Salmond's threat to ditch debt in sterling struggle

driving FORWARD: Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon launched their economic report at Alexander Dennis coach builders in Falkirk. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell

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Magnus Gardham political editor

In a clear warning, the First Minister said he regarded sterling and the Bank of England as assets to be shared between the UK and a go-it-alone Scotland.

He said an independent Scotland would not take on a portion of the UK's trillion-pound national debt unless Westminster agreed to a currency union ? a move Chancellor George Osborne has described as "unlikely".

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Source: http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/referendum-news/salmonds-threat-to-ditch-debt-in-sterling-struggle.21143494

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Maldives Green Fund to merge ?scattered? climate finance | Minivan ...

Transparency Maldives has called for stronger anti-corruption climate finance safeguards, following the government?s declaration it would establish a ?green fund? that would merge all climate change, conservation, and sustainable development project trust-funds.

President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik?s cabinet proposed a Maldives ?Green Fund? be established, which would merge all the currently established trust funds in accordance with the government?s Biosphere Reserve sustainable development policy.

The purpose for merging the funds would be to enable cost reductions and strengthen operational efficiency for foreign investments for waste management, water management and renewable energy projects.

Shortly following this April 30 announcement, Transparency Maldives called for ?stronger anti-corruption safeguards in climate finance? as part of the civil society recommendations presented to the Minister of Environment and Energy Dr Mariyam Shakeela during the ?NGO Forum on Environment and Sustainable Development 2013? held May 5.

During the NGO forum, Transparency Maldives Chairperson Mohamed Rasheed Bari called on the government to strengthen governance mechanisms by including stronger standards of transparency, accountability and integrity.

Currently, climate funds are ?scattered? because there is no consolidated national governance mechanism with a proper internationally governed governance structure in the Maldives, Transparency Maldives Climate Governance Senior Project Manager Azim Zahir told Minivan News today (May 19).

?In principle establishing a ?green fund? to consolidate climate change mitigation and adaptation money is ?ok? as long as it adheres to international best practices and good governance standards,? said Zahir.

The Environment Ministry had not responded to inquiries at time of press.

No overarching climate policy

?The government lacks an overarching climate change policy,? a civil society source familiar with the challenges facing climate governance in the Maldives, told Minivan News. ?There are no specific goals, which has resulted in project-based, ad hoc and climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives.?

The source explained that conflicting ministerial mandates and unclear rules have created redundancies and left civil servants ?confused?.

?The root cause of the problem is administrative ? the lack of clear mandates between who is doing what,? the source said. ?There are also ministerial rivalries regarding certain projects because clear mandates are lacking.?

?I find it strange the Ministry of Environment does not have a climate change department, considering they are the people in charge of the entire amount of funds,? the source added.

?One person is in charge of massive [amounts] of funds. There is a lack of human resources within the Environment Ministry. Only a couple of people have dominated [climate change projects] since the 1990?s,? claimed the source.

Some people within the ministry working on foreign aid projects write themselves in as project staff as well to in order supplement their ?really low? monthly government salaries of MVR 6000 to MVR 8000 (US$ 389 to US$ 519), alleged the source.

?The same people work on each project, they don?t have new people,? the source claimed.

?These senior civil servants say the Environment Ministry lacks capacity and young people with knowledge and technical skills, however they are not providing training and opportunities [to the newer civil servants].

?They have a complete monopoly on knowledge? which is not being properly diffused, the source added.

Politics and bureaucracy

After the Foreign Ministry has signed a bilateral agreement the funds are transferred to the Finance Ministry, which then allocates the money to the applicable ministry or government agency, according to the source.

Most climate projects were handled under the Ministry of Housing and Environment during former President Mohamed Nasheed?s administration, the source explained. Additionally, the President?s Office also undertook many climate change initiatives and established the Presidential Advisory Council on Climate Change in 2009.

?The council still exists on paper and while some people within the President?s Office said the council members have been changed [following the controversial transfer of power February 7, 2012], no one has been informed if they have been fired. They have no idea what?s going on,? alleged the source.

Additionally, the National Planning Council (NPC) ? chaired by the president and consisting of various ministers and civil society representatives ? was formed in February 2009 to coordinate equitable sustainable development nationwide.

Currently the NPC website states: ?Due to the change of the Government , the work of the National Planning Council is currently under reform. Therefore all proposals and issues submitted to Department of National Planning/ National Planning Council is on hold for the time being.?

Under President Waheed?s government the Ministry of Housing and Environment was split to form two new entities, the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure as well as Energy and Environment.

Due to the these changes and ongoing government instability ?There has been a significant change in the process of how the project [cycle] works,? explained the source.

?For various political reasons ? and the delicate nature of politics since February 2012 ? climate change funds have not been consolidated,? the source continued. ?It takes a lot of work to channel climate funds. Even under Nasheed?s previous administration there were the same problems.?

An additional reason Waheed?s administration ?differs? from Nasheed?s is the current government ?has not been ?very keen? on cooperating with civil society,? alleged the source.

?Previously they behaved really unprofessionally toward certain NGOs, however since the latter half of 2012, the government has started to try and engage NGOs and civil society ? maybe to increase the administration?s legitimacy,? the source continued.

?A positive is the Environment Ministry under Waheed?s administration has been very active. They actually try to do things,? the source noted.

?However, the government consults civil society stakeholders after they?ve already decided everything. They invite NGOs to listen to their opinions, but do not seek their input during the project planning phase,? the source added.

?Ultimately, most [climate finance] problems apply to both administrations, under Nasheed and Waheed,? the source added.

Existing trust funds

?There are three umbrellas ? the Maldives Environmental Management Project (MEMP), the Climate Change Trust Fund (CCTF), the Sustainable Renewable Energy Project (SREP) ? under each there are different components,? Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environment and Social Safeguards Coordinator Ibrahim Mohamed told Minivan News earlier this month.

?The idea is that these projects be developed in such a way that the entire nation becomes a biosphere reserve, that?s the overall goal,? he added.

The MEMP umbrella is a US$ 13.88 million World Bank loan, approved in 2008 and set to close in 2014.

?The MEMP is a soft loan in the sense the interest is very less, and this project also has several components,? said Mohamed.

?Only one component is solid waste management, focused in Ari Atoll. Other areas include environmental monitoring, training and capacity building, and a bachelor of environmental science was established at the Maldives National University (MNU),? he continued.

?There is also a renewable energy component to install solar roofing of public buildings on Thinadhoo [Island in Huvadhoo Atoll], so at least 25 percent of their energy will come from solar. That component also has awareness and training on energy efficiency and conservation of energy.

The US$ 9.5 million CCTF picks up where MEMP left off, according to Mohamed.

?Under the CCTF umbrella we have three components: clean energy for climate mitigation, wetland conservation and coral reef monitoring, as well as solid waste management,? Mohamed explained.

?The World Bank is managing the donor money from the CCTF. They don?t finance directly to the government, because they want it to be managed by a reliable, transparent, international fiduciary system.

?The CCTF idea is that the project(s) we develop becomes an exemplary example for other small island states,? he added.

The CCTF was established in 2010 after the signing of an MOU between the Maldives government, the World Bank Group and the European Union with the aim of targeting solid waste management, capacity building for environmental management, and technical assistance for monitoring and managing key natural assets.

The US$138 million SREP was established in 2012 to generate 16 megawatts of renewable energy on 50 islands in the next five years.

The SREP scheme was directly related to the Scaling-up Renewable Energy Program (SREP) originally planned to be submitted to the World Bank in February 2012, but was not due to the political upheaval that resulted from Nasheed?s controversial resignation February 7, 2012.

Additionally, the Maldives has received Global Environment Facility (GEF) grants totaling US$14,443,426 ? that leveraged US$35,176,820 in co-financing resources ? for 10 national projects, four regional projects, and eight small grants. The project areas focus on climate change, biodiversity, international waters, land degradation, persistent organic pollutants, and the ozone layer.

The GEF is an independently operating financial organisation that supports national sustainable development initiatives and addresses global environmental issues by working in partnership with the United Nations, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Asian Development Bank (ADB) as well as civil society organisations and the private sector.

The GEF ?unites? 183 countries with these actors and claims to be the largest public funder of projects to improve the global environment.

?The EU has suggested that the Maldives? government look at one atoll with the potential for populations to move and to live and do more projects there ? such as waste management, clean energy, protection, preservation, adaptation ? all things in one big area, so that these things will be more visible,? said Mohamed.

?If all the components go into one atoll they will become more climate resilient,? he added.

Source: http://minivannews.com/politics/maldives-green-fund-to-merge-scattered-climate-finance-58141

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College women exceed NIAAA drinking guidelines more frequently than college men

May 18, 2013 ? In order to avoid harms associated with alcohol consumption, in 2009 the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism issued guidelines that define low-risk drinking. These guidelines differ for men and women: no more than four drinks per day, and 14 drinks per week for men, and no more than three drinks per day, and seven drinks per week for women. A study of how well college students adhere to these limits has found that female college student drinkers exceed national drinking guidelines for weekly drinking more frequently than their male counterparts.

Results will be published in the October 2013 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and are currently available at Early View.

"Recommended drinking limits are lower for women than for men because research to date has found that women experience alcohol-related problems at lower levels of alcohol consumption than men," explained Bettina B. Hoeppner of the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Addiction Medicine, an assistant professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School as well as corresponding author for the study.

"It is always important to take gender into account when studying health or risk behaviors," added Melissa A. Lewis, associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington. "Even if you hold weight constant, there are differences in terms of how alcohol affects men and women. For example, men have more of an enzyme in the stomach -- a gastric alcohol dehydrogenase -- that lowers the amount of alcohol that makes it into the bloodstream. Also, women have less blood going through the bloodstream than a man at the same weight, so alcohol gets more concentrated in the bloodstream."

For this study, Hoeppner and her colleagues asked 992 college students (575 females, 417 males) to report their daily drinking habits on a biweekly basis, using web-based surveys throughout their first year of college.

"We found that female college-student drinkers exceeded national drinking guidelines for weekly drinking more frequently than their male counterparts," said Hoeppner. "Weekly cut-offs are recommended to prevent long-term harmful effects due to alcohol, such as liver disease and breast cancer. By exceeding weekly limits more often than men, women are putting themselves at increased risk for experiencing such long-term effects."

"In addition," said Lewis, "men's weekly drinking declined over time whereas women's weekly drinking did not. This finding is concerning. If women continue to exceed weekly drinking recommendations over time, it puts them at greater risk for health issues, such as liver or heart disease and certain forms of cancer."

"These findings contribute to our understanding of how populations adhere to national drinking guidelines," said Hoeppner. "Specifically, it examines college student drinkers, where adherence to weekly drinking limits has not been examined before. Generally, 'binge drinking' receives more attention when examining college student drinking, however, for long-term health, it is also important to examine the establishment of drinking patterns that may lead to long-term harmful effects, not just short-term effects."

"These findings highlight the need for prevention efforts to focus on both daily and weekly limits to reduce harm from short- and long-term negative consequences related to alcohol use," said Lewis. "Current preventative interventions often do not focus on weekly drinking recommendations, which is important and a warranted area of future research.

Hoeppner agreed. "Our results might motivate clinicians to address weekly drinking limits and the potential for long-term alcohol related harm with their patients," she said. "The reasons that many college students exceed these weekly limits are unclear. It is possible that lack of awareness of the guidelines and possible consequences of exceeding them contributes to these high rates. If so, clinicians might reduce harm by educating their college-student patients about the guidelines and the harm they seek to prevent, especially their female patients. Similarly, researchers and clinicians designing prevention/intervention programs might find it useful to address weekly drinking limits in their programs, both to reduce incidence rates thereof, and to identify the reasons for exceeding these guidelines."

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/I3iLBgGeV-k/130518153738.htm

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Muscle adaptation of transition to minimalist running

May 2, 2013 ? For tens of thousands of years, humans ran on bare feet. Then we developed an assortment of specialized shoes, including -- particularly since the 1960s -- a seemingly limitless variety of running shoes. Despite the perceived advantages of foot protection, some runners in recent years have returned to barefoot running, believing it is a more natural way to run and therefore less injurious to the feet and legs.

As a result, several shoe manufacturers have produced specialized "minimalist" shoes to accommodate this, such as the Vibram FiveFingers shoes. Such shoes allow a runner to imitate barefoot running while providing some sole and toe protection. The design allows the feet and toes to spread out and conform to the terrain with each step, rather than being boxed in and stabilized by a contoured and cushioned shoe design.

The difference results in a different running stride -- people in running shoes strike first with the heel (because of all the cushioning), whereas barefoot and minimalist runners strike first with the forefoot. This difference affects how the muscles of the legs and feet respond and develop.

But, exactly, how do the muscles change when adapting to a new running style?

That is the question researchers at the University of Virginia are asking in a new one-of-a-kind study of runners who are transitioning from shoed running style to minimalist running.

"We want to know what happens to the muscles of the leg and foot when recreational runners make the switch to minimalist footwear," said Geoffrey Handsfield, a U.Va. Ph.D. student in biomedical engineering who is leading the study. "Many minimalist shoe manufacturers make claims that their shoes will lead to strengthening the muscles of the calf and feet while avoiding common running injuries. However, there is little scientific evidence supporting these claims."

The researchers aim to find out exactly which muscles get bigger or weaken, which elongate or shorten, and if some muscles do not change.

Handsfield and his co-investigators, biomedical engineering professor Silvia Blemker (Handsfield's adviser) and third-year undergraduate biomedical engineering student Natalie Powers, are using static and dynamic MRI with motion capture cameras and an instrumented treadmill to track the running technique and muscle tissue adaptations of recreational runners transitioning to minimalist running technique.

"Most studies and discussions have been about running form and the effects on bones and joints, but we're taking a different approach," Handsfield said. "We think it's relevant to look at the muscles' adaptations, which also affect the bones and joints in their interactions."

He said this is among the first longitudinal studies of runners switching to a new running technique and using a minimalist shoe, and the first to use advanced imaging to study the effects on muscles of different running techniques.

"Dynamic MRI allows us to image the tissue very rapidly so that we can observe displacements of the muscle tissue as our subject performs a controlled cyclic exercise," Handsfield said. "We're also using static MRI to determine the subjects' muscle volumes and lengths before and after their transition to minimalist footwear, allowing us to quantify how their muscles changed with minimalist training."

The researchers are not attempting to prove one running style is better than the other; rather they are interested in the affects of the change on muscles. The eventual results could help runners make their own decisions regarding footwear and running styles.

"Shoe companies are generally not equipped to undergo fundamental studies aimed at understanding how shoe designs affect muscles," Blemker said. "At a university, we are able to focus on this type of research that ultimately both advances our fundamental understanding of muscle adaptation and potentially provides a scientific basis for future shoe designs."

The researchers have completed the first phase of their study -- mapping the muscles of study participants who run in standard running footwear. They are about to begin the second phase, which will map changes to the muscles as those runners transition to minimalist footwear. The runners are 23- to 30-year-old recreational runners who run 12 to 30 miles per week.

The research is funded by a U.Va. "Double 'Hoo" grant that pairs graduate and undergraduate students (Handsfield and Powers) on research projects, and by a gift from the Merrell shoe company, which manufactures minimalist footwear.

The technology used in the study was developed under a project funded by the U.Va.-Coulter Translational Research Partnership. The same technology has also been applied to studying muscles in children with cerebral palsy, adults with knee pain and elite and collegiate athletes.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/0sZXrqAyHj8/130502142443.htm

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Women's groups decry appeal on morning-after pill

This undated image made available by Teva Women's Health shows the packaging for their Plan B One-Step (levonorgestrel) tablet, one of the brands known as the "morning-after pill." The Plan B morning-after pill is moving over-the-counter, a decision announced by the Food and Drug Administration just days before a court-imposed deadline. On April 30, 2013, the FDA lowered to 15 the age at which girls and women can buy the emergency contraceptive without a prescription ? and said it no longer has to be kept behind pharmacy counters. Instead, the pill can sit on drugstore shelves just like condoms, but that buyers would have to prove their age at the cash register. (AP Photo/Teva Women's Health)

This undated image made available by Teva Women's Health shows the packaging for their Plan B One-Step (levonorgestrel) tablet, one of the brands known as the "morning-after pill." The Plan B morning-after pill is moving over-the-counter, a decision announced by the Food and Drug Administration just days before a court-imposed deadline. On April 30, 2013, the FDA lowered to 15 the age at which girls and women can buy the emergency contraceptive without a prescription ? and said it no longer has to be kept behind pharmacy counters. Instead, the pill can sit on drugstore shelves just like condoms, but that buyers would have to prove their age at the cash register. (AP Photo/Teva Women's Health)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Obama administration's decision to appeal a court order lifting age limits on purchasers of the morning-after pill set off a storm of criticism from reproductive rights groups, who denounced it as politically motivated and a step backward for women's health.

"We are profoundly disappointed. This appeal takes away the promise of all women having timely access to emergency contraception," Susannah Baruch, Interim President & CEO of the Reproductive Health Technologies Project, said in a statement late Wednesday.

"It is especially troubling in light of the Food and Drug Administration's move yesterday to continue age restrictions and ID requirements, despite a court order to make emergency contraception accessible for women of all ages. Both announcements, particularly in tandem, highlight the administration's corner-cutting on women's health," Baruch said. "It's a sad day for women's health when politics prevails."

The FDA on Tuesday had lowered the age at which people can buy the Plan B One-Step morning-after pill without a prescription to 15 ? younger than the current limit of 17 ? and decided that the pill could be sold on drugstore shelves near the condoms, instead of locked behind pharmacy counters. It appeared to be a stab at compromise that just made both sides angrier.

After the appeal was announced late Wednesday, Terry O'Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, said, "The prevention of unwanted pregnancy, particularly in adolescents, should not be obstructed by politicians." She called it a "step backwards for women's health."

Last week, O'Neill noted, President Barack Obama was applauded when he addressed members of Planned Parenthood and spoke of the organization's "core principle" that women should be allowed to make their own decisions about their health.

"President Obama should practice what he preaches," O'Neill said.

In appealing the ruling Wednesday, the administration recommitted itself to a position Obama took during his re-election campaign that younger teens shouldn't have unabated access to emergency contraceptives, despite the insistence by physicians groups and much of his Democratic base that the pill should be readily available.

The Justice Department's appeal responded to an order by U.S. District Judge Edward Korman in New York that would allow girls and women of any age to buy not only Plan B but its cheaper generic competition as easily as they can buy aspirin. Korman gave the FDA 30 days to comply, and the Monday deadline was approaching fast.

In its filing, the Justice Department said that Korman exceeded his authority and that his decision should be suspended while that appeal is under way, meaning only Plan B One-Step would appear on drugstore shelves until the case is finally settled. If Korman's order isn't suspended during the appeals process, the result would be "substantial market confusion, harming FDA's and the public's interest" as drugstores receive conflicting orders about who's allowed to buy what, the Justice Department concluded.

Reluctant to get drawn into a messy second-term spat over social issues, White House officials insisted Wednesday that both the FDA and the Justice Department were acting independently of the White House in deciding how to proceed. But the decision to appeal was certain to irk abortion-rights advocates who say they can't understand why a Democratic president is siding with social conservatives in favor of limiting women's reproductive choices.

Current and former White House aides said Obama's approach to the issue has been heavily influenced by his experience as the father of two school-age daughters. Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius have also questioned whether there's enough data available to show the morning-after pill is safe and appropriate for younger girls, even though physicians groups insist that it is.

Rather than take matters into his own hands, the Justice Department argued to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that Korman should have ordered the FDA to reconsider its options for regulating emergency contraception. The court cannot overturn the rules and processes that federal agencies must follow "by instead mandating a particular substantive outcome," the appeal states.

The FDA actually had been poised to lift all age limits and let Plan B sell over the counter in late 2011, when Sebelius overruled her own scientists. Sebelius said some girls as young as 11 were physically capable of bearing children but shouldn't be able to buy the pregnancy-preventing pill on their own.

Sebelius' move was unprecedented, and Korman had blasted it as election-year politics ? meaning he was overruling not just a government agency but a Cabinet secretary.

More than a year later, neither side in the contraception debate was happy with the FDA's surprise twist, which many perceived as an attempt to find a palatable middle ground between imposing an age limit of 17 and imposing no limit at all.

Any over-the-counter access marks a long-awaited change, but it's not enough, said Dr. Cora Breuner of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which supports nonprescription sale of the morning-after pill for all ages.

"We still have the major issue, which is our teen pregnancy rate is still too high," Breuner said.

Even though few young girls likely would use Plan B, which costs about $50 for a single pill, "we know that it is safe for those under 15," she said.

Most 17- to 19-year-olds are sexually active, and 30 percent of 15- and 16-year-olds have had sex, according to a study published last month by the journal Pediatrics. Sex is much rarer among younger teens. Likewise, older teens have a higher pregnancy rate, but that study also counted more than 110,000 pregnancies among 15- and 16-year-olds in 2008 alone.

Social conservatives were outraged by the FDA's move to lower the age limits for Plan B ? as well as the possibility that Korman's ruling might take effect and lift age restrictions altogether.

"This decision undermines the right of parents to make important health decisions for their young daughters," said Anna Higgins of the Family Research Council.

If a woman already is pregnant, the morning-after pill has no effect. It prevents ovulation or fertilization of an egg. According to the medical definition, pregnancy doesn't begin until a fertilized egg implants itself into the wall of the uterus. Still, some critics say Plan B is the equivalent of an abortion pill because it may also be able to prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus, a contention that many scientists ? and Korman, in his ruling ? said has been discredited.

___

Associated Press writer Pete Yost contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-05-02-Morning-After%20Pill/id-e34cccd4536f40caa0772a34fa1673d9

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Steven Spielberg to direct 'American Sniper'

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Steven Spielberg has his sights set on his next project, a movie about former Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle.

A spokeswoman for DreamWorks Studios says the filmmaker will direct Bradley Cooper in an adaptation of the best-selling book "American Sniper."

"Spread" screenwriter Jason Hall wrote the script based on the autobiography of Kyle, who was killed along with a friend earlier this year while at a North Texas gun range. An Iraq war veteran who they were trying to help deal with PTSD is charged with the killings.

Kyle is considered to be the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history. At the time of his death, he was working on another book, "American Gun: A History of the U.S. in Ten Firearms."

The film will be a co-production of DreamWorks and Warner Bros.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/steven-spielberg-direct-american-sniper-223741371.html

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Obama's bundlers get plum posts (CNN)

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Control nixes independent contractor status - Business Management ...

The usual wage-and-hour rules don?t apply to independent con??tractors because they aren?t em??ployees. But that doesn?t mean you can forget about the Fair Labor Standards Act by deciding to just call some??one an independent contractor.

What really counts is how much control you assert over the individual in how and when she does the work.

Recent case: Rachel provided legal support services to an attorney with whom she had an apparently volatile personal and romantic relationship. Later, she would claim he physically abused her. She ended the relationship but kept the job.

Meanwhile, Atinum, a land company, began using the attorney for some of its work. Atinum also contracted with Rachel for support services, requiring her to create her own corporate entity through which the contract was run. But the actual work she performed was all done on equipment and in office space provided by Atinum. Plus, the attorney told her what work to do and in which order to do it.

About a year after Rachel and the attorney broke up, the attorney fired Rachel. Atinum quit giving her assignments.

She sued Atinum, alleging unpaid wages and other claims related to her discharge. Atinum argued the case should be dismissed because Rachel wasn?t an employee.

The court refused. It ordered a trial and invited Rachel to argue that the company exerted so much control over how, when and where she did her job that, for all practical purposes, she might be considered an employee rather than a true independent contractor. (Fontenot v. Brouillette, et al., No. 4:10-CV-01053, SD TX, 2013)

Final note: Genuine independent contractors usually have great control over their day-to-day work lives, including how and when they work. They usually own their own equipment and are free to accept work for other clients.

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Tomato barley soup with feta and green onion biscuits

This simple tomato soup is chock-full of veggies and flavors. For a weeknight dinner, this soup demands biscuits. Add feta and green onion to your dough for a savory twist.

By Sarah Murphy-Kangas,?In Praise of Leftovers / May 1, 2013

This soup works well as leftovers, and also incorporates lots of staples you're likely to have on-hand.

In Praise of Leftovers

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In Praise of Leftovers

Sarah Murphy-Kangas is a cook, writer, mother, teacher, and group facilitator. She lives with her family in Seattle, Washington. She started her blog, In Praise of Leftovers, as a way to share her kitchen exploits with friends and family and further explore her obsession with food. Her favorite challenge is to make something out of nothing.

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After our bike ride with Grammy, Poppy, and the kids yesterday, I told Yancey, "This is a very short window. The oldest are healthy, the youngest can ride a 2-wheeler, and the 10 year-old still wants to be with us." A little blip on the screen, really. And all the more precious for it.

After our ride, we came back to the house and grandparents played cards with kids while I made dinner. We have people over a couple times a week, and I usually plan ahead more than I did last night. Nothing prepped, chopped, or even dreamed up.

Enter Refrigerator Soup, though I've named it something else here. A vegetable soup like this:?

1. ... is a wonderful way to pack in oodles of veggies.

2. ... makes great leftovers (not that I have ever devoted any time to thinking about that).

3. ... is endlessly variable.

4. ... makes a pretty picture.

5. .. kind of demands biscuits. I made a divine variation. (See recipe below.)

Tomato barley soup
The great thing about a soup like this is that it's almost impossible to mess it up. Don't go light on the salt, taste as you go, and have fun cleaning out your fridge!

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped or thinly sliced

2 large carrots, finely chopped

1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped

4 cloves minced garlic

2 cans chicken stock (or water)

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1/2 head of small cabbage, finely shredded

Few big handfuls of chopped fresh kale?

1/2 cup quick-cooking barley (or 1 cup cooked grain, like rice)

Big handful fresh basil, coarsely chopped

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Lots of coarse salt

Pepper?

1. Heat up the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add carrots, red pepper, and garlic, and saut? until soft, about 10 more minutes.?

2. Add chicken stock and tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes. Stick an immersion blender in and puree about 1/4 of the soup to give it more body.

3. Add cabbage, kale, and barley and cook for 10 minutes. Add basil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and add more of anything to taste (including more water if you want your soup thinner).

4. Serve unadorned or with lemon zest, Parmesan, or more basil on top.

Feta and green onion biscuits

These are a riff on my classic biscuits, and will elevate any soup to divine heights. The feta adds some moisture that makes them even fluffier, if that's possible, and the green onions add beautiful little flakes of color.

Makes 6-8, depending on the size of your biscuit cutter. I doubled the batch for 6 people, and we had none left over.

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup (1 cube) cold unsalted butter

1/2 cup coarsely crumbled feta

1/3 cup finely chopped green onions

3/4 cup cold milk

Flaked salt and milk for tops

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut in butter with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until butter is in pea-sized lumps. Add feta and green onions and gently mix with your hands.

3. Add milk, and mix with a wooden spoon until mixture just holds together. Knead a couple times in the bowl, then let dough rest for 1 or 2 minutes.

4. Flour a work surface. With a rolling pin, roll dough out into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Fold short ends toward one another, then roll out again until dough is about 3/4-inch thick. With a biscuit cutter, cut out rounds and place them close together in a pie plate on a cookie sheet. Roll out remaining dough the same way and cut out the rest.

5. Brush tops with milk, then sprinkle lightly with flaked or coarse salt. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until tops are golden brown and biscuits are cooked through. Serve hot with butter.

The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of food bloggers. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by The Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own and they are responsible for the content of their blogs and their recipes. All readers are free to make ingredient substitutions to satisfy their dietary preferences, including not using wine (or substituting cooking wine) when a recipe calls for it. To contact us about a blogger, click here.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/qa3gp4DIYV4/Tomato-barley-soup-with-feta-and-green-onion-biscuits

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Stylish Office Products & Furnishing E-Tailer Poppin Raises $11.1 Million Series B, Prepares Offline Expansion

Poppin, an online office products and furniture shop whose goal is to make design more affordable (and Pinterest-worthy), is announcing today having raised $11.1 million in Series B funding. The round was led by TrilogyGrowth, a Canadian growth stage investment fund run by former Indigo Books & Music President Music president Joel Silver. Existing investors Shasta Ventures, First Round Capital, and company founder J. Christopher Burch also participated alongside a small group of angels, which included David Tisch and others. As a part of the new round Silver will be joining Poppin?s board. Burch had the concept for Poppin back in 2009, and later?closed on $6 million in Series A funding in February 2012.?He saw that people today now had access to great design at lower price points in so many aspects of their lives, but that didn’t seem to apply to the office environment. In addition, there’s a lot of crossover between work and home these days – with office spaces serving not only as places to work, but also places to relax, dine and play ?- a concept startups and other tech companies are very familiar with, of course. Meanwhile, home offices often serve dual needs as well. With these concepts in mind, Poppin launched its “fashion forward” online catalog which today has grown to include furniture, office accessories and supplies, kitchenware, organizational aids and more. In recent weeks, Poppin has added new categories as well, like wall art and lighting, for example, which is furthering the blurring of lines between those items that are meant for the workplace and those that could be found in a home. Now with its Series B round, the company plans to expand again, says Chief Marketing Officer Kevin Ranford. And not only in the product lineup itself, he says, but also beyond e-commerce. Although Poppin’s products are only available on the web right now, it sounds like that will be changing in the near future. Ranford says he couldn’t go into details on this front, as deals are in the works. But the company has been approached by a number of people who want to sell its products, and it plans to make it possible for others to sell Poppin both in brick-and-mortar stores as well as other online ones. The company had previously offered items on promotion on Fab.com, which it saw as a helpful way to promote its brand,

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/BPSREsu21UM/

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Botox used to find new wrinkle in brain communication

May 2, 2013 ? National Institutes of Health researchers used the popular anti-wrinkle agent Botox to discover a new and important role for a group of molecules that nerve cells use to quickly send messages. This novel role for the molecules, called SNARES, may be a missing piece that scientists have been searching for to fully understand how brain cells communicate under normal and disease conditions.

"The results were very surprising," said Ling-Gang Wu, Ph.D., a scientist at NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. "Like many scientists we thought SNAREs were only involved in fusion."

Every day almost 100 billion nerve cells throughout the body send thousands of messages through nearly 100 trillion communication points called synapses. Cell-to-cell communication at synapses controls thoughts, movements, and senses and could provide therapeutic targets for a number of neurological disorders, including epilepsy.

Nerve cells use chemicals, called neurotransmitters, to rapidly send messages at synapses. Like pellets inside shotgun shells, neurotransmitters are stored inside spherical membranes, called synaptic vesicles. Messages are sent when a carrier shell fuses with the nerve cell's own shell, called the plasma membrane, and releases the neurotransmitter "pellets" into the synapse.

SNAREs (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) are three proteins known to be critical for fusion between carrier shells and nerve cell membranes during neurotransmitter release.

"Without SNAREs there is no synaptic transmission," said Dr. Wu.

Botulinum toxin, or Botox, disrupts SNAREs. In a study published in Cell Reports, Dr. Wu and his colleagues describe how they used Botox and similar toxins as tools to show that SNAREs may also be involved in retrieving message carrier shells from nerve cell membranes immediately after release.

To study this, the researchers used advanced electrical recording techniques to directly monitor in real time carrier shells being fused with and retrieved from nerve cell membranes while the cells sent messages at synapses. The experiments were performed on a unique synapse involved with hearing called the calyx of Held. As expected, treating the synapses with toxins reduced fusion. However Dr. Wu and his colleagues also noticed that the toxins reduced retrieval.

"The results were very surprising," said Dr. Wu. "Like many scientists we thought SNAREs were only involved in fusion."

For at least a decade scientists have known that carrier shells have to be retrieved before more messages can be sent. Retrieval occurs in two modes: fast and slow. A different group of molecules are known to control the slow mode.

"Until now most scientists thought fusion and retrieval were two separate processes controlled by different sets of molecules," said Dr. Wu.

Nevertheless several studies suggested that one of the SNARE molecules could be involved with both modes.

In this study, Dr. Wu and his colleagues systematically tested this idea to fully understand retrieval. The results showed that all three SNARE proteins may be involved in both fast and slow retrieval.

"Our results suggest that SNAREs link fusion and retrieval," said Dr. Wu.

The results may have broad implications. SNAREs are commonly used by other cells throughout the body to release chemicals. For example, SNAREs help control the release of insulin from pancreas cells, making them a potential target for diabetes treatments. Recent studies suggest that SNAREs may be involved in neurological and psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and spastic ataxia.

"We think SNARES work like this in most nerve cell synapses. This new role could change the way scientists think about how SNAREs are involved in neuronal communication and diseases," said Dr. Wu.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Xu J et al. SNARE proteins synaptobrevin, SNAP-25 and syntaxin are involved in rapid and slow endocytosis at synapses. Cell Reports, May 2, 2013 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellrep.2013.03.010

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/sKpjMmdoQoQ/130502131905.htm

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Nicki Minaj Blasts Mariah Carrey: Bitter! Insecure!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/05/nicki-minaj-blasts-mariah-carrey-bitter-insecure/

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Staples Rugby To Hosts Autism Speaks Fundraiser Game | The ...

WESTPORT, Conn. ? The Staples High School Rugby team will be raising funds for Autism Speaks, an advocacy and research organization, during Thursday?s home game. It is being played in memory of team captain Matt Cozzi?s late sister, Diana.

Diana Cozzi, who was born with nonverbal autism, died last October at the age of 15. As a way to honor Diana, the rugby team will sell baked goods and donated Autism Speaks merchandise during the game. Proceeds will be donated to the organization.

The game will begin at 5 p.m. at Staples Field, 70 North Ave.

Founded in 2005 by the grandparents of an autistic child, Autism Speaks sponsors autism research, raises awareness of autism spectrum disorders, hosts outreach activities and advocates for the needs of individuals and families living with autism. For more information, visit the Autism Speaks website.

Source: http://westport.dailyvoice.com/sports/staples-rugby-hosts-autism-speaks-fundraiser-game

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Bankruptcy at lowest level since start of financial crisis | www.bullfax ...

The 2012 Business Insolvency Index from Experian, the global information services company, reveals that during 2012, 0.86 per cent fewer UK businesses failed than the previous year, with 1.04 per cent of the business population failing compared to 1.10 per cent in 2011. The year ended with December seeing 0.08 per cent of businesses fail. This compares to 0.11 per cent in the same month during 2011 and represents the lowest rate seen in December since 2007.

Source: http://www.bullfax.com/?q=node-bankruptcy-lowest-level-start-financial-crisis

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The best way to start a new business ? CBS News | Latest Current ...

(MoneyWatch) With U.S. employers still reluctant to hire, more folks are considering starting a small business. But what?s better, forming a corporation or a trust? Neither, actually. For individuals looking to start small and grow big, I typically suggest forming a limited liability company, or LLC.

Every state allows single-member LLCs. To create one, you?ll need to file the proper documents with the appropriate state agency and pay filing fees. For example, in New York you?ll need to file so-called articles of organization and obtain a ?department of state filing receipt.? You?ll also need to advertise the existence of the LLC in a few local business journals and obtain an affidavit of publication.

But before you make a decision on a corporate structure, you first need to understand the legal and tax implications. LLCs shield your personal assets from the liabilities of the business. This means that if your company sinks into debt, banks and other lenders cannot seize your personal property. The only exception is if you signed a personal guarantee on a loan to your business. So a LLC provides legal protection of your assets in much the same way as a corporation. But a LLC has more flexibility when it comes to management and taxes.

When it comes to taxes and tax reporting, LLCs are simpler than corporations. LLCs are ?conduit entities,? which means that they pass through the taxable income to the owner or members (the individuals who own the LLC). This means that the LLC itself does not pay taxes. Income from the business is instead passed down to the company?s members. The members report the profits or losses from the LLC on their personal income tax returns.

For purposes of tax reporting, a single-member LLC is considered a sole proprietorship. The tax reporting for individuals who own a single-member LLC is straightforward. They report the income, expenses and net profit from the LLC on Schedule C of the Form1040 that they file with the Internal Revenue Service.

When there is more than one member of a LLC, it?s referred to as a partnership LLC. These businesses must file partnership tax returns using Form 1065, U.S. Return of Partnership Income. Since a LLC does not pay income taxes on its own, it avoids the double taxation that is a problem with corporations. Corporations pay taxes on their income, and shareholders also pay taxes when the company?s profits are distributed to them in the form of dividends.

Most states have a registry where you can search to see if the business name you are considering is available and not in use by another registered company. One piece of advice: Don?t use your surname as a part of the company?s name. If something goes wrong down the road or you want to discontinue the business, you?ll be glad your name isn?t on the front door.

Source: http://www.latestcurrentnews.com/the-best-way-to-start-a-new-business-cbs-news/

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Facebook first-quarter revenue up 38 percent

Why can she never win?? Poor Jennifer Aniston, lonely lady of Los Angeles, scorned bride and future crone. All she wants to do is marry Justin Theroux as planned, but of course then her ex, Brad Pitt, had to go and make plans to marry Angelina Jolie this summer, thus ruining everything. So Aniston is pushing back her wedding plans, it's said, to an unknown time, in the fear that the two events will be associated. So tragic. Jennifer Aniston just cannot get a break. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/facebook-first-quarter-revenue-38-percent-201127992.html

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Celtics Beat Knicks In Game 5, 92-86: Jeff Green, Jason Terry Help Boston Force Game 6 (VIDEO)

NEW YORK ? Back in the series, now back to Boston.

The Celtics are two victories from NBA history, and from extending the Knicks' postseason futility in a most improbable manner.

Kevin Garnett had 16 points and 18 rebounds and the Celtics stayed alive in the playoffs, cutting New York's lead to 3-2 with a 92-86 victory Wednesday night.

The Celtics will host Game 6 on Friday night, needing two victories to become the first NBA team to overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a series.

"We're still down. Our mentality has to be all-out," Garnett said. "It can't be anything (else)."

Brandon Bass added 17 points, steadying Boston as it shook off an 11-0 deficit and pulled away in the second half to stop the Knicks again from achieving their first playoff series victory since 2000.

"We didn't panic and that's something we've done, but we didn't," coach Doc Rivers said. "I thought once the game got back to that five, six area, our guys were good again."

J.R. Smith, back from his one-game suspension for elbowing Jason Terry with the Knicks way ahead late in Game 3, missed his first 10 shots and finished 3 of 14 for 14 points.

Terry also scored 17 off the bench.

Jeff Green scored 18 points and Paul Pierce had 16 as he and Garnett, the two franchise stalwarts, extended this season ? and perhaps their Celtics careers ? at least one more game.

"Obviously being down 2-0 or 3-0 or whatever it was, we could have folded shop. Nobody in here is going to quit," Terry said.

Carmelo Anthony scored 22 points but was just 8 of 24 in another dismal shooting night for the Knicks, who blew a big lead in this game and now the series. They face an unwanted trip back to Boston instead of the rest this aging roster could surely use before the second round.

If they get there.

"I think we're fine," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. "Sure we would've loved to close it out and move on, but nobody said it would be easy."

The Knicks would host Game 7 on Sunday.

"I told you from Game 1 that this wasn't going to be a breeze, it wasn't going to be a walk in the park, them guys were going to fight and they're showing some fight right now," Anthony said. "They threw a couple punches at us now and it's time for us to do the same."

The Celtics were the first of the eight NBA teams that have come from 3-1 down, beating Philadelphia in 1968, and put themselves on the short list of teams that have erased a 2-0 deficit the next year in the NBA Finals.

So perhaps it would be fitting if they were the first to overcome 3-0.

"I think so. I mean, I think that would be wonderful, and someone's going to do it and I want it to be us, obviously, since that's the situation we're in," Rivers said before the game. "Someone will do it, and I really want to be a part of that."

He's still got a chance.

The Knicks limited the Celtics to 75 points per game while winning the first three, and nearly came back to win Game 4 on Sunday even without Smith. So they felt good even after missing their first chance to wrap it up, when Anthony was 10 of 35 in an overtime loss.

Point guard Raymond Felton said the Knicks still feel in control of the series "for sure."

"I mean, this is what playoff basketball is about. Yes, we wish we could have swept them, yes we wish we could have won that game tonight. Sometimes things don't happen that way," he added. "Things aren't always pretty, things aren't always the way you want them to be. We've just got to grind it out and go get a win."

Though few of these players were here for the streak, the Knicks were perhaps a bit overconfident leading into the game for a franchise that lost an NBA-record 13 straight postseason games from 2001-12.

Smith said Tuesday he'd have been playing golf instead of practicing had he played in Game 4, and players wore black to the game Wednesday as if they were heading to the Celtics' "funeral."

The Celtics didn't like it, with reserve Jordan Crawford exchanging words with Anthony and Raymond Felton after the final buzzer.

Forget the funeral. The Celtics are still very much alive.

"Well, we was going to a funeral, but it looks like we got buried," Smith said. "Basketball is a very humbling game."

Smith finally made a 3-pointer to end his drought, and then another cut what had been a 15-point Boston lead to 88-83 with 1:05 remaining. But Garnett made a jumper, then knocked down two free throws to clinch it.

The Knicks were just 5 of 22 from 3-point range, which looked worse until Smith hit three late ones.

The Sixth Man of the Year received a loud ovation when he went to check in during the first quarter, but heard a few boos by the third. They will likely be deafening on Friday, the kind usually reserved in Boston for a Lakers player.

By the time Anthony drove right into the middle of the lane for a dunk that made it 11-0, the Celtics already had three turnovers. But Bass made a pair of free throws and then a dunk to settle them down. He added five more points in the period as Boston climbed within 22-20 even though Pierce missed all six shots in a scoreless 12 minutes.

He made a 3-pointer shortly after returning from a break in the second, and another gave the Celtics their first lead at 34-33 with 5:46 remaining in the half. Then Garnett had two baskets in an 8-0 run that gave Boston a 42-37 advantage, and the Celtics walked off at halftime to mostly stunned silence within Madison Square Garden with a 45-39 lead.

The second halves had belonged to the Knicks in the series, but the Celtics remained steady in the third quarter, opening a 69-60 lead on Terry's 3-pointer with 41 seconds left, and pushed it to 75-60 early in the fourth.

Notes: Woodson said the team will try to get Amare Stoudemire some contact in practice to see if he will be ready to play in the next round. Woodson said Stoudemire, who is recovering from right knee surgery, is "looking pretty good right now." ... Jason Kidd was honored before the game after winning the NBA's Sportsmanship Award on Tuesday. He is the first player to win it in back-to-back years and joins Grant Hill as the only player to win it multiple times.

___

Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/01/celtics-beat-knicks-game-5-jeff-green-jason-terry_n_3197346.html

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Printable functional 'bionic' ear melds electronics and biology

May 1, 2013 ? Scientists at Princeton University used off-the-shelf printing tools to create a functional ear that can "hear" radio frequencies far beyond the range of normal human capability.

The researchers' primary purpose was to explore an efficient and versatile means to merge electronics with tissue. The scientists used 3D printing of cells and nanoparticles followed by cell culture to combine a small coil antenna with cartilage, creating what they term a bionic ear.

"In general, there are mechanical and thermal challenges with interfacing electronic materials with biological materials," said Michael McAlpine, an assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton and the lead researcher. "Previously, researchers have suggested some strategies to tailor the electronics so that this merger is less awkward. That typically happens between a 2D sheet of electronics and a surface of the tissue. However, our work suggests a new approach -- to build and grow the biology up with the electronics synergistically and in a 3D interwoven format."

McAlpine's team has made several advances in recent years involving the use of small-scale medical sensors and antenna. Last year, a research effort led by McAlpine and Naveen Verma, an assistant professor of electrical engineering, and Fio Omenetto of Tufts University, resulted in the development of a "tattoo" made up of a biological sensor and antenna that can be affixed to the surface of a tooth.

This project, however, is the team's first effort to create a fully functional organ: one that not only replicates a human ability, but extends it using embedded electronics.

"The design and implementation of bionic organs and devices that enhance human capabilities, known as cybernetics, has been an area of increasing scientific interest," the researchers wrote in the article which appears in the scholarly journal Nano Letters. "This field has the potential to generate customized replacement parts for the human body, or even create organs containing capabilities beyond what human biology ordinarily provides."

Standard tissue engineering involves seeding types of cells, such as those that form ear cartilage, onto a scaffold of a polymer material called a hydrogel. However, the researchers said that this technique has problems replicating complicated three dimensional biological structures. Ear reconstruction "remains one of the most difficult problems in the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery," they wrote.

To solve the problem, the team turned to a manufacturing approach called 3D printing. These printers use computer-assisted design to conceive of objects as arrays of thin slices. The printer then deposits layers of a variety of materials -- ranging from plastic to cells -- to build up a finished product. Proponents say additive manufacturing promises to revolutionize home industries by allowing small teams or individuals to create work that could previously only be done by factories.

Creating organs using 3D printers is a recent advance; several groups have reported using the technology for this purpose in the past few months. But this is the first time that researchers have demonstrated that 3D printing is a convenient strategy to interweave tissue with electronics.

The technique allowed the researchers to combine the antenna electronics with tissue within the highly complex topology of a human ear. The researchers used an ordinary 3D printer to combine a matrix of hydrogel and calf cells with silver nanoparticles that form an antenna. The calf cells later develop into cartilage.

Manu Mannoor, a graduate student in McAlpine's lab and the paper's lead author, said that additive manufacturing opens new ways to think about the integration of electronics with biological tissue and makes possible the creation of true bionic organs in form and function. He said that it may be possible to integrate sensors into a variety of biological tissues, for example, to monitor stress on a patient's knee meniscus.

David Gracias, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins and co-author on the publication, said that bridging the divide between biology and electronics represents a formidable challenge that needs to be overcome to enable the creation of smart prostheses and implants.

"Biological structures are soft and squishy, composed mostly of water and organic molecules, while conventional electronic devices are hard and dry, composed mainly of metals, semiconductors and inorganic dielectrics," he said. "The differences in physical and chemical properties between these two material classes could not be any more pronounced."

The finished ear consists of a coiled antenna inside a cartilage structure. Two wires lead from the base of the ear and wind around a helical "cochlea" -- the part of the ear that senses sound -- which can connect to electrodes. Although McAlpine cautions that further work and extensive testing would need to be done before the technology could be used on a patient, he said the ear in principle could be used to restore or enhance human hearing. He said electrical signals produced by the ear could be connected to a patient's nerve endings, similar to a hearing aid. The current system receives radio waves, but he said the research team plans to incorporate other materials, such as pressure-sensitive electronic sensors, to enable the ear to register acoustic sounds.

In addition to McAlpine, Verma, Mannoor and Gracias the research team includes: Winston Soboyejo, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton; Karen Malatesta, a faculty fellow in molecular biology at Princeton; Yong Lin Kong, a graduate student in mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton; and Teena James, a graduate student in chemical and biomolecular engineering at Johns Hopkins.

The team also included Ziwen Jiang, a high school student at the Peddie School in Hightstown who participated as part of an outreach program for young researchers in McAlpine's lab.

"Ziwen Jiang is one of the most spectacular high school students I have ever seen," McAlpine said. "We would not have been able to complete this project without him, particularly in his skill at mastering CAD designs of the bionic ears."

Support for the project was provided by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, NIH, and the Grand Challenges Program at Princeton University.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Princeton University, Engineering School, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Manu S Mannoor, Ziwen Jiang, Teena James, Yong Lin Kong, Karen A Malatesta, Winston Soboyejo, Naveen Verma, David H Gracias, Michael C. McAlpine. A 3D Printed Bionic Ear. Nano Letters, 2013; : 130501101451003 DOI: 10.1021/nl4007744

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/~3/zUICGgK3jVo/130501193208.htm

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HTC marketing blitz to squeeze 2013 margins

By Clare Jim

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC Corp will struggle to improve its margins this year as it increases marketing spend for its latest model in a bid to catch up to rivals Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Apple Inc.

HTC on Thursday forecast strong sales of its flagship HTC One smartphone to lift second-quarter revenues by almost two-thirds to T$70 billion ($2.37 billion).

Operating margins were also expected to widen to between 1 and 3 percent from the previous quarter's 0.1 percent, as HTC spends more on a campaign to improve its brand image. HTC's third-quarter 2012 operating margins were 7 percent.

"We're improving the HTC marketing execution. It's the first time since HTC developed its brand that we are really integrating brand, product and marketing all together," HTC Chief Executive Peter Chou told an investor conference call.

He did not give specific figures but the company said in March its digital media marketing budget for the first half of this year would increase 250 percent year-on-year, while the budget for traditional media will double.

Investors, however, were cautious about the HTC One's longer-term prospects as both Apple and Samsung have much deeper pockets and are more established brands.

"Samsung basically cornered the whole supply chain. To me, HTC is more of a product story: good product, higher stock price," said Hong Kong-based portfolio manager Michiel Van Voorst, who manages $1.2 billion in Asian equities for Robeco.

"I think investors will be a bit more reluctant now to price the stock at earnings that have not yet materialized," added Van Voorst, who substantially cut his holdings in HTC late last year after the company repeatedly missed profit forecasts.

The HTC One, currently available in five countries including China, runs a version of Google Inc's Android software that allows users to customize their homescreen.

Research firm Daiwa Capital, in a recent report, said HTC One was one of the top-five best selling smartphones offered by U.S. carriers and that it was out of stock at some operators and retailers in Britain, Germany and Taiwan.

KGI Securities analyst Richard Ko believes this popularity may be short-lived.

"While we think HTC's shipments will rebound strongly in Q2, we also think Samsung and other second tier players will continue to exert pressure on HTC," he said. "We remain cautious because of HTC's execution capability and long-term structural weaknesses."

Delays in the full launch of the HTC One due to a shortage of a camera component led HTC to report a record-low net profit in the previous quarter.

Future sales volumes were also thrown into doubt after rival Nokia Oyj won a court injunction last week that would prevent HTC from using microphone components made by STMicroelectronics NV in HTC One phones.

HTC has said it does not expect the decision to have any immediate impact on sales, and that it will find other suppliers once its inventory of STMicroelectronics microphones runs out.

HTC was the world's 10th-biggest smartphone maker by shipments in the fourth quarter, according to IT research firm Gartner, jostling in a crowded field behind Samsung and Apple.

Shares in HTC have slipped 1.8 percent this year, underperforming the broader market's 5.6 percent rise. On Thursday, HTC shares closed down 2 percent compared to a 0.43 percent rise in the main share index.

(Corrects timing of when fund manger cut holding in paragraph 8)

(Additional reporting by Jonathan Gordon; Editing by Miral Fahmy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/htc-expects-second-quarter-revenue-jump-63-6-070516986.html

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