Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/307314978?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
What Did Obama Know?
IN THE NEWS: White House officials knew of IRS probe in April ? Obama to make counterterror speech ? FBI tracked Fox reporter ? Did PBS station try to placate Koch brother? ? How Obama could impact Mass. Senate race
THE TAKE
What Did Obama Know?
What did the president know and when did he know it? That simple question is at the heart of the scandals buffeting the White House, and little light has been shed so far.
Asked by Fox News' Chris Wallace where the president was in the aftermath of the Benghazi attacks, White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer dodged. On the Internal Revenue Service scandal, Pfeiffer's party line is that it would be more problematic if the president knew about the agency's problems and interfered.
The administration acknowledged today that senior White House officials, including Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, were aware of the IRS wrongdoing?but did not tell President Obama?nearly three weeks before the agency acknowledged its mistakes.
On Thursday, Obama himself chose his words carefully. "I can assure you that I certainly did not know anything about the [IRS inspector general's] report before the IG report had been leaked through the press." He was asked about the overall malfeasance, but specifically said he didn't know about the report.
That parsing alone raises questions about the level of transparency coming from the White House. Read more
Josh Kraushaar
jkraushaar@nationaljournal.com
TOP NEWS
WHITE HOUSE HAD KNOWLEDGE OF IRS PROBE IN APRIL. The Obama administration acknowledged Monday that two high-ranking officials at the White House, Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, were apprised in late April of the soon-to-be released Inspector General's report on the IRS showing the targeting of conservative groups. Spokesman Jay Carney said that the officials did not inform Obama of the probe, indicating such a move would be improper. Read more
OBAMA TO ADDRESS COUNTERTERRORISM POLICY IN SPEECH. President Obama is scheduled to discuss the administration's counterterrorism policy, including the use of covert drones and the planned closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, during a speech Thursday at the National Defense University, The Wall Street Journal reports. According to a White House aide, the president's speech is in keeping with his pledge to cooperate with Congress to ensure the legality and transparency of the drone program. Read more
LEW LIKELY TO FACE IRS QUESTIONS AT HILL HEARINGS. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew is scheduled to appear before a Senate panel Tuesday and a House panel Wednesday, and will likely be grilled over revelations that the IRS singled out conservative groups for extra scrutiny, National Journal's Catherine Hollander reports. Beyond the IRS scandal, Lew will be asked about a nearly 200 page annual report to Congress, which centers on seven themes, including housing finance, the Libor rate, fiscal imbalances, and risks from foreign economies, and contains plenty of fodder for lawmakers and their staffs willing to wade through the pages. Read more
FBI TRACKED FOX NEWS REPORTER IN LEAK INVESTIGATION. A recently revealed affidavit details the Federal Bureau of Investigation's efforts to uncover the source of potential leaks of classified information on North Korea, The Washington Post reports. During the investigation, the FBI tracked the State Department visits of Fox News' chief Washington correspondent, James Rosen, and monitored his calls with State Department security adviser Stephen Jin-Woo Kim, who was charged in 2010 with disclosing national defense information. The search warrant was approved by a federal judge on the grounds that there was probable cause that Rosen was a coconspirator in the alleged leak. Read more
- Fox News' Brit Hume said today, "Where this crosses, it seems to me, a clear and bright line is when they subpoenaed the phone records on the pretext ? that this activity was criminal. That places this administration in the position of saying that normal news-gathering activities of journalists are possibly criminal or are criminal. That is a little chilling." Read more
FIVE WAYS THE WHITE HOUSE CAN REGAIN THE PUBLIC'S TRUST.National Journal's Ron Fournier writes that each of these so-called scandals shares two traits. First, there is some element of "spin," the cynical art of telling just enough of the truth to avoid political embarrassment. Second, there is almost comical bungling. While denying involvement in high crimes and misdemeanors, the Obama administration appears to be pleading guilty to lesser crimes of bureaucratic incompetence. But that is an unsustainable position for a president who wants Americans to believe again in the power and grace of good government, particularly as it relates to the implementation of "Obamacare." Allies offer five ways the administration can restore the public's trust and regain control. Read more
- Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, tells National Review that impeachment is an option for Obama regarding Benghazi, but that House Speaker John Boehner has told him to be "patient."
REPORT: FBI NOW INVOLVED IN BACHMANN CAMPAIGN INVESTIGATION. An investigation into the 2012 presidential campaign of Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., now involves the FBI, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. An attorney for former Bachmann chief of staff Andy Parrish told the paper that his client had been "contacted by the FBI for purposes of an interview," and "will cooperate fully" with the investigation. Among the allegations dogging the now-defunct campaign are covert payments to state Sen. Kent Sorenson, and the use of Bachmann's leadership PAC to pay her campaign's political director. Read more
YAHOO BUYS TUMBLR FOR $1.1B. YAWN. It's official: Yahoo has reached a deal to acquire Tumblr for $1.1 billion. Understandably, a chunk of Tumblr's 117 million users are outraged over the news, National Journal's Brian Fung reports. They've been whipping up mocking parodies of a future Tumblr that's been defaced and soiled by its new owner. The deal is a reminder that despite the momentary shock of the merger, it's worth taking the longer view. And the longer view suggests that we may have entered the era of the billion-dollar buyout. Read more
TOMORROW
SENATE TO HOLD IRS HEARING. The IRS's targeting of conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status will be a focus of a Senate Finance Committee hearing scheduled for Tuesday. Witnesses will include since-resigned acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller; J. Russell George, Treasury inspector general for tax administration; and former IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman.
KEYSTONE VOTE IN HOUSE. The House will vote this week on legislation approving the Keystone XL pipeline, the controversial project that would send carbon-heavy oil sands more than 1,700 miles from Canada to Texas. The Republican-controlled lower chamber has passed such bills at least a half-dozen times in the past two years. On Tuesday, the House Rules Committee will consider the measure, sponsored by Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., whose state is at the heart of the battle. That sets up a midweek vote on the bill, which is expected to pass.
QUOTABLE
"She shouldn't run as a front-runner." ?Patti Solis Doyle, Hillary Rodham Clinton's former campaign manager on another potential presidential bid (Washington Post)
BEDTIME READING
DID A PBS STATION TRY TO AVOID OFFENDING DAVID KOCH? WNET, a PBS affiliate in New York, offered to let billionaire David Koch sit in on a round-table discussion or offer a comment on a documentary, Park Avenue, about income inequality in which he was featured in a largely negative way, The New Yorker'sJane Mayer reports. At the time, Koch was a member of the board of directors for WNET. The president of the station, Neal Shapiro had concerns about the film, and offered the two options?which would air after the documentary?as "a courtesy." In the end, Koch's spokesperson released a statement calling the film "disappointing and divisive." Despite WNET's apparent efforts to placate him, Koch was "apparently so offended him that he cancelled his plan to make a large donation," Mayer reports Read more
PLAY OF THE DAY
ROUNDING UP A TOUGH WEEK FOR THE WHITE HOUSE. With three scandals dogging Barack Obama, the president continues to be a focal point on late-night television. David Letterman dove headlong, opening with a connection to the 40th anniversary of the Watergate hearings. He also brought baseball, the Republican Party, and Joe Biden into the mix. The Tonight Show's Jay Leno hit similar notes, comparing Obama to Richard Nixon. Saturday Night Live presented its season finale with a surprise Weekend Update appearance by former anchor Amy Poehler to rehash "Really!?! with Seth and Amy." The segment delved into? the IRS, the tea party, and Obama. Watch it here
UP
OBAMA'S APPROVAL RATING STEADY AFTER TUMULTUOUS WEEK. Obama's approval rating remains between 50 percent and 53 percent -- according to two polls -- suggesting that for the time being, the controversies roiling Washington are not yet resonating with the rest of the country. The Cook PoliticalReport's Charlie Cook has noted that if Obama's poll numbers stay roughly in the high-40-to-low-50 range, the damage will likely be contained. At the same time, The Washington Post's Greg Sargent, a liberal voice, notes that the first polling numbers on the troika of Obama controversies show that Republicans overwhelmingly believe there is something there, while moderates and Democrats generally believe the president's version of events.
DOWN
OBAMA'S TROUBLES COULD PUT MASS. IN PLAY?AGAIN. National Journal's Alex Roarty writes that it may be too early to tell whether history is repeating itself, but the Senate campaign between Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., and former Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez is already closer than expected, evoking memories of the last Senate special election in Massachusetts, when Republican Scott Brown stunned Democrat Martha Coakley in the midst of the health care debate. In a sign of where the race could turn, the Gomez campaign has begun tying Markey to the recent turmoil in Washington, making the case that the 36-year congressman is part of a dysfunctional culture in the nation's capital. For now at least, they appear intent on taking advantage of Obama's problems. Read more
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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/did-obama-know-160803234.html
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Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D (for Nintendo 3DS)
Donkey Kong Country was a classic game series for the Super Nintendo, and it returned four years ago in, well, Donkey Kong Country Returns. It was bright, colorful, and very, very difficult. And now it's on the Nintendo 3DS as Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, a $39.99 (direct) title available as a game card or straight from the Nintendo 3DS eStore as a digital download. It's aged very well since the Wii version came out, and the latest version adds a few welcome features to the mix, making it an Editors' Choice for 3Ds games.
3DS Changes
Donkey Kong Country Returns plays much better when you take all of the Wii controller gimmicks out and replace them with optional 3DS display gimmicks. Unlike the Wii version of the game, the 3DS version doesn't require you to shake the remote to pound the ground or roll?this alone makes the game play much more smoothly. Just press Y, as in the Super Nintendo Donkey Kong Country games. That change improves the game greatly, and makes it much more pleasant to casual players.
Another change to help casual playing is slightly less savory for dedicated gamers, but still useful. A "New" mode lets you play an easier version of the game, with three hearts per character instead of two and more items. The game remains challenging, because Donkey Kong Country Returns was unforgivingly difficult to begin with, so it's a welcome addition for people who pulled their hair out at the Wii version of the game. A limited local multiplayer mode lets players cooperate through levels. However, it doesn't support 3DS Download Play, so you both have to own the game.
The Game World
The world of Donkey Kong Country Returns is satisfyingly large, with the original collection of over 60 stages, plus an unlockable world with eight new stages made for the 3DS version. Each level takes several minutes and, New Mode or not, multiple lives to beat unless you play perfectly. Each level also has tons of items to find, like K, O, N, and G letters, puzzle pieces, banana coins, and 1-up balloons. In fact, any given screen's width of the game probably has something hidden that you can find by interacting with the environment in some way. Besides in-game bonuses, like 1-ups and items you can buy in Cranky Kong's shop with banana coins, the secrets can also unlock art and dioramas in the Extra section of the game.
If you've already played Donkey Kong Country Returns, you know exactly what to expect from the gameplay, and if you've played any Donkey Kong Country game in the past you probably have a good general idea. Run, climb, ride (on mine cards), and fly (on rocket barrels) to the end of each stage to get Donkey Kong's banana hoard back from bad guys. This time, instead of the charismatic King/Captain K. Rool and his alligator army, you fight animals possessed by tiki masks, or instruments, or something like that. They're not interesting or engaging villains, but fortunately you don't deal with them much. The levels themselves and the regular enemies are the biggest challenge in the game, and the boss fights, while slightly more involved than the Super Nintendo Donkey Kong Country games' boss fights, still feel like an afterthought compared to the massive set-piece obstacle courses of the levels leading up to them.
Graphics
The game looks as good as it did on the Wii, with the added benefit of the 3DS' glasses-free 3D screen to really make the game pop out. The game wasn't designed to be 3D, but its layered, detailed levels really look good with the added depth. The animations are smooth and the framerate stays consistent?both are important for difficult platform games like this.
Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D packs a lot of content and some of the best Nintendo side-scrolling action this side of New Super Mario Bros. 2 into a portable package that will keep you playing (and growing increasingly frustrated) for hours. Even with the easier New Mode, it's a lot less forgiving and more full of tiny secrets to find than New Super Mario Bros. 2, making it an excellent addition to your 3DS library. It will keep you playing, if you don't end up throwing your 3DS on the ground first. Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D earns our Editors' Choice for fiendishly difficult 3DS games.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/yLou8yrb6t0/0,2817,2419093,00.asp
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McConnell: ?There is a culture of intimidation throughout the administration?
Obama addresses the IRS scandal at a news conference. (Getty)
Republican Senators Rand Paul, Mitch McConnell and Rob Portman continued Sunday to press the Obama administration on the Internal Revenue Service scandal that's engulfed the White House.
On CNN's "State of the Union," Paul told Candy Crowley he heard about a "written policy" that encouraged IRS officials to target "those who are critical of the president."
"And when that comes forward, we need to know who wrote the policy and who approved the policy," Paul said.
The Kentucky senator seemed to backtrack when pressed about the existence of yet another controversial document.
"Well, we keep hearing the reports and we have several specifically worded items saying who was being targeted," Paul said. "I don't know if that comes from a policy, but that's what's being reported in the press and reported orally. I haven't seen a policy statement, but I think we need to see that."
Memo or no memo, McConnell said it's clear that political bullying is being cultivated by the Obama White House.
"There is a culture of intimidation throughout the administration," McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, said on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday. "The nanny state is here to tell us all what to do and if you start criticizing, you get targeted."
[Related: The IRS targeted tea party groups. Did liberal groups get better treatment?]
Earlier this month, an inspector general report disclosed that the IRS improperly scrutinized certain conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status. On Sunday's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos,? Portman called for a bipartisan investigation into inspector general's report.
"What we do know is that politics was put ahead of the public interest," Portman said. "And it was done in two of the most sensitive areas of our government."
"So, it seems to me that there's a lot of issues here we need to get bottom of," the Ohio Republican added. "We need to find out what really happened and ensure that we can begin to regain some trust in our government. That's my concern."
Meanwhile, White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer accused the GOP of conducting "fishing expeditions" ahead of next year's midterm elections.
"I think we've seen this playbook from Republicans before," Pfeiffer said on "Meet The Press" Sunday. "What they want to do when they are lacking a positive agenda is try to drag Washington into a swamp of partisan fishing expeditions, trumped-up hearings and false allegations. We're not going to let that happen."
Obama appears to be weathering the storm, the Associated Press noted. A poll released on Sunday by CNN/ORC International showed President Obama has a 53 percent approval rating, with just 45 percent saying they disapprove.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/irs-scandal-mcconnell-paul-obama-191839606.html
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Monday, May 20, 2013
Barbra Streisand to receive honorary PhD in Israel
JERUSALEM (AP) ? A leading Israeli university says it will present singer Barbra Streisand with an honorary Ph.D. when she visits Israel next month.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem said Monday it was granting the singer the degree because of her concern for human rights and dedication to Israel and the Jewish people.
Streisand, who is 71, is expected to perform at a June conference in honor of the 90th birthday of Israeli President Shimon Peres. She will also appear in two public concerts. It will be the first time the Jewish singer performs in Israel.
The university's school of Jewish studies, established in 1984, is named after Streisand's father, Emanuel. Streisand also holds an honorary doctorate in Arts and Humanities from Brandeis University in the U.S.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/barbra-streisand-receive-honorary-phd-israel-153942896.html
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Police call fatal NYC shooting a hate crime
NEW YORK (AP) ? A gunman used homophobic slurs before firing a fatal shot point-blank into a man's face on a Manhattan street alive with a weekend midnight crowd, a killing New York's police commissioner called an "anti-gay" hate crime.
Before opening fire early Saturday, the gunman confronted the victim and his companion in Greenwich Village and asked if they "want to die here," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said.
The shooting follows a series of recent bias attacks on gay men in New York, but this was the first deadly one.
About 15 minutes before the bloodshed, the gunman was seen urinating outside an upscale restaurant a few blocks from the Stonewall Inn, a birthplace of the gay rights movement, according to Kelly. He then went inside the restaurant and asked if someone was going to call the police about him.
Police said the gunman, identified later as 33-year-old Elliot Morales, told both the bartender and the manager, "if you do call the police, I'll shoot you" and opened his sweatshirt to reveal a shoulder holster with a revolver and made anti-gay remarks, Kelly said.
Morales has a previous arrest for attempted murder in 1998, police said. Details of that arrest weren't immediately clear.
Out on the street minutes later, the gunman and two others approached the 32-year-old victim, identified by police as Harlem resident Marc Carson, and a companion on Sixth Avenue. One of the three men yelled out, "What are you, gay wrestlers?" according to Kelly.
The two men stopped, turned and, according to Kelly, said to the group taunting them, "What did you say?" ? then kept walking.
"There were no words that would aggravate the situation spoken by the victims here," the commissioner said. "This fully looks to be a hate crime, a bias crime."
Two of the men kept following the victim and his companion, Kelly said, adding that witnesses saw the pair approach from behind while repeating anti-gay slurs.
The gunman asked the men if they were together and when he got an affirmative answer, Kelly said, "we believe that the perpetrator says to the victim, 'Do you want to die here?'"
That's when suspect produced the revolver and fired one shot into Carson's cheek, Kelly said.
The gunman fled to 3rd Street, where an officer who had heard a description on his radio spotted him and ordered him to stop, Kelly said. The suspected gunman threw his revolver to the ground and was arrested on the edge of the New York University campus.
Police found the mortally wounded victim on the pavement. He was pronounced dead at Beth Israel Hospital.
Authorities said they could not immediately identify Morales because he was carrying forged identification. But investigators learned his name after the forged ID was submitted to the department's Facial Recognition Unit.
Of the other recent New York bias attacks on gay men, one was reported last week on nearby Christopher Street, where a 35-year-old man told police he was beaten up and heard anti-gay words after leaving a bar.
On May 10, two men trying to enter a billiards hall on West 32nd Street were approached and beaten by a group shouting homophobic slurs, police said.
And on May 5, a man and his partner were beaten near Madison Square Garden after a group of men wearing Knicks shirts hurled anti-gay slurs at them.
The commissioner said Saturday that police were looking into possible links between the incidents.
Multiple lawmakers have condemned the violence.
"I am horrified to learn that last night, a gay man was murdered in my district after being chased out of a Greenwich Village restaurant and assailed by homophobic slurs," New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said. "I stand with all New Yorkers in condemning this attack."
The Democratic mayoral candidate said there was a time in New York when hate crimes were common ? when two people of the same gender could not walk down the street arm in arm without fear of violence and harassment.
But "we refuse to go back to that time," she said. "This kind of shocking and senseless violence, so deeply rooted in hate, has no place in a city whose greatest strength will always be its diversity."
New York State Sen. Brad Hoylman, a Democrat whose district includes Manhattan's West Side, called on New Yorkers "to unite against hate and gun violence."
And State Assemblywoman Deborah Glick declared that "New York is not open for bigotry."
The New York City Anti-Violence Project plans to gather on Friday night for what it calls a "Community Safety Night."
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/police-call-fatal-nyc-shooting-hate-crime-175502430.html
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Top officials call to overhaul euro institutions
BERLIN (AP) ? Engineering a financial bailout for Cyprus in March was such a chaotic process that top European officials say it is time to rethink how the region manages its crisis ? and who should be involved.
Officials say the International Monetary Fund, which has contributed financial expertise and billions in emergency loans, may no longer be needed as a key decision-making partner. And they say that the eurozone would be able to make decisions and take action more quickly if it wasn't bound by the need for unanimous agreement among its 17 member countries.
These concerns have been raised before by analysts and government officials outside of Europe, but now two of the region's leading financial decision-makers have said publicly that something needs to be done. Olli Rehn, the top economic official at the European Commission ? the European Union's executive arm ? and Joerg Asmussen, who sits on the European Central Bank's six-member executive board, said at a hearing last week that the easing of the financial crisis presents an opportunity to fix what is broken.
"If the IMF can take decisions with an 85 percent majority and not with unanimity, why on earth the eurozone cannot do so?" Rehn asked, referring to the IMF's executive board. "That would make our decision-making more effective."
And Asmussen questioned whether help from the IMF ? part of the "troika" of decision makers that also includes the ECB and the European Commission ? is even needed anymore. In effect, he said it is time for Europe to handle its problems without outside help.
Commerzbank analyst Christoph Weil says European leaders are slowly waking up to what has been evident to financial markets for a long time. "The current decision structure is dysfunctional," Weil said. "It was born in the urgency of the crisis ... It needs to be overhauled."
The 17-country eurozone has been severely tested by a three-year crisis over too much government debt which has seen five of its members bailed out ? Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Spain and Cyprus.
The "troika" arrangement to monitor the bailout process has been in place for eurozone bailouts since Greece's debt problems began to unfold in 2010. The setup gives a prominent role to the Washington-based IMF ? although it contributes much less money to bailouts than the eurozone nations.
Some eurozone member countries insisted on having the IMF on board for its experience in handling such crises around the world. Germany ? Europe's biggest economy ? also saw the fund's presence as a crucial check against political horse-trading that could have resulted in watered-down bailout conditions.
However, the troika's inspection teams have been heavily criticized for their insistence on harsh austerity measures that have plunged countries like Greece or Portugal in a yet deeper recession and that they're not answerable to voters.
"The Europeans wanted the IMF aboard for its expertise, even though many at the IMF thought that Europe is economically strong enough to solve its problems on its own," said analyst Weil.
"Now the Europeans feel stronger, and they realize that it would have been easier sometimes without the IMF, who insisted on radical up-front measures in Greece or Cyprus before granting aid," he added.
This view was given a boost last week by the ECB's Asmussen during a hearing at the European Parliament's economic committee in Brussels.
"I would not change the troika system in the midst of the crisis because we have no alternative available right now but in the longer-term future ... we should return to a fully EU-based system," he said.
The IMF recognizes that it's up to the EU's executive arm, the Commission, and the ECB as to whether it has a role to play in future bailouts, fund spokesman Gerry Rice said.
"I understand from reports that Mr. Asmussen underscored that he would not advise to change the troika system right now," he said.
In place of the IMF, Asmussen suggested the eurozone could use the body set up to manage its permanent 500 billion euros rescue fund, the European Stability Mechanism. However, the makeup of the ESM means that it is currently technically outside of the EU's system of institutions.
"The setup is a bit of a stranger decided in a crisis mood," Asmussen said. "We had nothing else available and it had to be done quickly," he added.
The end of the troika arrangement would come once the ESM will be fully turned into an institution of the 27-nation European Union, he added. The ESM could then play its role as Europe's IMF.
As well as looking at the IMF's role in international rescues, the Eurogroup - the meeting of the eurozone's 17 finance ministers, IMF and ECB - has also come under the microscope.
The Eurogroup was initially planned mostly as a forum to exchange views on economic and financial policies ? but the crisis has turned it into a major decision-making body. At the moment, it has to reach a unanimous agreement on its decisions ? a daunting call when 17 ministers try to forge a deal.
The cumbersome decision-making process reached its climax when the bloc fought bitterly over a 10 billion euro bailout for Cyprus.
In March after marathon negotiations, the Eurogroup and Cyprus patched together a bailout agreement that shocked markets and Cypriots. Cyprus's banks had their assets frozen and a one-time levy on all bank deposits was imposed to help pay for the rescue ? a measure that violated EU deposit insurance rules guaranteeing all savers with fewer than 100,000 euros in their bank accounts. It was scrapped about 48 hours later.
Meanwhile, the ECB, seemingly fed up with the politicking, set a deadline for a deal after which it would cut off emergency funding for Cyrpus's banks? a move that would have plunged the country into chaos and out of the eurozone.
So, about a week later, the finance ministers descended again on Brussels. The second agreement saw Cyprus' insured depositors protected, but enforced a harsh restructuring of the country's outsized banking sector and heavy losses for those holding deposits worth more than 100,000 euros.
Another example of the Eurogroup's cumbersome decision-making was seen this week at a meeting to thrash out crucial details of the bloc's banking union ? a complex project that's seen as vital to help stabilize the EU's financial sector and turn the tide on its crisis ? but failed to make much headway. At the moment they can neither agree how far-reaching the banking union ought to be, nor how fast they want to move in setting it up.
Analysts maintain a reform of the Eurogroup is long overdue, but it's fraught with difficulty: A simple majority vote could mean small countries ganging up and overruling the few big ones while a system based on economic strength would mean Germany and France alone would hold almost 50 percent of the voting rights.
But the EU already has the answer. The ESM boasts a voting system that combines both, the number of countries and their economic weight. That makes it difficult to overrule countries but it is still possible to reach a decision if there are only few and small holdouts.
Europe's currency ? used by more than 330 million people ? is still a relative teenager, it was launched in 1999, "but it has grown up rapidly amid the crisis," German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said.
But while it has evolved into the world's second-most important currency trailing only the dollar, its institutional doldrums seem far from over despite the optimism bolstered by the recent stabilization.
"We're still in the process of curing the teething troubles of the euro. Now that the acute pressure is easing, it gets more difficult again to push through sweeping reforms," said analyst Weil.
___
Marjorie Olster in Washington D.C. contributed to this report.
___
Follow Juergen Baetz on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jbaetz
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/top-officials-call-overhaul-euro-institutions-152851797.html
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Sunday, May 19, 2013
'Anchorman 2' Trailer Had Us At 'Hello': Watch Now!
Will Ferrell is still keepin' it classy in latest sneak peek of December 20 sequel, 'Anchorman: The Legend Continues.'
By Katie Atkinson
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1707618/anchorman-2-new-trailer.jhtml
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AP CEO calls records seizure unconstitutional
WASHINGTON (AP) ? The president and CEO of The Associated Press says the government's seizure of AP journalists' phone records was "unconstitutional" and already has had a chilling effect on newsgathering.
Gary Pruitt says the Justice Department's secret subpoena of reporters' phone records has made sources less willing to talk to AP journalists.
The Justice Department disclosed the seizure of two months of phone records in a letter the AP received May 10. The letter did not state a reason, but prosecutors had said they were conducting a leaks investigation into how the AP learned about an al-Qaida bomb plot in Yemen before it was made public last year. Pruitt said the AP story contradicted the government's claim at the time there was no terrorist plot.
Pruitt spoke on CBS' "Face the Nation."
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-ceo-calls-records-seizure-unconstitutional-162821460.html
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Boosting Self confidence ? The 5 Techniques to assist to Strengthen ...
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The greatest detail about self confidence is usually that if somebody has it, that human being can do something they want.?How to boost self confidence? is usually the number one detail holding people again from reaching their goals. It can be vital to get self-worth, but with all the planet being as challenging while it is, that can be genuinely difficult. On the other hand, there are some ideas on the market for boosting self esteem that just one can use. This article will target on five ideas that an individual should really take into account when trying to elevate her or his self esteem.
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The very first hint for boosting self esteem is positive imagining. If someone goes into anything with out wondering that she or he can perform it, then that particular person has currently lost the battle. Somebody needs to have the right perspective likely into any predicament as a way to reach what wants being completed.
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Suggestion two for boosting self esteem is to change the best way a single behaves. When anxious, concentration on behavioral important things such as respiration deeply and wanting to unwind. Seem self-confident and staying assured may help raise one?s self confidence.
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A 3rd hint for?how to gain confidence in yourself??is always to break down the massive job into smaller chores. Oftentimes men and women consider on an excessive amount of of the obstacle at 1 time. By breaking the big problem into scaled-down steps or projects, the obstacle would not seem so overwhelming.
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The 4th idea is to preserve vitality degrees large. Frequently times men and women could be overcome and exhausted when facing a big job. Nonetheless, a person will feel more energized when using on personal steps and accomplishing them will give a person electricity and self-assurance to be able to full the next process.
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New colonoscope provides ground-breaking view of colon
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Public release date: 18-May-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Aimee Frank
newsroom@gastro.org
301-941-2620
Digestive Disease Week
Colonoscopy withdrawal time, polyp removal technique also examined at DDW 2013
Orlando, FL (May 18, 2013) A ground-breaking advance in colonoscopy technology signals the future of colorectal care, according to research presented today at Digestive Disease Week (DDW). Additional research focuses on optimizing the minimal withdrawal time for colonoscopies and exploring safer methods for removing polyps.
During colonoscopy, doctors use a device called a colonoscope to examine the colon. This screening test for colorectal cancer allows a doctor to look for precancerous polyps called adenomas in the colon and rectum. A study featuring a new colonoscope that allows doctors to see more of the colon shows promise that could revolutionize colorectal cancer screening.
Researchers compared both the adenoma miss rate using the new colonoscope with the miss rate of a traditional colonoscope. The miss rate for the new colonoscope was only 7.6 percent as compared to 41.7 percent for the traditional colonoscope, in this study.
"It's always our goal to minimize miss rates in colonoscopy," said Professor Ian M. Gralnek of the Bruce and Ruth Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and senior physician at the department of gastroenterology, Rambam Health Care Campus and Elisha Hospital in Haifa, Israel. "These results show us a way to achieve that and improve the efficacy of colorectal cancer screening and surveillance colonoscopy."
Developed by EndoChoice, the Full Spectrum Endoscopy (FUSE) colonoscope maintains the identical technical features of the standard colonoscope, but allows the endoscopist to view 330 degrees, compared to the 170 degree viewing angle of the traditional colonoscope.
The study randomly assigned 197 patients for tandem colonoscopies using either the standard or the FUSE colonoscope first. In addition to a significantly lower adenoma miss rate, results showed a significantly higher adenoma detection rate favoring FUSE. Professor Gralnek credits FUSE's improved imaging technology with these findings as adenomas can be difficult to detect with only forward-viewing capabilities.
"Adenomas often hide behind folds in the colon and can be very difficult to find with a forward-viewing scope," Professor Gralnek said.
"Lower adenoma miss rates have important implications for patient surveillance," he added. The additional information FUSE provides to doctors may allow them to adjust patients' surveillance intervals according to risk level, ultimately helping to prevent incremental colorectal cancers. The FUSE scope could be available as early as this summer.
Colonoscopy withdrawal time makes a big difference for diagnosis
DDW also features other advances in colonoscopy relating not to what doctors see, but to how long they look. Researchers at Stanford University compared a three-minute versus six-minute withdrawal time during colonoscopy. The polyp miss rate was almost twice as high during the shorter procedure.
"The de facto standard of care for colonoscopy withdrawal time, which is six minutes, was based on a single observational study," said Sheila Kumar, research fellow in Stanford's division of gastroenterology and hepatology. "More data were needed to ensure that we are providing the best care possible. Our findings provide evidence-based support that prolonging withdrawal time significantly decreases polyp miss rates at colonoscopy."
Dr. Kumar's research represents the first randomized controlled trial examining the effect of colonoscopy withdrawal times on polyp miss rates. The study was conducted with patients undergoing colonoscopies at Stanford and the Palo Alto Veterans Administration Hospital. Patients were randomized to an initial three-minute or six-minute colonoscopy withdrawal time. Patients then underwent a "second look" six-minute withdrawal to determine if polyps were missed with the first look.
"The study design also allowed for data collection for screenings up to 12 minutes long, by combining data for the first and second withdrawal," Dr. Kumar said. "Future comparisons could help to confirm the optimal time parameters of a colonoscopy."
A safer polypectomy option for high-risk patients
In another study, researchers at Showa Inan General Hospital in Komagane, Japan, found that a particular method of polypectomy called a "cold snare" technique is safer for patients on anticoagulants.
When a colon or rectal polyp is detected during colonoscopy, a polypectomy is often recommended to remove the growth. But for patients who use anticoagulants, or blood thinners, polypectomies carry higher risk because of bleeding that occurs during excision of the polyp and recovery.
"The results of our study represent an important opportunity for patients whose options have been severely limited up to this point," said Akira Horiuchi, chief of the hospital's Digestive Disease Center.
The study compared the bleeding associated with the conventional polypectomy technique and the cold snare technique. With the first, the polyp is snared with a wire and then cut using electrocautery. The cold snare technique mechanically cuts off the polyp without electrocautery.
With the latter method, bleeding was seen in only about 5 percent of cases compared to 23 percent of cases using the conventional technique. No delayed bleeding was associated with the cold snare technique, whereas 14 percent of the conventional patients required hemostasis afterward. Polyp removal rates were identical for both approaches.
"These differences are exciting and encouraging," Dr. Horiuchi said. "We think the study paves the way for future research to validate a safer option for many patients."
Professor Gralnek will present data from the study "Comparing traditional forward-viewing colonoscopy with 'full spectrum endoscopy': a randomized, multicenter tandem colonoscopy study - the Fuse study," abstract 9a, on Saturday, May 18, at 9:44 a.m. ET in Room 415 Valencia of the Orange County Convention Center.
Dr. Kumar will present data from the study "Evaluating the optimal time for colonoscopy withdrawal: a prospective randomized comparison of three minute versus six minute withdrawal," abstract Mo1559, on Monday, May 20, at 8 a.m. ET in Hall West A1of the Orange County Convention Center.
Dr. Horiuchi will present data from the study "Prospective randomized comparison of cold snare polypectomy and conventional polypectomy for small colorectal polys in patients receiving anticoagulation therapy," abstract 852, on Monday, May 20, at 4 p.m. ET in Room 314B of the Orange County Convention Center.
###
Digestive Disease Week (DDW) is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW takes place May 18 to 21, 2013, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL. The meeting showcases more than 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. More information can be found at http://www.ddw.org.
Follow us on Twitter @DDWMeeting; hashtag #DDW13. Become a fan of DDW on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DDWMeeting?fref=ts).
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Public release date: 18-May-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Aimee Frank
newsroom@gastro.org
301-941-2620
Digestive Disease Week
Colonoscopy withdrawal time, polyp removal technique also examined at DDW 2013
Orlando, FL (May 18, 2013) A ground-breaking advance in colonoscopy technology signals the future of colorectal care, according to research presented today at Digestive Disease Week (DDW). Additional research focuses on optimizing the minimal withdrawal time for colonoscopies and exploring safer methods for removing polyps.
During colonoscopy, doctors use a device called a colonoscope to examine the colon. This screening test for colorectal cancer allows a doctor to look for precancerous polyps called adenomas in the colon and rectum. A study featuring a new colonoscope that allows doctors to see more of the colon shows promise that could revolutionize colorectal cancer screening.
Researchers compared both the adenoma miss rate using the new colonoscope with the miss rate of a traditional colonoscope. The miss rate for the new colonoscope was only 7.6 percent as compared to 41.7 percent for the traditional colonoscope, in this study.
"It's always our goal to minimize miss rates in colonoscopy," said Professor Ian M. Gralnek of the Bruce and Ruth Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and senior physician at the department of gastroenterology, Rambam Health Care Campus and Elisha Hospital in Haifa, Israel. "These results show us a way to achieve that and improve the efficacy of colorectal cancer screening and surveillance colonoscopy."
Developed by EndoChoice, the Full Spectrum Endoscopy (FUSE) colonoscope maintains the identical technical features of the standard colonoscope, but allows the endoscopist to view 330 degrees, compared to the 170 degree viewing angle of the traditional colonoscope.
The study randomly assigned 197 patients for tandem colonoscopies using either the standard or the FUSE colonoscope first. In addition to a significantly lower adenoma miss rate, results showed a significantly higher adenoma detection rate favoring FUSE. Professor Gralnek credits FUSE's improved imaging technology with these findings as adenomas can be difficult to detect with only forward-viewing capabilities.
"Adenomas often hide behind folds in the colon and can be very difficult to find with a forward-viewing scope," Professor Gralnek said.
"Lower adenoma miss rates have important implications for patient surveillance," he added. The additional information FUSE provides to doctors may allow them to adjust patients' surveillance intervals according to risk level, ultimately helping to prevent incremental colorectal cancers. The FUSE scope could be available as early as this summer.
Colonoscopy withdrawal time makes a big difference for diagnosis
DDW also features other advances in colonoscopy relating not to what doctors see, but to how long they look. Researchers at Stanford University compared a three-minute versus six-minute withdrawal time during colonoscopy. The polyp miss rate was almost twice as high during the shorter procedure.
"The de facto standard of care for colonoscopy withdrawal time, which is six minutes, was based on a single observational study," said Sheila Kumar, research fellow in Stanford's division of gastroenterology and hepatology. "More data were needed to ensure that we are providing the best care possible. Our findings provide evidence-based support that prolonging withdrawal time significantly decreases polyp miss rates at colonoscopy."
Dr. Kumar's research represents the first randomized controlled trial examining the effect of colonoscopy withdrawal times on polyp miss rates. The study was conducted with patients undergoing colonoscopies at Stanford and the Palo Alto Veterans Administration Hospital. Patients were randomized to an initial three-minute or six-minute colonoscopy withdrawal time. Patients then underwent a "second look" six-minute withdrawal to determine if polyps were missed with the first look.
"The study design also allowed for data collection for screenings up to 12 minutes long, by combining data for the first and second withdrawal," Dr. Kumar said. "Future comparisons could help to confirm the optimal time parameters of a colonoscopy."
A safer polypectomy option for high-risk patients
In another study, researchers at Showa Inan General Hospital in Komagane, Japan, found that a particular method of polypectomy called a "cold snare" technique is safer for patients on anticoagulants.
When a colon or rectal polyp is detected during colonoscopy, a polypectomy is often recommended to remove the growth. But for patients who use anticoagulants, or blood thinners, polypectomies carry higher risk because of bleeding that occurs during excision of the polyp and recovery.
"The results of our study represent an important opportunity for patients whose options have been severely limited up to this point," said Akira Horiuchi, chief of the hospital's Digestive Disease Center.
The study compared the bleeding associated with the conventional polypectomy technique and the cold snare technique. With the first, the polyp is snared with a wire and then cut using electrocautery. The cold snare technique mechanically cuts off the polyp without electrocautery.
With the latter method, bleeding was seen in only about 5 percent of cases compared to 23 percent of cases using the conventional technique. No delayed bleeding was associated with the cold snare technique, whereas 14 percent of the conventional patients required hemostasis afterward. Polyp removal rates were identical for both approaches.
"These differences are exciting and encouraging," Dr. Horiuchi said. "We think the study paves the way for future research to validate a safer option for many patients."
Professor Gralnek will present data from the study "Comparing traditional forward-viewing colonoscopy with 'full spectrum endoscopy': a randomized, multicenter tandem colonoscopy study - the Fuse study," abstract 9a, on Saturday, May 18, at 9:44 a.m. ET in Room 415 Valencia of the Orange County Convention Center.
Dr. Kumar will present data from the study "Evaluating the optimal time for colonoscopy withdrawal: a prospective randomized comparison of three minute versus six minute withdrawal," abstract Mo1559, on Monday, May 20, at 8 a.m. ET in Hall West A1of the Orange County Convention Center.
Dr. Horiuchi will present data from the study "Prospective randomized comparison of cold snare polypectomy and conventional polypectomy for small colorectal polys in patients receiving anticoagulation therapy," abstract 852, on Monday, May 20, at 4 p.m. ET in Room 314B of the Orange County Convention Center.
###
Digestive Disease Week (DDW) is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW takes place May 18 to 21, 2013, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL. The meeting showcases more than 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. More information can be found at http://www.ddw.org.
Follow us on Twitter @DDWMeeting; hashtag #DDW13. Become a fan of DDW on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DDWMeeting?fref=ts).
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-05/ddw-ncp051513.php
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Saturday, May 18, 2013
Mo'Nique lost 80 pounds after 'tipping 300'
Celebs 
15 hours ago
Add Oscar-winning actress and comedian Mo'Nique to the list of Hollywood stars who've recently dropped a great deal of weight. The actress told a radio station this week that she once weighed close to 300 pounds, has lost 80, and is continuing to drop weight.
AFP-Getty Images, @MoWorldWide/
Mo?Nique at the 2010 Oscars, left, and in 2013.
She told New York's Hot 97 FM on Monday that she has been tweeting her progress in hopes of inspiring others. "Because I want women to see ? especially us big women ? that you don?t have to let them cut you and suck it out," she said. "You don?t have to let them staple you up. You don?t have to let them give you a pill. You don?t have to let them put a band around your organs."
A tweet from Wednesday read, "Got in steps and 50 sit-ups. Did you give you, your best self today? Don't you deserve the BEST YOU. Love yall."
And other tweets shared her desire to lose the weight through diet and exercise and encouraged her fans to do the same.
The 5-foot-9-inch Mo'Nique said on the radio program that after "tipping 300" pounds, she now weighs 218 and has a goal of between 190 and 200 pounds.
She won the Academy Award for best supporting actress in 2009 for her role as an abusive mother in "Precious."
Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/monique-lost-80-pounds-after-tipping-300-1C9965346
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'The Voice' brings back Aguilera, Cee Lo Green
FILE - This Oct. 28, 2011 file photo shows, from left, Carson Daly, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, and Christina Aguilera, from the reality television competition "The Voice", in Culver City, Calif. The NBC singing contest said Friday that Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green would return for ?The Voice? Season 5, joining Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. Their midseason replacements _ Shakira and Usher _ will be back for Season 6, which will air in midseason 2014. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file)
FILE - This Oct. 28, 2011 file photo shows, from left, Carson Daly, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, and Christina Aguilera, from the reality television competition "The Voice", in Culver City, Calif. The NBC singing contest said Friday that Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green would return for ?The Voice? Season 5, joining Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. Their midseason replacements _ Shakira and Usher _ will be back for Season 6, which will air in midseason 2014. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file)
NEW YORK (AP) ? "The Voice" is leaving the judging drama to its rivals.
The NBC singing contest said Friday that Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green will return for "The Voice" Season 5, joining Adam Levine and Blake Shelton.
Their midseason replacements ? Shakira and Usher ? will be back for Season 6, which will air in midseason 2014.
Meanwhile Fox is scrambling to revive "American Idol" after record low ratings for Thursday's finale, with 14.3 million viewers. Original judge Randy Jackson has already announced his exit and Fox is making yet-to-be detailed format changes.
Last week "The Voice" narrowly edged out "Idol" in weekly ratings.
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Emotional day of testimony in Arias trial
PHOENIX (AP) ? Jurors deciding whether convicted murderer Jodi Arias will get the death penalty heard the victim's brother describe Thursday how he was hospitalized for ulcers, lost sleep and separated from his wife after his brother was killed.
Travis Alexander's younger brother Steven paused to choke back tears and regain his composure as he recounted the phone call he got from his sister the day his brother's body was found.
"She told me, 'Steven, Travis is dead,'" he said. "I thought I was dreaming."
The same jury convicted Arias of first-degree murder last week after about 15 hours of deliberations. During the trial's ongoing final penalty phase, the panel will decide whether to sentence Arias to life in prison or death for the 2008 murder of her one-time lover.
Arias cried periodically during the testimony and looked away from jurors.
"The nature of my brother's murder has had a major impact on me. It's even invaded my dreams," Steven Alexander testified. "I've had nightmares about somebody coming after me with a knife, then going after my wife and my daughter.
"I don't want these nightmares anymore. I don't want to see my brother's murderer anymore."
In opening statements, prosecutor Juan Martinez said there are no mitigating factors that should cause the jury to even consider a sentence other than death. The judge had instructed jurors that they could take into account certain things that might help them make a decision, such as Arias' lack of a prior criminal record and assertions that she was a good friend, had an abusive childhood and is a talented artist.
Martinez said none of that matters in regard to the brutal killing.
"The only appropriate sentence ... is death."
Defense attorney Kirk Nurmi opened his part by explaining to jurors that their decision ultimately would be the final one.
"Your verdict, ladies and gentleman, will determine whether or not Jodi Arias spends the rest of her life in prison or if she is sentenced to be executed," Nurmi said.
He then told the panel they would later hear directly from Arias.
"When you understand who Ms. Arias is, you will understand that life is the appropriate sentence," Nurmi said.
Alexander's sister Samantha later described for the panel how their grandmother, who raised the victim, saw her health fail after the killing and died around the time of jury selection.
"Travis was the glue in our family," Samantha Alexander said. She also recalled her brother's charisma, sense of humor, insight and "huge smile."
"Travis was our strength, our beacon of hope, our motivation," she said through tears. "Our lives will never be the same. ... We would give anything to have him back."
Steven Alexander recalled seeing his brother for the last time over the Christmas holiday in 2007. "Now when I want to talk to or see my brother, I have to go to a ... 6-foot-deep hole in the ground," he said.
The trial was inexplicably delayed Thursday afternoon after the judge and attorneys met privately. It is set to resume Monday morning when other witnesses will include Arias' friends and an ex-boyfriend who lived with her for several years in California.
Earlier this week, Arias' attorneys asked to be allowed to step down from the case, but a judge denied the request.
Details about the motion were sealed, but legal experts said Arias complicated efforts for her defense when she gave an interview to Fox affiliate KSAZ minutes after her conviction, saying she preferred death over life in prison.
"I believe death is the ultimate freedom, and I'd rather have my freedom as soon as I can get it," Arias said.
The interview prompted the judge to issue an order that the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office allow no more interviews with Arias. Less than a week later, on Thursday, Sheriff Joe Arpaio gave reporters a tour of Arias' cinderblock jail cell. The messy cell had a mattress on a lower bunk and the upper bunk was cluttered with files and papers.
Los Angeles-area criminal defense lawyer Mark Geragos said Arias' attorneys have a conflict of interest with their efforts to keep their client off death row and Arias' assertion that she'd rather die for her crime.
"It's not highly unusual," he said. "There are cases where defendants make decisions that they're better off on death row, but that puts the lawyer in a conflicted position. You've got a duty as a lawyer to bring the conflict of interest to the courts and disclose it."
Added Phoenix criminal defense lawyer Julio Laboy: "It would be something I would do in my major felony cases if I found that a client was actually working against me and not working with her defense."
Arias cannot choose the death penalty. It's up to the jury to determine a sentence. Her attorneys' motion to withdraw will have no impact on the penalty phase of the trial given jurors are not privy to the filing, and not even media have the details due to a court order sealing all such proceedings.
Arias, 32, acknowledged killing Alexander at his suburban Phoenix home after a day of sex on June 4, 2008. She initially denied any involvement and later blamed the attack on masked intruders. Two years after her arrest, Arias said she killed Alexander in self-defense.
The victim suffered nearly 30 knife wounds, had his throat slit from ear to ear and was shot in the forehead. Prosecutors say the attack was fueled by jealous rage after Alexander wanted to end his affair with Arias and prepared to take a trip to Mexico with another woman.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/emotional-day-testimony-arias-trial-004642505.html
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EU watchdog backs Bayer acne drug for certain patients
LONDON (Reuters) - Bayer's acne pill Diane 35 and its generic versions are safe to use in certain women when other options have failed, the European Medicines Agency said on Friday.
Following a formal safety review, conducted at the request of French authorities, the agency concluded that the benefits outweighed the risks - provided measures were taken to minimize the chance of blood clots forming in veins and arteries.
The medicines should be used solely in the treatment of moderate to severe acne in women of reproductive age and only when alternative treatments, such as topical therapy and oral antibiotic treatment, have failed.
French authorities suspended sales of drugs in January after four deaths over the past 25 years were linked to their use. Bayer said at the time it was "surprised" by the suspension.
Diane 35 reduces acne by regulating hormones and blocking ovulation, and is often prescribed as a contraceptive even though it is not approved for this use.
(Reporting by Ben Hirschler; editing by Kate Kelland)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eu-watchdog-backs-bayer-acne-drug-certain-patients-122618478.html
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Friday, May 17, 2013
MIT's cheetah robot runs faster, more efficiently, can carry its own power supply (video)
When it comes to hunting down humans running speeds, MIT's cheetah might come second to Boston Dynamics' own high-velocity quadruped, but by substituting pneumatics with motors, MIT's version apparently runs far more efficiently. At the recent International Conference on Robotics and Automation, the Institute of Technology showed of its newest version, which reached a top speed of 13.7 mph. To accomplish this, the runner still needs parallel support bars to constrain movement in one dimension, reducing any roll, yaw -- and the chances of a pretty expensive fall. The team says the new version's cost of transport (COT is power consumption divided by weight, times velocity) is around 0.52. In comparison, Honda's Asimo has a hefty COT of 2.
This impressive efficiency is down to the use of electric motors over hydraulics, with a new "three phase permanent magnet synchronous motor" providing the necessary torque. Researchers also used biometric principles to conserve energy and reduce stress on joints, including Kevlar tendons across the back of the legs. With all those efficiency increases, it mean that MIT's cheetah can theoretically run while carrying its own power source. We've added a video after the break, where you can see the bot hit its top speed while carrying some battery dummy weights.
Filed under: Robots
Via: Spectrum IEEE
Source: MIT Biomimetics
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Banners Are the Worst Advertising: Invisible | Digiday
Bob Hoffman is a partner in Type A Group, an advertising and marketing consultancy. He is also author of The Ad Contrarian blog?, and the book ?101Contrarian Ideas About Advertising.? Follow him on Twitter @adcontrarian.
This publication recently ran a piece called ?5 (Un)Alarming Stats About Banner Ads.? The article was an apologia for banner advertising. This is a clear indication that banner advertising is finally earning the disrepute it deserves ? even from those who used to defend it.
The piece starts by giving us some statistics about online display advertising. First, that it will generate $15 billion in revenue this year. Second, that it will grow by 18 percent. Third that Facebook?s revenue grew 80 percent last year, mainly from display. I?m afraid this is not evidence of the effectiveness of banner advertising. It is evidence of the cluelessness of advertisers.
The article then goes on to explain how 5 statistics quoted as evidence of the deficiencies of banner ads are actually points in its favor. I would like to disagree.
1. On overload: ?Over 5.3 trillion display ads were served to U.S. users last year? (but) 23.5 trillion TV commercials were ?served???
This is a disingenuous equivalency for a media person to make. TV commercials are not served 7 to a screen. Nor are TV commercials squeezed to the margins of the screen by ?content.? While the impact of a TV spot has often been exaggerated, the idea that a banner ad has the equivalent impact is absurd. We are certainly overloaded with TV spots, but that doesn?t mean we are not overloaded with banners.
2. On clutter: ?The typical lnternet user is served 1,707 banners each month? (but) the typical U.S. consumer watches 3,200 minutes of TV commercials each month, or about 6,000 TV ads. Still think banners are oversaturating the market??
Yes, I do. The typical U.S. consumer spends over six times as much time with TV as she does on the web (Nielsen Cross Platform Report, Q3 2012.) In order for TV to be as saturated as the web she would have to see over 10,000 TV spots a month.
3. On effectiveness: The 468 x 60 banner has a 0.4 percent click-through rate? TV spots have a 0.5 percent response rate? Billboards have a lower, 0.3 percent response rate. Radio fares best at about 0.13 percent??
This is the most disturbing and the most often used defense of banner advertising. It?s the ?Nobody Ever Clicked On The Mona Lisa? defense. It is deceitful and irresponsible. TV advertising, billboards, and radio were never meant to be ?interactive.? Banner advertising was breathlessly sold to us as an interactive medium ? a medium in which there would be a direct, immediate interaction. The fact that we were misled, and that nobody wants to interact with banner ads, is not the fault of TV, billboards or radio.
And, by the way, if you?re going to pretend there?s an equivalency between a click and ?response rate,? it would be nice if you defined exactly what ?response rate? is measuring.
4. On click rates: ?You?re more likely to survive a plane crash than click on a banner ad. ? once the plane has crashed, yes, you are more likely than 4 out of 10,000 to (survive)? But your odds of being on (sic) a plane crash in the first place, in which at least one person dies, is 1 in 3.4 million. Nice logical mistake??
No, the logical mistake is yours. The premise of this stat clearly states ?survive? a plane crash. It says nothing about ?being in? a plane crash.
5. On trust: ?Thirty-four percent of people don?t trust banner ads at all. Well, 35 percent of Americans think dinosaurs roamed the Earth at the same time as humans??
I?m not sure what the point is here but, okay, I?ll give you this one.
You don?t have to be an advertising or marketing expert to observe that almost no one pays attention to banner ads. If you doubt this, try to remember even one of the tens of thousands of display ads you?ve been served. Or try to recall the last time you heard anyone talking about that awesome banner ad they saw. Or name me one substantial brand that has been built by banner advertising.
On the whole, banner ads are the worst thing advertising can be ? invisible. TV, billboards and radio advertising may be annoying, but they are not invisible.
This does not stop defenders of banner advertising from torturing the data to ?prove? to us how effective banners are.
What these people seem not to understand is that the value in advertising is related to its impact. Regardless of how many screens an ad appears on, if nobody notices it it has no value.
The impact of a banner ad? About as close to zero as you can get and still be called advertising.
?Image via Shutterstock
Source: http://www.digiday.com/publishers/banners-are-the-worst-advertising/
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