media who would like advanced copies should write to pubs@entsoc.org or call 301-731-4535, ext 3009.

The Journal of Integrated Pest Management is multi-disciplinary in scope, publishing articles in all pest management disciplines, including entomology, nematology, plant pathology, weed science, and other subject areas. The editors accept submissions of original, extension-type articles about any aspect of pest management in the broadest sense, including, but not limited to, management of pests that affect row crops, forage and grasslands, horticultural crops, forests, urban landscapes, structures, schools, households, livestock and pets, and human health.

The journal is published by the Entomological Society of America (ESA), the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines. Founded in 1889, ESA today has more than 6,000 members affiliated with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry, and government. Members are students, researchers, teachers, extension service personnel, administrators, marketing representatives, research technicians, consultants, and hobbyists. For more information, please visit http://www.entsoc.org.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

New Journal of Integrated Pest Management articles useful for farmers and military

Public release date: 31-Jul-2013
[ | E-mail |

Share ]

Contact: Richard Levine
rlevine@entsoc.org
301-731-4535
Entomological Society of America

The latest issue of the Journal of Integrated Pest Management contains articles on controlling corn earworms, beetles, and other insect pests, plus an article highlighting the accomplishments of the Research Program for Deployed Warfighter Protection

In "Corn Earworms (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) as Pests of Soybean," the authors discuss the life history, ecology, plant damage, and management of Helicoverpa zea as it relates to soybean production.

###

Members of the media who would like advanced copies should write to pubs@entsoc.org or call 301-731-4535, ext 3009.

[ | E-mail |

Share ]

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-07/esoa-njo072913.php

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Merck 2Q profit tumbles on charges, lower revenue

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. (AP) ? Drugmaker Merck & Co. says its second-quarter profit fell by half because of generic competition cutting into sales and acquisition and other charges.

The maker of blockbuster diabetes pill Januvia and Gardasil, a vaccine against sexually transmitted cancers, says second-quarter net income was $906 million, or 30 cents per share, down from $1.79 billion, or 58 cents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding one-time items, the world's third-biggest drugmaker says adjusted net income was $2.53 billion, or 84 cents per share. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected 82 cents.

Merck, based in Whitehouse Station, N.J., says revenue totaled $11.01 billion, down 11 percent. Analysts expected slightly higher sales of $11.24 billion.

The company backed its previous 2013 profit forecast for earnings per share of $1.84 to $2.05, excluding one-time items.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/merck-2q-profit-tumbles-charges-lower-revenue-112632486.html

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Second known case of patient developing synesthesia after brain injury

[unable to retrieve full-text content]A Toronto man is only the second known person to have acquired synesthesia as a result of a brain injury, in this case a stroke. About nine months after suffering a stroke, the patient noticed that words written in a certain shade of blue evoked a strong feeling of disgust. Yellow was only slightly better. Raspberries, which he never used to eat very often, now tasted like blue -- and blue tasted like raspberries.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/strange_science/~3/iunzpyqWmHY/130730101744.htm

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Randy Orton attacked by audience member

All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. ? 2013 WWE, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This website is based in the United States. By submitting personal information to this website you consent to your information being maintained in the U.S., subject to applicable U.S. laws. U.S. law may be different than the law of your home country. WrestleMania XXIX (NY/NJ) logo TM & ? 2013 WWE. All Rights Reserved. The Empire State Building design is a registered trademark and used with permission by ESBC.

Source: http://www.wwe.com/inside/randy-orton-attacked-by-audience-member

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Showtime executive hints at 'Dexter' spinoff

This undated publicity image released by Showtime shows Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan in a scene from the final season of "Dexter," airing Sundays at 9 p.m. EST on Showtime. (AP Photo/Showtime, Randy Tepper)

This undated publicity image released by Showtime showsJennifer Carpenter as Debra Morgan, left, and Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan in a scene from the final season of "Dexter," airing Sundays at 9 p.m. EST on Showtime. (AP Photo/Showtime, Randy Tepper)

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) ? Showtime's president is hinting that a "Dexter" spin-off may be forthcoming.

David Nevins said Tuesday that Showtime has signed a two-year deal with Scott Buck, the executive producer of "Dexter." The serial killer drama starring Michael C. Hall is in its eighth and final season.

Showtime says Buck will be working with the premium cable channel on several new projects.

At a Television Critics Association meeting, Nevins was asked if there will be a follow-up series to "Dexter." In response, the Showtime executive noted the deal with producer Buck and suggested that reporters draw their own conclusion.

Asked later about the possibility, Nevins acknowledged that he dropped a "tease" about a spinoff, but said that for now the focus is on a satisfying end to "Dexter."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-07-30-US-TV-Dexter-Spinoff/id-b410cca456c24e82bbed2989c4d1b6cf

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Bulgarians Set Out to Overhaul Politics ? Global Issues

by Claudia Ciobanu (warsaw)
Monday, July 29, 2013
Inter Press Service

WARSAW, Jul 29 (IPS) - For more than six weeks now, Bulgarians have been on the streets demanding an end to oligarchy and corruption.

French support for the protests in Bulgaria has inspired street scenes to recreate the iconic painting by Eugene Delacroix to mark the revolution in France in 1830. Credit: Vassil Garnizov/IPS.

Under the label DANSwithme, inhabitants of Bulgarian capital Sofia have been taking to the streets every day since Jun. 14. The protests were sparked by the Socialist government's decision to appoint 32-year-old media mogul Delyan Peevski head of the national security services (DANS).

Despite Peevski's snap removal following the public outcry, Bulgarians have continued protests to demand resignation of Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski. On peak days, crowds are in the tens of thousands.

Urbanites, often youth and professionals, have vented their anger and also celebrated the rather new experience of street action. They are a colourful bunch, bringing along kids, often wearing theatrical costumes, using art installations to send political messages, and broadcasting it all on social media.3

As if to reflect participants' desire for a well-functioning society, people have gathered in the centre of Sofia in the mornings "to have a coffee with parliamentarians" (coffee cups were collected as proof of participant numbers) and then gone to work. In the evening, they have returned to the streets, for more elaborate marches and performances.

Remarkable for their endurance, size and creativity, the protests represent the culmination of public resentment with a political class perceived to be closely tied to business and crime groups, and with dysfunctional democratic institutions.

In Bulgaria more than in other post-socialist members of the European Union, a nexus between organised crime, businesses and the political class cemented in the early 1990s remains a feature of public life. The country is also the poorest of EU member states.

Over the past years, Bulgarians have been reacting. Environmentalists often took issue with the sell-off of natural parks or pristine beaches for tourism or sports projects by prominent business figures with a murky reputation.

It took until February this year, however, for the discontent to boil over. At the start of 2013, Bulgarians were on the streets for weeks complaining about rising electricity and heating costs, and calling for re-nationalisation of the energy system.

Those protests were led by the poor who could not afford to pay the heavy bills. There were several public suicides in cities across the country during the weeks of action.

The protests were backed by others frustrated with Bulgaria's ruling class. The centre-right government of Boiko Borisov resigned as a result.

Following elections in May, Bulgaria is now run by a coalition of Socialists and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (a maverick party representing the country's Turkish minority which usually allies with winners of elections to form governments). Further support from the far-right party Ataka was needed to form this government.

"The situation is very unstable at the moment, with pressure on the government increasing all the time because recently even trade unions expressed their support for the protests," Ivan Krastev, chairman of the Sofia based Centre for Liberal Studies tells IPS. "The question seems to be no longer if but when we will have early elections again. This government has clearly lost its ability to govern."

On Tuesday last week (Jul. 23), the protests turned tense for the first time. Crowds blockaded the parliament in the evening, trapping politicians gathered for an extraordinary session to vote amendments to the budget. Those amendments sought an increase in budget deficit to finance outstanding debts to private contractors and some social spending.

Oresharski is refusing to resign, promising that the government has "a clear plan of stabilisation" and plans "urgent measures to improve the social situation." No details were given.

President Rosen Plevneliev has meanwhile been expressing sympathy for the protesters.

As have representatives of the EU and its member states, including EU Commissioner for Justice Viviane Reding and the French and German ambassadors to Sofia. Unlike Greek or Spanish protesters targeting the EU as a main driver of austerity measures, many of the Bulgarians on the streets today still hold on to EU ideals.

Thankful for the supportive French and German ambassadors, protesters have been putting on live re-enactments of French painter Eugene Delacroix's canvas Liberty Leading the People (strongly associated with the French Republic) and of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The French painting became iconic of the July revolution of 1830 in France. In the painting a woman personifying Liberty leads people holding up the French flag. The scene is being recreated in Sofia inspired by French support for the protests.

"In a way, these protests are producing an ideology that fits fully into the master signifiers of the post-socialist transition: anti-politics, technocratic experts, civil society, transparency, anti-communism, free market competition (an economy free from the meddling of the political class which is considered to be conducive to the mafia) ? as the timing of the protests suggests," Jana Tsoneva, a doctoral candidate from the Central European University attending the protests tells IPS.

Tsoneva adds that this mindset that distinguishes the Bulgarian movement from Greek or Turkish protests or the Occupy movement, is not necessarily shared by all participants but promoted by more prominent figures.

"As compared to the protests in February which were much more critical, for example in the stance towards foreign investors, these ones have a much more typical modernisation agenda," Ivan Krastev tells IPS.

"Unlike in other places, like Greece, where people protested the European project, Bulgarians see Brussels as a natural ally. Therefore, officials in Europe are able to side with protesters against elites, not vice-versa."

Both caution against symplifying the reading of these protests by linking them to one agenda or one class.

"We see on the streets people who are much more on the left, anti-capitalist, people who in the West would join Occupy, but also people with more classical liberal views who say liberals never got a chance because of the oligarchs," adds Krastev. "This is an interesting coalition and it is interesting to see on what they agree and disagree.

"It is important that we are witnessing a big process of politicisation of the middle class and youth," he adds, "even though the weakness of the broad, classical civic agenda of the protests is that it is unclear whether any political party can emerge from them."

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Rangers homer twice in 9th to beat Angels 4-3

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) ? Geovany Soto kept anxiously watching the ball as he trotted out of the batter's box. Finally, when it landed in the left-field seats, he thrust his right arm triumphantly into the air and set off quite a celebration for the Texas Rangers.

Soto's game-ending home run, after fellow catcher A.J. Pierzynski had already gone deep in the ninth off Los Angeles Angels closer Ernesto Frieri, gave the Rangers a 4-3 victory Monday night. That snapped a four-game losing streak in which they struggled to score runs.

"I was hoping it would stay fair," Soto said. "I'm the happiest guy."

When Soto got back to the plate, he was mobbed by teammates and got a huge hug for Rangers manager Ron Washington.

Pierzynski led off the ninth by pulling a pitch into the right-field seats, his 11th homer this season snapping a 4-for-27 slump and tying the game. Nelson Cruz followed with a single off Frieri (0-3) before David Murphy grounded into a double play. Soto, who entered the game hitting only .198 this season, then hit a towering flyball down the left-field line.

"You know, A.J. grind one out, Cruz grind one out. And then Murphy smoked that ball. That's just the way things have been going for him. He centers one and they turn a double play," Washington said. "But then Geo pulled us out for us. Had a great at-bat, that's what we needed."

In the Angels clubhouse after the game, Frieri sat silently at his locker for a few minutes, staring up toward the ceiling. Teammates and manager Mike Scioscia came by and patted him on the left shoulder.

The Angels, without slugger Albert Pujols for maybe the rest of the season, lost their fourth straight game and are 2-8 their last 10 road games.

"It's a tough situation. We've been struggling, and I just went out there and gave up the game. We needed that win," Frieri said. "It was a fastball (to Soto). Supposed to be down and away but it was middle-in and up. Every time I miss, I get hurt really bad."

Jason Frasor (1-2) pitched a scoreless ninth for Texas, three days after he gave up a game-ending homer in an 11-inning loss at Cleveland.

Texas had gone 26 innings without scoring a run, two short of the 41-year-old team record, until Ian Kinsler's RBI single in the sixth to get the Rangers within 3-1. They had played 46 innings without leading a game until the second career game-ending homer for Soto, who was catching Matt Garza while Pierzynski got a night as the designated hitter.

"We needed that game after the offensive struggled we've been through the last few weeks," Pierzynski said. "To have a game like that, especially at home after the trip we came off, it's huge."

The Texas comeback spoiled another solid effort for Angels starter Jered Weaver, who allowed only one run with six strikeouts over seven innings. The right-hander has a 1.31 ERA (seven runs in 48 innings) his last seven starts.

Dane De La Rosa allowed an unearned run in his inning of relief before Frieri's third blown save in 28 chances.

J.B. Shuck hit his first major league homer for the Angels, who have lost four in a row. Josh Hamilton had a two-run single against his former team.

Garza struck out six and allowed three runs over seven innings in his second Texas start since getting traded. The right-hander had won six starts in a row, including his last five for the Chicago Cubs before a winning debut for the Rangers last Wednesday against the New York Yankees when the only run he allowed was unearned after his throwing error.

Weaver had retired 12 in a row before Leonys Martin, in the leadoff spot for the first time in his 124 major league games, had a drag bunt in the sixth. The pitcher fielded the ball along the first-base line, but didn't even attempt a throw since Martin had already run past him.

Martin got to second when Elvis Andrus unsuccessfully tried to bunt for a hit. Ian Kinsler, who went to No. 3 in the order with Martin leading off, followed with an RBI single for the first Texas run in three games, and also ended a scoreless streak of 19 2-3 innings for Weaver.

Andrus extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single in the eighth, then stole second, went to third on catcher Hank Conger's throwing error and scored on Kinsler's sac fly.

Shuck homered in the fifth in his 323rd career at-bat and 115th game. Later that inning, Erick Aybar drew a walk and Mike Trout had a two-out double before both scored on Hamilton's opposite-field grounder to left made it 3-0.

"It's a little frustrating. This was probably one of the best I've thrown the ball in Texas," Weaver said. "No lead is safe here, and obviously that was the case tonight."

NOTES: Weaver is 15-2 with a 1.72 ERA in July games since 2011. ... The Rangers second ended on a 6-4-3 grounder ? for one out, not the double play usually associated with that sequence. Soto hit a grounder that SS Aybar fielded in the hole and threw to second base, where runner Cruz had already reached. But 2B Howie Kendrick still had plenty of time to get Soto out at first. ... Angels left-hander C.J. Wilson, 7-1 with a 1.96 ERA his last eight starts, is scheduled to start against his former team Tuesday night. He is 0-2 with a 7.65 ERA in five starts against the Rangers, all last season.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rangers-homer-twice-9th-beat-angels-4-3-022940725.html

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Let insurance carry your risk - Vanguard

Insurance is the transfer of risk from people exposed to risks to professional risk carriers, which are the insurance companies. Every one of us is exposed to one risk or the other because life is full of risks and all these risks can be identified, quantified and reduced to monetary terms.

So when risks materialise, they lead to financial losses, and if risks are not managed in a scientific manner,?it could ruin anybody,?any business, any nation, and?any economy. That is why all over the world people have come to accept that the best way to handle risk is by way of insurance transfer mechanism, which is when the individual or the company exposed to risks decides to insure against such risks of life. In life, there are risks associated with business and all endeavors, and the cost of transferring the risk to a risk bearer is the premium that people pay.

The risk bearers

The risk bearers are the insurance firms of different sizes and makes, although, some insurance companies have?some specialisation. These insurers assure that if the risk you have transferred materialises or results to a loss, they will come out to put you back on your feet by way of compensation to that position where you were before you lost support.

Insurance is different

Insurance is different from the Esusu, which is the local traditional insurance that entails that we have the spirit of being our brother?s keeper, so that when something goes wrong all of us will rally round and contribute money to help. The way insurance works is such that a homogenous group that is exposed to same type of risks are put together with the understanding that it is not in all cases that all of them will suffer a loss. but by the theory and science of probability, insurance operators have been able to calculate to arrive at the average number within that homogenous group that will suffer a loss, and from the contributions of every member that make up that pool, insurance can compensate the few of them that have suffered a loss. So from the pool of fund, insurance can build up reserves and make investments because the group will keep enlarging and keep expanding.

Sometimes skeptics come to say ?You pay premium of N10 and if anything goes wrong insurance will pay you N1000, is that not gambling?? No, it is not gambling but scientific and it is based on the law of large numbers. The number must be relatively large because if it is large the pool of fund will be huge and insurers can always pay handsomely to compensate anybody who suffers a loss. That is the way insurance operates.

Poor perception of insurance

The poor insurance perception in the country has to do with the literacy level to a great extent. What is the level of education and knowledge that people have? That is why the insurance industry will need to do a lot more in educating the Nigerian public. Even the so called elites hardly can appreciate how insurance works or the benefits. This may be peculiar to our environment because when some of these elites travel abroad, they comply with insurance requirements.

Poverty could also be a factor but cannot be a tenable excuse because the poorest class would be the ones that need insurance most. This is due to the fact that should anything happen to them or should they suffer loss, the chances of their recovery are slim.? That is if they will ever recover. But if they have insurance their hopes are high. In essence, from

whatever income you earn, there must be a planned pattern of managing and spending, and such plans must include a level of saving from which you can always do some investment or do so many things. It is not ideal that somebody will be waiting for manner from heaven or until he can access loan or facility from the bank or a finance house before he could start a business or any venture. So for emergencies, there must be a reserve. Hence, poverty shouldn?t be an excuse rather we should be preaching to people to get better organised and be operating a plan in whatever they do.

Cultivate the habit of savings

If you can cultivate the habit of savings, it will help you in life. Insurance, which is a way of savings, is there for you too.? Through insurance you can save for the future and for the training of your children (education insurance). The general public should shun the apathy towards insurance. It is one of those services in modern times that can always provide a relief or a solution to some of our problems.

Within the African continent, Nigeria cannot be seen as a country of the poorest set of people. How come that insurance penetration or awareness in some African states are a lot better than Nigeria? It is only because of our mindset here and not due to poverty, so we should de-emphasise poverty.

An improved insurance sector

In recent times a lot of efforts are being put by insurance operators into widening micro insurance penetration. That is, conscious efforts to spread insurance to the grassroots, the people on the streets, the market people, the artisans, and so on. People are being grouped into corporative societies and credit facilities are being offered to buy some of the equipment?s they needed for their trade and such equipment?s are being brought back

to insurance firms providing the facilities to give insurance covers. It?s quite attractive, and is really gaining ground?in the East, Lagos and Ondo States as well as in Abuja. It is not that the insurance sector has started promotion, where people are told to buy this and get that, no. Rather, it is sorts of suasion whereby you make people appreciate insurance.

If you go to the banks, you cannot get credit facility with ease. But insurance firms are coming up to say, we can offer you these, we can be partners in your business and you will get added protection by coming back to buy insurance, and you are secured.

Two, a lot of efforts are also being put into product development that will really address our cultural values. For example, when our aged people die, we spend a lot on funeral rites. However, insurance has developed products that are being packaged to cater for funeral expenses. Also, it is common knowledge that we value the best education for our children, so a number of policies are there to take care of our children?s education. But at the same time, the prospective buyers should begin to have a change of mind by addressing priorities that could be rewarding to their lives and families in their budget planning.

Insurance has done quite a lot by making the products attractive and bringing added values that will attract the public. But the public reserve the right and decision to say ?I want to buy it?, and one of the things they could do is to reorder their priorities. They need to reorder their priorities and cultivate the habit of savings and believe in the protection of their assets.? Its high time that
we begin to get our priorities right and appreciate the value of insurance.

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/07/let-insurance-carry-your-risk/

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Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Moon Cycles Affect Human Sleep

Participants in a sleep study experienced quantitative decreases in parameters of sound sleep near the full moon, associated with a decrease in sleep quality. Sophie Bushwick reports.

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The lunar cycle affects the night sky, the tides and even the fertility of certain marine species. And it turns out, we can add your shuteye to the list. According to a new study, humans sleep poorly on nights near a full moon. The work is published in the journal Current Biology. [Christian Cajochen et al, Evidence that the Lunar Cycle Influences Human Sleep]

To test the moon's effect, 33 adult volunteers of both sexes and various ages spent several nights in a sleep lab. As they dozed, researchers monitored their brain activity, eye movements and hormone levels. On nights closer to a full moon, the subjects took an average of five minutes longer to fall asleep, and slept for 20 minutes less. In addition, brain activity decreased by 30 percent during the sleep stage that the brain normally uses to recover from its daylight work. And levels of melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate sleep cycles, dropped.

On these nights, the sleepers complained of poor sleep quality even though they were unaware of the lunar cycle. On the bright side, not a single participant turned into a werewolf. In this cohort.?Sophie Bushwick [The above text is a transcript of this podcast]

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/~r/sciam/biology/~3/S-hZjE2MO2o/episode.cfm

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'Total Divas' episode 1 recap: Tempers flare during WrestleMania Week

It?s a little more than a week before WrestleMania 29, and the Divas of WWE are getting restless. Personal, professional and romantic worlds collide for The Bella Twins, The Funkadactyls and Natalya on the eve of The Show of Shows, and the arrival of two newcomers only complicates matters for WWE?s warrior princesses on E!'s "Total Divas" premiere.

Watch highlights of the "Total Divas" premiere.

The Bellas, who recently returned after a nearly yearlong absence from WWE, are looking to re-establish themselves as the queen bees of WWE, and their scheduled WrestleMania mixed tag team match against The Funkadactyls is their best way to prove it. But while they look to hone their minds and bodies in preparation for WrestleMania, matters of the heart rear their head. Nikki Bella, concerned her relationship with John Cena isn?t progressing as fast as her sister Brie?s union with Daniel Bryan, confronts the 11-time WWE Champion about his intentions over dinner. Although The Champ stops short of putting a ring on it, Nikki leaves the New York City hot spot with his assurance that she?s the only woman for him.

Check out "Total Divas" premiere photos.

Meanwhile, veteran Diva Natalya grapples with the disappointment of not only being left off the WrestleMania card, but also being assigned to ?babysit? the two newest Diva hopefuls, Eva Marie and JoJo, for the week. Her wariness of the twosome only grows when Eva Marie is instructed to dye her brown locks blonde to differentiate her from The Bella Twins, but the newcomer defies orders and instead turns her hair fire-engine red. While Eva Marie?s gall impresses WWE officials, The Bellas still remain leery of the young lioness looking to take their spot, and engage in some friendly hazing to remind the newbies of who runs things.

The week comes to a head at WrestleMania itself, but all the petty rivalries are rocked in tandem when the Divas? match is cut after the previous bout runs over its allotted time limit. Having been scrubbed from The Show of Shows, the five Divas put aside their differences and turn to each other for comfort and advice, as well as find friendship in shared disappointment ? for now, at least.

Miss the premiere episode of ?Total Divas?? Catch a special rerun Monday night after Raw on USA Network. New episodes of ?Total Divas? air Sunday nights at 10/9 CT on E!. For more on "Total Divas," visit?wwedivas.com and check out E!?s totaldivas.com.

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Source: http://www.wwe.com/inside/wwe-divas/total-divas-recap-episode-one

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ACI Cockpit360? for iOS: 360-Degree Cockpit Porn in the Palm of Your Hand

Dying to get a first-hand look at some of the greatest exhibits places like the Museum of Flight, Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, and Tillamoook Air Museum have to offer, but don't have the time or money for a cross-country flight history tour? Thanks to ACI Cockpit360, that last part won't matter in the slightest.

News in Brief: Mummified Incan teen drank, did drugs

Girl, who was sacrificed, may have been sedated by alcohol, coca leaves

By Rachel Ehrenberg

Web edition: July 29, 2013

Girl, who was sacrificed, may have been sedated by alcohol, coca leaves

By Rachel Ehrenberg

Web edition: July 29, 2013

Enlarge

CHILD SACRIFICE

The mummified teenager known as the Maiden ingested copious amounts of alcohol and chewed coca leaves in the weeks before her death in an Incan sacrifice ritual, a new analysis of her tightly braided hair finds.

Credit: ? Johan Reinhard

In the month before her death as a sacrifice to Incan gods, a teenage girl drank heavily and chewed coca leaves, according to a new analysis of her mummified remains. The discovery suggests that the girl, known as the Maiden, was heavily sedated or perhaps already dead when she was entombed around 500 years ago in a shrine atop the Llullaillaco volcano on the border between Argentina and Chile. Her death was probably part of the sacrifice ritual called capacocha.

Enlarge

A wad of coca leaves (green), revealed by CT scan, rests in the cheek of a teenage girl who was entombed atop a mountain in Argentina about 500 years ago.

Credit: J. Reinhard and M.C. Ceruti, 2010

CT scans of the girl?s body exposed a mass of coca leaves tucked into her left cheek, an international team reports July 29 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Chemical analyses of her hair reveal that her coca use peaked about 6 months before her death, while her drinking spiked in her final weeks. A young boy entombed at the site also appears to have ingested relatively large amounts of alcohol; levels for the third body, a young girl, vary over the months before her death.

Unlike other mummified Capacocha victims, who show signs of being whacked in the head, the cause of death of the Llullaillaco mummies remains unknown.

Citations

A. S. Wilson et al. Archaeological, radiological, and biological evidence offer insight into Inca child sacrifice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Published July 29, 2013. doi:10.1073/pnas.1305117110 [Go to]

Suggested Reading

T. Hesman Saey. Maiden shows signs of TB-like infection. Science News. Vol. 182, September 8, 2012, p. 9. [Go to]

B. Bower. Inca mummies emerge from deep freeze. Science News. Vol. 155, April 17, 1999, p. 244. Available online: [Go to]

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/351956/title/News_in_Brief_Mummified_Incan_teen_drank_did_drugs_

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Owner could face charges for venomous snakes

In a Friday, July 26, 2013 photo, DNR?s David Beveridge and snake handler James Dix removes snake terrariums after a house fire, in Clearfield, Utah. Firefighters discovered 28 snakes Friday at a Clearfield duplex when they responded to a kitchen fire. Officials say the man took care of his snakes, but he didn?t have a permit for six venomous snakes. The six poisonous snakes were confiscated by the Utah Division of Wildlife. Capt. Tony Wood of that agency says he?s trying to decide what to do with the snakes and whether to file any charges against the owner. (AP Photo/The Standard-Examiner, Brian Wolfer) MANDATORY CREDIT, TV OUT

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) ? Firefighters arrived at a Utah home to put out a blaze started by a kitchen range and discovered more than flames ? 28 snakes, six of them deadly.

The man didn't have a permit for the six venomous snakes ? five rattlers and a gaboon viper ? and he may face misdemeanor charges for keeping them without a permit. The viper, native to Africa, is considered one of the most dangerous in the world with potent venom.

The snakes were inside cages in a separate room and were removed as firefighters quickly put out the blaze on Friday in Clearfield, about 30 miles north of Salt Lake City.

"I don't think firefighters were ever in danger from the snakes, except for the creep factor," said North Davis Fire Chief Mark Becraft.

The poisonous snakes were confiscated by the Utah Division of Wildlife, where Capt. Tony Wood was trying to determine their fate ? and whether to cite the owner.

"I'm just trying to wrap my head around the situation," he said Monday.

Fire and smoke damage left the man's duplex uninhabitable, Becraft said, but all the snakes survived.

The owner took his 22 other legal snakes for safekeeping to his father's house, Davis County Animal Control Director Clint Thacker said.

The seized rattlers will probably be released into the wild, and the viper could be sent to someone authorized to have it, said Jim Dix of Reptile Rescue of Tooele County.

The owner has been described variously by officials as a snake professional or breeder. Dix said the snakes were well fed, in good condition and that there was no threat to anyone in the neighborhood.

"We are seeing a big increase in illegal animals in Utah," he said. "It just goes on and on."

Dix said he was working with Utah officials to designate "amnesty" days for unlicensed owners who are willing to turn over exotic animals.

Earlier this year, Cottonwood Heights police cited a young man for failure to have an exotic pet permit and initially ordered him to get rid of all but one of his 29 boa constrictors he kept in special room in his basement with top-of-the-line cages.

The Cottonwood Heights City Council later gave him a reprieve, allowing Thomas Cobb to keep his snakes while officials revisit the city code.

Cobb still has the snakes he says are worth $12,000 apiece, and is waiting a resolution from city officials, Cottonwood Heights Police Sgt. Mark Askerlund said.

___

Associated Press writer Brady McCombs contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2013-07-29-House%20Fire-Snakes/id-67c080297f3e440f85efcf4327056b80

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Jobs announcement on tap from Amazon

Staff Tampa Bay Business Journal

Amazon is expected to announce plans to hire 5,000 workers for 17 fulfillment centers.

The new hires are part of the company?s strategy to build out its system of distribution centers more quickly and cheaply deliver orders to consumers, The Washington Post reported.

Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) is expected to make the announcement Monday, the Post reported. The jobs include tasks such as picking items from warehouse shelves, packing them for delivery and operating technology to streamline operations.

The report did not discuss the locations of the jobs. Amazon reportedly has been considering sites in the Tampa Bay area for a 1 million-square-foot distribution center, and both Hillsborough and Polk counties have approved financial incentives to lure the online retailer.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vertical_1/~3/r0zumPc7tTM/jobs-announcement-on-tap-from-amazon.html

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Thai navy deployed to fight oil pipeline leak in the Gulf of Thailand

By Agence France-Presse
Sunday, July 28, 2013 10:52 EDT

Thai naval vessels joined efforts Sunday to stop hundreds of barrels of oil from a pipeline leak in the Gulf of Thailand reaching the kingdom?s beaches.

Roughly 50,000 litres of crude oil spilled into the sea on Saturday about 20 kilometers (12 miles) off the coast of the eastern province of Rayong, operator PTT Global Chemical said.

The company, part of state-owned giant PTT, said 10 ships were involved in an urgent clean-up and it was confident of containing the leak.

?The aerial photos taken early morning Sunday show that the area of the spill was reduced,? the company said in a statement, estimating that up to about 20,000 litres had been cleaned up.

At the same time there were fears about the effect of the chemicals used to disperse the crude oil.

?We still have some concern about the chemical being used, even though it is clear that the oil leak will not reach the beaches or coral,? said Phuchong Saritsadeechaikol, director of the government?s Marine and Coastal Resource Conservation Center in Rayong.

Another PTT subsidiary was involved in a huge oil spill off northwestern Australia in 2009 that was the country?s worst ever offshore drilling accident.

The slick from the Montara oil field spread as far as Indonesian waters and environmentalists said it grew to almost 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 square miles).

An Australian government inquiry blamed widespread and systematic shortcomings at the oil company for the spill.

Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/07/28/thai-navy-deployed-to-fight-oil-pipeline-leak-in-the-gulf-of-thailand/

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The Minnesota Historical Society wants your best wedding picture! Spread the wor...

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Immigrant Advocates Score Major Legal Wins : Grassroots Press

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Home / Peace / Immigrant Advocates Score Major Legal Wins

While a comprehensive immigration reform waned in the U.S. Congress, significant developments on the immigration front occurred in the courts in July. In three back-to-back decisions, federal courts struck down state or local laws that attempted to regulate housing, employment and other matters based on a person?s immigration status.

On Friday, July 26, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit rejected housing and employment ordinances passed in the city of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, which had been the subject of legal battles pitting immigrant activists against supporters of the laws since 2006.

?Hazleton was the first locality or state to try to move Latinos out, and the courts have repeatedly slapped down its effort,? said Juan Cartagena, president and general counsel of LatinoJustice PRLDEF. ?All of the courts have said the same thing: immigration is the purview of the federal government. It?s time for Hazleton to stop trying to harass Latino immigrants out of existence. Let?s leave decisions about global markets and transnational labor forces to the federal government.?

Three days prior to the Hazleton decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit upheld a lower court?s decision that blocked components of South Carolina?s SB20,? an Arizona-like immigration law.

On Monday, July 22, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled against a 2008 ordinance in Farmers Branch, Texas, that would have required all would-be renters to supply information about their legal status and obtain a rental license from a building inspector charged with judging an applicant?s residency? eligibility.

In its decision, the federal court relied on the 2012 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that tossed out key provisions of Arizona?s SB 1070 as an infringement on federal authority in immigration matters.

The Farmers Branch ruling, said attorney Omar Jadwat of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU),? ?will prevent municipal governments from investigating and discriminating against immigrants and people of color.? The ordinance, Jadwat said, ?now joins many others of its kind that have been discredited and abandoned to history?s scrapheap through a series of court rulings.?

July?s legal rulings on immigration in three separate federal court circuits were variously praised by the ACLU, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Immigration Law Center and the Southern Poverty Law Center, among others.

?This week?s decisions are a powerful reminder that our Constitution protects immigrants from harassment and scapegoating by state and local governments,? the ACLU?s Omar Jadwat added.

Nonetheless, supporters of state and locally-generated immigration regulations and restrictions weren?t ready to throw in the towel. Hazleton Mayor Joseph
Yannuzzi vowed to continue the legal battle with private donations. Reportedly, supporters of the ordinance have spent or received more than $500,000 to litigate the case. Michael Jung, an attorney for Farmers Branch, said city councilors in the Dallas suburb were expected to discuss their legal options in August.

Additional sources: cnsnews.com/Associated Press, July 26, 2013. NPR News/ Associated Press, July 23, 2013.

Frontera NorteSur: on-line, U.S.-Mexico border news
Center for Latin American and Border Studies
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, New Mexico

For a free electronic subscription
email:fnsnews@nmsu.edu

Written by Steve Klinger ? Filed Under Peace?

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Source: http://www.grass-roots-press.com/2013/07/28/immigrant-advocates-score-major-legal-wins/

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Fox Sports: UNC suspends Hairston indefinitely

Updated?Jul 29, 2013 5:24 AM ET

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP)

North Carolina suspended leading scorer P.J. Hairston from the basketball team on Sunday night, hours after state police pulled him over for driving 93 mph in a 65 mph zone.

Team spokesman Steve Kirschner announced the junior guard's indefinite suspension in a three-sentence statement.

It marked the latest off-court misstep for Hairston, who had been cited twice in the span of a month while driving a rental vehicle linked to a convicted felon. Authorities dropped one set of those charges last week.

This time, Hairston was cited for speeding and careless and reckless driving Sunday afternoon after the North Carolina Highway Patrol pulled him over on southbound Interstate 85 near Salisbury, 1st Sgt. Jeff Gordon said.

Hairston, who was driving a 2008 Acura, was cited and released, and faces an Aug. 30 court date in Rowan County, Gordon said.

Hairston previously was cited for speeding in a 2012 Camaro on May 13 in a vehicle that was rented under a woman's name sharing the home address of Haydn Patrick ''Fats'' Thomas.

Thomas' name also appears on rental records for the 2013 GMC Yukon that Hairston was driving on June 5 when he was arrested and charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession and driving without a license at a checkpoint in Durham, N.C.

Prosecutors dismissed the June charges after Hairston produced proof he had a driver's license and had completed a drug assessment program, Elizabeth Tapley with the Durham County clerk of court's office said last week.

Two weeks ago, North Carolina coach Roy Williams said Hairston would face ''serious consequences'' after his arrest, though he hadn't yet determined a punishment.

At that time, Williams said he was considering several possible punishments, including suspension, but said then that he would wait ''until the process is complete'' to decide.

Hairston averaged 14.6 points in 34 games as a sophomore last season.

Source: http://www.bbstate.com/news/708333

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Monday, July 29, 2013

Philadelphia natural gas blast injures eight, destroys three homes

By Daniel Kelley

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Eight people including three children were injured in Philadelphia on Monday when a natural gas explosion tore through a row house under renovation, causing the collapse of three houses and the evacuation of about 70 homes.

Among those injured was a man who was hospitalized with severe burns and listed in critical condition and a child who had suffered minor injuries, the office of Philadelphia Michael Nutter said in a statement.

Firefighters were searching the rubble with listening devices to ensure that no one remained trapped, the mayor's office said.

Residents reported a strong smell of natural gas after the blast and Philadelphia Gas Works crews shut off gas to the area, utility spokeswoman Melanie McCottry said.

Hundreds of people watched as emergency workers and firefighters went about clearing 15 feet of rubble and debris that spilled onto the street from the collapsed home.

One resident of the neighborhood, Diane Schaffer, said the smell of gas had permeated the area since early Monday morning. After the explosion, she put her son and a neighbor's daughter in her car and fled the area.

"I could hear a guy saying, 'Help me, help me,' but when I looked back, I saw two guys running towards him, so I felt OK about leaving," Schaffer said. "We just sped off."

Early last month, a four-story building under demolition in the city collapsed, killing six people and injuring 14 as it fell onto an adjoining Salvation Army Thrift Store, burying shoppers in debris.

(Reporting by Barbara Goldberg and Chris Francescani; Editing by Scott Malone, Andre Grenon, Grant McCool, Leslie Gevirtz)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/philadelphia-building-collapses-police-cause-could-explosion-160439889.html

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Ouya Game Console Owners Not Playing Games - internet TV

The Ouya Kickstarter-funded android based game console has been eagerly awaited by gamers. And since the launch it seems the eagerness has evaporated, as a mere 27% (or less than a third) have paid for a single game.

ouya-games-console The $99 console launched last month is by definition a cheap entry into the console market, and will appeal to those that are fed up with paying $40-60 for a game,? but it would be like buying a new Xbox one and not bothering to buy a game!

Many android games are of the ?freemium? variety, that is you can download a free version and pay if you want extra level or the full version. And of course, the android system makes for a great streaming device and XBMC media platform.

Most early buyers of the fledgling game console have been crowdsource investors, so possible the console is more of a trophy than a working product, and it could be that the second wave of public Ouya buyers may be a little less ?tight?.

Speaking to The Verge CEO of Ouya, Julie Uhrman put on a brave face saying that sales have been, ?better than expected,? and that, ? For 13 of the top 20 games on the system, at least eight percent of free downloads are converted into a paid purchase.?

And pointing to the fact is has literally just been released she said, ?I think there are a lot of social and mobile app developers that would kill for an 8 percent attach rate on a platform that?s 30 days old. These numbers will grow as more gamers pick up consoles and as we attract more developers, and I believe that by the end of the year we?ll see a few developers telling us they?ve made more than a million dollars on Ouya.?

As if the low sales are not bad enough, soon Ouya will have to contend with a rival android console from Google according to the WSJ. They report that the search engine giant are designing and marketing the device themselves following the success of Android which powers over 75% of all smartphones.

Welcome to WorldTVPC Blog dedicated to bringing the latest news from the world of online tv, streaming services and TV hardware. We have news, links and a comprehensive review section. Hope you enjoy and we welcome all constructive comments

Steve Sanger

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Source: http://www.worldtvpc.com/blog/ouya-game-console-owners-not-playing-games/

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Wiccans, earth-lovers, do-gooders: There's a 'scouting' group for your kid

Courtesy of Earth Champs

Earth Champs learn about nature during a hike in Huntley Meadows Park in Alexandria, Va.

By Tracy Connor, Staff Writer, NBC News

The Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts have earned their badges for controversy in recent years, and alternative groups are reaping the benefits.

Earlier this month, a faith-based organization upset that the Boy Scouts will now accept openly gay youth became the latest to form its own program for kids and teens, with a focus on sexual purity.

Other upstarts report their ranks are growing ? whether they cater to God-fearing girls, old-school camping enthusiasts or even pint-sized pagans.

Courtesy of the Navigators

The Navigators camp out July 13, in Mount Madonna State Park, Calif. The kids learned to start a fire with flint and steel. They also recited the Navigators Moral Compass with the help of Senior Navigators. After that, it was time for S'Mores. The program includes Senior Navigators and Juniorr Navigators, and one of the philosophies is to have mixed-age activities in which older kids lead and mentor younger ones.

?The last two to three years we?ve been doubling in size,? said Robin Bossert, the founder of Navigators USA, who has received 250 inquiries about starting chapters of the totally inclusive, coed, secular group since April.

American Heritage Girls, which launched a ?Christ-centered program? in 1995 after the Girls Scouts dropped a mandatory oath to God, has surged to 30,000 members in the last five years.

?We?re growing radically,? said executive director Patti Garibay.

If the rising popularity of competitors has the Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts USA tied up in square knots, they?re not letting on.

Even though membership has declined in recent years ? amid uproar over their inclusion policies and curriculum -- both century-old groups still dwarf the newcomers: Boy Scouts has 2.6 million members and Girl Scouts has 2.3 million.

?While it would be inappropriate for us to discuss other organizations, we believe kids are better off when they are involved in Scouting,? said Boy Scouts spokesman Deron Smith.

Girl Scouts spokeswoman Michelle Tompkins said the organization is ?actively working to repair the problems? that have caused membership to slip but declined to talk about the impact of offshoots.

?We?re only concerned with Girl Scouting,? she said. ?We don?t comment on other organizations. We try to make our program as appealing and inclusive as possible.?

Here are some of the groups that are making inroads:

SpiralScouts: Founded in 2001 by the head of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church, this 350-charter group was designed for wiccans and their ilk but is open to everyone. ?It?s the basic scouting experience with a pagan twist on it,? said Michele Clausen, 40, one of the organizers.

For instance, to earn a birding badge, a kid might learn to recognize 10 birds in the wild but also study different cultures? myths about birds. Dress uniforms include a ?capuche,? a hooded capelet that would not look out of place at a Renaissance fair, and a braided, beaded macrame necklace.

Derrick Polen, 43, of Athens, Tenn., isn?t a pagan but he and his wife started a SpiralScouts ?circle? with their two sons, ages 5 and 11, because they liked the all-comers vibe. ?A lot of the Boy Scouts are in churches and if you?re not part of that atmosphere, there?s not an option,? he said.

The 15 families taking part did decide to skip the uniform, though. ?The kids weren?t feeling the tunic,? Polen said.

Frontier Girls: Founder Kerry Cordy, 43, said she started her own program in 2007 because she felt the Girl Scouts was no longer skill- and badge-oriented. ?It wasn?t the Girl Scouts that I remembered,? the Redding, Calif., resident said.

The group?s 1,500 members, who wear patriotic red, white and blue uniforms, have access to a thousand-plus badges for everything from kayaking to knowledge of worms. They also promise to ?love God? and ?be pure in all I do, think and say.?

?It was designed for heterosexual girls only,? said Cordy, who has also created a spinoff called Quest Clubs that restriction-free groups can use to form their own scouting program.

?Atheists don?t like my program,? she said of Frontier Girls. ?The lesbian and gay community doesn?t like my program.?

But Abby Olson, 17, loves it. ?No matter what you want to learn about, the leader will make a badge for it,? said the high-school senior, a member of the founding troop.

Baden-Powell Service Association: Since it reincorporated last summer, the U.S. branch of an international scouting association has added 35 charter groups with an average of 20 to 25 members apiece.

National commissioner David Atchley, 38, said the program emphasizes traditional scouting: outdoor skills like camping, pioneering, orienteering and public service. Helping little old ladies cross the street? Check. Badges for video-gaming? Not so much.

The group is coed, open to any child age 5 and up, and ?completely agnostic? to religion and sexuality, said Atchley, an atheist father of five from Washington, Mo., who turned in his own Eagle Scout badge in 2008 in protest over the Boy Scouts? restrictions on gays.

?A lot of our members come from no scouting background and haven?t been involved because of those policies,? he said.

Navigators USA: Three years after the Supreme Court upheld a Boy Scouts ban on gay members and leaders, New York City scoutmaster Bossert, 60, created Navigators, which now has 50 chapters nationwide.

It?s co-ed, fully inclusive and consensus-oriented. Instead of an oath, there?s a ?moral compass.? There are no uniforms yet; that issue will be decided at a ?continental congress? in the fall.

?Obedience is not a term we like,? Bossert said. ?It?s more creative, independent.?

Homeschooling mom-of-two Amy Nichols, 39, signed her son up for the Cub Scouts but switched to Navigators two years ago over the gay ban. There are 25 kids in her Newport News. Va., chapter and a waiting list.

?My kids love it. I?ve been in the playground when some kid is being left out of a game and heard them say, ?Navigators are inclusive!??

Earth Champs:? It was called Earth Scouts when it started in 2002 but underwent a name change a decade later after a trademark spat with the Boy Scouts. The mission remains the same: getting children ages 3 to 13 involved in activities that support human rights, economic justice, peace and the environment.

Melanie Froemke, 36, the leader of a 35-member chapter in Alexandria, Va., said that translates into passing out recycled pots at local festivals, putting on plays about conserving energy and doing river cleanups along the Potomac.

Instead of uniforms, there are T-shirts. ?We went really homespun and made our own silk screen,? Froemke said.

Hopefully, the planet is big enough for two tree-hugging scout associations. In 2009, Hillsdale, N.J., marketer Aditi Sen, 49, watched the Al Gore documentary ?An Inconvenient Truth? and started Kids for Earth.

There are four chapters up and running with another four due to come on line soon. ?Nothing against the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts but I don?t think they are focused on living sustainably,? Sen said.

American Heritage Girls: Created in 1995 in response to what Garibay saw as the creeping secularization of the Girl Scouts, the faith-based group now has chapters in 48 states and eight countries.

Like the Girl Scouts, it?s single-sex and has a multi-level badge program and community service component. But it also emphasizes spiritual development and religious education. Tenderhearts, the youngest group, can earn a PRAY award if they learn about the Holy Trinity by making a pizza with crust, cheese and sauce.

?We do have girls of different faiths,? said Garibay, 54. What they don?t have is gay members.

?For us, the homosexual lifestyle is not compatible,? she said.

That hasn?t hurt membership, which has gone up by 48% annually for the last few years.

?We are growing exponentially,? she said. ?[New members] are really looking for something aligned with their family values.?

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663306/s/2f4500ba/sc/8/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A70C280C19680A8250Ewiccans0Eearth0Elovers0Edo0Egooders0Etheres0Ea0Escouting0Egroup0Efor0Eyour0Ekid0Dlite/story01.htm

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The latest issue of the Journal of Integrated Pest Management contains articles on controlling corn earworms, beetles, and other insect pests, plus an article highlighting the accomplishments of the Research Program for Deployed Warfighter Protection

The latest issue of the Journal of Integrated Pest Management contains articles on controlling corn earworms, beetles, and other insect pests, plus an article highlighting the accomplishments of the Research Program for Deployed Warfighter Protection

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Tuesday, July 30, 2013

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Monday, July 29, 2013

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