NASA's SDO shows a little rain on the sun

Public release date: 20-Feb-2013
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Contact: Susan Hendrix
Susan.m.hendrix@nasa.gov
301-286-7745
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Eruptive events on the sun can be wildly different. Some come just with a solar flare, some with an additional ejection of solar material called a coronal mass ejection (CME), and some with complex moving structures in association with changes in magnetic field lines that loop up into the sun's atmosphere, the corona.

On July 19, 2012, an eruption occurred on the sun that produced all three. A moderately powerful solar flare exploded on the sun's lower right limb, sending out light and radiation. Next came a CME, which shot off to the right out into space. And then, the sun treated viewers to one of its dazzling magnetic displays a phenomenon known as coronal rain.

Over the course of the next day, hot plasma in the corona cooled and condensed along strong magnetic fields in the region. Magnetic fields, themselves, are invisible, but the charged plasma is forced to move along the lines, showing up brightly in the extreme ultraviolet wavelength of 304 Angstroms, which highlights material at a temperature of about 50,000 Kelvin. This plasma acts as a tracer, helping scientists watch the dance of magnetic fields on the sun, outlining the fields as it slowly falls back to the solar surface.

The footage in this video was collected by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory's Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) instrument. SDO collected one frame every 12 seconds, and the movie plays at 30 frames per second, so each second in this video corresponds to six minutes of real time. The video covers 12:30 a.m. EDT to 10:00 p.m. EDT on July 19, 2012.

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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.

Public release date: 20-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Susan Hendrix
Susan.m.hendrix@nasa.gov
301-286-7745
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Eruptive events on the sun can be wildly different. Some come just with a solar flare, some with an additional ejection of solar material called a coronal mass ejection (CME), and some with complex moving structures in association with changes in magnetic field lines that loop up into the sun's atmosphere, the corona.

On July 19, 2012, an eruption occurred on the sun that produced all three. A moderately powerful solar flare exploded on the sun's lower right limb, sending out light and radiation. Next came a CME, which shot off to the right out into space. And then, the sun treated viewers to one of its dazzling magnetic displays a phenomenon known as coronal rain.

Over the course of the next day, hot plasma in the corona cooled and condensed along strong magnetic fields in the region. Magnetic fields, themselves, are invisible, but the charged plasma is forced to move along the lines, showing up brightly in the extreme ultraviolet wavelength of 304 Angstroms, which highlights material at a temperature of about 50,000 Kelvin. This plasma acts as a tracer, helping scientists watch the dance of magnetic fields on the sun, outlining the fields as it slowly falls back to the solar surface.

The footage in this video was collected by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory's Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) instrument. SDO collected one frame every 12 seconds, and the movie plays at 30 frames per second, so each second in this video corresponds to six minutes of real time. The video covers 12:30 a.m. EDT to 10:00 p.m. EDT on July 19, 2012.

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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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/nsfc-nss022013.php

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Company Mergers Could Solve Branding - Business Insider

News outlets are reporting today that OfficeMax and Office Depot are apparently considering a merger.

The move makes sense for many reasons. The combination will result in significant cost reductions. The new entity will have a stronger negotiating position with suppliers. And competition in the brutal office-products industry will decrease at least a bit.

The biggest benefit, I suspect, will be branding.

OfficeMax and Office Depot have long had a simple problem. The names are so similar that people get them confused. The stores are similar, too. I suspect many people visit OfficeMax and walk out thinking they just went to Office Depot, and vice-versa. One of the stores is very near my house. I visit it?often but I have?no idea which one it is.

This is a major problem for the companies. Differentiation is critical; you have to be unique to justify premium pricing. But how do you differentiate a brand when consumers constantly confuse you with your competitor?

The beauty of the merger is that it ends the confusion. One brand will emerge when the dust settles.

This is really the only way the branding situation could end happily. In theory, one of the companies could have moved to a different brand but this wasn?t likely to happen; the company that made the change would have incurred significant costs while the company that didn?t change enjoyed significant benefits. A merger, though, is a solution that benefits both companies.

Over the next few days analysts will calculate all the cost savings that will come from this merger. The biggest benefit, however, is the resolution of a difficult branding problem.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/company-mergers-could-solve-branding-2013-2

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'Snooze button' on biological clocks improves cell adaptability

Monday, February 18, 2013

The circadian clocks that control and influence dozens of basic biological processes have an unexpected "snooze button" that helps cells adapt to changes in their environment.

A study by Vanderbilt University researchers published online Feb. 17 by the journal Natureprovides compelling new evidence that at least some species can alter the way that their biological clocks function by using different "synonyms" that exist in the genetic code.

"This provides organisms with a novel and previously unappreciated mechanism for responding to changes in their environment," said Professor of Biological Sciences Carl Johnson. He and Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Antonis Rokas collaborated on the study.

Like many written languages, the genetic code is filled with synonyms: differently spelled "words" that have the same or very similar meanings. For a long time, biologists thought that these synonyms, called synonymous codons, were in fact interchangeable. Recently, they have realized that this is not the case and that differences in synonymous codon usage have a significant impact on cellular processes, so scientists have advanced a wide variety of ideas about the role that these variations play.

The new insight is not only an important advance in understanding evolution at the molecular level, but it also has potential applications in biotechnology, such as biofuel production, and gene therapy.

"While biological clocks are vital to maintaining healthy patterns of sleep, metabolism, physiology and behavior, under certain environmental conditions strict adherence to these rhythms can be disadvantageous," said Michael Sesma of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, which partially funded the work. "This work shows how organisms can ignore the clock under certain circumstances?much like hitting a biological snooze button on the internal timepiece?and enhance their survival in the face of ever-changing circumstances."

The basic letters of the genetic code are a quartet of molecules (nucleic acids) designated A, C, G and U. These are combined into 61 triplets called codons, which are analogous to words. The codons provide the blueprints that the cell's protein-building machinery uses to generate amino acids, which are the basic building blocks that make all the proteins found in living organisms. However, cells only use 20 amino acids. That means a number of amino acids are produced by several different codons. For example, CCA, CCG and CCC are synonymous codons because they all encode for the same amino acid, proline.

It turns out that there is a reason for this redundancy. Some codons are faster and easier for cells to process and assemble into proteins than others. Recognition of this difference led to the concept of optimal codons and the hypothesis that natural selection should drive organisms ? particularly fast growing ones ? to use genes that use optimal codons to make critical proteins that need to be highly abundant or synthesized rapidly in cells.

The problem with this hypothesis was shown by Johnson and Rokas' study of the effect of changing codon usage on the simple biological clock found in single-celled cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and a similar study of the more complex biological clock found in bread mold performed by a team led by Yi Liu that were published together.

"What the Liu team found was that optimizing all the codons used by the fungal biological clock knocked the clock out, which was totally unexpected! Those researchers concluded that clock proteins in the fungus are not properly assembled if they are synthesized too rapidly; it's as if the speed of one's writing affected our ability to read the text," Johnson summarized.

In the cyanobacteria, however, the researchers observed a different phenomenon. At Vanderbilt, Research Associate Professor Yao Xu optimized the codons in the cyanobacteria's biological clock. This did not shut the clock down in the algae, but it did have a more subtle, but potentially as profound effect: It significantly reduced cell survival at certain temperatures.

"Xu figured that the biological clock with optimized codons might work better at lower temperatures and it did," Johnson said. However the substitution also modified the biological clock so it ran with a longer, 30-hour period. When forced to operate in a 24-hour daily light/dark cycles, the bacteria with the optimized clock grew significantly slower than "wild-type" cells. "In cyanobacteria, it's as if writing speed changes the meaning," said Rokas.

The potential importance of changes in synonymous codon usage in adapting to environmental factors is magnified by the fact that they can influence the operation of biological clocks, which function as a key adaptation to daily environmental rhythms. Biological clocks control and influence dozens of different basic biological processes, including sleeping and feeding patterns, core body temperature, brain activity, hormone production and cell regeneration.

"It is now clear that variations in codon usage is a fundamental and underappreciated form of gene regulation," said Rokas.

Recognition of the importance of this process has a number of potential applications in biotechnology. For example, "it should be possible to improve the ability of algae to robustly express biofuel-producing proteins from other organisms by optimizing the codons that they use," Johnson said.

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Vanderbilt University: http://www.exploration.vanderbilt.edu

Thanks to Vanderbilt University for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126864/_Snooze_button__on_biological_clocks_improves_cell_adaptability

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Effects of human exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals examined in landmark United Nations report

Feb. 19, 2013 ? Many synthetic chemicals, untested for their disrupting effects on the hormone system, could have significant health implications according to the State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and WHO.

The joint study calls for more research to understand fully the associations between endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) -- found in many household and industrial products -- and specific diseases and disorders. The report notes that with more comprehensive assessments and better testing methods, potential disease risks could be reduced, with substantial savings to public health.

Some substances can alter the hormonal system

Human health depends on a well-functioning endocrine system to regulate the release of certain hormones that are essential for functions such as metabolism, growth and development, sleep and mood. Some substances known as endocrine disruptors can alter the function(s) of this hormonal system increasing the risk of adverse health effects. Some EDCs occur naturally, while synthetic varieties can be found in pesticides, electronics, personal care products and cosmetics. They can also be found as additives or contaminants in food.

The UN study, which is the most comprehensive report on EDCs to date, highlights some associations between exposure to EDCs and health problems including the potential for such chemicals to contribute to the development of non-descended testes in young males, breast cancer in women, prostate cancer in men, developmental effects on the nervous system in children, attention deficit /hyperactivity in children and thyroid cancer.

Human exposure can occur in a number of ways

EDCs can enter the environment mainly through industrial and urban discharges, agricultural run-off and the burning and release of waste. Human exposure can occur via the ingestion of food, dust and water, inhalation of gases and particles in the air, and skin contact.

"Chemical products are increasingly part of modern life and support many national economies, but the unsound management of chemicals challenges the achievement of key development goals, and sustainable development for all," said UN Under Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

"Investing in new testing methods and research can enhance understanding of the costs of exposure to EDCs, and assist in reducing risks, maximizing benefits and spotlighting more intelligent options and alternatives that reflect a transition to a green economy," added Mr Steiner.

More research is needed

In addition to chemical exposure, other environmental and non-genetic factors such as age and nutrition could be among the reasons for any observed increases in disease and disorders. But pinpointing exact causes and effects is extremely difficult due to wide gaps in knowledge.

"We urgently need more research to obtain a fuller picture of the health and environment impacts of endocrine disruptors," said Dr Maria Neira, WHO's Director for Public Health and Environment. "The latest science shows that communities across the globe are being exposed to EDCs, and their associated risks. WHO will work with partners to establish research priorities to investigate links to EDCs and human health impacts in order to mitigate the risks. We all have a responsibility to protect future generations."

The report also raises similar concerns on the impact of EDCs on wildlife. In Alaska in the United States, exposure to such chemicals may contribute to reproductive defects, infertility and antler malformation in some deer populations. Population declines in species of otters and sea lions may also be partially due to their exposure to diverse mixtures of PCBs, the insecticide DDT, other persistent organic pollutants, and metals such as mercury. Meanwhile, bans and restrictions on the use of EDCs have been associated with the recovery of wildlife populations and a reduction in health problems.

Recommendations

The study makes a number of recommendations to improve global knowledge of these chemicals, reduce potential disease risks, and cut related costs. These include:

• Testing: known EDCs are only the 'tip of the iceberg' and more comprehensive testing methods are required to identify other possible endocrine disruptors, their sources, and routes of exposure.
• Research: more scientific evidence is needed to identify the effects of mixtures of EDCs on humans and wildlife (mainly from industrial by-products) to which humans and wildlife are increasingly exposed.
• Reporting: many sources of EDCs are not known because of insufficient reporting and information on chemicals in products, materials and goods.
• Collaboration: more data sharing between scientists and between countries can fill gaps in data, primarily in developing countries and emerging economies.

"Research has made great strides in the last ten years showing endocrine disruption to be far more extensive and complicated than realized a decade ago," said Professor ?ke Bergman of Stockholm University and Chief Editor of the report. "As science continues to advance, it is time for both management of endocrine disrupting chemicals and further research on exposure and effects of these chemicals in wildlife and humans."

The report is available online at: http://www.who.int/entity/ceh/publications/endocrine/en/index.html

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/oxC8B4LgreE/130219115501.htm

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Photo: 4th Century Mosaic Floor in Nativity Church

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

Source: http://photos8.org/details.php?gid=30&pid=11418

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: College Grads on Food Stamps on the Rise

: College Grads on Food Stamps on the Rise

reblogged from jmek

jmek:

Posted by Jan Frel at 4:02?pm

February 15, 2013

Great Texas Observer article by Sarah Angle, ?SNAP Judgments: College Graduates Dependent On Food Stamps Are On the Rise.? She shares her personal story, and along the way gives a great background on the nightmarish economic prospects for people?

Source: http://skyghe.tumblr.com/post/43363256828

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4 Reasons Your Marriage Is Susceptible To Divorce | World of ...

This guest article from YourTango was written by Dr. Tina Schermer-Sellers.

The fire of love is a fragile and fickle flame. I often hear stories of people leaving good relationships because they have developed deep connections outside the marriage. So, how can you keep your marriage intact?

There are four, cultural elements causing marriage and love to be more fragile in these modern times. They are:

1. We marry for love.

We have been doing this for less than 100 years. Up until recent history, we married because of family loyalties, property, status, religious mandates and social tradition.

Love is a fragile thing ? it needs lots of TLC! If love is ignored, the bond in the relationship will weaken. Inside this weakness dissention, criticism and distance grows. Love is like a small flame; it needs lots of consistent time and attention to stay strong!

2. Spouses aren?t dependent on one another.

Women and men are now both able to care for themselves and their children financially and socially, leaving both sexes less likely to stay in unhappy relationships. This fact, plus the fact that many people have successfully moved on from one marriage into another life reduces the stigma of divorce.

The financial and social pressure to stay married isn?t what it used to be. People stay married because they choose each other daily, they want to choose each other daily, and they nourish their connection daily as well.

3. We live longer than we ever have.

The average age of marriage in urban areas is 26 for women and 28 for men. With a lifespan of 85-plus years, it is feasible to be married for 60-plus years. There is a great amount of change people go through over a 60-year relationship.

As a culture, do we invest any time giving people the skills they need to keep a love alive and vibrant? Do we even know what that means, what that looks like, or how to do such a thing? A couple who actively works to improve their relationship IQ weathers life?s challenges with more grace, compassion and love. As they keep growing, so does their relationship.

4. We now live a 24/7 lifestyle.

This is an entirely new social phenomenon that has never been the case before. People are working 50+ hours a week, on their communication devices all hours of the night and day, expected to be reachable and attending to multiple demands simultaneously ? the email from work, the text from a child, the conversation with a partner, the deadline that is tomorrow, the sale that ends tonight. This is impossible ? hello?? ? this is impossible to do without losing connection with those closest to you.

To nourish a meaningful, deeply attached relationship with a child, spouse or friend, to nourish love, you need focused time to be thoughtfully and solely with each other ? in the moment ? present in the now ? open heart to open heart. That is the only way. Distracted connections become weak connections and weak connections, with nothing social or internal holding them together, will in time, break. There is no magic wishing that will suffice ? they will break.

If these influences negatively affect your love life, discuss how you can bring more TLC into your relationship. Discuss how to wrap space, time and attention around you by putting in a few protective boundaries. For example, no electronics in bed or 15 minutes of quiet music, a glass of wine and a dimly lit room together before bed.

Most importantly, discuss what you miss and how to bring more of that into your busy lives, longing hearts and sacred union.

?

More marriage advice from YourTango:

Divorcing couple photo available from Shutterstock

Contributed by YourTango.com, an online magazine dedicated to love, life and relationships. From dating to marriage, parenting to empty-nest, relationship challenges to relationship success, YourTango is at the center of the conversations that are closest to our over 3 million readers' hearts. With daily contributions from our Experts, we have a little something for everyone looking to create healthier lives. We're excited to offer our contributions to the PsychCentral community, and invite you to visit us on YourTango.com.

Like this author?
Catch up on other posts by YourTango Experts (or subscribe to their feed).

????Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 17 Feb 2013
????Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.

APA Reference
Experts, Y. (2013). 4 Reasons Your Marriage May Be Susceptible to Divorce. Psych Central. Retrieved on February 18, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/02/17/4-reasons-your-marriage-may-be-susceptible-to-divorce/

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Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/02/17/4-reasons-your-marriage-may-be-susceptible-to-divorce/

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How To Get Europe To 100% Renewable Energy

WWF has been a leader in the drive to get the world to adopt renewable energy. But, beyond simply pushing for it, WWF has also helped map out plans for how to reach a renewable energy future. A new report from WWF, Putting the EU on Track for 100% Renewable Energy?[1], ?shows where Europe needs to be by 2030 in order to reach a fully renewable energy system by 2050,? as WWF writes in an article about the report.

By 2030, the EU could be reducing its energy use by more than a third and generate almost half of the remainder from renewables. The post-2020 climate and energy policies needed to deliver this vision would help the EU to reduce its ?573bn external fossil fuel bill and cut its greenhouse gas emissions in half.

Coming amid an increasingly active debate over what should follow current EU climate and energy legislation (the 20-20-20 package[2]), WWF?s report adapts the WWF Global 2050 Energy Scenario[3] to the EU27 level and shows that by 2030 the EU could.

• use at least 38% less energy compared to a business as usual projection,
• generate more than 40% of its energy from renewable sources,
• by doing both, reduce its energy related greenhouse emissions by 50% compared to 1990 levels.

As Europe?s economies struggle to recover, renewable energy and energy savings are beacons of hope. Almost 8 out of 10 Europeans agree that fighting climate change can boost the economy and create jobs[4] and 70% of Europeans believe investment in renewable energy should be prioritised over the next 30 years, compared to alternative energy sources including shale gas, nuclear and carbon capture and storage (CCS) plants[5].

?Improving on Europe?s 2020 climate and energy targets by introducing an ambitious package of post-2020 measures is a win-win situation for everyone. It would not only help reduce the impact of climate change [6], including huge health and environmental costs, but it would also help to generate up to 5 million jobs [7], significantly boosting the economy,? said Jason Anderson, Head of Climate & Energy at WWF European Policy Office.

However, to keep Europe on track, on-going effort and strong political will are needed. The timely adoption of a coherent package of ambitious and binding post-2020 targets for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and emissions reductions is key.

?We must now decide how our energy system will develop after 2020, so that current benefits are maximised, not squandered?, added Jason Anderson. ?Our report clearly shows that the EU has untapped potential for cutting energy use, taking full advantage of renewable sources that could deliver cheaper and more secure energy, and ensuring that a 100% renewable European energy system by 2050 remains within reach.?

1. WWF report: ?Putting the EU on track for 100% renewable energy? (http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/res_report_final_1.pdf)

2. http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/package/index_en.htm

3. In 2011, WWF released The Energy Report based on the specially commissioned ECOFYS Global Energy Scenario. The report showed how, by 2050, the planet?s entire energy needs could be met from renewable sources. The first step to reaching this goal is to limit energy use in absolute terms. The second step is to scale up energy supply from current renewable generation technologies (prioritising their delivery in order of sustainability ? solar, wind, water, geothermal, and only then bio-energy under strict conditions).

4. Eurobarometer 2011 ? Special report on climate change:http://ec.europa.eu/clima/news/articles/news_2011100702_en.htm

5. Eurobarometer report: ?Attittudes of Europeans towards air quality?, January 2013:?http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_360_en.pdf

6. More energy savings and renewable energy are also needed to protect the planet. This summer (2012), more Arctic sea ice melted than ever before ? with the result that there was nearly 50% less ice than the 1979 to 2000 average. The record melt was bigger than the previous record by an area about the combined size of Sweden and Finland. Furthermore, research on the impact of continuing to burn fossil fuels has revealed that the health and environmental costs of generating energy in some countries are higher than the value of that energy once it is produced.

7. http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/pdf/nd/eccomm2012_en.pdf

Source: http://feeds.importantmedia.org/~r/IM-cleantechnica/~3/0KVKEebHQDs/

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Italy caretaker PM Monti appeals for pre-election debate

ROME (Reuters) - Caretaker Prime Minister Mario Monti, leading a centrist bloc in Italy's national election, appealed to his main rivals on Sunday to agree to a television debate before next week's vote.

The former economics professor and European commissioner has struggled during his first-ever political campaign, and polls show him in fourth place and with no momentum.

In particular, the record of his 14 months in office has been attacked from all sides for having relied too much on tax increases and he is seen as having failed to capitalize on his expertise and credibility, undermined when he entered politics.

"We have the duty to not limit ourselves to individual appeals" to voters, Monti said in a video posted on his Facebook page. "We must debate our ideas in front of the electors."

Monti directed his proposal specifically to centre-right coalition leader Silvio Berlusconi and centre-left chief Pier Luigi Bersani, who are the main contenders for power.

Bersani held a 5.7-percentage-point lead over Berlusconi, and Monti's bloc trailed in fourth place with 13.6 percent behind comic Beppe Grillo's 5-Star Movement, according to a median of polls published before February 9, when the blackout period for surveys began.

Bersani and Berlusconi both have agreed in principle to a debate, but Berlusconi has ruled out one that includes candidates who he says have no chance of winning, including Monti and former anti-mafia magistrate Antonio Ingroia, leader of the newly former Civic Revolution party.

Bersani, who has a lead to protect, has said he would be open only to a six-way debate that included other prime ministerial candidates. Neither Bersani nor Berlusconi immediately responded to Monti's appeal.

(Reporting by Steve Scherer; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italy-caretaker-pm-monti-appeals-pre-election-debate-143033381.html

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Orchids' beauty draws crowds at Batavia Orchid Society show

WHEATON ?? The hundreds of orchids at the Batavia Orchid Society's annual show displayed a variety of colors and shapes that defied the imagination.

There were large and small orchids, some with with speckled petals, sporting hues from pale green and butter yellow to blood-red and hot fuchsia.

Some were smooth-petaled others looked like velvet, some had a with a pouch like a purse, others were very simple with just three petals.

Their scent suffused the air at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton, where the two-day Chicago Suburban Orchid Show was held this weekend. The show continues from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Both parking and the show are free.

In addition to the intricate orchid displays, and some offered for sale, orchid society members also volunteered to show how to pot and care for orchids.

Bob Keck of St. Charles and Suki Nax of Naperville demonstrated with live plants and a pile of wood chip growing medium.

"If you plant it high, it won't die," Keck said, showing how the top of the orchid should be near the top of the pot. "If you plant it low, it won't grow. If you bury it, you've buried it."

Orchid society member Cheryl Erins said orchid cultivation is both an enjoyable hobby as well as an environmentally worthwhile pastime.

"I think this is important because we are showing people that anyone can grow orchids in their homes," Erins said. "Also, we're doing a lot to preserve orchids in the wild because the habitats are disappearing very quickly."

Erins, of Michigan, said she was just in Thailand and Malasia for the World Orchid Conference.

"Our guide told us to see the orchids today because tomorrow they won't be here," Erins said. "The poachers get them. They sell them on the black market.

Many are sold on the black market to escape regulation by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, she said. Known as CITES, it is an international agreement between governments ??including the U.S. ? to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

"All of these orchids that come in without special tags on them, those are usually poached in the wild," Erins said. "It's really sad."

Larry Sexton of Batavia, a member of the orchid society and chairman of the show, said this year's show was judged and featured 435 plants.

"Orchids are a challenge to grow," Sexton said. "I've gone all over the world ? to the Far East to see them grown over there. I've been Central and South America to see them growing there. I've been to Costa Rica, Peru and Ecuador to see them growing there in the wild."

Sexton said he built a four-seasons room in the back of his house, to re-create the orchids' growing conditions in the Midwest.

"To get them to the point where you could grow those well is a challenge," Sexton said.

Hundreds of orchid aficionados,? newbies and the curious, came to look at the myriad of species ? and some to buy, like Carol Gadbaw of Park Ridge.

"This is an orchid and this is a fern," Gadbow said, holding up a flowerless orchid and a small plant with frothy leaves. "I love orchids and I love ferns as well, so I'm going to create a little setting to go with my miniature orchids. It's lovely and I'm so excited."

Evelyn Ennsman and her husband Herbert, of Winfield, came to the show for her birthday.

"I think orchids are just amazing and they're so hard to grow," Ennsman said. "And to have people grow them in this area is just unbelievable."

There are 25 hours, 4 minutes remaining to comment on this story.

Source: http://www.kcchronicle.com/2013/02/16/orchids-beauty-draws-crowds-at-batavia-orchid-society-show/af0qzi6/

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Michael Burford, "Bluefoot" From Buckwild, Arrested For DUI

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/michael-burford-bluefoot-from-buckwild-arrested-for-dui/

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Child-care worker charged in Philadelphia girl's abduction, rape

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A child-care worker accused of disguising herself in traditional Muslim clothing to abduct a 5-year-old girl was arraigned on Friday on rape and kidnapping charges and held on $4 million bail.

Seized as a key piece of evidence in the case was a multi-colored macaw that the child told authorities lived in the home where she had been held captive overnight last month, police and the victim's lawyer, Tom Kline, said.

Authorities have questioned four people in the case but so far charged only Christina Regusters, 19, who worked at an after-school program in West Philadelphia that the victim attended.

Regusters was accused of posing as the girl's mother, who wears Muslim clothing, by dressing in a black headscarf that covered her face in order to take the child out of school on January 14.

Early the next morning, the child was discovered in a nearby playground, partially clothed.

Regusters was arraigned on Friday on 14 criminal counts, including rape, aggravated assault, kidnapping and indecent assault.

"It's just a horrible, horrible crime, what they did to her," Kline said.

The talking bird, seized with a search warrant, was being held by the city's animal control division, said Captain John Darby, head of the police Special Victims Unit.

Kline declined to confirm local media reports that the assailants used the bird to force the child into silence and submission and threatened it would peck out her eyes if she disobeyed. He said information about the bird led to Regusters' arrest.

"It was the fact that the bird was present that was significant, not any particular thing the bird said," Kline said.

Neither Kline nor Darby would provide details of the rape charge against Regusters.

Darby said originally three other occupants of the West Philadelphia house were taken into custody as well, an adult man and woman, and a male juvenile. They have since been released.

"The investigation is still very active," said Darby, who declined to describe a motive.

After her arraignment, Regusters was held on $4 million bail and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for March 6, the office of the Philadelphia district attorney said.

(Editing by Barbara Goldberg and Andrew Hay)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/child-care-worker-charged-philadelphia-girls-abduction-rape-002234474.html

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Help wanted: Kerrville fired up over Eagle Ford Shale play

by Joe Conger / KENS 5

Bio | Email | Follow: @joe_conger

kens5.com

Posted on February 15, 2013 at 5:43 PM

Updated yesterday at 5:52 PM

KERRVILLE -- They may be more than a hundred miles from the Eagle Ford Shale play, but welders at Fox Tank Company are part of the oil boom? from a warehouse in Kerrville, Texas.

?Our backbone and the foundation of our business has been the smaller, independent oil man,? said company vice president Nathan Fox.

Fox Tank Company has been doing business for 40 years, and the maker of oilfield tanks is getting busier, building tanks capable of holding up to 32,000 gallons of crude.

?We should have the capacity to build 80 tanks a week. That?s still a lot of product,? Fox said.

Welding the steel tanks takes a skilled workforce, something Kerrville wants to see grow, especially since in recent years the city?s growth has been in retiring senior citizens.

?

?The only young folks that are still here are those who can?t afford to get out of town! And that?s really unfortunate,? Kerr County Judge Pat Tinley said.

?

Tinley said he was only ?partly? kidding.

?

He and other Kerr County leaders welcome Alamo Colleges? new vocational training facility, which was showcased Friday at a news conference announcing a Texas Workforce grant.

?

Combined with the TWC?s $304,848 grant, the idea is to train 135 workers on the welding techniques needed to keep up with the demand.

?

?Having a facility that will actually train employees that will be able to leave that school, leave Alamo and be able to fall right into our production line; that is really important to me,"?Fox said.

?

?It?s good for us economically, and it gives our people here an opportunity to find good job opportunities,? Tinley said.

?

Kerrville?s vocational training is strategic?after all, the Hill Country community is a central hub, from which oil fields in north, south and west Texas can be easily reached.

?

Welders and painters would make up to $20 an hour -- enough to make an honest living in the Hill Country, where the cost of living is slightly higher than the state?s average.

Source: http://www.kens5.com/news/Help-Wanted-welders-needed-in-Kerrville-to-handle-Eagle-Ford-Shale-play-191468101.html

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California Rep. Matsui calls for investigation of Carnival Triumph incident (Washington Bureau)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/285161423?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Seven reasons to love MMA this Valentine?s Day

Happy Valentine's Day, Cagereaders! In honor of the day, let's take a look at some reasons to love mixed martial arts.

Heavyweight division to love. Remember when the UFC heavyweight division was a joke? No longer. UFC 160 will feature a title bout between Cain Velasquez and Antonio Silva, and Junior dos Santos will fight Alistair Overeem.

So much MMA on television. MMA was once the province of pay-per-view and occasional specials on network and cable television. Now, with Bellator on Spike, the UFC on Fox's networks, and the World Series of Fighting on NBC Sports Network, a fight fan doesn't have to drop $55 a month to see any fighting at all.

New divisions giving opportunities to fighters who wouldn't have gotten them in the past. A few weekends ago, we watched Demetrious Johnson defend his 125-lb UFC championship belt against John Dodson. Next weekend, we'll watch women's bantamweights fight in the UFC for the first time. Two years ago, neither division existed.

Blood. In most sports, a little bit of blood stops the action. In MMA, we revel in it. It flows from the faces of fighters, colors the canvas a morbid red, and changes fight shorts from white to pink.

Amazing knockouts. Is there a more pure moment in sports than when one fighter hits the other cleanly, creating a knockout that somehow quiets and thrills a crowd all at once?

Bones and Spider and Rush. Jon Jones, Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre are all UFC champions who have easily beat the challenges in front of them, and are constantly adding to their arsenals in fights. It's easy to sit back and wish they would fight each other, but it's also nice to just sit back and enjoy every time they step in the cage.

No off-season. In covering football, February through August can be agonizing because there are no actual games. For the Olympics, the wait is even worse because it spans years. But there is always another fight around the corner. Weekends without fights -- whether in the UFC, Bellator, World Series of Fighting and Invicta, or at the local hotel ballroom -- are rare. If you want to watch a fight, you can. MMA is never that far away, and that's a really good reason to love it.

Why do you love this sport? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/seven-reasons-love-mma-valentine-day-173043355--mma.html

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Russian asteroid strike: Numerous injuries, significant damage

Feb. 15, 2013 ? A space rock a few metres across exploded in Earth's atmosphere above the city of Chelyabinsk, Russia today at about 03:15 GMT. The numerous injuries and significant damage remind us that what happens in space can affect us all.

While precise information on the size, mass and composition of the object are yet to be confirmed, videos show a fireball and explosion consistent with an asteroid up to a few metres in size exploding in the atmosphere, possibly several to ten kilometres above the surface.

In this type of event, if the explosion altitude is less than 10 km or so, the resulting shockwave can cause damage on the ground, such as shattering windows. Debris from the object may be found later.

"Current information, which is not yet complete nor confirmed, points to a small asteroid," said Detlef Koschny, Head of Near-Earth Object activity at ESA's Space Situational Awareness (SSA) programme office.

"There is no way it could have been predicted with the technical means available today. What can be said with near certainty is that this object has no connection with asteroid 2012 DA14."

Asteroid 2012 DA14 made a close flyby of Earth at 19:27 GMT (20:27 CET) today.

Finding objects that pass close to our planet and are large enough to do damage if they enter our atmosphere is a major goal of ESA's SSA programme.

In addition to conducting its own sky searches using ESA's Optical Ground Station in Tenerife, Spain, SSA is partnering with existing European and international asteroid survey activities.

It also sponsors astronomer groups in Europe, supporting surveys carried out with their own equipment or allocating observation time on its Tenerife telescope. The office also provides access to orbit predictions, close flyby details and related data via its technical website at http://neo.ssa.esa.int

"Today's event is a strong reminder of why we need continuous efforts to survey and identify near-Earth objects," said Thomas Reiter, ESA's Director of Human Spaceflight and Operations.

"Our SSA programme is developing a system of automated optical telescopes that can detect asteroids and other objects in solar orbits."

In cooperation with survey efforts worldwide, ESA's goal is to spot near-Earth objects larger than 40 m at least three weeks before closest approach to our planet.

To achieve this, ESA, European industry and partner agencies are developing a system of automated 1 m-diameter telescopes capable of imaging the complete sky in one night.

In addition to Russian media, who reported immediately, all media worldwide have published images of notable damage around Chelyabinsk, and reports also mention numerous casualties.

"Our most sincere sympathies are with those suffering injury and property loss due to this event in Russia," added Thomas Reiter.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by European Space Agency (ESA).

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

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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/BymHQJx2jzA/130215192102.htm

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The Humane Society of the United States Announces New State ...

February?15,?2013

The Humane Society of the United States has named Erin Huang as the new state director for Indiana. Huang served for nearly five years as a deputy prosecuting attorney in Marion County, Ind., where she spent much of that time prosecuting animal cruelty cases. She has led trainings, seminars and outreach about Indiana animal cruelty laws for shelter workers, law enforcement officials, attorneys and residents.

?I am so happy to join an organization that has been working to protect animals for more than 50 years.?It is wonderful to go to work every day knowing you get to be a part of such a compassionate cause,? Huang said.? ?During my time as a deputy prosecuting attorney, I saw some of the most horrific instances of animal abuse and neglect. As state director for Indiana for The Humane Society of the United States, I will work to help strengthen Indiana?s animal protection laws to include safeguards for?all?animals.?

Huang will lead The HSUS? animal welfare efforts throughout Indiana, working to build statewide support for animal protection and disaster preparedness. She will also assist animal shelters and law enforcement agencies. Huang will work closely with Anne Sterling, The HSUS? Midwest Regional Director, who is also based in Indiana.

While in law school, Huang co-founded a chapter of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund.? She also works on behalf of animal law issues as a member of the Indiana State Bar Association.

Media Contact:? Rebecca Basu: 301-258-3152,?rbasu@humanesociety.org???????????? ??????????????????????

Source: http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2013/02/indiana-state-director-021513.html

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[News] 'Chromebook Pixel': the Google PC we've been waiting for?

There's been virtually no end in sight to the Chromebook phenomenon over the past few months, with new entries popping up practically every time you turn around.

It was Acer and Samsung that kicked off the line, of course, but since then we've seen both HP and Lenovo join the fray.

The latest rumors, however, point to something many will likely consider more exciting: a high-end Chromebook from Google itself dubbed the Chromebook Pixel.

'4 million pixels'

The rumors began last week with the appearance of a purportedly leaked video on YouTube.

"A new kind of computer, designed entirely by Google," proclaims the narrator of the video, which was apparently created by the mysterious Slinky.Me agency.?"Concept video for a 2560x1700 resolution, touch-enabled Chromebook with 4 million pixels" is how the accompanying text describes the device.

Fresh?evidence

Speculation has been running wild since then, of course--tempered at least to some extent by a healthy dose of skepticism, which hasn't been diminished by some additional investigation done by CNET.?People have long been seeing "signs" of a Google Chromebook on the horizon.

This week, however, Jan Willem Aldershoff, founder of digital storage community MyCE, claimed to have found evidence in Google's own code pointing to the veracity of this latest round of rumors.

'Google Link'

"Google is about to launch a Google branded Chromebook with a 2560?1700 resolution touchscreen and an Ivybridge CPU," wrote Aldershoff in a blog post on Monday. "It also features a back-lit keyboard and LTE support...The specifications are not officially confirmed but are based on research of the Chromium OS source code. We've thoroughly studied it and?found?many?traces?of?a new Chromebook code referred to as 'Google Link'."

In particular, hidden within the source code for Google's Linux-based Chrome OS are traces of support for HighDPI, Aldershoff noted--something current Chromebooks aren't yet powerful enough to support but that a higher-powered machine could.

Stay tuned for more

Is this mysterious "Google Link" another name for the widely anticipated Chromebook Pixel? And is it really on the way??I've inquired with Google's press team, but (no surprise) haven't yet heard anything back. I'll post an update if and when I do.

Source: http://www.pcworld.in/news/chromebook-pixel-google-pc-weve-been-waiting-93832013

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High school football: BBCHS' Patterson gains experience at kicking camp

Bradley-Bourbonnais sophomore Gavin Patterson's offseason has been a real kick. Patterson recently returned from the Top Kicker in America training and exposure camp in Scottsdale, Ariz. The two-day workout gave Patterson an opportunity to work out with current and former NFL kickers and punters and get an impression of what it will take to get a chance to perform at the next level ...?For the unabridged version of this story, subscribe to The Daily Journal's print edition or E-edition Print this story

Source: http://www.daily-journal.com/archives/dj/display.php?id=503302

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Vince Young borrowed $300K for birthday party

AP

There are many people who think South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is taking a huge risk by playing his junior season, since he?s ineligible to enter the NFL draft.

As you might imagine, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, whose mortgage payment rides on the backs of unpaid interns such as Clowney, disagrees.

Clowney himself scoffed at the notion, tweeting ?I?m playing lol,? but Spurrier told Michael Carvell of the Atlanta Journal Constitution he thought the suggestion was off-base.

?Well, I hope he plays this year, and I certainly believe he should play,? Spurrier said. ?Now if money was his only goal in life, then he couldn?t play. And he might not get into a car before next year?s draft, so he wouldn?t be in a car wreck and get injured. He would be just very, very careful for a year not to have any kind of injury.

?But Jadeveon likes football. Football players play football. They don?t wait around on this, that or the other. He?s really good about avoiding injuries and so forth. He knows how to get out of harm?s way if there?s a big pileup around a tackle. I think the odds of him getting hurt as not nearly as much as a running back or somebody like that.

?I think he wants to play. I certainly hope and believe he does. I think he should play for South Carolina this season.?

Spurrier said the reaction in the media was understandable, given that it?s the offseason (what are we supposed to talk about, basketball?). But he also disputed the idea that Clowney?s financial security (which he?d enjoy by being a top-five pick, if not higher) was the most important element.

?Most of the guys that say he should sit out, they don?t realize the benefits of being on a college football team, and continuing with your teammates to have as big of a year as you possibly can,? Spurrier said. ?The money is going to be there down the road, so why would a person give up the thrill of playing college football?

?Those people have never played football, so they say he should sit out and get the money. That?s the only side of sports they see ? the money. There?s a lot more to it than just the money.?

All that?s easy for Spurrier to say, because he keeps getting paid even when Marcus Lattimore?s knee gets turned into spaghetti.

And while there are good and noble intentions for wanting a young man to stay in school, the financial reality is that Clowney is gambling millions on the proposition that his luck is good enough to avoid injury.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/12/adviser-vince-young-got-a-loan-to-throw-himself-a-300000-party/related/

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Boy Scouts Board Member ?Shamed? at Pebble Beach Pro-Am Golf Tournament

SHAME ON YOU, RANDALL

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FOREST, Va., Standard Newswire?AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson was publicly confronted yesterday at the PGA golf tournament in Pebble Beach, California for his role in pushing homosexuality on the Boy Scouts of America.

Family Policy Network contracted an aerial advertising company that flew an airplane banner with the words, ?SHAME ON YOU, RANDALL? over the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on Sunday morning from 11 a.m to noon, local time.

AT&T was the main corporate sponsor of the tournament. Randall Stephenson is the Boy Scouts of America National Executive Board member who is pushing to remove Christian virtues from the scouting experience.

FPN President Joe Glover said, ?Randall Stephenson?s support for open homosexuality in the Boy Scouts of America is an affront to the values of the institution. It would be impossible for a scout to be ?morally straight? while simultaneously rejecting God?s prohibition against same-sex behavior.?

Glover added, ?Homosexuality, like any other sin, should never be embraced as an identity. It leads to devastating emotional, physical and spiritual consequences. Therefore, individual scouts should urge friends trapped in its snare to repent and seek God?s forgiveness through the Lord, Jesus Christ.?

For more information:

Source: http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/53034

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Latin America would like a Latin pope, odds slim

FILE - In this Feb. 19, 2012 file photo, Brazilian Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz is congratulated by a faithful prior to a Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican a day after installing 22 of them as cardinals. After the resign of Pope Benedict XVI, announced on Monday, Feb. 11, 2013, Cardinal Braz de Aviz allegedly is among the contenders to be the pope's successor. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito, file)

FILE - In this Feb. 19, 2012 file photo, Brazilian Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz is congratulated by a faithful prior to a Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican a day after installing 22 of them as cardinals. After the resign of Pope Benedict XVI, announced on Monday, Feb. 11, 2013, Cardinal Braz de Aviz allegedly is among the contenders to be the pope's successor. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito, file)

FILE - In this Nov. 26, 2007 file photo, Brazilian Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer of Sao Paolo is applauded during an audience with Pope Benedict XVI and the new cardinals in the Paul VI hall at The Vatican. After the resign of Pope Benedict XVI, announced on Monday, Feb. 11, 2013, Cardinal Scherer allegedly is among the contenders to be the pope's successor. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, file)

FILE - In this April 18, 2005 file photo, Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio attends a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, April 18, 2005, as the cardinals who will elect a new Pope made their last public appearance before sequestering themselves inside the Sistine Chapel later in the day. After the resign of Pope Benedict XVI, announced on Monday, Feb. 11, 2013, Cardinal Bergoglio allegedly is among the contenders to be the pope's successor. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito, file)

MEXICO CITY (AP) ? Latin America is home to the world's largest Roman Catholic population, but hopes that the next pope will come from the region appear faint, experts said Monday.

The predominance of Europeans on the College of Cardinals means that the odds are stacked against a Latin American pope, even though the names of a number of high-ranking churchmen from the region have been bandied about, analysts said. The 118-member college, with 62 European members and only 19 from Latin America, will elect a successor for Pope Benedict VXI, who announced Monday he will resign due to age.

Still, hope springs eternal.

"Since Latin America is a fortress for Christianity during these rough times, it would be healthy for us to get a Latin American pope," said Fernando Reyes, 57, a professional violinist, who prays daily at the La Merced church in Santiago, Chile.

Crossing himself before leaving the church, Reyes noted, "I would be proud. We've had Italian, Polish, German. It's time for a Latin American."

Brazilian Cardinals Joao Braz de Aviz and Odilo Pedro Scherer, and Argentines Leonardo Sandri and Jorge Mario Bergoglio have been mentioned as possible contenders.

Also mentioned in 2005, when Benedict was chosen, was Honduran Archbishop Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga.

But it is unclear whether any one of them could gain traction.

"To see the possibilities for a Latin American pope, you have to look at the makeup of the College of Cardinals," said Bernardo Barranco, an expert at Mexico's Center for Religious Studies. "From the get-go, I see it as difficult for a Latin American ... because the college has not only been "re-Europeanized," it has also been "re-Italianized."

While some see Latin America's estimated 40 percent of the world's 1.2-billion Catholic population as a bulwark of the faith, the church is also facing challenges in the region from evangelical churches.

In Mexico, the percentage of the population who identify themselves as Catholics dropped from over 90 percent in the 1980s to 84 percent in 2010, the latest year for which data is available.

In Brazil, home to a number of charismatic or evangelical churches, the drop has been even more precipitous, from 84 percent in 1995 to 68 percent in 2010.

"In numerical terms, Latin America is majority Catholic, in broad terms, but these aren't the best times for the church," said Barranco. "On the contrary, it is going through a severe crisis the like of which it has never seen before."

Still, some see Latin America's still-large Catholic population as a decisive force.

"It would be a central argument for electing a Latin American pope, because the future of the church is in the Southern Hemisphere," said R. Andrew Chesnut, a professor of Religious Studies at the Virginia Commonwealth University. "I am not going to make any predictions, but I think there will be a contingent of European cardinals who would support an African or Latin American candidate."

For Rosita Mejia, 44, who has sold religious items for 25 years outside the La Merced church, the next pope's country of origin is less important than his vigor, energy and proximity to the people, none of which were distinguishing characteristics of Benedict VXI.

"In five years, only one person has asked me for a Benedict prayer card. In comparison hundreds of people have asked for John Paul II," Benedict's more charismatic predecessor, she said. "I would like for the next pope to be younger, and have more time to travel the world, and perhaps come to Chile like John Paul did."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-02-11-Pope-Latin%20America/id-fc42c864a0f84d7daaba2ecc8fc44e0d

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Wiz Khalifa: I Want Amber To ?Stay Pregnant Forever?

"We watched The Business of Being Born with Ricki Lake and we just got inspired. We've got a pool, everything," explains Rose.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/BP_jTSqciFg/

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