A Look at "An Analysis of the Impact of the Commercial Real Estate ...

In April, a paper titled ?An Analysis of the Impact of the Commercial Real Estate Concentration Guidance? was issued. Written by Keith Friend and Harry Glenos, both with the OCC and Joseph B. Nichols of the Federal Reserve Board, the paper contains six parts that discuss the changes in CRE concentrations over time, their impact on bank failures and Bank?s Market Capital Ratio, and the Impact of the 2006 Interagency CRE Guidance and Market Conditions on CRE loan growth. The paper is chockfull of details, statistics, charts, and graphs and should be a must read if your bank engages in CRE lending. I?d like to point out some of the comments that I found particularly interesting:

• In 2006, 31% of all commercial banks exceeded at least one of the concentration levels specified in the supervisory criteria. These institutions held $378 Billlion in outstanding CRE loans which was almost 40% of all outstanding CRE loans industry wide. Banks that exceeded both supervisory criteria failed at a rate of 23%. Banks for which neither of the criteria was exceeded failed at a rate of only 0.5%.
• Banks that exceeded the Construction criteria failed at a rate of 13% and those that exceeded the Construction criteria alone accounted for an estimated 80% of the losses to the FDIC fund from 2007 to 2011. Of the ?survivors? approximately 60% were in poor condition and received a CAMELS rating of 3, 4, or 5.
• Banks with total CRE growth greater than 50% (ignoring the other components) failed at a rate of 9.9%.
• Bank holding companies whose Construction concentrations were below 100% experienced a capital decline that was 3.6 percentage points less than those whose concentration exceeded 100%.
• Since then there has been significant reductions in the number of banks close to or above one of the thresholds. By the fourth quarter of 2011, the supervisory criteria applied to only 11% of institutions which held $298 Billion, or 34% of all outstanding CRE loans.
• The average construction concentration ratio fell from 77% in 2008 to 38% in 2011 primarily due to shrinking portfolios. The total CRE ratio declined from 177% to 141% over the same time period not nearly as dramatic of a decline as the construction ratio.
• A ?non-trivial number of banks exceeding the supervisory criteria in 2007 continued to increase their CRE concentrations though 2011?. The authors believe that there is a core group of banks that specialize in or are particularly dependent upon CRE lending.

The paper reiterates the spirit of the 2006 Guidance which was not to place ?hard caps? of 100/300% onto banks, although during the comment period of this Guidance many institutions were afraid that would be the case. History has proven that regulators did not have that intention. The Guidance was meant to identify institutions that should have enhanced credit risk management practices, including stress testing, in place.

The paper does validate regulator?s concern for the buildup of CRE risk exposures on bank?s books over the previous two decades because ?the recession also revealed that, while good risk-management practices and above-average capital are essential to mitigate risks associated with high CRE concentrations, they may not be sufficient to prevent bank failure.?

To download the full paper visit the?OCC website.

Source: http://crestresstest.com/2013/05/a-look-at-analysis-of-impact-of.html

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Swipely Raises $12M To Plug Marketing Tools Into Retail Payment Systems

"Payment marketing" startup Swipely is announcing that it has raised $12 million in Series B funding. Although founder and CEO Angus Davis (who founded TellMe, which was acquired by Microsoft) said that he's focused on "looking forward to the future," it's worth noting that this is the first round that Swipely has raised since the company moved on from allowing users to share credit card purchases with friends to its current focus on payments, marketing, and loyalty. He did say that the company was able to sustain itself for three years on its $7.5 million Series A because it spent the money "judiciously," and because it was bringing in significant revenue.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Ca2kQzfiVWI/

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'Chuck' and 'Smash' stars head to Broadway

NEW YORK (AP) ? A couple of stars from TV's "Chuck" and "Smash" will soon be dating on Broadway.

Producers said Monday that Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez will headline the new romantic musical comedy "First Date" by "Gossip Girl" writer Austin Winsberg.

The music and lyrics are by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner.

"First Date" centers on an uptight young investment banker who meets a serial-dater at a local bistro. A chorus of diners become various characters ? family members, clergy and old lovers.

The show will be seen at The Longacre Theatre beginning July 9 with an opening set for Aug. 8.

The rest of the cast includes Sara Chase ("Arrested Development"), Kristoffer Cusick ("Wicked"), Blake Hammond ("Sister Act"), Kate Loprest ("Boardwalk Empire," and Vicki Noon ("Wicked").

The show, co-produced by The 5th Avenue Theatre, played at A Contemporary Theatre in Seattle last year. It will be directed by Bill Berry, the producing director of The 5th Avenue Theatre.

Levi, who will be in the film "Thor: The Dark World," follows fellow "Chuck" alum Yvonne Strahovski to make his Broadway debut. She made a strong impression in the Lincoln Center Theater revival of Clifford Odets' "Golden Boy."

Rodriguez, who plays Ana Vargas on "Smash," was last on Broadway in "The Addams Family," originating the role of Wednesday Addams alongside Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth. She also was in the original Broadway casts of "In the Heights," ''Spring Awakening" and "Good Vibrations."

___

Online: http://www.FirstDateTheMusical.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chuck-smash-stars-head-broadway-153017801.html

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Braves reach Dodgers' ailing bullpen in eighth

By GEORGE HENRY

Associated Press

Associated Press Sports

updated 7:56 p.m. ET May 19, 2013

ATLANTA (AP) - Ramiro Pena got a fierce wakeup call with the bases loaded and the scored tied in the eighth inning.

Pena fouled the first pitch off his lower right leg and bent over in anguish. But after he fouled off the next pitch, he hit a sacrifice fly to put the Atlanta Braves ahead to stay.

"I needed to keep the focus," Pena said. "That's a big at-bat right there, so I just tried to make contact and put the ball in play."

Pena had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in a four-run eighth, Jordan Schafer drove in two runs and the Braves rallied against the Los Angeles Dodgers' beleaguered bullpen for a 5-2 victory on a rain-soaked Sunday.

Kenley Jansen (1-3) was the loser for the second straight game, this time allowing one hit, two runs and a walk while getting just one out in a game twice delayed by rain for a total of 2 hours, 15 minutes.

"With a rain delay and getting tired a little bit later, you have to keep concentrating on the game," Pena said. "Everybody did a great job from the beginning (of the eighth), and I think everybody put something in that inning."

Jansen began the eighth by allowing a single to Freddie Freeman and walking Brian McCann. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly brought in closer Brandon League for the first time in the series, but he fared no better than his teammate.

After Atlanta loaded the bases when third baseman Juan Uribe was charged with a fielding error on Andrelton Simmons' sacrifice bunt attempt, League gave up a tying RBI single to pinch-hitter Gerald Laird to make it 2-all. Pinch-runner B.J. Upton scored on Pena's sacrifice fly.

The Braves added two more runs off League on Chris Johnson's RBI single and a sacrifice bunt by Schafer.

Closer Craig Kimbrel earned his third save of the series and 14th in 17 chances as the Braves earned their fourth series sweep this season.

Kimbrel struck out Matt Kemp and Adrian Gonzalez before A.J. Ellis walked. Atlanta had retired 19 straight batters before Ellis' walk, but Kimbrel ended it with a strikeout of Andre Ethier.

"We were on the road a lot and lost a lot of games we felt we should have won," Braves starting pitcher Mike Minor said. "Today we came back in another one from behind and got the sweep."

After watching his hitters struggle from the fourth inning on, Mattingly refused to put all the blame on Los Angeles' bullpen.

"You add on a run here or there, it takes a lot of pressure off a guy that you can't give up one hit that changes the whole game," Mattingly said. "I think we have to take this all as a group."

Luis Avilan (2-0) pitched a perfect eighth inning, striking out one.

The Dodgers went up 1-0 in the first when Carl Crawford led off with a double, moved to third on Mark Ellis' groundout and scored on Gonzalez's RBI single.

In the third, Crawford walked, moved to third on Kemp's double and crossed the plate on Gonzalez's sacrifice fly to give Los Angeles a 2-0 lead.

Los Angeles rookie Matt Magill didn't allow a runner to reach scoring position until the fifth when Pena reached on fielder's choice, advanced to second on Minor's single and scored on Schafer's RBI single to make it 2-1.

Magill was chased on Justin Upton's leadoff single in the sixth. J.P. Howell made just two pitches, a pair of strikes to Freeman, when the game was stopped by a second rain delay. This one lasted 33 minutes.

Magill, who could lose his spot in the rotation with Ted Lilly likely to come off the disabled list on Monday, gave up four hits, one unearned run and three walks in five-plus innings. Magill has a 5.00 ERA in four starts.

Minor allowed three hits and two runs with two walks and a season-high nine strikeouts in six innings.

In Atlanta's seventh, Mattingly used three pitchers - Ronald Belisario, Paco Rodriguez and Jansen - to face five batters. Jansen, who took the loss Saturday by giving up homers to Gattis and Simmons, struck out Justin Upton to end a threat with runners on first and second.

The Braves, whose 55 homers rank second in the National League, won without hitting a ball over the fence. They beat the Dodgers Friday on Justin Upton's grand slam off Rodriguez and Saturday with Gattis and Simmons going deep.

"We've been slow out of the gate as an offense (over the last three games), and (the pitching staff has) been able to keep us in the ballgame and keep runs off the board," Justin Upton said. "That's important in giving us a shot to win."

NOTES: The Braves earned their first three-game sweep of the Dodgers since April 18-20, 2008. ... Before Kemp doubled in the third, he had just three hits in 42 career at-bats at Turner Field. ... Mattingly said X-rays on RF Scott Van Slyke's left lower leg were negative. Van Slyke hit balls off nearly the same spot on his leg on two consecutive pitches, but finished the at-bat. ... Mark Ellis, out since April 27 with a strained right quadriceps, returned to the lineup and went 0 for 4 with one strikeout. C Tim Federowicz was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque to make room on the roster.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Posnanski: Albert Pujols' at-bats used to be buzzworthy, must-watch events. Now, they're not. Here's the result of his struggles the past few years.

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/51936190/ns/sports-baseball/

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Exclusive: South Africa's NUM seeks 15-60 percent wage rises from gold, coal producers

By Ed Stoddard

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers said it would seek pay rises of up to 60 percent from gold and coal producers, raising the prospect of fresh strikes as firms battle higher costs and falling prices in an already heated labor climate.

Africa's biggest economy is hoping to avoid the 2012 wildcat strike action at platinum and gold mines that cost billions in lost revenue and production and killed over 50 people.

Mineworkers are mobilizing to assert themselves, with the NUM fighting a challenge to its once near monopoly in the shafts from the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), which has poached tens of thousands of platinum miners from it in a violent struggle for members.

NUM said it was seeking an entry-level minimum monthly wage of 7,000 rand ($750) for gold and coal surface workers and 8,000 rand for those underground in a submission to the country's Chamber of Mines, a copy of which was seen by Reuters.

Elize Strydom, the industrial relations adviser at the Chamber of Mines, said the minimum wage for surface workers is currently 4,700 rand and for underground miners it is 5,000 rand, so the demands for the latter are a 60 percent increase.

NUM also said it wanted 15 percent increases for "all other wage categories," or more experienced and skilled workers.

The chamber of mines said in a statement it had received the "proposals" from NUM and urged all parties to compromise in the talks which will begin around the middle of June.

"We appeal to all parties to explore every option in trying to reach settlement without resorting to damaging industrial action, and to reach agreements that will strike a balance between what is affordable to the companies and meets the expectations of the employees," the chamber said in a statement.

It gave no further details.

Sliding precious metals prices have raised the pressure on miners as they ready for pay talks. Spot platinum on Friday closed at $1,450 an ounce, down around 35 percent from a record high of $2,240 hit in March 2008, and most South African shafts are losing money at this price.

Gold is down about 19 percent this year, losing its safe haven allure on concern the U.S. central bank will end its extensive stimulus for the U.S. economy.

INFLATION PRESSURE

Mining companies have been awarding above-inflation wage rises over the past decade but with labor now accounting for over half their costs in South Africa, they are reaching a point where this is no longer sustainable for their income statements, especially as power and other costs climb steeply.

But even increases above inflation do not go far for workers at the bottom end of the pay scale who on average have eight dependants and are mostly drawn from poor rural areas.

South African inflation is currently running at just under 6 percent and looks set to accelerate given recent weakness in the rand currency, which investors have sold off because of concerns about labor unrest in the mining sector. Rising inflation especially for food will harden the resolve of workers.

The NUM still represents most workers in the gold and coal sectors, and to head off any challenge from AMCU in those shafts it will need to be seen taking a hard line with management.

The rivalry between the two unions triggered violence that killed over 50 people last year and tensions are running high. An AMCU organizer was murdered last weekend, prompting a 2-day strike at platinum producer Lonmin .

AMCU has not yet submitted its wage demands to platinum producers, who negotiate with unions on a company-by-company basis. But they can ill afford to be generous given current prices for the precious metal.

Anglo American Platinum , the world's top producer, now plans to cut 6,000 jobs from an initial target of 14,000 as it seeks to restore profits after falling into a loss last year. It is hardly in a position to give big pay rises after scaling back its original plan under government pressure.

Gold and coal producers negotiate through the country's chamber of mines. South African gold companies include AngloGold Ashanti , Africa's top bullion producer, Gold Fields , Harmony and Sibanye . Coal producers include Anglo American and Exxaro .

(Additional reporting by Agnieszka Flak; editing by Keiron Henderson and Cynthia Osterman)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-south-africas-num-seeks-15-60-percent-105230576.html

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Discovery of a novel medicine for the treatment of chronic wounds

May 20, 2013 ? Every 20 seconds, a limb is lost as a consequence of diabetic foot ulcer that does not heal. To date, medical solutions that can change this situation are very limited. In his doctoral thesis Yue Shen from the Industrial Doctoral School and the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics at Ume? University presented a novel medicine for chronic wound treatment that may completely change the lives of millions of patients.

Diabetic wounds are the most severe type of chronic wounds that largely impair the quality of life in patients and inflict an enormous burden on the healthcare system. World-wide, there are more than 350 million diabetic patients and about 20% of them develop diabetic foot ulcers that often do not heal, which eventually lead to amputation. Chronic eardrum perforations are another type of chronic wounds. Today the only existing treatment of chronic eardrum perforations is through surgery.

In his thesis, Yue Shen demonstrates that plasminogen, a well-know plasma protein, acts as a key regulatory molecule of inflammation that can be used to treat different types of chronic wounds including diabetic wounds and chronic eardrum perforations. Yue Shen demonstrates that the level of plasminogen dramatically increases in and around wounds, which leads to an enhanced inflammation that is required for healing. In diabetic wounds that do not heal, the level of plasminogen does not increase and the inflammatory response is suppressed. When plasminogen is injected around diabetic wounds, the healing process starts and the wounds eventually heal fully. In chronic eardrum perforations, local injection and topical application of plasminogen also stimulates the healing and leads to complete healing.

Based on these studies, a controlled clinical study using human plasminogen to treat chronic wounds in humans is now planned. The ultimate goal is to develop plasminogen to a medicine for the treatment of various chronic wounds.

The findings in Yue Shen's thesis not only reshape our molecular understanding of the role of plasminogen during wound healing process, but also bring the hope to millions of desperate patients who suffered from chronic wounds.

Further information: http://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:617977&rvn=1

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/gOZshgxHpOc/130520095049.htm

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Hofstra student killed by police during break-in

MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) ? In what police are describing as a crime of opportunity, a wanted man with a criminal history dating nearly 15 years entered a front door that had been left open at a New York home near Hofstra University.

A short time later, the intruder, Dalton Smith, and a 21-year-old college junior, Andrea Rebello, were both dead. The two were killed early Friday by a Nassau County police officer who fired eight shots at the masked man, hitting him seven times but also accidentally hitting Rebello once in the head, Nassau County homicide squad Lt. John Azzata said Saturday.

Smith was holding Rebello in a headlock and pointing a gun at her head before he turned his gun at the officer, Azzata said, prompting the shooting.

"He kept saying, 'I'm going to kill her,' and then he pointed the gun at the police officer," Azzata said.

A loaded 9 mm handgun with a serial number scratched off was found at the scene, police said.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Thomas Dale said he had traveled to Rebello's Tarrytown, N.Y., home to explain to Rebello's parents what happened.

"I felt obligated as a police commissioner and as a parent to inform them as soon as all the forensic results were completed," Dale said.

The veteran police officer, who was not identified, has about 12 years of experience on the Nassau County police force and previously spent several years as a New York City police officer, Dale said.

The officer is currently out on sick leave. He will be the focus of an internal police investigation once the criminal investigation is completed, which is standard police procedure in any officer-involved shooting, the commissioner said.

The shooting came just days before the school's commencement ceremonies, which are scheduled for Sunday.

A university spokeswoman said students will be handed white ribbons to wear in memory of Rebello. The shooting, which took place just steps from campus, has cast a pall over the university community as it geared up for commencement.

Earlier Saturday, police announced that Smith, 30, had been wanted on a parole violation related to a first-degree robbery conviction. A warrant was issued for Smith on April 25 for absconding from parole, police said.

Smith had what police described as "an extensive criminal history," which included arrests for robbery in the first degree in 1999, promoting prison contraband in the second degree in 2000, robbery in the first degree in 2003, assault in the second degree in 2003 and robbery in the second degree in 2003.

Rebello was in the two-story home in Uniondale, N.Y., with her twin sister Jessica, a third woman and a man when Smith, wearing a ski mask, walked into the house through an open front door, Azzata said.

The door was left open after someone had moved a car that was blocking a driveway, Azzata said.

When Smith entered, he demanded valuables and was told they were upstairs, Azzata said.

Smith, apparently unsatisfied with the valuables upstairs, asked if any of the four had a bank account and could withdraw money, Azzata said. The intruder then allowed the unidentified woman to leave and collect money from an ATM, telling her she had only eight minutes to come back with cash before he killed one of her friends, Azzata said.

The woman left for the bank and called 911, according to Azzata.

Minutes later, two police officers arrived at the home and found Rebello's twin sister Jessica running out of the front door and the male guest hiding behind a couch on the first floor, Azzata said.

One of the officers entered the home and encountered Smith holding onto Rebello in a headlock, coming down the stairs, Azzata said. Smith pulled Rebello closer and started moving backward toward a rear door of the house, pointing the gun at her head before eventually threatening the officer, Azzata said.

The Rev. Osvaldo Franklin, who gave Rebello and her twin their first communions, on Saturday night told The Associated Press their mother, Nella, couldn't even speak to him earlier in the day.

"She was so devastated," said Franklin. "She's just crying. We have to pray for Andrea, to pray for Jessica because she needs help."

Franklin said a funeral is scheduled for Wednesday at Teresa of Avila Church in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., and will be in Portuguese.

"The family's a very good family, they have very good values," he said. "They are a very good, very devoted family."

___

Associated Press writer Jake Pearson in New York contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hofstra-student-killed-police-during-break-065118864.html

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D. Wayne Lukas' Preakness Win Gives Him Triple Crown Record: Column

BALTIMORE -- The old guy still gets up crack-of-dawn early.

Not because D. Wayne Lukas has something left to prove, or anything more to gain. He already has it all: Fame, fortune, a bronze plaque in the Hall of Fame and ? after lightly-regarded Oxbow stunned Orb on Saturday at the Preakness ? he has the top spot in the Triple Crown trainer's record book, too, passing "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons with No. 14.

"It's been a while," Lukas chuckled, "but it never gets old.

"I ran last with the first horse I started. The second one doesn't even finish," he added a moment later. "What a roller coaster."

Lukas was thoroughbred racing's first organization man, a former Wisconsin high school basketball coach who brought the principle of "flooding the zone" from the court to the race track.

When he cracked the big time with a horse named Codex at the Preakness in 1980, fans of the sport still thought of it as art, but Lukas relied on cold-blood science. The top trainers at the time were folksy guys like Woody Stephens and wise-cracking Charlie Whittingham, but Lukas was undeniably corporate.

The gravel outside his barns was always perfectly raked, his buttoned-down shirts pressed to match. While his more famous rivals focused on one or two quality horses, Lukas overwhelmed the game with quantity, setting up cookie-cutter operations in dozens of barns from coast to coast and bringing three, four and sometimes even five mounts to the Kentucky Derby.

By the mid-1990s, he perfected the approach, at one point winning six Triple Crown races in a row with four different horses. He shuffled jockeys like a deck of cards and balanced the competing demands of those owners, all the while never taking his eye off the ball or the business. But then rivals like Bob Baffert and disciple Todd Pletcher, who borrowed liberally from Lukas' playbook, began stealing his thunder.

Now 77, Lukas hadn't won a Triple Crown race since 2000 and became a sort of eminence grise, holding court regularly outside his barn at the classic races, more charming than competitive. His return to Derby year after year, despite not having a real shot to win it, became a kind of running joke.

Just two weeks ago at Churchill Downs, Lukas poked fun at himself on that very topic. When someone reminded him he'd brought 44 horses to the Derby ? a race he'd last won with Charismatic in 1999 ? he laughed and said, "I lied to you; 35 of `em I didn't want to run."

Yet Lukas never lost his zeal. He's still the first trainer up on a horse and out on the track in the morning, and every bit as gracious as always. While the entire sport was focused on Orb, trainer Shug McGaughey and the potential to see the sport's first Triple Crown winner in 36 years, Lukas sidled up to him two mornings ago and said "We got another one on the agenda."

Standing outside his barn in shirt sleeves, McGaughey told the tale after getting beat, without being entirely sure whether that encouraging bit about another big win was meant for him or for Lukas himself. Either way, McGaughey was hard-pressed to think of someone more deserving. That sentiment rippled through the trainers' ranks.

"We were out of it early," said Baffert, who became a close of pal of Lukas' over the last few years, "and after it was clear Orb couldn't win it, we all got behind Wayne and (jockey) Gary Stevens."

That part of this win will go largely unnoticed by some, but not Stevens. At 50, the jockey now has nine Triple Crown wins on his resume ? three at each of the classics ? but Stevens was out of the sport for seven years. In a nice bit of symmetry, Lukas gave Stevens his first Triple Crown-winning mount with Winning Colors.

"Wayne put me on the map," Stevens recalled. "When you win that first classic, your phone starts ringing, people want you. ... This is super, super sweet and it happened for the right guy."

Not long after, the "right guy" was asked about his travel plans for Oxbow, who's likely headed for the Belmont after a stop at Churchill Downs.

"4:30 tomorrow morning," Lukas announced, "if you want to watch him load on that van. My truck driver and I will get in that big old truck, and we'll head down the road and make about two Wendy's stops on the way and be in Louisville, Ky., but 5:30 tomorrow night.

As a few reporters rolled their eyes, Lukas continued, "Some of us in this great nation get up and get after in the morning. Others sleep in."

None of that would have surprised Baffert, or any of the other members of the fraternity.

"Wayne loves it so much, when he goes, I'm pretty sure we're going to find him lying in the shed row one morning and holler, `Hey Wayne, why are you sleeping?'"

___

Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.org and follow him at Twitter.com/JimLitke.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/18/d-wayne-lukas-preakness-triple-crown_n_3300347.html

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Obama marches on despite controversies

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Despite Democratic fears, predictions of the demise of President Barack Obama's agenda appear exaggerated after a week of cascading controversies, political triage by the administration and party leaders in Congress and lack of evidence to date of wrongdoing close to the Oval Office.

"Absolutely not," Steven Miller, the recently resigned acting head of the Internal Revenue Service, responded Friday when asked if he had any contact with the White House about targeting conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status for special treatment.

"The president's re-election campaign?" persisted Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif.

"No," said Miller.

The hearing took place at the end of a week in which Republicans repeatedly assailed Obama and were attacked by Democrats in turn ? yet sweeping immigration legislation advanced methodically toward bipartisan approval in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The measure "has strong support of its own in the Senate," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., a member of the panel.

Across the Capitol, a bipartisan House group reported agreement in principle toward a compromise on the issue, which looms as Obama's best chance for a signature second-term domestic achievement. "I continue to believe that the House needs to deal with this," said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, who is not directly involved in the talks.

The president's nominee to become energy secretary, Ernest Moniz, won Senate confirmation, 97-0. And there were signs that Republicans might allow confirmation of Sri Srinivasan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, sometimes a stepping stone to the Supreme Court.

Separately, a House committee approved legislation to prevent a spike in interest rates on student loans on July 1. It moves in the direction of a White House-backed proposal for future rate changes to be based on private markets.

Even so, Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, said, "It's been a bad week for the administration."

Several Democratic lawmakers and aides agreed and expressed concern about the impact on Obama's agenda ? even though much of it has been stymied by Republicans for months already.

At the same time, Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., voiced optimism that the IRS controversy would boost the push for an overhaul of the tax code, rather than derail it. "It may make a case for a simpler tax code, where the IRS has less discretion," he said.

Long-term budget issues, the main flash point of divided government since 2011, have receded as projected deficits fall in the wake of an improving economy and recently enacted spending cuts and tax increases.

Even before Obama began grappling with the IRS, the fallout from last year's deadly attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, and from the Justice Department's secret seizure of Associated Press phone records, the two parties were at odds over steps to replace $85 billion in across-the-board spending cuts. In particular, Obama's call for higher taxes is a nonstarter with Republicans.

Other high-profile legislation and presidential appointees face difficulties that predate the current controversies.

Months ago, Obama scaled back requested gun safety legislation to center on expanded background checks for firearms purchasers. That was derailed in the Senate, has even less chance in the House and is unlikely to reach the president's desk.

Republicans oppose other recommendations from the president's State of the Union address, including automatic increases in the minimum wage, a pre-kindergarten program funded by higher cigarette taxes and more federal money for highways and bridge repair.

In a clash that long predates the IRS controversy, Senate Republicans seem intent on blocking Obama's nomination of Tom Perez as labor secretary. Gina McCarthy's nomination to head the Environmental Protection Agency is also on hold, at least temporarily, and Democrats expect Republican opposition awaits Penny Pritzker, Obama's choice for commerce secretary.

Rhetorically, the two parties fell into two camps when it came to the White House troubles. Democrats tended to describe them as controversies, Republicans often used less flattering terms.

Speaking on the Senate floor, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., accused the administration of fostering a "culture of intimidation." He referred to the IRS, the handling of the Benghazi attack and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius' "fundraising among the industry people she regulates on behalf of the president's health care law."

Two days later, Camp, a 23-year veteran lawmaker, opened the IRS hearing by calling the agency's actions part of a "culture of cover-ups and intimidation in this administration." He offered no other examples.

Rep. Trey Radel, a first-term Florida Republican, said in an interview, "What we're looking at now is a breach of trust" from the White House.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California offered a scathing response when asked if the controversies would hamper Obama's ability to win legislation from the Republican-controlled House. "Well, the last two years there was nothing that went through this Congress, and it was no AP, IRS or any other (thing) that we were dealing with."

"They just want to do nothing. And their timetable is never," she said of GOP lawmakers.

Similarly, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid gave no ground on Benghazi, a dispute that increasingly centered on talking points written for administration officials to use on television after the attack last September in which U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed.

"It's obvious it's an attempt to embarrass President Obama and embarrass Hillary Clinton," he said of Republican criticism that first flared during last year's election campaign.

On a third front, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., resurrected legislation that would requiring a judge to approve subpoenas for news media communications records when investigating news leaks said to threaten the national security. It was a response to the FBI's secret, successful pursuit of Associated Press phone records in a current probe.

While Democrats counterattacked on Benghazi and parried on leaks, they bashed the IRS' treatment of conservative groups as improper if not illegal ? and warned Republicans not to overplay their hand.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-agenda-marches-despite-controversies-194726701.html

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25+ top internet marketing and SEO forums to join [as of May 2013 ...

If you're in SEO and internet marketing niche, where do you promote your business and talk to industry peers?

Sure thing, there're lots of social media places where web promoters hang out, including Google+ communities, Quora, Facebook groups and such.

Yet there are good old forums that are also worth signing up to.

In this post, you'll find

• Detailed description of top 5 SEO forums, with stats and a drilldown of marketing options
• Exclusive official blurb from one of the top forum owners
• A broader list of SEO forums, including non-English boards

Top 5 SEO forums and how I've chosen them

I'll start with a detailed description of 5 forums that work best for Link-Assistant.Com and me personally. They either bring us considerable traffic or my own faves because of helpful discussions. So it's a biased list to some extent, yet I do think these boards are really famous in the SEO world.

Note: stats on Alexa rank, Google PageRank, the number of members, posts and threads are relevant to the publication date only.

1. WarriorForum

Traffic in April 2013: 231,097 (according to Compete)

Registered: 1995

Alexa Traffic Rank: 227 (global), 167 (US)

Google PR: 5

Members: 598,841

Threads: 483,666

Posts: 6,466,044

Warriorforum is by far the biggest and probably the most renowned forum in the SEO world. We've been running an official account there for 2 years, and there are multiple benefits we've seen as a result:

-????????? speaking directly to our customers to get first-hand feedback

-????????? addressing common support issues publicly

-????????? reaching out to industry influencers and seeing them become our brand advocates and affiliates

-????????? announcing our important updates in the ad section

- ? ? ? ?? all sort of improved brand recognition: whenever a thread on SEO tools starts, there'll surely be several forum members who jump in and mention SEO PowerSuite. Sweet!

Warriorforum's threads are a mixed bag. Some of them are not very advanced, others answer difficult and specific SEO questions.

The best thing about Warriorforum is that there are dozens of fresh threads started every day, so if you're committed to adding value, you'll find great talks to join.

If you're promoting your product, consider the following marketing options:

(1) ?? Becoming a War Room Member. There is a one-time fee of $37 to come one. There's a list of benefits this category of members get, yet the major one I see is reputation. I noticed I tend putting more trust with people who have a red War Room Member note under their avatar: for me it's one of indications they endorse the community and are there to stay.

(2)??? Warrior Forum Classified Ads. Here you can post your updates that would be considered promotional in the main Adsense / PPC / SEO Discussion Forum. The cost of one announcement is 20 USD. Though not many members browse through the ad section, your thread will show up in search results in Google Discussions for relevant keywords, so you'll get your traffic anyway.

(3)??? Warrior Special Offers (WSOs). We did it once and I can't say it brought many sales, yet many people testify they're cool, so I included this marketing option here.

In a nutshell, a WSO is your exclusive deal for the warriorforum community. These would often be packaged link building services, ebooks on making money online, keyword tools and such. For the relevant WSO price quote, contact the forum support.

2. Ukbusinessforums

Traffic: no data

Registered: 1995

Alexa Traffic Rank: 7,295 (global), 646 (GB)

Google PR: 5

Members: 163,556

Threads: 225,040

Posts: 2,014,866

I like ukbusinessforums for their very special close-knit community atmosphere and meaningful discussions. I mean there are zero-value spamy threads as well, but if you encounter a talk of guys with 1,000+ post track, stay! They'll give you more SEO wisdom than you can take.

Ukbusinessforums are a must-have if you're based in the UK and/or your online business targets google.co.uk. Many discussions cover local SEO tips, which is gives this board an extra edge.

If you've no connection to the UK, the forum is also helpful in many ways anyway. My personal fave is Sales, Marketing & PR section, very insightful.

What marketing options do brands have with ukbusinessforums?

Promoting business is better served through full membership, which is ?40 per year, ?30 renewal. It allows marketing your product or service directly in relevant sections and associates more trust with you among the members.

3. Trafficplanet

Traffic in April 2013: 37,484 (according to StatCounter)

Registered: 1995

Alexa Traffic Rank: 11,311

Google PR: 3

Members: 9,339

Posts: 58,610

Traffic Planet is another powerful player to look at. It was founded by Terry Kyle, who kindly shared his ideas with me on what Traffic Planet is about:

Traffic Planet was created because existing Internet Marketing forums like the Warrior Forum and Digital Point tend to have a big newbie member base - nothing wrong with that at all but inevitably online marketers have to 'graduate' to something more advanced.

In a way, Traffic Planet is 'postgrad Warrior Forum' and has a much bigger emphasis on conversions optimization, detailed how-to tutorials, online business management systems and live experiments (traffic and conversion) than Warrior Forum, a great place for newbie beginners to start.

In 2013, Traffic Planet will continue to be at the front of the revolution in conversions optimization that is now growing in Internet Marketing.

Terry Kyle, Founder, Traffic Planet

?

Many of SEOs who've been in the industry for a while should remember that Terry used to co-run another board, backlinksforum.com. It ceased to exist a couple of years ago, and the majority of members switched to Traffic Planet, which is yet another proof the community hosts seasoned SEOs.

It's also a place to ask tough SEO questions. That said, it's great in bringing traffic.

There are banner and classified advertising options available. We once ran a classified thread and it worked out good. Classified ads are $40 a month, so if you're announcing something time-sensitive, like a sale, remember to cancel it for the second month.

4. BlackHatWorld

Traffic in April 2013: 81,364

Registered: 1995

Alexa Traffic Rank: 496

Google PR: 3

Members: 491,211

Despite the title and the possible first impression that joining means endorsement of something which is against Google Guidelines, BlackHatWorld is also a community that is worth your attention. You'll be surprised to find out there are many white hat guys pure there.

Discussion at BlackHatWorld might not always sound valuable from the SEO/internet marketing standpoint. It's a crowded and mixed place, and it's really hard to find SEO wisdom in the stream of one-liners flavored with skeletons on avatars.

What we do on BlackHatWorld is run a support account. Members often mention SEO PowerSuite and BuzzBundle and we want to make sure we're right there to handle their concerns or thank them for their mentions and feedback.

5. DigitalPoint

Traffic in April 2013: 88,174

Registered: 1999

Alexa Traffic Rank: 703

Google PR: n/a

Members: 684,297

Posts: 16,782,089

Threads: 2,219,512

Digital Point has become notorious for mostly spamy and low-quality discussions. It might not be #1 place to seek SEO knowledge, yet let's give the board its due: Digital Point is one of the oldest and the most crowded places and it's amazing from advertising standpoint.

In particular, keyword bids work wonders. These are inline text ads that show up in Digital Point threads. An advertiser feeds in a keyword list and suggests maximum CPC bid. If someone mentions your keyword in a post and your bid is the highest, there'll be a link to your site.

Just make sure you have a really long list of keywords (we have about a hundred phrases) and the keywords are tailored to fit forum posts naturally.

And it really works: even moderate investment brings hundreds of Visits monthly.

More SEO forums

There are also quite a number of forums that didn't make the major list, still I'm gonna enumerate them below.

Please note that I didn't include them to the upper section of this post not because they are worse or less efficient or host fewer pros. It's just because I'm personally not quite familiar with them or I tried them previously but didn't stay for some reasons.

But they may work well for you, so I encourage you to go through a broader SEO forum list:

google webmaster central

webmasterworld

wickedfire

v7n

seochat

affilorama

webproworld

tycoon talk

daniweb

webmastertalk

Essential non-English SEO forums

abakus-internet-marketing.de

pro-seo.de

seosphere.com (in French)

forobeta.com (in Spanish)

searchengines.bg

forum.optymalizacja.com (in Polish)

forum.searchengines.ru

seobuilding.ru

seocafe.info (in Russian)

wn.se

ehandel.se

webforumet.no

Find SEO forums with BuzzBundle

Also don't forget that BuzzBundle is an amazing tool to find hot forum discussions and add new boards to your list of SEO forums.

Download BuzzBundle now and find communities where most relevant talks take place this very moment!?

YOUR favorite SEO forums

Over to you now. And are you an active member of any forums? Did you join for marketing or for learning? Have I missed any crucial SEO boards? Share your ideas in the comments!

Source: http://www.link-assistant.com/blog/seo-forums/

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Most scientists agree: Humans are causing climate change

Friday, May 17, 2013

Do most scientists agree that human activity is causing global climate change? Yes, they do, according to an extensive analysis of the abstracts or summaries of scientific papers published over the past 20 years, even though public perception tends to be that climate scientists disagree over the fundamental cause of climate change.

To help put a stop to the squabbling, two dozen scientists and citizen-scientists from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the US?including Sarah Green, professor and chair of chemistry at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich.? analyzed the abstracts of nearly 12,000 peer-reviewed scientific papers on climate change published between 1991 and 2011. They also surveyed the authors of those papers, to find out how well the analysis agreed with the authors' own views on how their papers presented the cause of climate change.

They found that more than 97 percent of the scientists who expressed any opinion in their papers about the primary cause of global climate change believed that human activity was the cause. Approximately the same percentage of authors who responded to the survey said that their papers endorsed anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change. Nine of the scientists, including Green, reported their findings today in the journal Environmental Research Letters, published by the Institute of Physics.

Green says she got involved because she was curious about the apparent disconnect between the general public's lack of concern about climate change and what she calls "the clear scientific evidence that humans are changing the planet's atmosphere." That led her to SkepticalScience.com, a web site that tracks and addresses common myths about climate change. She has since contributed several articles.

John Cook, who maintains the web site, is a climate communications fellow for the Global Change Institute at the University of Queensland in Australia. He found that one dominant myth about climate change is the idea that scientists disagree about the cause. To investigate how much disagreement there really is in the peer-reviewed scientific literature, Cook set up an on-line system that enabled a group of SkepticalScience.com authors to rate nearly 12,000 abstracts from the Web of Science database (1991-2011) on whether they report human activities as the main contributors to climate change.

"John cleverly set up the rating process so it felt like a game to me," says Green. "After I rated five abstracts, another five would quickly appear, and counters showed how many each person had done, making it like a contest."

The abstract raters were a combination of professional and citizen-scientists from Australia, Canada, the UK, Finland, the US and Germany. The group was organized through the skeptical science web site.

"I read and rated 4,146 abstracts for this study, over about 4 months in winter/spring 2012," Green explains. "This is the first time I've published a paper where all the research was accomplished sitting on my couch."

Green adds, "I found it fascinating to see the array of implications of climate change identified in the abstracts?beyond the usual ones we hear about. They examined everything from production of tea in Sri Lanka, the stripes on salamanders, child undernutrition, frequency of lightning strikes, distribution of prickly pear cactus (and pine trees, kelp beds, wild boars, penguins, arctic fishes, canine leishmaniasis, and many, many others), mitochondrial electron transport activity in clams, copper uptake by minnows, lake effect snowfall, the rotational speed of the Earth and the prevalence of naked foxes in Iceland."

Green also found a large number of papers addressing mitigation of climate change through alternative energy and other ways to limit carbon emissions.

"It is critical to raise public awareness of the scientific consensus on climate change, so the public can make policy decisions based on factual evidence," she says. "Typically, the general public thinks that only around 50 percent of climate scientists agree that humans are causing global warming. This research has shown that the reality is 97 percent."

###

Michigan Technological University: http://www.mtu.edu

Thanks to Michigan Technological 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.

This press release has been viewed 81 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/128294/Most_scientists_agree__Humans_are_causing_climate_change

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PFT: Seahawks' Irvin suspended? |? Rep takes hit

Getty Images

With all the criticism Mike Vick has absorbed during his NFL career, you?d think he?d be used to it by now.

He apparently isn?t.

Earlier this week, Vick got a little testy during an interview with Mike Missanelli of 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia on the topic of those who say he doesn?t read defenses quickly enough, and that he holds onto the ball for too long.

?I?m really tempted right now to just say no comment to that because like I said a second ago, you don?t last 12 years in the NFL not being able to read the defense,? Vick said, via Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com.? ?Those people who are talking and saying that are just ignorant, and they know nothing about football.? Unless they turn on the film and watch my game and see what goes on, then they?ll replace those comments with the right comments.?

Missanelli pointed out that critics who know football have made those claims.? ?But it?s incorrect,? Vick said.? ?Without getting sensitive about it, it?s incorrect.? So I?d rather not talk about it.?

We?d hate to hear what Vick would say if he were sensitive about it.? (Actually, we?d probably love to hear it.)

Vick attributes the perception of holding the ball too long to the West Coast offense the Eagles ran under Andy Reid.? ?We had a lot of deeper throws last year, which required more time,? Vick said.? ?It?s just a big difference.?

New coach Chip Kelly?s system will result in quicker throws; if Vick can make them, he?ll likely be the starter.? Kelly also has taught Vick something unrelated to throwing the ball ? how to run with it, without fumbling.

?The other day, I broke out in the pocket, and the first thing Chip told me was to tuck the football,? Vick said.? ?So I showed him how I was running with it, and he looked at it and he knocked the ball right out of my hands.? And he was like, ?Hold it like this.?? And what he told me felt comfortable.? I had a tighter grip on the football. That should secure that problem as long as I work on it.?

It remains to be seen whether Vick will undergo a Tiki-style transformation when it comes to ball security.? But if he can get rid of the ball when he needs to and keep possession of it when he has to, Vick could have a big year in 2013.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/17/bruce-irvin-suspended-for-violating-ped-policy/related/

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Genome sequence of Tibetan antelope sheds new light on high-altitude adaptation

May 17, 2013 ? How can the Tibetan antelope live at elevations of 4,000-5,000m on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau? Investigators rom Qinghai University, BGI, and other institutes now provide evidence of genetic factors that may be associated with the species' adaption to harsh highland environments. The data in this work will also provide implications for studying specific genetic mechanisms and the biology of other ruminant species.

The Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) is a native of the high mountain steppes and semi-desert areas of the Tibetan plateau. Interestingly, it is the only member of the genus Pantholops. Tibetan antelope is a medium sized antelope with the unique adaptations to against the harsh high-altitude climate. For non-native mammals such as humans, they may experience life-threatening acute mountain sickness when visiting high-altitude regions.

In this study, researchers suggest that Tibetan antelopes must have evolved exceptional mechanisms to adapt to this extremely inhospitable habitat. Using next-gen sequencing technology, they have decoded the genome of Tibetan antelope and studied the underlying genetic mechanism of high-altitude adaptations.

Through the comparison between Tibetan antelope and other plain-dwelling mammals, researchers found the Tibetan antelope had the signals of adaptive evolution and gene-family expansion in genes associated with energy metabolism and oxygen transmission, indicating that gene categories involved in energy metabolism appear to have an important role for Tibetan antelope via efficiently providing energy in conditions of low partial pressure of oxygen (PO2).

Further research revealed that both the Tibetan antelope and the highland American pika have signals of positive selection for genes involved in DNA repair and the production of ATPase. Considering the exposure to high levels of ultraviolet radiation, positive selective genes related to DNA repair may be vital to protect the Tibetan antelope from it.

Qingle Cai, Project manager from BGI, said, "The completed genome sequence of the Tibetan antelope provides a more complete blueprint for researchers to study the genetic mechanisms of highland adaptation. This work may also open a new way to understand the adaptation of the low partial pressure of oxygen in human activities."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by BGI Shenzhen.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Ri-Li Ge, Qingle Cai, Yong-Yi Shen, A San, Lan Ma, Yong Zhang, Xin Yi, Yan Chen, Lingfeng Yang, Ying Huang, Rongjun He, Yuanyuan Hui, Meirong Hao, Yue Li, Bo Wang, Xiaohua Ou, Jiaohui Xu, Yongfen Zhang, Kui Wu, Chunyu Geng, Weiping Zhou, Taicheng Zhou, David M. Irwin, Yingzhong Yang, Liu Ying, Haihua Bao, Jaebum Kim, Denis M. Larkin, Jian Ma, Harris A. Lewin, Jinchuan Xing, Roy N. Platt, David A. Ray, Loretta Auvil, Boris Capitanu, Xiufeng Zhang, Guojie Zhang, Robert W. Murphy, Jun Wang, Ya-Ping Zhang, Jian Wang. Draft genome sequence of the Tibetan antelope. Nature Communications, 2013; 4: 1858 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2860

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/aCPP7_n7RkE/130517102720.htm

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Syrian hackers compromise FT blogs, Twitter feeds

May 15 (Reuters) - Post positions for the 138th running of the Preakness Stakes, to be run at Pimlico on Saturday (Post Position, Horse, Jockey, Trainer, Odds) 1. Orb, Joel Rosario, Shug McGaughey, even 2. Goldencents, Kevin Krigger, Doug O'Neill, 8-1 3. Titletown Five, Julien Leparoux, D. Wayne Lukas, 30-1 4. Departing, Brian Hernandez, Al Stall, 6-1 5. Mylute, Rosie Napravnik, Tom Amoss, 5-1 6. Oxbow, Gary Stevens, D. Wayne Lukas, 15-1 7. Will Take Charge, Mike Smith, D. Wayne Lukas, 12-1 8. Govenor Charlie, Martin Garcia, Bob Baffert, 12-1 9. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-hackers-compromise-ft-blogs-twitter-feeds-131048564.html

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Wow, This is Pretty Epic (talking-points-memo)

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CBS adding Robin Williams comedy

NEW YORK (AP) ? CBS on Wednesday revealed a few nips and tucks it is planning next season for what is already network television's most successful schedule, including adding a comedy with Robin Williams playing an unorthodox advertising executive with Sarah Michelle Gellar as his daughter.

It will move "Person of Interest" to Tuesdays, pairing it with "NCIS" and "NCIS: Los Angeles" to have television's three most-watched dramas on the same night and the same network.

Four comedies and one drama will debut on CBS this fall. CBS ordered only eight new series for the season, while rivals ABC, NBC and Fox are introducing a total of 41. CBS will end this season with the widest margin of victory in viewers of any network in 24 years and even win among the advertiser-desired demographic of 18- to 49-year-olds for the first time since the early 1990s, said Leslie Moonves, CBS Corp. CEO.

Moonves took notice of how Jimmy Kimmel called CBS executives smug during ABC's schedule presentation on Tuesday, the late-night comic even adding an unprintable noun. If true, Moonves said, "I guess that means we're winning."

The company's stock just exceeded $50 a share for the first time, said Moonves, who was given a $22 million signing bonus upon extending his contract last year.

The network's annual schedule announcement to advertisers was less of a sales presentation than a celebration. The cast of "NCIS" and "The Big Bang Theory" stood on stage to accept applause for their top-ranked status.

Even David Letterman, who usually avoids these events, appeared at what he called CBS' "little pledge drive." He hugged Moonves, a man he's often mocked on his late-night show, and said the executive was "the man who saved network television."

Dealing with such riches, CBS rejected pilots of a "NCIS: Los Angeles" spinoff and a TV remake of "Beverly Hills Cop" backed by Eddie Murphy. Melissa McCarthy's popular comedy "Mike & Molly" was left off the schedule and stuck in the bullpen, ready to return to plug any holes. CBS ordered 22 episodes of the sitcom.

Williams' comedy is called "The Crazy Ones," a reference to his comic style, and is getting a prime Thursday-night time slot after "The Big Bang Theory," television's most popular comedy. Among its producers is David E. Kelley.

"We think this is going to be the most talked-about show this fall," said Nina Tassler, CBS' entertainment president.

Chuck Lorre, TV's premiere comedy producer, is behind "Mom," a new Monday-night sitcom starring Anna Faris as a newly sober single mom with Allison Janney as her estranged mother. "We Are Men" is about four love-challenged single men living in the same apartment complex, with Tony Shalhoub as one of the stars.

CBS' other new comedy is "The Millers," with Will Arnett playing a recently divorced man whose plans to enjoy the single life are disrupted when his parents move in.

CBS is also trying something new in drama by ordering two limited-run series for its Monday-night schedule. "Hostages," produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, stars Toni Collette as a surgeon who is taken hostage the night before she is to operate on the president. After a 15-episode run, it will be replaced by "Intelligence," about an agent whose smarts are enhanced by a microchip implanted in his brain.

The network is canceling "CSI: N.Y.," ''Vegas," ''Golden Boy" and "Rules of Engagement."

The drama "Hawaii Five-0" will shift from Monday to Friday nights on the schedule. CBS usually runs drama reruns on Saturday, but next year will also air two comedies that night.

Midseason shows include:

?"Reckless," a legal drama set in Charleston, S.C., where a Yankee litigator and Southern lawyer have the hots for each other despite being on opposite sides of a long-running case.

?"Friends With Better Lives," a romantic comedy. Like its title suggests, it focuses on six friends at different stages of their romantic lives, all wondering if their pals have it better.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cbs-adding-robin-williams-comedy-141123446.html

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Senate panel considers labor board nominees

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Some of President Barack Obama's nominees to the National Labor Relations Board are coming under criticism from Senate Republicans.

The board has been at an impasse since January. That's when a federal appeals court said the president violated the Constitution by filling board vacancies without Senate confirmation.

At a confirmation hearing Thursday, critics denounced Obama's decision to seek full terms for two board members he installed with recess appointments last year.

Republicans claim the board has no legitimacy to act and demand that the two recess appointees step down. The appointees have declined.

Obama also renominated board chairman Mark Pearce for another full term. All three are Democrats.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-05-16-Labor%20Board%20Nominees/id-4b4f9836ade84910b40f91a4c2b31034

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Andrew Joseph Stack Flew a Plane Into the Austin IRS Office 1 Week Before the Tea-Party Scrutiny Started (Atlantic Politics Channel)

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Repeat brain injury raises soldiers' suicide risk

May 15, 2013 ? People in the military who suffer more than one mild traumatic brain injury face a significantly higher risk of suicide, according to research by the National Center for Veterans Studies at the University of Utah.

A survey of 161 military personnel who were stationed in Iraq and evaluated for a possible traumatic brain injury -- also known as TBI -- showed that the risk for suicidal thoughts or behaviors increased not only in the short term, as measured during the past 12 months, but during the individual's lifetime.

The risk of suicidal thoughts increased significantly with the number of TBIs, even when controlling for other psychological factors, the researchers say in a paper published online May 15 in JAMA Psychiatry, a specialty journal of the American Medical Association.

"Up to now, no one has been able to say if multiple TBIs, which are common among combat veterans, are associated with higher suicide risk or not," says the study's lead author, Craig J. Bryan, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Utah and associate director of the National Center for Veterans Studies. "This study suggests they are, and it provides valuable information for professionals treating wounded combat servicemen and women to help manage the risk of suicide."

Results showed that one in five patients (21.7 percent) who had ever sustained more than one TBI reported suicidal ideation -- thoughts about or preoccupation with suicide -- at any time in the past. For patients who had received one TBI, 6.9 percent reported having suicidal thoughts, and zero percent for those with no TBIs. In evaluating the lifetime risk, patients were asked if they had ever experienced suicidal thoughts and behaviors up to the point they were assessed.

The increases were similar for suicidal thoughts during the previous year rather than at any time: 12 percent of those with multiple TBIs had entertained suicidal ideas during the past year, compared with 3.4 percent with one TBI and zero percent for no TBIs.

In this study, suicidal ideation was used as the indicator of suicide risk because too few patients reported a history of suicide plan or had made a suicide attempt for statistically valid conclusions to be made.

Researchers found that multiple TBIs also were associated with a significant increase in other psychological symptoms already tied to single traumatic head injuries, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD, and the severity of the concussive symptoms. However, only the increase in depression severity predicted an increased suicide risk.

"That head injury and resulting psychological effects increase the risk of suicide is not new," says Bryan. "But knowing that repetitive TBIs may make patients even more vulnerable provides new insight for attending to military personnel over the long-term, particularly when they are experiencing added emotional distress in their lives."

How the Study was Conducted

During a six-month period in 2009, 161 patients who received a suspected brain injury while on duty in Iraq were referred to an outpatient TBI clinic at a combat support hospital there. Patients were predominantly male, average age of 27, with 6.5 years of military service.

Diagnosis of traumatic brain injury was made by a clinical psychologist specifically trained in the assessment, diagnosis and management of the condition. Only patients with mild or no TBI completed all assessments; patients with moderate to severe TBI were immediately evacuated from Iraq.

TBI was confirmed if at least one clinical event was newly presented or worsened following the injury: loss of consciousness or memory, alteration of mental state, some neurological decline or brain damage.

Patients were divided into three groups based the total number of TBIs during their entire lives -- zero, single TBI and two or more -- the most recent of which was typically within the days immediately preceding their evaluation and inclusion in the study.

Each individual was also given surveys as part of his or her evaluation and treatment. Using standard evaluation tools, patients were surveyed about their symptoms of depression, PTSD and concussions, and their suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

"An important feature of the study is that by being on the ground in Iraq, we were able to compile a unique data set on active military personnel and head injury," Bryan says. "We collected data on a large number of service members within two days of impact."

At the same time, because the results of this study are based on a single clinical sample -active military in a war zone within days of the injury -- the researchers note that caution is advised before assuming that the results from this particular group will apply to every other group. Studies with larger sample sizes and conducted over longer periods of time will be needed.

Why TBI is of Concern for Military Personnel

As defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a traumatic brain injury is caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head, or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain. Effects can be mild to severe. The majority of TBIs that occur each year are concussions or other mild forms.

TBI is considered a "signature injury" of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and is of particular concern because of the frequency of concussive injuries from explosions and other combat-related incidents. Estimated prevalence of TBI for those deployed in these two countries ranges from 8 percent to 20 percent, according to a 2008 study.

In addition, according to studies by the RAND Corp., suicide is the second-leading cause of death among U.S. military personnel, and the rate has risen steadily since the conflicts began in Iraq and Afghanistan. Prevalence of PTSD, depression and substance abuse have risen as well, especially among those in combat, and each has been shown to increase risk for suicidal behaviors.

"Being aware of the number of a patient's head injuries and the interrelation with depression and other psychological symptoms may help us better understand, and thus moderate, the risk of suicide over time," Bryan says. "Ultimately, we would like to know why people do not kill themselves. Despite facing similar issues and circumstances, some people recover. Understanding that is the real goal."

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/PRIeGEpqYdY/130515163924.htm

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A Crucial Thinkgeek Coupon Code Is Your Deal of the Day

ThinkGeek, a wonderful purveyor of nerdy novelties, is currently running the best percent-off promotion we've seen all year. For the code, and deals on a Roku 3 and a Panasonic plasma TV, hit the jump:

At Thinkgeek, the code SKYLAB takes $20 off any order of $60 or more. That means if you order exactly $60, you'll be receiving a 33% discount, which is the best we've seen from Thinkgeek since before the holiday season. Of course, with ever dollar spent over $60 the discount percentage drops. Keep in mind that there's a $6 shipping charge?so you'll need to spend at least $46 to get this promotion. Here's some recommendations to get you started (all prices listed before discount):

? Olloclip iPhone Lens ($70) | Probably the best straight up deal available

? 25 Milligrams of Mars Rock ($100) | Gizmodo's take

? Lego-Compatible Mug ($20) | Gizmodo's take | Cop three of these and you'll have a stash of great last-minute presents

? $20 off $60 | Thinkgeek | Use coupon code SKYLAB | Endless Thinkgeek shopping inspiration

Top Deals

I posted this Panasonic deal yesterday and after I went home I almost bought it, so I figured it could use a little more attention. Right now Sears is selling a 42" Panasonic plasma TV (model number TC-P42S60) for $400. Shipping's not free though, so to save $70 you should pick it up in-store. Still: that's a $400 plasma, perfect for most small apartments, at a no-name scratcher TV price. It's even got some smart functionality, if that's your bag. [Sears]

Update: Amazon's price-matched Sears' price, but only with shipping included. So this set from Amazon is $470?and still $600 or more everywhere else. [Amazon]

Accessories

? 8GB MicroSD Sandisk ($7) | Cowboom via Edealinfo | Originally $15

? Pogoplug Mobile ($15) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains | Originally $25

? Logitech K760 ($54) | Ebay via Deals Kinja | Originally $80

? 1TB Western Digital Portable HD ($70) | Western Digital via Dealmac | Originally $100 | Use coupon code DNFREESHIP

? 240GB SanDisk Extreme ($160) | Newegg via Dealmac | Originally $190 | Use coupon code EMCYTZT3438

Miscellaneous

Whaaa....?

Gaming

PC

? Mass Effect Trilogy [Origin] ($30) | GamersGate

Gamefly Battlefield Sale
? Battlefield 3 ($10)
? Battlefield 3 Premium ($20)
? Battlefield Bad Company 2 Ultimate Collection ($9)
? Battlefield 2 Complete Collection ($5)

Green Man Gaming [Steam] | Use code GMG20-GGN5D-FC3NA
? Metro: Last Light ($40)
? EVE: Online 30-day Starter Pack ($4) | Normally $20
? Saints Row: The Third The Full Package ($14)
? 10,000,000 ($1.36)

? Terraria ($3.40) | Steam | Normally $10

Xbox

? Crysis 3 ($25) | Groupon

? DLC FREE Dreadnought Pack for Gears of War: Judgment | Microsoft

? Pre-order Call of Duty Ghosts ($53) | Newegg | Use code EMCXRWS258
? Pre-order DeadPool ($50) | Newegg
? The Walking Dead ($20) | Best Buy
? Far Cry 3 ($40) | Amazon
? Dead Space 3 ($40) | Amazon

? Xbox 360 Headset ($10) | Amazon

? Xbox 360 Data Transfer Cable ($5) | eBay (MyTechSolution) via DealNews | $10+ elsewhere

PS3

? FREE Dust 514 | Sony

? Crysis 3 ($25) | Groupon

? Persona 3 [PS2 on PSN] ($5) | Sony | Normally $10

? Pre-order Call of Duty Ghosts ($53) | Newegg | Use code EMCXRWS258
? Pre-order DeadPool ($50) | Newegg
? The Walking Dead ($20) | Amazon
? Far Cry 3 ($40) | Best Buy
? Dead Space 3 ($40) | Amazon

As you've probably figured out, we work with the dudes at Kotaku's Moneysaver to sort through all the gaming deals. Check 'em out if you want more.

Audio

? Audio-Technica ATH-M40 ($47) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains | Originally $60

Clothing

? 20% off Clearance at MLB | MLB via Fatwallet

? 30% off Sierra Trading Post | Sierra Trading Post via Ben's Bargains

? 15% off Pointer | Pointer via Reddit

Dumb TV ? Smart TV

This is only the second discount we've ever seen on the Roku 3, which is currently the best streaming box on the market. Honestly, I haven't even been posting Roku 2 deals recently because the improvements in the Roku 3 are worth the premium, especially since it's only $100 at full price. But right now PC Richard is selling the Roku 3 for $90, with free shipping and no tax depending on your state. This box would look pretty sweet plugged into that Panasonic at the top of the post. [PC Richard via 9to5Toys, Wirecutter Deals, Moneysaver] Thanks, friends!

? Roku 3 ($90) | PC Richard via Wirecutter Deals | Originally $100

? Happauge WinTV Dual Tuner Digital CableCARD ($50) | Newegg via Fatwallet | Originally $100 | Use coupon code EMCXRWS262 + MIR

Physical Media

? Tommy Boy [Blu-ray] ($5) | Amazon via Brand Name Coupons | Originally $10

? Sex and the City Complete ($75) | Amazon via Deals Kinja | Originally $125

? Harry Potter Wizard's Collection ($200) | Best Buy via Deals Kinja | Originally $250

? Rocky I,II,III,IV,V,Balboa [Blu-ray] ($30) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals

Digital Media

If you try out Google's new music service now, you'll get a free month's trial and lock in an $8/month lifetime subscription rate. Try it out here: [Google Music]

Laptops

No lappy.

Desktops

? Alienware X51 w/ Nvidia Geforce 660 ($900) | Tiger Direct via Edealinfo | Originally $1100

Tablets

? 10" Acer Iconia Tab 32GB ($300) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains | Originally $400

Screens

? 40" HiSense 1080p Slim TV ($255) | Woot via 9to5Toys | Originally $400

? 42" Panasonic HDTV ($400) | Sears via Wirecutter Deals | $60 shipping unless you can pick it up at a Sears. Encore post b/c this is a sick deal

? 27" IPS Monoprice Hi-Res Monitor ($474) | Dealmac | This one's got VGA and HDMI

Portables

Verizon's offering the Droid DNA free with contract. The first step is to give 'em your email verizonwireless.com/wcms/consumer/?

? dealzmodo (@dealzmodo) May 15, 2013

Set your calendars. 6/26 for $650 MT @gizmodo: Google's selling an unlocked Galaxy S4 that's pure Android: gizmo.do/PmefWx7

? dealzmodo (@dealzmodo) May 15, 2013

Camera

? Sunpak Aluminium Tripod ($35) | B&H Photo via Dealmac | Originally $55

? Flashpoint Carbon Fiber Tripod ($100) | Adorama via Ben's Bargains | Originally $150

? Rokinon 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye Lens ($230) | Adorama via Ben's Bargains | Originally $280 | Use coupon code S0511113

? 5D Mark III ($2800) | Canon via Photography Bay | Originally $3500

Bare Drives

Welp.

Apps

iOS

? Floris ($0) | iTunes via Appshopper | Originally $1

? Totem Tribe Gold ($2) | iTunes via Appshopper | Originally $5

iPad Only

? Rail Maze Pro ($0) | iTunes via Appshopper | Originally $1

? Arpeggionome Pro ($15) | iTunes via Appshopper | Originally $20

Android

? World of Goo ($1) | Google Play via App-sales | Originally $5

? Swiftkey Tablet ($2) | Google Play via App-sales | Originally $4

? Swiftkey ($2) | Google Play via App-sales | Originally $4

Mac

? A Year of Microsoft Office Professional Plus ($10) | Microsoft HUP via Fatwallet | Your school or work needs to qualify

Windows

? A Year of Microsoft Office Professional Plus ($10) | Microsoft HUP via Fatwallet | Your school or work needs to qualify

Hobomodo

? Free Dinosaur Stickers ($0) | Bronx Zoo via Reddit |

? Two Free Quest Protein Bars ($0) | Quest via Reddit

? Whole Bunch of Stuff is Free After Rebate | Newegg via Deals Kinja

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Keep up with Kif Leswing on Kinja and Twitter. Check out The Moneysaver for more great tech deals, and deals.kinja.com for even more discounts.

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A note on Dealzmodo: We're professional shoppers. Yes, we make money if you end up buying. That's capitalism, but we're absolutely looking out for your best interest. Read this if you want to know more.

Source: http://gizmodo.com/a-crucial-thinkgeek-coupon-code-is-your-deal-of-the-day-506838370

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