Common gene variants explain 42% of antidepressant response

Mar. 28, 2013 ? Antidepressants are commonly prescribed for the treatment of depression, but many individuals do not experience symptom relief from treatment. The National Institute of Mental Health's STAR*D study, the largest and longest study ever conducted to evaluate depression treatment, found that only approximately one-third of patients responded within their initial medication trial and approximately one-third of patients did not have an adequate clinical response after being treated with several different medications. Thus, identifying predictors of antidepressant response could help to guide the treatment of this disorder.

A new study published in Biological Psychiatry now shares progress in identifying genomic predictors of antidepressant response.

Many previous studies have searched for genetic markers that may predict antidepressant response, but have done so despite not knowing the contribution of genetic factors. Dr. Katherine Tansey of Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London and colleagues resolved to answer that question.

"Our study quantified, for the first time, how much is response to antidepressant medication influenced by an individual's genetic make-up," said Tansey.

To perform this work, the researchers estimated the magnitude of the influence of common genetic variants on antidepressant response using a sample of 2,799 antidepressant-treated subjects with major depressive disorder and genome-wide genotyping data.

They found that genetic variants explain 42% of individual differences, and therefore, significantly influence antidepressant response.

"While we know that there are no genetic markers with strong effect, this means that there are many genetic markers involved. While each specific genetic marker may have a small effect, they may add up to make a meaningful prediction," Tansey added.

"We have a very long way to go to identify genetic markers that can usefully guide the treatment of depression. There are two critical challenges to this process," said Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry. "First, we need to have genomic markers that strongly predict response or non-response to available treatments. Second, markers for non-response to available treatments also need to predict response to an alternative treatment. Both of these conditions need to be present for markers of non-response to guide personalized treatments of depression."

"Although the Tansey et al. study represents progress, it is clear that we face enormous challenges with regards to both objectives," he added. "For example, it does not yet appear that having a less favorable genomic profile is a sufficiently strong negative predictor of response to justify withholding antidepressant treatment. Similarly, there is lack of clarity as to how to optimally treat patients who might have less favorable genomic profile.."

Additional research is certainly required, but scientists hope that one day, results such as these can lead to personalized treatment for depression.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Elsevier, via AlphaGalileo.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Katherine E. Tansey, Michel Guipponi, Xiaolan Hu, Enrico Domenici, Glyn Lewis, Alain Malafosse, Jens R. Wendland, Cathryn M. Lewis, Peter McGuffin, Rudolf Uher. Contribution of Common Genetic Variants to Antidepressant Response. Biological Psychiatry, 2013; 73 (7): 679 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.10.030

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/z5l4WA6eDzU/130328091730.htm

Victoria Soto nbc sports morgan freeman westboro baptist church Survivor Philippines

5 Manly Recipes For Food With Alcohol | of Iron & Oak

There?s something about pairing the perfect drink with your meal that just intensifies the whole experience. There?s no denying that. But what happens if you skip the middleman and just cook food with alcohol?

We here at of Iron & Oak are always trying to push the boundaries of our readers, introducing them to new skills and exposing them to new and exciting things that will enhance their overall manly stature.

We know some of you guys haven?t cooked anything more than Hungry-Man TV dinners and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. We also know that some of you men out there are tried and true gourmet chefs in your own right, and for that, you get a gold star. Because, after all, providing delicious foods for others sort of goes hand-in-hand with the age-old testament of being manly. No??

We?ve already covered basic grilling skills, which can be applied here, but we want to dive deeper into the culinary arts. We want to expose our readers to even more manly recipes by cooking food with alcohol. Bourbon steak. Beer can chicken. Whiskey-flavored pork chops.

You see, cooking in itself is a bit of a science. Add a bit of alcohol to the equation and you?ve got yourself a full-blown, deliciously badass experiment. Here are five manly recipes for food with alcohol fit for a king. Give them a try, gourmet chef or not, and let us know how your meals turned out. Hell, let us know what your ladies even think of them. And if you have any manly recipes of your own, feel free to share.

BOURBON STEAK

Steak is probably one of the easiest and manliest foods to cook. There?s nothing like taking a nice, hearty slab of beef, throwing it on a grill and grilling it to your exact specifications.

But what makes a great steak? Often times, it?s the marinade.

Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 1
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Ingredients:
-?????? ? cup of soy sauce
-?????? ? cup of bourbon
-?????? 1 clove of garlic, pressed or minced
-?????? ? teaspoon of grated ginger
-?????? ? cup of water
-?????? 1 steak (roughly ?? thick)

Directions:

1. Combine everything in a shallow dish.
2. Tenderize the steak by beating the hell out of it, and marinate it for at least two hours.
3. Grill the steak over a charcoal fire.

Source: Bourbon Steak on food.com.

BEER BRATS

We live for summer barbecues, guys, and these are essential. You?ll have your run-of-the-mill hot dogs and hamburgers, obviously, but spice it up with some delicious brats!

You?ll be drinking and eating anyway; just mix the two together.

Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 10
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
-?????? 4 cans of beer (Any kind. Experiment with different flavors.)
-?????? 1 large onion, diced
-?????? 10 bratwurst
-?????? 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes
-?????? 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
-?????? 1 teaspoon of salt
-?????? ? teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium to high heat. When the grill is hot, lightly oil the grate. Remember this from our grilling article.
2. Combine the beer and onions in a large pot and bring it to a boil. Toss the brats in the beer, making sure they are completely submerged. Add the red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium and cook another 10-12 minutes. Then remove the brats from the beer mixture and continue to cook the onions with the heat set to low.
3. Cook the brats on the preheated grill, turning once every 5-10 minutes.
4. Serve with the onions as a topping as a side.

Source: Beer Brats on allrecipes.com.

BEER CAN CHICKEN

This one?s a bit tricky, but definitely worth a try. Steam the inside of your chicken with spiced beer. It?ll be filled with juices delectable enough to make your mouth water.

Plus, doesn?t it look kind of fun?

Difficulty: Medium
Serves: 10
Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients:
-?????? ? cup of dark brown sugar
-?????? ? cup of kosher salt
-?????? ? cup paprika
-?????? 4 tablespoons of fresh ground pepper
-?????? 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
-?????? 2 cups of cherry or hickory wood chips (available in the charcoal aisle)
-?????? 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil
-?????? 2 three to four pound whole chickens
-?????? 2 cans of beer (Again. Any kind. Experiment with different flavors.)

Directions:
1. Preheat an outdoor grill for indirect medium grilling. Soak the cherry wood chips in a bowl of water for at least 60 minutes. Put the soaked wood chips over the coals once the chicken is ready to be cooked.
2. Combine the brown sugar, salt, paprika, black pepper and cayenne into a dry?rub.
3. Clean out the chicken?s cavities and wash the chickens with cold water. Pat them dry with a paper towel and rub them each with two tablespoons of vegetable oil. Rub the dry rub spice mixture inside and outside of the chickens. Make sure to cover the entire bird, including the creases between the wings. Save roughly two teaspoons for the next part.
4. Take each can of beer and pour out (or drink) half of the can. Using a can opener, poke two extra holes in the top of the beer cans. Slowly pour one teaspoon of extra dry rub into each of the cans, being careful as they may foam up and out of the can.
5. Place the beer cans in the chicken?s cavities and use their legs to make a tripod. The beer and spices will steam up into the chicken, keeping it moist.
6. Make sure to use indirect grilling. In other words, don?t put the chicken directly over the coals or flames. They will burn. If they start to get too dark, loosely cover the top of the chickens with a piece of aluminum foil.
7. Chickens should be ready in an hour and half or when the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 180 F. Delicious juices will be running off the bottom of the chickens.
8. Don?t open the grill too often. Try opening the grill once after every hour and then every fifteen minutes afterwards. Don?t let too much heat escape.

Source: Beer Can Chicken on mantestedrecipes.com.

ONE-PAN WHISKEY-FLAVORED PORK CHOPS

Here?s a meal fit for a king. Just looking at these whiskey-flavored pork chops makes my mouth water. Add a side of mashed potatoes and you?re in heaven.

Make these for your ladyfriend. See how impressed she is.

Difficulty: Medium
Serves: 4
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour

Ingredients:
-?????? 2/3 cup of fat-free sour cream
-?????? ? cup of water
-?????? 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
-?????? ? teaspoon of salt
-?????? ? teaspoon of dried rubbed sage
-?????? ? teaspoon of black pepper
-?????? 4 six ounce bone-in center-cut pork chops, trimmed
-?????? ? teaspoon of salt
-?????? 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper
-?????? 1 teaspoon of olive oil
-?????? ? cup of chopped onion
-?????? 1 eight ounce package of pre-sliced mushrooms
-?????? ? cup of whiskey

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
2. Combine the sour cream, water, flour, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Add the sage to the same mix by rubbing it between your fingers to release the oils.
3. Sprinkle pork with ? teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once it?s hot, saut? the pork for five minutes on each side, or until golden, and remove it from the pan.
5. Add onions and mushrooms to the same pan and saut? for three minutes. Carefully add whiskey to the pan and cook for one minute or until the sauce becomes less liquefied.
6. Return pork to the pan and spoon mushrooms, onions and sauce over the pork.
7. Cover the pan and bake the chops in the oven at 300 degrees for an hour.

Source: One-Pan Whiskey-Flavored Pork Chops on myrecipes.com.

BEEF AND DARK BEER CHILI

Perfect for cool autumn nights, this beef and dark beer chili may be a bit hard to put together, but the end result is truly amazing.

Throw it on your hot dogs or engorge solo. Delicious.

Difficulty: Hard
Serves: 10-12
Prep: 47 minutes
Cook: N/A

Ingredients:
-?????? 1 ? tablespoons of ground cumin
-?????? 1 tablespoon of ground coriander
-?????? 5 pounds of ground chuck (cut of beef extending from neck to ribs, includes shoulderblade)
-?????? 2 tablespoons of canola oil
-?????? 2 ? pounds of chopped onions
-?????? 1 ? pounds of red bell peppers, seeded, cut into ? inch pieces
-?????? 1 ? pounds of yellow bell peppers, seeded, cut into ? inch pieces
-?????? 2 large jalapeno chiles with seeds, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
-?????? 7 tablespoons of chili powder
-?????? 2 teaspoons of minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
-?????? 2 28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes
-?????? 2 15 ounce cans of kidney beans, drained
-?????? 1 12 ounce bottle of dark beer, you know? some sort of stout
-?????? Sour cream
-?????? Chopped green onions
-?????? Grated cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Toast cumin and coriander in a skillet over medium heat for about four minutes until dark and beginning to smoke. Let it cool.
2. Saute chuck (beef) in a heavy large pot for about eight minutes over medium-high heat until it?s no longer pink. Break it up with a spoon.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell peppers and jalepenos. Saute vegetables for about fifteen minutes until they begin to soften. Add this mixture to the pot with the meat and mix in the aforementioned toasted spices as well as chili powder and chipotle chiles.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes, beans and beer, and bring the chili to a boil, stirring occasionally.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often.
6. Season with salt and pepper and serve with sour cream, green onions and cheese.

Source: Beef and Dark Beer Chili on epicurious.com.

?

Like this article? Why not like us as well? Find of Iron & Oak on?Facebook?and?Twitter! And, as always, feel free to express your comments, concerns or funny stories in the comments below. Look good. Live well. Of Iron & Oak.

Source: http://ofironandoak.com/2013/03/5-manly-recipes-for-food-with-alcohol/

farrah abraham Paul Ryan Speech chris cooley chris cooley condoleezza rice Perry Hall High School bill cosby

Diverse bacteria on fresh fruits, vegetables vary with produce type, farming practices

Mar. 27, 2013 ? Fresh fruit and vegetables carry an abundance of bacteria on their surfaces, not all of which cause disease. In the first study to assess the variety of these non-pathogenic bacteria, scientists report that these surface bacteria vary depending on the type of produce and cultivation practices.

The results are published March 27 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Jonathan Leff and Noah Fierer at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

The study focused on eleven produce types that are often consumed raw, and found that certain species like spinach, tomatoes and strawberries have similar surface bacteria, with the majority of these microbes belonging to one family. Fruit like apples, peaches and grapes have more variable surface bacterial communities from three or four different groups. The authors also found differences in surface bacteria between produce grown using different farming practices.

The authors suggest several factors that may contribute to the differences they observed, including farm locations, storage temperature or time, and transport conditions. These surface bacteria on produce can impact the rate at which food spoils, and may be the source of typical microbes on kitchen surfaces. Previous studies have shown that although such microbes don't necessarily cause disease, they may still interact with, and perhaps inhibit the growth of disease-causing microbes. The results of this new research suggest that people may be exposed to substantially different bacteria depending on the types of produce they consume.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Public Library of Science.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Jonathan W. Leff, Noah Fierer. Bacterial Communities Associated with the Surfaces of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (3): e59310 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059310

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/strange_science/~3/kBX0D1wTFq0/130327190542.htm

sheree whitfield weather dallas pat summitt real housewives of atlanta colton bo ryan the last waltz

Chris Brown on Rihanna: Remorseful, Sorry, "Eternally Grateful and Thankful"

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/03/chris-brown-on-rihanna-remorseful-sorry-eternally-grateful-and-t/

robin thicke mariana trench transcendental meditation trayvon martin obama care miss universe canada don draper

SD Sen. Tim Johnson retirement opens door for GOP (The Arizona Republic)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/294608711?client_source=feed&format=rss

ground hog day 2012 aaron carter black history month did groundhog see his shadow soul train don cornelius rod parsley barry sanders jr

The U.S. MNT arrived in Mexico City Sunday afternoon and got to work on the trai...

The U.S. MNT arrived in Mexico City Sunday afternoon and got to work on the training field. Preparations for Tuesday night are well underway.

Watch USA vs. Mexico live on ESPN, WatchESPN and Univision from 10:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

LIKE if you think the USA can get points at Estadio Azteca!

Source: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151504211023941&set=a.95698693940.88099.32421823940&type=1

norfolk island michael brockers lisa marie presley florida panthers tannehill joel ward mock draft

Obama's New FCC Pick Could Help Determine the Future of the ...

One of the hot jobs in the US government?chairman of the Federal Communications Commission?is about to become vacant, and President Barack Obama's pick for this position will say much about his priorities and what it takes to win a job within his administration.

The current chairman, Julius Genachowski, was a Harvard Law classmate of Obama and longtime Washington denizen with several stints in the private sector, and last week he announced he's splitting after four years in the post. Genachowski has had a rollicking tenure at the more-important-than-ever agency. His FCC approved the controversial NBC/Comcast merger, but it killed AT&T's $39 billion bid for T-Mobile. He developed a national broadband plan, while pushing for universal broadband access and contending with spectrum crunch. He's had to navigate the knotty issue of net neutrality (at one point angering both Verizon and public interest advocates). His tenure has vividly demonstrated that the FCC chairman's office is a node for cutting-edge policy issues related to economic development, technology, education, and media.

For weeks, there's been widespread speculation within certain Washington circles that Genachowski was going to leave?the rumor mill had him seeking an ambassadorship to Brazil or India?and much tea-leaf-reading about his replacement. As reports surfaced of possible successors, a basic choice appeared to emerge for Obama: a telecom industry vet or a public interest-minded policy expert.

A leading contender is industry insider Tom Wheeler, who was cited as the front-runner by Time. He's a managing director at a Washington, DC-based venture capital firm. But years before that, he was the chief lobbyist for the cable industry and then the head influence peddler for the cell phone industry. He is no consumer advocate, but he has this advantage: He has raised a lot of money as a campaign bundler for Obama. Wheeler is also a member in good standing with the Washington establishment; he sits on the President's Intelligence Advisory Board and is a trustee of the John F. Kennedy Center. During 2009, he led the Obama-Biden transition's working group overseeing science, technology, space, and arts agencies.

"He's beloved in the telecom industry," a former Obama administration official says of Wheeler. An industry newsletter notes, "having spent his entire career representing businesses, running businesses and investing in businesses, Wheeler undoubtedly will have a light regulatory touch in all matters. And that's not something you can say about most Democrats."

There has yet been no freak-out in the public interest community about Wheeler?who lobbied for the cable and cell phone industries when they were upstarts, not behemoths. But a number of women's groups sent Obama a letter requesting he choose a woman for the job. (No woman has ever served as FCC chief.) Sascha Meinrath, director of the New America Foundation's Open Technology Institute, is one advocate who has slammed the prospective Wheeler pick, observing that Wheeler "was the top lobbyist for not one, but two different industry lobbying groups. I can't comprehend why that isn't a massive conflict of interest." He told Politico that Wheeler's appointment would exemplify "a bad revolving door."

On the other side of the private-public divide in the FCC chair contest are several possible appointees who possess policy expertise but who have not represented industry groups. The leader among these candidates apparently is Karen Kornbluh, who recently finished a stint as Obama's ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, where she pushed for an open internet policy. She is a domestic policy maven who was a top aide to Obama when he was a senator. Years before that, she worked at the FCC in several roles and advanced policies related to children's programming and e-rates for classrooms. She also founded the Work and Family program at the New America Foundation?which has focused on developing innovative policies that benefit stressed-out workers and families. (She coined the term "juggler families.") She oversaw the drafting of the Democratic Party platform for Obama in 2008. Kornbluh's telecom experience exists within the context of wide-ranging expertise in social policy. (Connection disclosed: Kornbluh is a family friend.)

Also on the list of do-gooders under consideration for the job are Susan Crawford and Cathy Sandoval. Crawford, a Cardozo Law School professor who specializes in tech policy, is a favorite of public interest advocates. In her book, Captive Audience: The Telecom Industry and Monopoly in the New Gilded Age, Crawford, who served in the Obama White House as an adviser on science, technology, and innovation policy, contends that the telecom giants need to be downsized. She is, in a way, the Elizabeth Warren of tech policy. Yet her confrontational approach toward the industry may render a Crawford appointment too tough for Obama to pull off. A White House petition drive in favor of her appointment expired because it failed to meet the signature threshold. Sandoval is the first Latina to serve on the California Public Utilities Commission. (She also was the first Latina to be named a Rhodes scholar.) Like Kornbluh, she worked at the FCC during the Clinton years, and she has developed a reputation for being consumer-minded.

Other names floated in assorted media reports include Jason Furman, a senior economic adviser in the Obama White House. Long associated with Robert Rubin, he's well regarded within the administration for his smarts and savvy. ?And there's Larry Strickling, the head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. He oversaw the $4 billion broadband development program that was part of Obama's stimulus package and worked at the FCC in the 1990s. He also was once a vice president of public policy at Ameritech, a regional Bell company. Also on the list of FCC might-be's is Mignon Clyburn, who's the daughter of Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC), the assistant House Democratic leader. She has been a FCC commissioner since 2009.

Obama does not lack good options for this important slot. With telecommunications a critical part of most aspects of modern American society, the FCC chairmanship is a key appointment. And the commission is one of those spots in government where industry desires can clash with public interest concerns. As it stands now, Obama can go the conventional route?and reward a money-raiser with deep roots in the industries the FCC regulates. Or he can show more daring and choose as chair one of several past or present public servants who have been more attuned to policy than profits. Only the future of the Internet and how we communicate with each other is at stake.

Source: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/03/fcc-genachowski-wheeler-kornbluh-crawford-sandoval

Lane Goodwin Romnesia eminem eminem yankees Tagg Romney Bosses Day

How to Install Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with Slim Bean for Samsung Galaxy S I9000 [Guide]

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Source: www.ibtimes.com --- Sunday, March 24, 2013
For owners of Samsung Galaxy S, waiting on the arrival of the Jelly Bean update can be tiresome and may take time before your device becomes the lucky recipient. Slim Bean offers Android 4.2.2 version for your Galaxy S with tons of customisation features and stable ROM. ...

Source: http://www.ibtimes.comhttp:0//www.ibtimes.co.in/articles/449799/20130325/install-android-4-2-jelly-bean-slim.htm

ohio state girl with the dragon tattoo ohio state basketball collateral dick cheney heart umf elite eight

New affirmative action case at Supreme Court

FILE - In this Nov. 2, 2010 file photo, Michigan Attorney General-elect Bill Schuette speaks in Detroit on election night. The Supreme Court is broadening its examination of affirmative action by adding a case about Michigan's effort to ban consideration of race in college admissions. The court on Monday said it would add the Michigan case, which focuses on the 6-year-old voter-approved prohibition on affirmative action and the appeals court ruling that overturned the ban. The new case will be argued in the fall. A decision in the Texas case is expected by late June. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 2, 2010 file photo, Michigan Attorney General-elect Bill Schuette speaks in Detroit on election night. The Supreme Court is broadening its examination of affirmative action by adding a case about Michigan's effort to ban consideration of race in college admissions. The court on Monday said it would add the Michigan case, which focuses on the 6-year-old voter-approved prohibition on affirmative action and the appeals court ruling that overturned the ban. The new case will be argued in the fall. A decision in the Texas case is expected by late June. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Supreme Court is broadening its examination of affirmative action by adding a case about Michigan's effort to ban consideration of race in college admissions.

The justices already were considering a challenge to the University of Texas program that takes account of race, among many factors, to fill remaining spots in its freshman classes. The Texas case has been argued, but not yet decided.

The court on Monday said it would add the Michigan case, which focuses on the 6-year-old voter-approved prohibition on affirmative action and the appeals court ruling that overturned the ban. The new case will be argued in the fall. A decision in the Texas case is expected by late June.

The dispute over affirmative action in Michigan has its roots in the 2003 Supreme Court decision that upheld the use of race as a factor in university admissions. That case concerned the University of Michigan law school.

In response to the court's 5-4 decision in that case, affirmative action opponents worked to put a ballot measure in front of voters to amend the state constitution to outlaw preferential treatment on the basis of race and other factors in education, as well as government hiring and contracting. In November 2006, 58 percent of Michigan voters approved the measure.

Civil rights groups sued to block the provision the day after the vote. In November, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals voted 8-7 to invalidate the ban as it applies to college admissions. It did not address hiring or contracting.

The appeals court said the constitutional amendment is illegal under Supreme Court rulings from the late 1960s and early 1980s that prohibit placing special burdens on minority groups that want to bring about changes in laws and policies. The court said that forcing opponents of the ban to mount their own long, expensive campaign through the ballot box to protect affirmative action amounts to different, and unequal, treatment.

That burden "undermines the Equal Protection Clause's guarantee that all citizens ought to have equal access to the tools of political change," the court said. By way of example, the court said that children of university alumni remain free to lobby lawmakers and university officials to adopt policies to take family ties into account in admissions.

The 6th Circuit divided along ideological lines, with its more liberal judges in the majority.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette asked the Supreme Court to review the 6th Circuit's ruling. "Entrance to our great colleges and universities must be based upon merit, and I remain optimistic moving forward in our fight for equality, fairness and rule of law at our nation's highest court," Schuette said Monday.

In the Texas case, a white student who was denied admission to the University of Texas is suing to overturn the school's use of race among many factors to fill out its incoming freshman classes. The bulk of the slots go to Texans who graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school classes.

The Michigan case is Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, 12-682.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-03-25-US-Supreme-Court-Affirmative-Action/id-f4ad20d26ed944b5a8f5cb437f846dfa

Canelo Alvarez Chavez vs Martinez Yunel Escobar Irish Daily Star Black Mesa matt ryan matt ryan

Italian court ponders Amanda Knox's acquittal

By Virginia Alimenti

ROME (Reuters) - A state prosecutor urged Italy's top court on Monday to overturn the acquittal of American Amanda Knox and a former boyfriend for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.

Kercher's half-naked body, with more than 40 wounds and a deep gash in the throat, was found in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia in 2007.

The Court of Cassation, Italy's final court of appeal, is due to decide on Monday or Tuesday whether to start the process for a retrial or to uphold the 2011 verdict and close the case definitively.

"In this trial the judge lost his way," state prosecutor Luigi Riello told the court, urging it to accept the request for an appeal from Perugia prosecutors and Kercher family lawyers, who say the verdict was flawed and left central aspects of the case unexplained.

Both Knox's lawyer Luciano Ghirga and Giulia Bongiorno, a lawyer for Knox's former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, said they were confident the court would uphold the verdict clearing their clients of murder.

Prosecutors accused Knox and Sollecito of killing Kercher in a drug-fuelled sexual assault. They were initially found guilty and sentenced to 26 and 25 years in prison respectively after a trial that grabbed headlines all over the world.

The American whose conviction in her roommate's murder was overturned may face another trial.

?

In 2011, their convictions were overturned and they were released after serving four years in prison.

"We all still miss Meredith terribly," her sister Stephanie said in a statement on Monday. "A beautiful young girl, my little sister, was taken from us far too soon in such a brutal way with too many unexplained factors."

Monday's ruling, which will be made on procedural issues, not on questions of merit, could be the last development in a case whose initial handling was sharply criticised by independent forensic experts.

"There seems to be very little criticism of the technical aspects of the trial," said Ghirga.

Prosecutors last year filed a motion to appeal against the acquittals, calling the verdict "contradictory and illogical".

Francesco Maresca, a lawyer representing Kercher's family, said in a statement on Monday the acquittals had been "defective" and "lacked transparency".

"There was a lot of external pressure and the judge showed a will from the start to acquit," Maresca said.

COHERENT

If the Court of Cassation upholds the request and decides to go back to trial, new hearings will be held at a later date.

However, Bongiorno said there was little room for the decision to be challenged.

"We have a verdict behind us that is so well-grounded, coherent and logical that we're very calm," she said as she entered the court.

Italian law permits prosecutors to appeal against not guilty verdicts. The Court of Cassation will decide whether there were any procedural irregularities that give grounds for a retrial, rather than examining the facts of the case.

Knox and Sollecito were acquitted after the independent forensic investigators challenged police scientific evidence.

A third man, an Ivorian drifter named Rudy Guede, was found guilty and sentenced to 16 years in a separate trial. He is now the only person serving time for the murder, although prosecutors say he could not have killed Kercher by himself.

Kercher, a student at Leeds University, was 21 when she died.

Knox, dubbed "Foxy Knoxy" in many early media reports, was initially portrayed as promiscuous and dishonest but a lobbying campaign by her family helped change perceptions.

She returned to her Seattle-area home after she was released from prison in Italy and is scheduled to speak publicly about the trial for the first time on American television in April, when her book of memoirs is also due to be released.

(Additional reporting and writing by Catherine Hornby,; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/prosecutor-urges-italy-court-overturn-knox-acquittal-181311222.html

Kwame Kilpatrick New pope 2013 good morning america earthquake california earthquake california douglas adams brandon knight

Notorious Ivory Coast militia leader killed

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) ? A regional official says a notorious militia leader accused of enlisting child soldiers for cross-border raids from Liberia into western Ivory Coast was killed during fighting Saturday.

Claude Koffi Yao Kan, sub-prefect for the western town of Blolequin, said Sunday that Oula? Tako, known as "Tarzan of the West," was among three assailants killed by soldiers responding to the attack. Ivory Coast's United Nations mission says two civilians and a traditional hunter were also killed in the attack on a village 15 miles (25 kilometers) outside Blolequin.

A report last year from Human Rights Watch implicated Tako in a series of raids on villages in western Ivory Coast dating back to July 2011, with witnesses saying he had been involved in the recruitment and training of child soldiers.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/notorious-ivory-coast-militia-leader-killed-113633790.html

st louis cardinals Steelers Schedule tory burch Al Smith Dinner Herman Melville Books Kyna Treacy megan fox

Nissan and Gibson Combine Forces with NV200 Mobile Guitar ...

Two Tennessee based companies partner on co branded Gibson Nissan NV200 Compact Cargo debuting at the 2013 New York International Auto Show

Gibson and Nissan have combined their respective expertise in professional music and practical, small business vehicles to create the Gibson NV200 Mobile Repair & Restoration Van. The van acts as a mobile guitar repair shop, serving the needs of both working musicians and casual pickers and can service major music markets or locales where guitar players congregate, such as major music festivals, concerts, recording studios or even private homes.

?The NV200 Compact Cargo van?s small footprint makes it ideal for maneuvering in tight places, which is perfect for both urban music venues and crowded outdoor concerts where space is at a premium,? said Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz. ?The large cargo bay with standard integrated mounting points and available cargo hooks help make the vehicle configurable and customizable to suit the needs of a working guitar technician.?

Class-leading combined fuel economy of 24 mpg*, provided by a 131-horsepower 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine matched with an efficient Xtronic CVT transmission, further increases the road-worthy appeal of a vehicle that can log as many miles as the typical touring band.

?The Nissan NV200 Compact Cargo van is perfect for small businesses, entrepreneurs and dreamers,? said Joe Castelli, vice president, Commercial Vehicles and Fleet, Nissan North America. ?By partnering with Gibson on the NV200 Mobile Repair & Restoration Van, we?re showing the ultimate expression of what can be done with this vehicle for those with a viable business concept, a little creativity and with a starting price of $19,990**, an appreciation of great value. As this is a van meant for trades, vocations and working people, we couldn?t be more excited than to see it put to good use in the hands of some of the most skilled craftsmen in the world.?

The Gibson NV200 Mobile Repair & Restoration Van, built by Nissan, is an extension of both Gibson Pro Audio and Gibson?s fabled Repair & Restoration shop, based in Nashville, Tenn. This facility is where the best and brightest guitar builders go to ply their craft for one of the oldest and most-respected guitar companies.

As the Repair & Restoration shop fixes and customizes guitars owned by both the top professional musicians in the world and passionate enthusiasts, the Gibson NV200 Compact Cargo acts as a quick response support vehicle for professional and part-time musicians in need of timely repairs, as well as serving as an educational tool to the public representing the art of guitar building and repair, or luthiery.

NV200 Compact Cargo provides 122.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the front seats and a 53-inch cargo height, which is comparable to many standard roof full-size vans. It also offers tall cargo door openings ? including the standard 40/60-split rear doors ? and a low load floor height of 19.5 inches. Payload capacity is rated at 1,500 pounds (S model).

This capability plays right into the heart of the vehicle ? a pullout bench that features an array of luthier?s tools such as calipers, scale rulers, fret files, fret pullers, different types of sandpaper, super glue, wood glue, tuning forks, a radius planer, various guitar parts (strings, tuning machines, frets, nuts, bridges, knobs, linseed oil, potentiometers, pickups), pliers, screw drivers and a soldering station. Luthiers can either extend this bench to the lip of the NV200 to work on instruments or guide in on its pair of casters to a separate location to perform repair or setup work on guitars.

Located directly behind the front seat is a custom rack that holds up to four guitars in various stages of repair and disrepair. The cockpit has been customized to evoke Gibson?s classic designs with wood veneers in the dashboard that evoke classic Gibson materials such as mahogany and flamed maple and special leather-appointed seats.

Gibson Pro Audio is also represented throughout the vehicle with a custom audio system provided by Onkyo, Gibson Pro Audio consumer electronics? brand.

The vehicle is sheathed in a full body wrap that reads, ?Gibson Repair & Restoration? on one side, and ?Gibson Pro Audio? on the other. The wrap also contains images of classic Gibson stringed instruments and Gibson Pro Audio products such as speakers made by Cerwin-Vega! and KRK and Onkyo- and Stanton-branded headphones.

Castelli explains, ?Gibson and Nissan are both Tennessee-based companies that build products worthy of consumer passion yet suitable for everyday use. We?ve sought a way to combine forces for many years now, and the introduction of the 2013 NV200 Compact Cargo van gives us the perfect opportunity to do so. Working with Gibson has been a dream come true for many of us here at Nissan, and we look forward to the next steps collaborating with them.?

The Gibson NV200 Repair & Restoration Van made by Nissan will debut on March 27th at the 2013 New York International Auto Show.

Tags: nissan gibson van

Source: http://www.lotpro.com/blog/2013/03/24/nissan-and-gibson-combine-forces-with-nv200-mobile-guitar-workshop/

paul mccartney Sandy Hook Victims new york times columbine breaking news Google News Newton

Michigan State easily advances past Memphis 70-48

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) ? Here we go again for Michigan State. Make it to the NCAA tournament, prepare for any possibility in the first two games, and then focus on the next stop.

It's a March tradition for Tom Izzo and the Spartans.

Gary Harris scored 16 of his career-high 23 points in the first half and third-seeded Michigan State pulled away for a 70-48 victory over sixth-seeded Memphis on Saturday, putting the Izzo-led program in the regional semifinals for the fifth time in six years and the 11th time in his career.

"We can enjoy it on the bus ride home," Michigan State's Adreian Payne said before the team's 90-mile ride back to campus. "Once we get back to East Lansing, it's going to be time to work."

The Spartans (27-8) will play the winner of Sunday's Duke-Creighton game on Friday in the Midwest Regional semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Michigan State and the winner of the Kansas-North Carolina game on Sunday are the only schools to make it to the round of 16 five times in the last six years, according to STATS LLC. Date it back a little more, and the Spartans and Blue Devils are the only teams to make it to the regional semifinals in at least 10 of the last 15 seasons.

"The way it's changed since 2000 is, a high seed used to get you out of the first weekend," Izzo said. "Now it barely gets you out of the first game, as we're all seeing."

Izzo improved to 18-3 in the second game at an NCAA tournament site, proving again he gets his players prepared to play very well with only one day to prepare.

The Spartans' top post players ? Payne and Derrick Nix ? combined for 27 points and 18 rebounds. Payne had a career-high five blocks, boosting his stock if he skips his senior season to enter the NBA draft.

The Tigers (31-5) advanced in the NCAA tournament for the first time in Josh Pastner's four seasons. Memphis' Geron Johnson scored 13 of his 16 points in the first half, and Joe Jackson finished with 12 points.

The Conference USA champions are headed home because they struggled to stop Harris on the outside or his teammates inside all afternoon.

With only Gonzaga going into the tourney with more wins, Memphis' D.J. Stephens insisted his team is one of the best in the country even after it was easily eliminated.

"No disrespect, but we know that we are a better team than Michigan State," the high-flying forward said after scoring three points, grabbing six rebounds and blocking four shots. "We just gave this game away."

Pastner said the Spartans had a lot to do with that.

"They're good enough to win the whole national championship," he said.

Michigan State led by as much as 13 in the first half, creating that cushion when Harris made his fifth shot ? and fourth 3-pointer ? with 7:59 left.

"He wants to play in the big games on the big stage," Izzo said.

Memphis responded with a 12-2 run to pull within three, and the Spartans led 32-29 at halftime.

But the Tigers fell off the pace in the second half because they were overmatched physically by a Big Ten power after going undefeated during their regular season in Conference USA.

Keith Appling made his first and only shot to put Michigan State up by nine points with 13:17 to go, but the team's leading scorer left for good five minutes later when his right shoulder took the brunt of Johnson's drive into the lane.

Appling said he'll be ready to play in the next round.

"It was very painful, but I could've gone back in if I had to," he said.

Before Appling was hurt, he had a towel thrown at him by Nix, his teammate since high school, in a heated huddle during a timeout.

"It was just miscommunication with the ball screen and stuff, so we went at it," Nix said. "That's my best friend. I love him to death. I treat him like a little brother. We're over it. We won the game and let it go."

Appling said the argument helped bring the team together.

"We can fight, but at the end of the day, we all love each other," he said.

Izzo, who has lamented the team's lack of leadership all season, looked dumbfounded at Nix, upset that the senior center would lose his cool at a time like that.

After the game, though, the hard-driving coach said the exchange was something that happens all the time ? including with 2000 national championship teammates and close friends Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson ? without cameras rolling.

"Some things happen in public, some things happen in private," Izzo said.

The Spartans forced Memphis into a half-court game, and it struggled against their in-your-face defense.

Michigan State limited the Tigers to sub-30-percent shooting and outrebounded them by 20, a part of the game Pastner was worried about for good reason. The Spartans turned 14 offensive rebounds into 22 second-chance points.

"They just killed us on the boards," Jackson said. "Every time that we had a chance to cut the lead, they got an offensive rebound and they scored."

Izzo has built his program on defense and rebounding, and it has served him very well. Michigan State is two wins away from its seventh Final Four under Izzo.

The Spartans and rival Michigan, which routed VCU earlier in the day in the same sold-out arena near their campuses, are in the same round of 16 for the first time.

___

Follow Larry Lage on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/larrylage

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/michigan-state-easily-advances-past-memphis-70-48-232825994--spt.html

reba mcentire acm awards the killing april fools global payments eli young band wrestlemania

Must Have Xbox Accessories For Your Personal Gaming console ...

Drink plenty of water if you engage in. Video gaming may often make you stay beyond fact, however you can get so interested in this game that you simply don?t take care of your self. Dehydration may damage your system, so continue to keep h2o readily available when actively playing your games for almost any period of time. Video gaming have already been a significant section of the years as a child of more than a single technology. It really is amazing to view their development. Anybody can only imagine exactly what the video gaming of the future is going to be like. A great deal enjoyable to issue regarding this and picture all of the probabilities of long term online games. Perform online games together with your young children. This can provide you with a great connecting experience. Expressing a common attention with the kids like this also can produce fantastic conversations. Also you can enable them to develop skills expand. Regardless of whether you?re mainly a PC game player, unit gamer, or cellular game addict, you may probably obtain games on impulse. Even though this can add efficiency, it?s also relatively unsafe. Take the time to find out what these games are just like well before decreasing funds on it. Ensure that you extensively check out the ESRB score associated with a online games you get for your kids. You will discover a cause of the status emblems on video gaming have these reviews. Games with fully developed or grownup ratings are certainly not be bought for fresh athletes. The ESRB site explains what all the breakdown of signs used to amount online games. Games are popular around the world! It?s a terrific way to relax and unwind.There is actually a activity for everyone and so much fun available. This article will demonstrate some helpful suggestions to obtain more away from your video clip gaming practical experience. The web page determines whether or not your computer is capable of doing managing a activity. If you?re hesitant to obtain it, don?t forget about you could erase this system once you have the important information. An excellent cleaning system will solution even the filthiest discs. There are tons of different systems available. Don?t just chuck out games. A lot of stores here permit you business your games for a little bit of cash or retail store credit score. You may even placed the industry-in importance of your game titles to acquire new game titles. Ensure you be cautious about your children are safe when actively playing games. Make sure to know exactly what types of folks they can be gaming with. Some little one potential predators use on the web video gaming to be able to manipulate young kids. Protect your children by preventing these people to perform on the web with total strangers online. From this report, you may have obtained useful pointers about how get the best games, and how to get to be the greatest video game player. You may win more frequently and also have a lot more entertaining. Maintain actively playing and discover to become fantastic gamer fast! Be conscious of your body when playing video games. A balance golf ball is a good expense when you perform for a long time it may help improve healthy posture while gaming.When you perform video games that require you to be productive, always have a break. Video gaming are not just for kids any further. What you?ve read on this page will introduce you to the interest. These pointers will allow you to get more from video gaming, whatever type they may be. Getting a new video game is more challenging than it may seem. You might be throwing away funds if you opt for a minimal-high quality online game out initially. Study activity online reviews before you make an investment. It is far better to err about the automobile-preserve. Usually do not only save to a single data file if you might like to be able to go back in the video game enjoy.Using a handful of conserve enables you went away from the wrong route between saves. For those who have children, be certain that the titles they hang out with are suitable for their age. This means you?re likely to require to look for the safety measures around the front side from the games to figure out if they?re an effective match for your children. You will likely wish to steer clear of video gaming that blatantly encourage extreme assault. Online games are manufactured for almost anything you can think of offer anyone irrespective of what how old they are.The information written beneath contains some of the finest video video gaming suggestions you?ll find just about anywhere. Video gaming are frequently very expensive and expensive.You can get employed video games. Usually acquaint website on your own on newbie degree on sports games. Once you have performed the overall game for several days or more, increase the issues and challenge. Think about getting the kids a gaming system as an alternative to permitting them to play games on consoles. Consoles permit you to management their level of privacy, safety settings, while little ones can far more easily avoid this kind of constraints with a laptop or computer. They could have a much more shielded exposure to a dedicated gaming console system. Attempt leasing a relevant video activity before purchasing them. Most retailers won?t go on a activity back if they?re previously launched, you can?t profit a relevant video video game you don?t want. Renting online games is really a computer game enables you very much to evaluate the games out. It might be annoying if you are caught at a online game stage, and this will help carry on. The Internet provides you must know and more. A web-based discussion board is a great place to begin if you are planning to purchase video games. You will find some terrific details with these resources. It will be possible to consider the game?s overview by other players who definitely have played out it. They offer sincere critiques. Take care in terms of on the web game playing. At times you must pay out on a monthly basis to perform. Always check out any gaming web sites that your particular young children are curious about joining. Is the video gaming method? When your system pauses, you might want to think about improving completely to another method rather than having it restored. The reason why becoming link is the charges to repair it oftentimes could be more than its worth. Take a look at new methods. You will probably have to up grade in the foreseeable future, so just why not now? Lots of the online games provide down loadable content generally referred to as DLC. These bonuses generally demand you a lot more. Whilst you need to go with a video game you?ll get pleasure from, often be conscious of prices. Some periods acquiring DLC online games charge twice as much or higher expensive than a single video game.

Source: http://www.gameloft2.com/?p=72697

condoleezza rice Perry Hall High School bill cosby us open bill nye Hurricane Isaac 2012 Snooki Baby

Wine to drink with dark chocolate | It's Not F***ing Rocket Science

Easter is on the horizon which for many people means time to gorge on as many chocolate Easter eggs as possible. It?s always at Easter time that I really miss Woolworths, well Easter and the beginning of September, three things Woolies were ace at: back to school stationary, pick n? mix and Easter eggs, their Easter egg aisles seemed to go on forever?

Wine and chocolate matching divides many people, there is so much snobbery about wine but like any 2 ingredients that vary so much in flavour there are good pairings and bad. When I received an email asking me if I?d like to try out a wine created with the intention of being matched with chocolate my interest was definitely peaked. Linton Park Wines are the team behind the South African Caf? Cabernet, they set about creating a wine specifically to match well with very dark, bitter high cocoa (70% and above) chocolate and you know what, it?s a good pairing. The wine arrived in a gorgeous box with a bar of 70% cocoa solids dark chocolate that had been blended in Belgium. The matt black bottle was pretty striking and even elicited a ?nice bottle? from my wine hating boyfriend Glen, which definitely took me by surprise.

I love my reds to be so dark and concentrated that you can?t see light through the glass ? the big hitters that reek of tobacco and stain your lips like you?ve been blackberry picking after just one sip. ?I also like a really gentle hint of sweetness in there but the general rule of thumb is not to drink a wine thats sweeter than your chocolate, so this dark, brooding cabernet needed to be dry as a bone to compliment the bitter dark chocolate that I was nibbling on, and dry it was.

This is definitely a food pairing wine for me. When food and drink pairs well their sum is so much greater than its parts. Alone the wine, although having plenty of blackcurrant fruit and mocha spice that I love was just too dry for me to drink alone but paired with the bitter dark chocolate it became a much happier, smoother, well rounded creature all together, think really well made Italian espresso. In the name of science I decided to test the wine with a different chocolate and the dark chocolate with a different red?

Science in action?.

Paired with a sweeter, creamier chocolate it?s a terrible clash, this baby needs the high cocoa bitterness to really shine, the touch of sweetness the bitter chocolate brings completes the pairing. Likewise the bitter chocolate when eaten with a sweeter, jammy Malbec was just plain wrong, the chocolate needs the dry cabernet, it really was quite striking how different the 2 wines were with the same chocolate. The sweeter chocolate and Malbec were equally brilliant together also which goes to show all those people who exclaim that you can?t pair wine and chocolate just haven?t paired the right ones.

Dark, bitter, high cocoa solids chocolate is said to be good for you?as is?a glass of good red wine (unless of course you read the Daily Mail which basically insists EVERYTHING gives you cancer, seriously stop reading that paper, you will feel all the better for it). When you find a happy couple that compliment each other then surely your entitled to call it medicinal to enjoy a few nibbles and sups?.. *doctor face*

Cafe Cabernet also turned out to be a bloody brilliant match with our dinner that night, I?d made a spicy, tomato based creole chicken curry, not an easy wine match but Caf? Cabernet stepped up and nailed it, more plus points.

When it comes wine I very rarely buy one that needs to be drank alongside anything more than a cigarette but you know what, I?d definitely make an exception for this one as it gives me the perfect excuse to indulge in some really good chocolate too

You can pick up a bottle for ?8.98 from The Drink Shop.

Like this:

Like Loading...

Source: http://itsnotfingrocketscience.com/2013/03/23/wine-to-drink-with-dark-chocolate/

taylor swift safe and sound delilah nevis 2012 sports illustrated swimsuit same day flower delivery valentines day cards hallmark

UK-Odd Summary

Punxsutawney Phil charged with fraud for early spring forecast

CLEVELAND (Reuters) - With a snow storm expected to batter the Plains, Midwest and East Coast this weekend, a spring-deprived Ohio prosecutor is taking out his frustration with the long winter on a famous prognosticating groundhog. "I decided it was about time we indicted Punxsutawney Phil afor fraud," said Mike Gmoser, prosecutor in Ohio's Butler County, in an interview Friday.

Harvard stripped of quiz tournament titles

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (Reuters) - Harvard University will be stripped of four national quiz championship titles after organizers found a competitor from the Ivy League school inappropriately accessed information about questions used in the tournament. The National Academic Quiz Tournaments said that a security review found that Harvard competitor Andy Watkins accessed pages on its administrative Website just before the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Intercollegiate Championship Tournaments or "Quiz Bowls".

100,000 Portuguese sign petition to keep ex-PM Socrates off TV

LISBON (Reuters) - Portuguese state television channel RTP's plan to give former premier Jose Socrates a weekly commentary spot has sparked outrage, with 100,000 people signing a petition citing his "bad management" that led the country to take a bailout in 2011. "We, citizens and tax-payers, declare that we reject the presence of former Prime Minister Jose Socrates on any programme at RTP, television paid for by public funds of taxpayers suffering from the bad management of this gentleman," the Internet petition said.

Swiss court jails "healer" for infecting 16 with HIV

ZURICH (Reuters) - A self-styled healer was sentenced to 12 years and nine months in jail on Friday after a Swiss court found the acupuncturist guilty of infecting 16 people with HIV. A Berne court found the man guilty of causing bodily harm and spreading the virus which can cause Aids, court secretary Rene Graf told Reuters. He did not give any further details.

Tunisian rapper gets jail term for calling police dogs in song

TUNIS (Reuters) - A Tunisian court has sentenced a rap singer to two years in jail in absentia for insulting the police in a case likely to fuel debate over free speech under the Islamist-led government. The singer, known as Weld el 15, is on the run. Two of his associates, singers Mohamed Hedi Belgueyed and Sabrine Klibi, were in court when they received suspended sentences of six months each, a Justice Ministry source said on Friday.

Russian serial killer sentenced to life for nine murders

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian serial killer who butchered his nine victims with a knife and hammer, and said he ate the hearts of two of them, was sentenced to life in prison on Friday. Prosecutors said Alexander Bychkov targeted alcoholics and the homeless out of disdain for their way of life, lured them into deserted areas, killed them, dismembered them and hid the body parts.

Manual to "goblinproofing" chicken coops named Oddest Book Title

LONDON (Reuters) - A book offering advice on how to protect chicken coops from goblins has won the Oddest Book Title of the Year award, organisers of the contest said on Friday. "Goblinproofing One's Chicken Coop" by Reginald Bakeley and Clint Marsh attracted 38 percent of 1,225 online votes to beat craft manual "How Tea Cosies Changed the World" with 31 percent to win the 35th annual Diagram Prize.

Yoko Ono tweets against guns showing Lennon's bloody glasses

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Yoko Ono has taken up arms against gun violence with a raft of Twitter postings, including a photograph of blood-stained glasses apparently worn by John Lennon when he was shot and killed more than 30 years ago. "Over 1,057,000 people have been killed by guns in the USA since John Lennon was shot and killed on 8 Dec 1980," Ono, the former Beatle's widow, tweeted.

Would-be thieves camped out above Toronto-area bank

TORONTO (Reuters) - Toronto-area police say they have foiled a Hollywood-style heist, arresting five men they say camped out in vacant office space above a bank branch and, under cover of night, cut through a thick concrete ceiling to gain access to the vault below. Halton Regional Police arrested the men with C$300,000 (193,055.28 pounds) jammed into two hockey bags after discovering them hiding in a field not far from a Toronto-Dominion Bank branch in Burlington, Ontario.

Museum cancels heavy metal gig, fearing noise damage

LONDON (Reuters) - The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has cancelled an experimental concert by extreme metal band Napalm Death, fearing the noise level could damage the 104-year-old building. Ceramic artist Keith Harrison from the V&A, the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, collaborated with Napalm Death on a set to be played through a sculptural sound system which would disintegrate under decibel stress.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-odd-summary-000519701.html

Paige Butcher David Petraeus Petraeus Mia Love wall street journal us map Electoral Map

Musical "Book of Mormon" opens in London to mixed reviews

By Belinda Goldsmith

LONDON (Reuters) - The controversial Tony awards-winning musical "The Book of Mormon" opened in London to mixed reviews on Friday in its debut outside the United States.

The musical, by the creators of the animated TV comedy "South Park", is an expletive-filled satire of two Mormon missionaries from Salt Lake City sent to Africa to win converts.

Writers Trey Parker and Matt Stone have the Mormons confront a thuggish one-eyed warlord terrorizing terminally ill villagers in Uganda in a world where AIDS is dominant and female circumcision rife.

The show, by Parker and Stone in collaboration with "Avenue Q" co-creator Robert Lopez, opened on Broadway in March 2011 to wide acclaim and won nine Tony awards, Broadway's highest honors.

The musical opened in London's West End theatre district on Thursday after a month of previews with a host of celebrities in attendance, including "Homeland" actor Damian Lewis and actress Kate Winslet with husband Ned RocknRoll.

Aggressive promotion, with billboards across London, and limited ticket sales helped create a buzz about the show at a time when theatres are using various schemes to fill seats and draw in new audiences.

Tickets to evening performances are sold out until June with a new batch of tickets released on Friday. The show's promoters are also holding a daily lottery which hands out 20 tickets.

Figures from the Society of London Theatre showed they earned 530 million pounds ($830 million) in 2012, a marginal rise on 2011, when attendance nudged up to 14 million.

Musicals dominated the West End last year with attendance of 8 million, a fall of 3 percent on 2011.

"The Book of Mormon", starring American actors Gavin Creel and Jared Gertner as the two mis-matched missionaries, received a mixed reception from London critics.

Theatre critic Henry Hitchings from London's Evening Standard newspaper said some theatergoers were bound to find the show puerile or offensive.

"Yet this is an affectionate portrait of culture clash and friendship, which parodies several classic musicals," he wrote, giving the show a four out of five-star rating.

"It manages the unlikely trick of rolling offensiveness and morality into a single package. For all its cartoonish devilry, it ends up feeling benign, joyous and even cuddly."

Telegraph critic Charles Spencer found it hard to warm to the show, with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints whose beliefs center on the Book of Mormon, an easy target.

"The Book of Mormon" strikes me as a decadent and self-indulgent musical, and its mixture of satire and syrup ultimately proves repellent," wrote Spencer. "I am the first to concede however that this is likely to be a minority view."

The Guardian called it "mildly amusing" while the Independent said the songs were not particularly memorable but "have bounce and bite and color".

(Reporting by Belinda Goldsmith; Editing by Erica Billingham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/musical-book-mormon-opens-london-mixed-reviews-152228608.html

dallas mavericks washington capitals delmon young amare stoudemire tallest building in the world the pitch brandon inge