Study: Helmet law weakened, motorcycle injuries up

FILE - In this June 12, 2008 file photo, Randy Knauff takes off from work without a helmet on his motorcycle in Harmony, Pa. Across the nation, motorcyclists opposed to mandatory helmet use have been chipping away at state helmet laws for years while crash deaths have been on the rise. Currently, 19 states and the District of Columbia require all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, 28 states, including Pennsylvania, require only some motorcyclists _ usually younger or novice riders _ to wear a helmet, and three states have no helmet use law. States have been gradually repealing or weakening mandatory helmet laws for nearly two decades. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)

FILE - In this June 12, 2008 file photo, Randy Knauff takes off from work without a helmet on his motorcycle in Harmony, Pa. Across the nation, motorcyclists opposed to mandatory helmet use have been chipping away at state helmet laws for years while crash deaths have been on the rise. Currently, 19 states and the District of Columbia require all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, 28 states, including Pennsylvania, require only some motorcyclists _ usually younger or novice riders _ to wear a helmet, and three states have no helmet use law. States have been gradually repealing or weakening mandatory helmet laws for nearly two decades. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)

Map shows motorcycle helmet laws by state

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The average medical claim from a motorcycle crash rose by more than one-fifth last year in Michigan after the state stopped requiring all riders to wear helmets, according to an insurance industry study. Across the nation, motorcyclists opposed to mandatory helmet use have been chipping away at state helmet laws for years while crash deaths have been on the rise.

For more than 40 years, Michigan required all motorcycle riders to wear helmets. State legislators changed the law last year so that only riders younger than 21 must wear helmets. The average insurance payment on a motorcycle injury claim was $5,410 in the two years before the law was changed, and $7,257 after it was changed ? an increase of 34 percent, the study by the Highway Loss Data Institute found.

After adjusting for the age and type of motorcycle, rider age, gender, marital status, weather and other factors, the actual increase was about 22 percent relative to a group of four comparative states, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin, the study found.

"The cost per injury claim is significantly higher after the law changed than before, which is consistent with other research that shows riding without a helmet leads to more head injuries," David Zuby, chief research officer for the data institute and an affiliated organization, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, said. The data institute publishes insurance loss statistics on most car, SUV, pickup truck and motorcycle models on U.S. roads.

While other studies have shown an increase motorcycle deaths after states eliminate or weaken mandatory helmet requirements, the industry study is the first to look specifically at the effect of repealing helmet requirements on the severity of injuries as measured by medical insurance claims, Zuby said.

Some states have sought to mitigate the repeal or loosening of mandatory helmet laws by setting minimum medical insurance requirements, but "that doesn't even come close to covering the lifelong care of somebody who is severely brain-injured and who cannot work and who is going to be on Medicaid and a ward of the state," Jackie Gillan, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, which backs mandatory helmet requirements for all riders, said.

Jeff Hennie, vice president of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, dismissed the study, saying the insurance industry views helmets as "the silver bullet that's going to change the landscape of motorcycle safety." He said insurers are upset because "life has gotten more expensive for them and they have to pay out more."

"The fact is our highways are bloody," Hennie said. "This (the Michigan helmet law change) doesn't make helmets illegal. ... No one is forcing anyone to ride without a helmet."

Vince Consiglio, president of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education of Michigan, blamed the increase in the severity of injuries on bikers who don't take safety courses required to obtain a special motorcycle license. He said bikers without motorcycle licenses have made up an increasingly larger share of fatalities and injuries in recent years.

But Gillan said the study "clearly shows there is no such thing as a free ride, and the public is paying the cost for this."

There's no way to know how many of the Michigan claims involved motorcyclists not wearing helmets, the study said. But another recent study by the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute found a significant increase in motorcyclists involved in crashes who weren't wearing helmets after the law changed. From April 13, 2012, the first full day after the change took effect, through the end of the year, 74 percent of motorcyclists involved in crashes were wearing helmets, compared with 98 percent in the same period for the previous four years, the study found.

Nationally, motorcycle deaths have risen in 14 of the past 15 years, with more than 5,000 deaths last year, according to an analysis by the Governors Highway Safety Association of preliminary 2012 data. That's the highest proportion motorcycles have ever represented of overall traffic deaths, more than 14 percent, the association said.

Currently, 19 states and the District of Columbia require all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, 28 states require only some motorcyclists ? usually younger or novice riders ? to wear a helmet, and three states have no helmet use law. States have been gradually repealing or weakening mandatory helmet laws for nearly two decades.

In 1967, to increase motorcycle helmet use, the federal government required that states enact helmet laws in order to qualify for certain federal safety programs and highway construction aid. The federal incentive worked. By the early 1970s, almost all states had motorcycle helmet laws that covered all riders. In 1976, Congress stopped the Transportation Department from assessing financial penalties on states without helmet laws, and state lawmakers began repealing the statutes.

In 1991, Congress created new incentives for states to enact helmet and seat belt laws, but reversed itself four years later.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which sent observers to states last year to count how many motorcyclists wore helmets, found that 97 percent of motorcyclists in states with universal helmet laws were wearing helmets compared with 58 percent of motorcyclists in states without such coverage.

___

Follow Joan Lowy on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AP_Joan_Lowy

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-05-30-Motorcycle%20Helmets-Injuries/id-15c007c8990d429c9cb25c7a692d97b8

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TVLine Items: FX Greenlights Tracy Morgan Pilot, Fox to Air Anger ...

May 30, 2013 02:43 PM PDT

Tracy Jordan no more, Tracy Morgan is looking to bring a new kooky character to TV.

FX on Thursday gave the green light to a comedy pilot starring the 30 Rock alum, titled Death Pact.

From Rob Long (Sullivan & Son) and Tad Safran (The Long Weekend), the project centers on Morgan?s lazy high school coach-turned-war hero who sucks three of his former students into his nutty new self-help philosophy.

Production on the half-hour, single-cam comedy will begin this summer.

Ready for more of today?s TV dish? Well?

? FX?s Anger Management is making a brief move to mothership Fox to help combat a decline in ratings. Beginning June 3, four episodes of the Charlie Sheen-starring sitcom (including a pair of fresh ones) will air on the network in place of The Mindy Project repeats.

RELATED | Anger Management to Run Non-Stop for Two Years

? Ugly Americans has officially been cancelled. The producers of the animated Comedy Central series announced the news on Facebook, noting that they?re still ?exploring? options, even ones that don?t include traditional TV episodes.?

RELATED | TV Pilots for 2013-2014 Season

? Big Brother?s companion series Big Brother: After Dark is moving to TVGN (fka TV Guide Network), where it will be trimmed down to two-hour curated feeds, starting at midnight. Season 8 of BBAD premieres June 26.

? The latest look at CBS? summer series Under the Dome (bowing June 24) is sure to tug at those heartstrings. Take a peek below, then hit the comments with your sobby judgements.

Which TVLine Items have you talking today?

Source: http://tvline.com/2013/05/30/tracy-morgan-fx-comedy-pilot-death-pact/

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Plex app now available for Drobo's media-savvy 5N NAS

With its quad-core ARM processor, the Drobo 5N is capable of much more than just storing files, and you can now grab a Plex app to help it live up to that potential. Once installed, it'll turn the NAS into a full blown media server to distribute up to 16TB of protected media to any of your Plex- or DLNA-supported SmartTVs, handheld devices, Mac or PC computers, set top boxes and gaming consoles. Plex said that the Drobo, while not capable of performing real-time video transcoding, will be able to demux multiple video and audio streams and transcode multi-channel audio to stereo AAC in real-time. If you already shelled out $600 for one of the speedy boxes -- on top of the drives to populate it -- the free cost of the app is probably a relief. You can grab it from your Drobo Dashboard.

Filed under: Storage, Software, HD

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Source: Plex, Drobo (Plex product page)

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Wildfire sparked near power stations north of LA

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (AP) ? A fast-growing wildfire was burning out of control Thursday night near power stations and utility lines north of Los Angeles and homes in a mountain community were being evacuated, officials said.

The fire in the Angeles National Forest surged to 1,000 acres after burning for about four hours, the U.S. Forest Service said, sending out big clouds of black smoke amid temperatures in the high 80s and winds gusting at more than 20 mph.

"The growth potential of this fire is great. It's burning medium to thick brush on steep slopes," said Sherry Rollman, a forest service spokeswoman.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department was helping residents evacuate in the community of Green Valley. It was not clear how many homes are threatened, but about 1,000 people live in the area.

Both Southern California Edison and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said the fire was threatening their facilities and they were monitoring the blaze for potential outages, though none had been reported. Power was being rerouted away from the threatened lines.

The blaze broke out at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, just north of Powerhouse No. 1, a hydroelectric plant near the LA aqueduct that was the first to bring municipal power to the city and has been operating for nearly a century.

One structure has burned but it was not immediately clear what it was.

Further north near Santa Barbara, a fire that burned nearly 2,000 acres in the Los Padres National Forest and forced the evacuation of thousands of campers when it broke out on Memorial Day was fully contained Thursday.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-05-30-California%20Wildfire/id-52425197e58b45da9b14158c688c4554

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Paper could be basis for inexpensive diagnostic devices

May 29, 2013 ? Paper is known for its ability to absorb liquids, making it ideal for products such as paper towels. But by modifying the underlying network of cellulose fibers, etching off surface "fluff" and applying a thin chemical coating, researchers have created a new type of paper that repels a wide variety of liquids -- including water and oil.

The paper takes advantage of the so-called "lotus effect" -- used by leaves of the lotus plant -- to repel liquids through the creation of surface patterns at two different size scales and the application of a chemical coating. The material, developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology, uses nanometer- and micron-scale structures, plus a surface fluorocarbon, to turn old-fashioned paper into an advanced material.

The modified paper could be used as the foundation for a new generation of inexpensive biomedical diagnostics in which liquid samples would flow along patterns printed on the paper using special hydrophobic ink and an ordinary desktop printer. This paper could also provide an improved packaging material that would be less expensive than other oil- and water-repelling materials, while being both recyclable and sustainable.

"Paper is a very heterogeneous material composed of fibers with different sizes, different lengths and a non-circular cross-section," said Dennis Hess, a professor in the Georgia Tech School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. "We believe this is the first time that a superamphiphobic surface -- one that repels all fluids -- has been created on a flexible, traditional and heterogeneous material like paper."

Research leading to development of the superamphiphobic paper has been supported by the Institute for Paper Science and Technology (IPST) at Georgia Tech. Details were published online May 24 in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

The new paper, which is both superhydrophobic (water-repelling) and super oleophobic (oil-repelling), can be made from standard softwood and hardwood fibers using a modified paper process. In addition to Hess, the research team included Lester Li, a graduate research assistant, and Victor Breedveld, an associate professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Producing the new paper begins with breaking up cellulose fibers into smaller structures using a mechanical grinding process. As in traditional paper processing, the fibers are then pressed in the presence of water -- but then the water is removed and additional processing is done with the chemical butanol. Use of butanol inhibits the hydrogen bonding that normally takes place between cellulose fibers, allowing better control of their spacing.

"The desirable properties we are seeking are mainly controlled by the geometry of the fibers," Hess explained.

The second step involves using an oxygen plasma etching process -- a technique commonly used in the microelectronics industry -- to remove the layer of amorphous "fluffy" cellulose surface material, exposing the crystalline cellulose nanofibrils. The process thereby uncovers smaller cellulose structures and provides a second level of "roughness" with the proper geometry needed to repel liquids.

Finally, a thin coating of a fluoropolymer is applied over the network of cellulose fibers. In testing, the paper was able to repel water, motor oil, ethylene glycol and n-hexadecane solvent.

The researchers have printed patterns onto their paper using a hydrophobic ink and a desktop printer. Droplets applied to the pattern remain on the ink pattern, repelled by the adjacent superamphiphobic surface.

That capability could facilitate development of inexpensive biomedical diagnostic tests in which a droplet containing antigens could be rolled along a printed surface where it would encounter diagnostic chemicals. If appropriate reagents are used, the specific color or color intensity of the patterns could indicate the presence of a disease. Because the droplets adhere tightly to the printed lines or dots, the samples can be sent to a laboratory for additional testing.

"We have shown that we can do the operations necessary for a microfluidic device," Hess said. "We can move the droplet along a pattern, split the droplet and transfer the droplet from one piece of paper to another. We can do all of these operations on a two-dimensional surface."

For Hess, Li and Breedveld, creating a superhydrophobic suface was relatively straightforward because water has a high surface tension. For oils, which have a low surface tension, the key to creating the repellent surface is to create re-entrant -- or undercut -- angles between the droplets and the surface.

Previous examples of superamphiphobic surfaces have been made on rigid surfaces through lithographic techniques. Such processes tend to produce fragile surfaces that are prone to damage, Hess said.

The principal challenge has been to create high-performance in a material that is anything but geometrically regular and consistent.

"Working with heterogeneous materials is fascinating, but it's very difficult not just to control them, because there is no inherent consistent structure, but also to change the processing conditions so you can get something that, on average, is what you need," he said. "It's been a real learning experience for us."

The new paper has so far been made in samples about four inches on a side, but Hess sees no reason why the process couldn't be scaled up. Though long-term testing of the new paper hasn't been done, Hess is encouraged by what he's seen so far.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/strange_science/~3/Ttm60UKrBKA/130529092053.htm

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Mount Everest is Too Crowded

The world's highest peak is so crowded with climbers that some are seriously considering installing a ladder on the famed Hillary Step to ease congestion. While the ladder is intended for use for those descending from the peak, the proposal still casts Mt. Everest's long-running overcrowding issue into stark relief.?

RELATED: Three Climbers Die on Mount Everest

Here's the Guardian, on the ladder proposal:?

"Most of the traffic jams are at the Hillary Step because only one person can go up or down. If you have people waiting two, three or even four hours that means lots of exposure [to risk]. To make the climbing easier, that would be wrong. But this is a safety feature," said Sherpa, who co-ordinates the work to prepare the traditional route up the mountain for clients who pay between $45,000 and $75,000."

The story of Everest's epic traffic jam has been bubbling under the surface for awhile. National Geographic, for instance, has a great piece on Everest crowds in their June issue, marking the 60th anniversary of Edmund Hillary's ascent to the peak. Apparently, the path to ascent is now littered with garbage, and corpses:?

"We were forced to move at exactly the same speed as everyone else, regardless of strength or ability. In the swirling darkness before midnight, I gazed up at the string of lights, climbers? headlamps, rising into the black sky. Above me were more than a hundred slow-moving climbers. In one rocky section at least 20 people were attached to a single ratty rope anchored by a single badly bent picket pounded into the ice. If the picket popped, the rope or carabiner would instantly snap from the weight of two dozen falling climbers, and they would all cartwheel down the face to their death.

Panuru, the lead Sherpa of our team, and I unclipped from the lines, swerved out into open ice, and began soloing?for experienced mountaineers, a safer option. Twenty minutes later, another corpse. Still attached to the line of ropes, he was sitting in the snow, frozen solid as stone, his face black, his eyes wide open."

The magazine proposes several other options for fixing Everest's crowd problem, none of which involve a ladder. Their solutions include fewer permits, certifying climbers for experience, reducing team size, and making sure litter (and bodies) are removed from the mountain.?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mount-everest-too-crowded-032416037.html

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Bucs?rally late to beat Tigers? |? Phils top BoSox

By WILL GRAVES

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 10:01 p.m. ET May 29, 2013

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Anibal Sanchez spent six innings toying with the Pittsburgh Pirates, his electric stuff rendering the Pirates innocent bystanders.

When the Detroit starter finally wobbled, Pittsburgh wasted little time knocking him over.

Pedro Alvarez's two-run double sparked a seventh-inning rally and the Pirates streaked by the Tigers 5-3 on Wednesday night. Travis Snider added an RBI double and Jordy Mercer laid down a perfect suicide squeeze to cap the four-run burst and abruptly end Sanchez's evening.

"I don't think as a team we ever check out in the seventh inning," Snider said. "We've had a lot of late comebacks we've had a lot of great rallies off bullpens and starters late in the game."

The victory was Pittsburgh's eighth of the year when it trailed after six innings and pushed the Pirates to a season-high 13 games over .500 (33-20). Bryan Morris (2-2) picked up the win in relief of A.J. Burnett. Jason Grilli pitched the ninth for his major league-leading 22nd save.

Miguel Cabrera hit his 15th home run for Detroit. He flied out to the wall in right field with a runner on to end it.

Neil Walker - whose solo home run in the 11th inning produced the only run in a 1-0 Pittsburgh victory in Detroit on Tuesday night - provided the only two hits through off six innings off Sanchez. The righthander looked nearly as dominant as he did in his previous start, when he one-hit the Minnesota Twins.

Sanchez retired 16 of 17 batters at one point and appeared to have all the cushion he needed when Andy Dirks doubled home Don Kelly with one out in the fifth and Cabrera followed two batters later by poking a 92 mph fastball from A.J. Burnett into the seats in right field for his 15th home run, giving the Tigers a 3-1 lead.

Watching Sanchez buzz through the first six innings on just 67 pitches, Detroit manager Jim Leyland didn't even have anyone up in the bullpen when things quickly unraveled.

Garrett Jones singled with one out in the seventh, Russell Martin walked on four pitches and the floodgates opened.

"It was kind of a freaky thing," Leyland said. "He just walked a guy and all of a sudden kind of lost it there momentarily."

Alvarez followed by driving a ball to the wall in left-center, scoring both runners. Snider took the next pitch and hit it off the wall in right with Alvarez just beating the relay throw to put Pittsburgh in front.

"We knew as hitters we had to grind," Snider said. "If he's going to make a mistake, it's going to be early. Pedro did a great job jumping on him early, so did Jones. Russell the same thing, getting on base. Before they were able to get anything going in their bullpen we were able to get to him in that inning."

Snider moved to third on a wild pitch, then darted home when Mercer's bunt stopped just in front of the pitcher's mound. It's one of the few times the squeeze has worked for the Pirates under manager Clint Hurdle.

"It was kind of surprising," Mercer said. "In those situations all you want to do is put it in fair territory somewhere. I was able to deaden it. It actually worked out really well for both sides."

Sanchez allowed five runs on seven hits in 6 2-3 innings, walking one and striking out nine while his ERA rose from 2.38 to 2.79.

"I think I missed some pitches and they hit them," Sanchez said. "I take responsibility, that's part of the game. Before that inning I thought everything was working good, especially location."

Pittsburgh's late surge allowed Burnett to escape his fourth straight loss. The Pirates have struggled to support their ace this season and had scored just five runs total in his previous five starts.

The right-hander had issues with his command but managed to stay out of trouble until the fifth, when Kelly's leadoff walk started a three-run burst. Burnett gave up three runs on five hits, walking four and striking out four.

Burnett was long gone by the time Alvarez got things going. Tony Watson worked the eighth and Grilli - who struck out the Tigers in order in the 11th on Tuesday - stayed perfect in 22 save chances when Cabrera flied out.

NOTES: Detroit OF Torii Hunter sustained a contusion on his left elbow after getting hit by Morris' fastball in the seventh. Hunter said the pain made him "dizzy" but X-rays were negative. ... Tigers CF Austin Jackson is likely heading to Triple-A Toledo this weekend while he recovers from an injured left hamstring that's had him on the disabled list since May 12. Leyland said he'd like to test Jackson's hamstring before activating him ... A Pirates season ticket holder provided Grilli with a fish tank that includes three small sharks and a blowfish. Grilli and setup man Mark Melancon have nicknamed Pittsburgh's bullpen the "Shark Tank." ... The Pirates are 24-1 this season when leading after seven innings ... The series concludes on Thursday. Pittsburgh's Jeff Locke (5-1, 2.45 ERA) will look for his sixth straight victory. Doug Fister (5-2, 3.65 ERA) starts for the Tigers.

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

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Another Subway surprise

Challenged by fed-up manager Terry Collins, slumping infielders Ike Davis and Ruben Tejada sparked a five-run first inning that kept the Mets sailing along in this surprising Subway Series with a 9-4 victory over the Yankees on Wednesday night.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/52040723/ns/sports-baseball/

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The US shale-gas revolution and European renewables: Divergence and cooperation in alternative energy

May 29, 2013 ? That the United States and Europe have been following different energy policies over the past few decades won't come as a surprise. However, according to one researcher, their divergence -- with the US leading 'the shale gas revolution' and Europe investing heavily in modern renewables -- is a good thing for the development of both alternative-energy sources.

Writing in the Journal of Transatlantic Studies, Marianne Haug of the University of Hohenheim argues that although the transatlantic energy partners continue to be committed to common goals -- namely energy security, environmental sustainability and economic competitiveness -- the relative priority given to each has changed substantially since the early 1990s. Domestic issues, geopolitical concerns, differing resource bases, changing energy markets, government policy, public opinion, the accession of new countries to the EU and the choices of investors have all altered the landscape. To address these new challenges, both the US and Europe have jointly and separately reached out to new markets, partners and collaboration arrangements.

Haug points to the example of the Kyoto Protocol as a turning point for energy policy. Before the 1997 agreement, which the US did not ratify, energy security was considered the most important of the three goals. After Kyoto, European countries gave higher, if not equal, priority to environmental concerns. European countries entered into partnerships beyond the US to develop low-carbon technologies, such as windmills, photovoltaic units, solar thermal hot-water installations and rapeseed biofuel. The EU also developed emission-trading systems, biofuel targets, energy-efficiency guidelines and standards, which stimulated the market for renewables and the industry as a whole.

In the United States, where the European acceptance of the potential dangers of continued fossil-fuel use is not widespread, public and private investors have spent heavily on shale gas, building on existing fossil-fuel technology. The ability to extract shale gas efficiently could indeed 'change the game' for the US and other countries by contributing to energy security and bringing lower prices. However, the industry is still in its infancy in Europe, due both to stricter regulations and public opinion. This may be changing, at least in the UK: the government stated in its March 2013 budget the intention to invest in its production.

Haug concludes that this parallel development of shale gas in the US and renewables in Europe diversifies and enriches the world's energy-supply choices. They are complementary technology pathways to limit import dependence for both partners and contribute to secure, affordable and sustainable energy for all. They are the result of transatlantic diversification -- initially driven by energy-security then environmental concerns -- through public and private R&D and supportive government policies. Now further cooperation between the transatlantic partners is needed to scale up the development of both forms of alternative energy for the benefit of the global energy community. This article is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the major players' current positions on alternative-energy sources and what the future might hold for global energy supply.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/RD-kd8uNODM/130529101519.htm

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Conversocial CRM Social Media Tool Raises $4.4M Led By Octopus Investments

Conversocial has been around since 2009, but only recently has the team decided to infiltrate the U.S. market with its social customer service software, which brings the social media response team into the call center. The company has just secured a $4.4 million A2 round led by Octopus Investments, including a $3.2 million investment alongside a previous $1.2 million convertible note. The investment is aimed toward powering the UK-based company's expansion into the U.S., as well as further product development and hiring. This latest A2 round comes on the heels of a $2.4 million Series A round in May of 2011, bringing the company's total funding to just under $7 million.

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

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Benefits Of Traditional Office Furniture/Home ... - Hot Article Depot

Business owners in Malaysia have to go for revitalizing of their previous office with new office furniture on regular basis. For this, office owners must contact with the office furniture supplier of native space, in order that they might obtain suitable collection for brand new workplace interiors.

As of late, office owners may find a number of relevant selections, once they plan for kitting out your workplace in Malaysia. Business people should need to arrange their contacts with reliable office furniture supplier. On this means, they could obtain proper kind of office furniture with simple alternative, like inexpensive costs and extremely impressive executive items and lots of more.

On the other hand, homeowners of Malaysia can even obtain a few of the exclusive benefits by getting executive items of their homes. It?s because; executive home furniture may give enticing look to the homes. Therefore, by simply buying executive furniture from reliable home furniture supplier, individuals can improve the interior dcor of their homes. In this article, a lot of the consultants related with home or office enchancment techniques have revealed among the benefits of getting executive furnishings in workplaces and homes.

Firstly, if business owners go buying executive office furniture for his or her office, they may discover the development within the business as a result of such furnishings gives assistance and comfort to employees. The productiveness of employees is solely dependent on the consolation at their working place, which they get by sitting in fitted and ergonomic chairs. Hence, in order to guarantee good productiveness of workers, employers in Malaysia should acquire executive furniture from the close by office furniture supplier.

The comfort issue associated with executive home furniture is highly important for homeowners belong to completely different parts of Malaysia. This is because; home is the place, where people stay, calm and prefer to have complete peace of their minds. Therefore, homeowners ought to compulsorily buy their home-related items from appropriate home furniture supplier, which deals with executive furnishings for homes.

Secondly, a lot of the consultants in Malaysia have stated that the looks of office in front of workers and buyers is likely one of the largest elements in success of business. Traditional office furniture is without doubt one of the greatest ways of giving appealing and trendy look to the offices. Hence, buying of basic furniture from office furniture supplier may improve the atmosphere of places of work and give good status of the business in front of customers.

As just like the workplaces, acquisition of basic home furniture enhances the overall appurtenance of homes. Houses in Malaysia aren?t only the locations, wherewherein people stay, however are locations, wherein people get pleasure from some special moments of their life. Hence, it?s extremely important for homeowners to purchase greatest kind of furnishings from home furniture supplier.

Office furniture is one of the long-lasting items for any of the business organizations. Subsequently, business proprietors ought to seek to buy trendy furniture nearby office furniture supplier. Alternatively, business owners may browse the internet to find furniture suppliers in Malaysia dealing with executive office items.

Apart from this, browsing of internet may aid homeowners find suitable home furniture supplier concerned in selling classic furniture to homes. Thus, with few clicks of mouse, owners in Malaysia could simply have stylish home furniture of their homes.

Your satisfaction with our product is utmost importance to us. Elmod Furniture makes every effort to select and sell products constructed with highest-grade material, built by selected manufacturers to exacting standards. Should there be a problem with your order,please contact us immediately and we will promptle resolve it.

Source: http://hotarticledepot.com/benefits-of-traditional-office-furniturehome-furniture/

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Border entry fee study sparks northern opposition

SEATTLE (AP) -- By Michael Hill's estimation, 90 percent of the people pumping gas at his station just south of the U.S.-Canada border in Washington state are Canadians.

Gas north of the 49th parallel, he said, is about $1.30 per gallon more expensive than in the United States. But that's not the only product that Canadians seek in visits to Washington state: Beer, wine and milk are significantly cheaper (beer and wine alone are roughly half the price in the U.S.).

Add a strong Canadian dollar and the result is a key element of the economy in the towns of Whatcom County. For example, the town of Blaine, population just shy of 5,000, generates over $225,000 from a penny per gallon gas tax, which is about 30 percent of its street maintenance budget.

That's why Hill and others are troubled by the notion of charging a fee to enter the U.S. by land. Last month, in its 2014 fiscal year budget proposal, the Department of Homeland Security requested permission to study a fee at the nation's land border crossings.

"It's a deterrent," said Hill, whose station is fully stocked with wine and has a reader board that says "Thank you Canadians."

"They should be doing anything they can to get them down here to buy more," he added.

That lone request sparked wide opposition among members of Congress from northern states, who vowed to stop it. A fee, they say, would hurt communities on the border that rely on people, goods and money moving between the U.S. and Canada.

"The imposition of such a toll would act as a barrier to the greater economic integration that we seek, and is the absolute last thing we should be doing to grow our economy," stated a letter sent to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano earlier this month signed by 18 Republican and Democratic House lawmakers.

Democrat U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont is sponsoring an amendment to the immigration reform bill that bars Homeland Security from conducting the study. The senator has also promised to stop any funding for the study. In the House, Democrat Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington state introduced a bill to stop the creation of a fee.

This week an amendment by Democrat Rep. Bill Owens of New York to stop the study was introduced to the House to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill.

Lawmakers and people from the southern border, though, did not show such strong opposition, highlighting a north-south divide on how to pay for border infrastructure.

Democrat Congressman Ruben E. Hinojosa, who represents a district in Texas that includes McAllen and its nearby border region, said fees would be good if the revenue stream is used to improve infrastructure.

"I would support crossing fees only if the funds garnered would be used to upgrade our facilities, provide better equipment for our agents, or used for the hiring of more agents at our border crossings," Hinojosa said.

Currently it costs nothing to enter the country by land. Air and sea crossings already have a fee of under $2, which are included in ticket prices.

The proposal would mean creating a pilot program that tests all the steps needed to create a fee collection ? short of actually collecting money. The proposed fee would offset costs of providing border screening and infrastructure. Customs and Border Protection did not specify the cost of the study.

The quick response from northern states lawmakers bolsters the thought that the study won't happen this fiscal year, said Ken Oplinger, president of the Bellingham/Whatcom County Chamber of Commerce in Washington state.

But he thinks that due to the expensive border security measures that have been implemented since Sept. 11, the idea could make a comeback in the future unless other sources of funding not reliant on a border fee appear.

One of busiest northern border crossings ? the Peace Arch ? is located in Whatcom County. It connects Washington state with British Columbia. In places, the border is just farmland, with no wall or fence and grazing cows. About 12,000 people cross the border there every day, according to CBP figures.

Oplinger has two main concerns. The lesser is people who will refuse to pay the toll and thus stop visiting Whatcom County all together. His greater worry, however, would be any increase to the wait time at the border. He said border traffic has just fully rebounded to pre-Sept. 11 volumes, adding that on summer weekends the wait to enter the U.S. can be as high as two hours. He fears that adding some sort of mechanism to collect the toll would mean more waiting time.

Border fees, albeit local ones, already exist on the southern border. In Texas, local municipalities charge fees to use bridges that connect Mexico and the U.S.

For Kenn Morris, president of marketing research firm Crossborder Group Inc. in San Diego, the future of the border is in public-private partnerships, unless the government acts to improve ports of entry. For example, a private company operates and builds a port of entry, booths and roads, and charges a fee to recoup investments.

"I think that it's inevitable that more border regions use those tools and those who don't want to use it that's they're choice, but they shouldn't take the ability for other regions to at least look at that option," he said. "For those regions that want the ability to charge a fee, we need good analyses to create good policy."

Citing a 2009 University of Texas study, Morris said tolls at the border don't affect traffic flow negatively, but provide a source of revenue to build more border infrastructure.

At the nation's busiest border entry at San Ysidro in California, 50,000 vehicles and 25,000 pedestrians go north from Mexico every day. For the past few years, Congress has sent chunks of money to improve the infrastructure. In his last budget, President Barack Obama asked for $226 million to continue the improvements.

In the meantime, people face hours of waiting every day.

"People are tired of waiting," Morris said.

____

Manuel Valdes can be reached at http://twitter.com/ByManuelValdes

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/border-entry-fee-study-sparks-142217330.html

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Vizio begins shipping 2013 M-Series Smart TVs, prices start at $400

Back at this year's CES, all Vizio said about its brand new M-Series lineup of HDTVs was that they'd be hitting shelves at some point "later this year." Fast forward to today, and the company's announcing its 2013 M-Series Smart TVs are now shipping to retailers such as Best Buy, Amazon and Walmart, with interested folks being able to grab one starting at $400 for a 32-inch LED model. Speaking of which, Vizio also went ahead and modified the M-Series pricing scheme a bit, making some models a little more expensive and others slightly cheaper. For example, the Theater 3D-ready 80-inch Razor LED Smart TV (say that five times fast) is now $4,000, as opposed to the $5,000 price tag that it was announced with originally. You'll find the full MSRP list in the PR after the break, and do let us know in the comments below if you plan on snagging one of these for yourself.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Vizio

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/28/vizio-m-series-smart-tvs-shipping/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Don't let strangers in, even in Paris

When a man in work clothes showed up at her door, the Monitor's Europe bureau chief let him inside. But fortunately, he didn't get a chance to pull off a well-known Parisian scam.

By Sara Miller Llana,?Staff writer / May 17, 2013

People walk in the business district of La D?fense, Paris, Wednesday. The Monitor's Europe bureau chief learns not to let strangers through the front door, even in Paris.

Christophe Ena/AP

Enlarge

I let a stranger into our apartment.

Skip to next paragraph Sara Miller Llana

Europe Bureau Chief

Sara Miller Llana?moved to Paris in April 2013 to become the Monitor's Europe Bureau?Chief. Previously she was the?paper's?Latin America Bureau Chief, based in Mexico City, from 2006 to 2013.

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I suppose that in moving from Mexico City to Paris, and feeling a sudden burst of elation for not having to worry so intently about drug and gang violence and, worst of all kidnapping, I went to the extreme.

A man knocked on the door of our temporary apartment saying he needed to check on something and asked if he could come in. He must have said what he was checking but my French, only now on its way back after lying dormant for over two decades, missed the details. He was dressed in work clothes, and I let him in.

He first said he was looking for the heater panel, then started asking all kinds of questions about who we were and how long we?d been in France. I thought this was a bit bizarre, but didn't think much of it.

Then he spotted the chimney. He opened the screen: ?Oh no, look at all of this soot.? (I had to look up the word for soot, suie, on my laptop.)

?You have a small child,? he went on. ?If she breathes this in, it could be the end. I am obligated to fix this.?

In my daze of jetlag, living out of suitcases, with a mountain of bureaucracy to tackle each day, I actually thought this man might be from the city government, and he was doing his municipal duty, for free, to make sure no Paris residents ? even foreigners, God bless France! ? breathe contaminated air.

I almost let him get to work ? until my more rational husband said, ?Let?s call the owner first.?

The owner's response was immediate: ?Get that guy out of the house now.?

I learned later that it?s a well-known scam in Paris that plumbers or electricians and other workers will come in, and tell you you need X, Y, and Z fixed. A colleague told me one man entered her house, broke a pipe, and then tried to get them to pay to fix it. I told the guardian downstairs about our visitor, and she said any communal or municipal work to be done will always be posted in the building.

Some of these scams are actually done by thieves, she said, who might rob you ? or worse. ?Don?t let anyone in your house. It could be very dangerous.?

I did learn back in elementary school not to talk to strangers, and most definitely not to let them through the front door.

But I had a momentary lapse of judgment, a good reminder that you have to be careful anywhere ? even in Paris!

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/t71YicIf93A/Don-t-let-strangers-in-even-in-Paris

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Task Force: Screen for Gestational Diabetes After 24 ... - Health.com

MONDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) ? All women should be screened for gestational diabetes after 24 weeks of pregnancy regardless of whether they have symptoms of the condition, according to a new draft recommendation statement issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

The independent panel of national experts also said there is not enough evidence to weigh the benefits and risks of screening for diabetes that develops during pregnancy before 24 weeks.

?It?s important to remember that each case of gestational diabetes affects two people: the expectant mother and the baby,? task force member Dr. Wanda Nicholson said in a USPSTF news release. ?We now have good evidence that screening expectant mothers for gestational diabetes after 24 weeks provides a substantial benefit, with few to no harms, leading to healthier moms and babies.?

Women with gestational diabetes are unable to process starches or sugars into energy during pregnancy. Any woman can develop gestational diabetes ? even those who did not have diabetes before they became pregnant.

Although gestational diabetes usually resolves once a woman gives birth, those with the condition are at greater risk for labor and birth complications, preeclampsia (a serious condition in pregnancy characterized by high blood pressure and high levels of protein) and developing diabetes later in life.

Infants born to women with gestational diabetes also may be affected. These babies are at greater risk for increased birth weight, birth injuries, glucose intolerance and obesity during childhood, according to background information in the news release.

New data that has emerged since the last time the task force looked at this issue, in 2008, indicates that there is an overall benefit to screening pregnant women for gestational diabetes, including lowering the risks of preeclampsia, giving birth to overly large babies (macrosomia) and delivery complications caused by large infants becoming stuck in the birth canal (shoulder dystocia).

Although there is not enough research to support gestational diabetes screening before 24 weeks of pregnancy, the task force said future research may shed more light on how to better manage diabetes in early pregnancy.

?It?s always better to prevent a disease than to be diagnosed with one,? Nicholson said. ?Women should have a conversation with their doctor before getting pregnant or in the early stages of pregnancy about steps they can take ? such as improving their diet, being physically active or other strategies ? to reduce their risk of developing gestational diabetes.?

Of the 4 million women who give birth each year, 7 percent have gestational diabetes. The experts said the number of women developing the condition is on the rise as obesity, older maternal age and other risk factors become increasingly common.

Before developing its final recommendation, the task force posted its draft recommendation on its website for public comment. Comments can be submitted from May 28 to June 24.

More information

The American Diabetes Association provides more information on gestational diabetes.

Source: http://news.health.com/2013/05/27/task-force-screen-for-gestational-diabetes-after-24-weeks-of-pregnancy/

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PFT: NFL officially pushes 2014 draft into May

AP

Anthony Spencer still wants a long-term deal with the Cowboys, and hopes one comes this summer.

But if he doesn?t get it, he at least has experience dealing with the aftermath.

?I?m really not worried about it,? Spencer said, via Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. ?I come here, I work, and then I go home and relax. If it gets done, it gets done. I have the same attitude I had last year. It ended up working out for me, so I don?t worry about it much.?

This is the second straight year the Cowboys used the franchise tag on the outside linebacker-turned-defensive end.

He made $8.8 million a year ago, and is scheduled to make $10.6 million this year, unless he and the Cowboys can meet in the middle on a long-term deal by the July 15 deadline.

Spencer said he was thinking something in the range of the five-year, $41 million Paul Kruger got from the Browns sounded about right.

?I want to be here for the rest of my career,? Spencer said. ?Hopefully we can get that done. If we can?t, then so be it.

?With the franchise tag I have right now, it?s pretty much up in the air after this season. I want to be here, and that?s pretty much the bottom line.?

He also said he wasn?t concerned about switching to the line in Monte Kiffin?s 4-3 defense, as he?s added 10 pounds to get into the mid 260s.

?I get to rush,? Spencer said. ?I don?t have to worry about any of the coverage stuff, formations and what?s going on in the back end. I can just focus on the ball and getting to the ball. That?s the easy part.?

The hard part, as they?ve shown over the last year-plus, is deciding what that?s worth.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/28/nfl-pushes-draft-back-two-weeks-only-major-change/related/

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Ooga Labs Takes A Ground-Up Approach To Generate Growth And Network Effects For Startups

One of the biggest challenges many entreprenuers face is finding the right technical partner when building a company. Some startups can have a single leader, but more often than not, there is a balanced team behind every successful business. Ooga Labs founders Stan Chudnovsky and James Currier?began?their partnership when Currier moved Emode,?the business he started with BranchOut founder Rick Marini, to San Francisco in 2000. A recent business school grad, Currier realized very quickly that he needed an engineering leader to help him grow the company. August Capital partner David Hornik (then-partner Andrew Ankur had just invested in the company) set Chudnovsky, a talented engineer, and Currier up on a quasi-blind date at the Penn Dragon Cafe in Hayes Valley in 2001, and soon after Chudnovsky joined Currier and Marini on their journey to create an online testing company.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/nsxOND3dVEU/

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Frequently Asked Questions ? Entomology ? Penn State University

1. When and where was the emerald ash borer (EAB) first detected in Pennsylvania?

The emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis, is an invasive highly destructive wood-boring insect that attacks ash trees.? It has killed more than 40 million ash trees in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, and Illinois.? It was detected for the first time in Pennsylvania in late June 2007.? EAB adults were found on a green ash tree in Cranberry Township, Butler County through a joint effort by federal and state agriculture departments, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), and the Pennsylvania State University, Department of Entomology, Cooperative Extension.? As a result of this first detection in Pennsylvania, an order of quarantine was issued for Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, and Lawrence Counties in Pennsylvania. ?Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff said, ?Emerald Ash Borer poses a major threat to ash trees.?? Secretary Wolff also stated, ?To best manage any effects of an infestation, we?re working to determine whether this is an isolated incident or a more widespread problem.?

Since this initial detection, EAB infestations have been discovered in Mercer (2008), Westmoreland (2009), Washington (2009), Armstrong (2009), and Indiana (2009) Counties in western Pennsylvania?and in Mifflin (early in 2009) and Juniata (late in 2009)?counties?in central Pennsylvania. ?In mid-May 2010 Bedford County and in July 2010 Centre, Somerset, Fulton, Union, and Cumberland counties were added to the list of Pennsylvania counties were the EAB has been detected. Clarion County was added to this list in September 2010.

In May 2011 the EAB was detected in southern Lycoming County. ?This brings the total number of counties?confirmed for the emerald ash borer?in Pennsylvania to 19. ?Early in July 2011 the EAB was detected in southern Wyoming County. ?On July 5th?Huntingdon County was confirmed positive for the EAB. ?Eight adult EAB specimens were recovered from a purple panel sticky trap baited with manuka oil in a small wooded lot in Mt. Union, PA adjacent to warehouse. ?The EAB was confirmed in Sullivan County on Thursday July 28. The location is along Rt. 87 east of Colley, PA in?Colley Township in?northeastern Sullivan County. ?One EAB adult was taken on a purple panel sticky trap.

In mid-March 2012 the EAB was confirmed on trees in a residential area in Warrington, Bucks County.

In early June 2012 the EAB was confirmed?in two locations?in?Perry County. ?The first site was in a campground on the Susquehanna River in Liverpool, PA. ?The second location was at the first eastbound truck pull-off on Rt. 322 as you enter Perry County. Both of these sites are USDA-APHIS, Otis Lab's trap efficacy test sites.

The EAB was also found in Venango County. ?This site was turned in by the USDA and was found by visual / destructive survey in a campground in Emlenton, PA.

Additionally, the EAB was confirmed on a trap in an USDA-APHIS, Otis Lab's trap efficacy test site at the State Center in Selinsgrove, Snyder County.

In early July 2012 the EAB was confirmed in Franklin?County.?In late July 2012 the EAB was confirmed in Jefferson?County.

In early August 2012 the EAB was confirmed in?Clinton?County on a purple panel prism trap.

In early December 2012?the EAB was detected by a PDA employee in?a visual/destructive sample?near Watsontown, PA in Northumberland County.?Confirmation of another positive EAB population in a new Pennsylvania county occurred on December 17, 2012. ?The sample was collected from the Interstate 80 westbound Rest Area in Montour County near Mooresburg, PA.

On January 8, 2013 an employee of the PA DCNR, Bureau of Forestry, Div. of Forest Pest Management collected a sample of the EAB near SGL 79 in Cambria County.

In April 2013 employees of the PA DCNR, Bureau of Forestry, Div. of Forest Pest Management collected a sample of the EAB in Fayette County.

Early in May 2013 the PA Department of Agriculture confirmed the EAB in Blair County.

?

This brings the total number of counties?confirmed for the emerald ash borer?in Pennsylvania to 34.

?

State and federal regulatory officials continue to conduct intensive surveys for the EAB.

The federal quarantine on the EAB and external?quarantine?on firewood from outside Pennsylvania are still in effect.?This means it is legal to move firewood, ash, and the insect between counties inside the state, but it is not legal to move non-compliant items out of the state, nor is it legal to move non-compliant firewood into the state.

2.? What is being done on a statewide basis about this new pest?
Federal, state, and local authorities are working together to educate the citizens of Pennsylvania about the accurate identification of ash trees and EAB, options for protecting valuable shade trees, and locations where dead or dying ash trees can be taken for proper disposal. Since 2002 federal agencies, and state educational institutions have been conducting research to learn more about the biology of EAB, its rate of spread, methods for detection of EAB, and natural enemies that may attack the EAB, and how insecticides may be applied to protect ash trees in infested areas.?

3. ?Where did the EAB infestation in the United States come from?
The EAB is believed to have arrived in North America on solid wood packing material from China.? The native range of EAB is eastern Russia, northeast China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Mongolia.? Before June of 2002, this species had never been found in North America, and very little was known about it.

4.? How did the EAB get to the United States?
We don't know for sure, but it most likely came in association with ash wood used for stabilizing cargo in ships or for packing or crating heavy consumer products.

5.? What types of trees does the EAB attack?
In North America, it has only been found in ash trees.? All species of ash in the plant genus Fraxinus and their cultivars appear to be susceptible to the EAB in North America.? It does not attack mountain ash in the plant genus Sorbus.? Ash trees in the forest, woodlots, and landscapes are affected.? Larval galleries (tunnels beneath the bark) have been found in trees or branches measuring as little as 1-inch in diameter.?

6.? Where was the EAB first found in the United States?
In 2002 the EAB was discovered in six counties in southeastern Michigan and in Ontario, Canada.? Our ability to detect and find the EAB has substantially improved since then, however, and we now realize that a much greater area was infested than what was initially thought.? Those areas include all but four counties in Michigan.? It has also been found in Ohio (2003), Indiana (2004), Illinois (2006), Maryland (2003; 2006), Pennsylvania (2007), West Virginia (2007), Virginia (2003; 2008), Missouri (2008), Wisconsin (2008), Minnesota (2009), Kentucky (2009), New York (2009), Tennessee (2010), Iowa (2010), Connecticut (2012), Kansas (2012), Massachusetts (2012), and New Hampshire (2013) making the EAB a national pest problem.? Most of these infestations are not new, we are simply getting better at finding infestations as survey methods improve.? However, it is important to watch for symptoms and signs of the EAB in non-quarantine areas where this metallic wood-boring beetle may have been accidentally transported.? Much of the spread of the EAB to other states is believed to be through the movement of infested firewood, nursery stock, and other ash wood products.?

7.? What happens to infested ash trees?
The foliage in the crown of EAB-infested trees begins to thin above infested portions of the trunk and major branches because the larval stage of this wood-boring insect destroys the water and nutrient conducting cells and tissues beneath the bark. Heavily infested trees exhibit canopy dieback usually starting at the top of the tree.? One-third to one-half of the branches may die in one year.? Most of the canopy will be dead within 2 years of when symptoms are first observed.? Sometimes ash trees push out sprouts from the trunk after the upper portions of the tree dies.? Although difficult to see, EAB adults leave a capital "D"-shaped emergence hole in the bark.? This exit hole is approximately 1/8 inch in diameter.?

8.? What does the adult stage of the EAB look like?
The adult is a flatheaded wood-boring beetle in the insect family Buprestidae that?s slender, elongate, dark metallic green, 1/2 inch-long and 1/8 inch-wide (12 mm long and 3 mm wide) beetle.? Females are larger than males. ?

9.? What is the life cycle of the EAB?

Recent research shows that the?EAB can have a one- or?two-year life cycle.? Adults begin coming out of ash trees in mid- to late May with peak emergence in late June and early July.? After emerging, adults eat ash leaves around the leaf margins for about two weeks.? Females usually begin laying eggs about 2 weeks after emergence.? Eggs hatch in 1-2 weeks, and young larvae bore through the bark and into the cambium (the active growing area between the bark and wood where nutrient levels are high).? Larvae feed beneath the bark for several weeks, usually from late July or early August through October.? Cream-colored EAB larvae typically pass through four stages, eventually reaching a length of 1 to 1.25 inches (26-32 mm).? Larvae have a 10-segmented abdomen with a pair of brown pincer-like appendages on the last segment.? Most EAB larvae overwinter in a small chamber in the outer bark or in the outer inch of wood.? Pupation occurs in spring and the new generation of adults will begin to emerge in May or early June, to start the cycle again.

EAB adults may begin to emerge during mid-May described by a growing degree day (GDD) range of 450-500 GDD (using a threshold air temperature of 50?F).? Adults may be active through August.? Adult EAB emergence peaks from late June to mid-July that occurs around 1000 GDD based upon research conducted in Michigan.

10.? How does the EAB move from one location to another?
We know EAB adults can fly at least 1/2 mile from the tree where they emerge.? Many infestations, however, are started when people unintentionally move infested ash firewood, ash nursery trees, or logs into uninfested areas.? Shipments of ash nursery trees and ash logs with bark are now regulated, and transporting firewood outside of the quarantined areas is illegal, but transport of infested ash firewood remains a problem.? PLEASE - do not move any ash firewood or logs outside quarantined areas.?

11.? How long has the EAB been in Michigan?
No one really knows for sure.? Experts feel that the EAB may have been in the Detroit area for at least 12 years.? The initial infestation probably started from a small number of beetles.? Over the next few years, the population of the EAB began to increase and spread.? By 2002 many trees in southeastern Michigan were dead or dying.? In North America, native ash trees have little or no resistance to the EAB, and natural enemies have so far had little effect when EAB populations are high.

12.? Does the EAB only attack dying or stressed ash trees?
Healthy ash trees are also susceptible, although the EAB may prefer to lay eggs or feed on stressed trees.? When EAB populations are high, small trees may die within 1-2 years of becoming infested and large trees may be killed in 3-4 years.

13.? How big a problem is the EAB?
The EAB is becoming an international problem, with infestations in Canada as well as Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kentucky, New York, Tennessee, and Iowa.? The economic damage from the EAB problem could reach the billions of dollars nationwide if not dealt with effectively.? State and federal regulatory agencies have made the EAB problem a priority.? Homeowners can also help by carefully monitoring ash trees for symptoms and signs of EAB throughout the year.

14. ?Are there other insects that can cause similar damage to ash trees in Pennsylvania besides the EAB?"

There are two species of wood-boring caterpillars and several species of wood-boring beetles that also develop in ash trees in Pennsylvania.? None of these other species of wood-boring insects that attack ash create a capital ?D?-shaped emergence hole the size of that created by an adult EAB when it comes out of an ash tree.? Some of the other wood-boring species that attack ash include the ash/lilac borer, Podosesia syringae, the banded ash clearwing, Podosesia aureocincta, the redheaded ash borer, Neoclytus acuminatus, the banded ash borer, Neoclytus caprea, and the eastern ash bark beetle, Hylesinus aculeatus.? When the five species listed above emerge from an ash tree, they create round emergence holes in varying sizes.? These round holes range from approximately 1/16-inch to 1/4-inch (1.5 mm to 6 mm) in diameter.

15.? Who do I contact to get more information on the EAB in Pennsylvania, get an EAB suspect specimen accurately identified, or to report a potentially EAB-infested ash tree?

Contact your local county Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension Office, the nearest Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture regional office, or the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry?s Division of Forest Pest Management office.? You may also contact the Pennsylvania EAB hotline at 1-866-253-7189.? Additional information on the emerald ash borer is available by visiting the following web sites:

------------------------
The above list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) was provided by Gregory Hoover, Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, and Dr. Deborah McCullough and Robin Usborne, Michigan State University Cooperative Extension in October 2010.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AgSuperfeed/~3/S0HuELQwLgo/frequently-asked-questions

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Take The Black Fatherhood Challenge | Elev8 | Health Advice ...

The 2012 Black Fatherhood Challenge is a celebration of black fatherhood with a goal to inspire black men to deliver life-affirming excellence as they constructively partner to create stronger, wiser, more productive and magnificent tomorrows.

The initiative?launched on Father?s Day, June 17, 2012, and continue over a 90-day period. Black men will be invited to sign, embrace, and actively fulfill an online pledge or ?ahadi? ?developed to spark significant self-reflection and collective re-inspection of manhood, fatherhood, and life success at their best. This Challenge, acknowledging black men?s actions and impact, asks the Pledge Partners to model mutual respect, self-mastery, and fatherhood best practices; demonstrate performance excellence; honor foundational, family and community engagement commitments; promote fellow fathers in their life excellence walk; and apply full capacities and character strength to authentic restoration, healing and uplift.

Read: Teen Pregnancy Rate Decreases Amongst Latinos

Source: http://elev8.com/911673/take-the-black-fatherhood-challenge/

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Obama: Country Will Be 'Shelter from the Storm' for Oklahoma (ABC News)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/308435941?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Reports: Kuwait oil minister resigns

KUWAIT CITY (AP) ? Kuwait media say the Gulf nation's oil minister has resigned after criticism of a $2.2 billion compensation payment over a collapsed business deal.

There was no immediate official comment Sunday on the reported resignation of Hani Hussein, but he has faced calls to be questioned in parliament over the payment to Dow Chemical Co.

Some lawmakers have demanded an investigation into the settlement this month with Dow. The payment was for the 2008 withdrawal of Kuwait's state-run petrochemical company from a planned plastics joint venture.

The websites of several newspapers, including pro-government Al Watan, reported Hussein's resignation was accepted.

Kuwait is one of OPEC's top exporters, but the resignation is not expected to bring disruptions. Kuwait's oil policy is set by a special panel controlled by the ruling family.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-05-26-Kuwait/id-f3c3a3f264e644ef80dc2be18a3dd2c8

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