Thursday, January 31, 2013

NASA launches next-generation communications satellite

Jan. 30, 2013 ? The first of NASA's three next-generation Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS), known as TDRS-K, launched at 8:48 p.m. EST Wednesday (Jan. 30) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

"TDRS-K bolsters our network of satellites that provides essential communications to support space exploration," said Badri Younes, deputy associate administrator for Space Communications and Navigation at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "It will improve the overall health and longevity of our system."

The TDRS system provides tracking, telemetry, command and high-bandwidth data return services for numerous science and human exploration missions orbiting Earth. These include the International Space Station and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.

"With this launch, NASA has begun the replenishment of our aging space network," said Jeffrey Gramling, TDRS project manager. "This addition to our current fleet of seven will provide even greater capabilities to a network that has become key to enabling many of NASA's scientific discoveries."

TDRS-K was lifted into orbit aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41. After a three-month test phase, NASA will accept the spacecraft for additional evaluation before putting the satellite into service.

The TDRS-K spacecraft includes several modifications from older satellites in the TDRS system, including redesigned telecommunications payload electronics and a high-performance solar panel designed for more spacecraft power to meet growing S-band requirements. Another significant design change, the return to ground-based processing of data, will allow the system to service more customers with evolving communication requirements.

The next TDRS spacecraft, TDRS-L, is scheduled for launch in 2014. TDRS-M's manufacturing process will be completed in 2015.

NASA's Space Communications and Navigation Program, part of the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at the agency's Headquarters in Washington, is responsible for the space network. The TDRS Project Office at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., manages the TDRS development program. Launch services were provided by United Launch Alliance. NASA's Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center was responsible for acquisition of launch services.

For more information about TDRS, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/tdrs

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by NASA.

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


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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/space_time/nasa/~3/ugjSmR38Ko0/130130232201.htm

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Video: Want to lose weight? It?s when you eat that counts



>>> our health news tonight is on the topic of weight loss a new study may give dieters some fresh ammunition in their fight. according to the new research, which match what is some folks have been saying for some time, timing could be everything when it comes to sensible eating. our report from our chief science correspondent, robert bazell .

>> reporter: when it comes to meals, many of us, like these lunchtime diners in miami, have fairly set schedules.

>> i try not to eat dinner past 6:30.

>> i will usually work out in the morning, then follow it up with breakfast and lunch at noon.

>> reporter: today's study suggests that timing might matter, at least for those who are trying to lose weight .

>> this was the first long-term, large-scale study to really show that the timing of meal intake is important in the success of weight loss therapy.

>> reporter: study looked at overweight women who were on the med ter rarirainian diet, high in fish, vegetables and olive oil . the study was done in spain, where lunch is typically the largest meal of the day. all 420 volunteers consumed the same number of calories, those had had lunch before 3 p.m . lost an average of 22 pounds in 20 weeks, five pounds more than those who ate lunch later. the question of timing and weight gain is not new. many experts say that a cal very a calorie no matter when you eat t even those who say timing is important admit that timing is never more important than how much you eat. still, studies in animals have suggested that meals at different times can affect the biological clocks in our bodies.

>> food acts as a signal of time to all the cells in our body, including for the liver and fat tissue.

>> thank you. bye.

>> reporter: but today's news may not be practical for many busy americans.

>> i'm the mother of a 2 1/2-year-old and a 6-month-old. so, my eating habits more so depend on their addetting habits.

>> when i have a spare moment is when i eat. so, if that's at 3:00, that's at 3:00. if it's at noon, it's at noon.

>> reporter: the latest study suggested noon may be better. robert bazell , nbc news, new york.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/50632776/

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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Georgia Regents University does brain cell research

Scientists have found an early step in how the brain?s inhibitory cells get excited. A natural balance of excitement and inhibition keeps the brain from firing electrical impulses randomly and excessively, resulting in problems such as schizophrenia and seizures.

However excitement is required to put on the brakes.

Georgia Regent University researchers have found that the protein erbin, crucial to brain development, is critical to the excitement.

It was known that a protein on the cell surface called TARP gamma-2, also known as stargazing, interacts with a brain cell receptor called AMPA, ensuring the receptor finds the cells surface. It is here that the receptor can be activated by the neurotransmitter glutamate.

AMPA receptor activation is essential to activation of the NMDA receptor, which enables cells to communicate, ultimately enabling learning and memory, said Dr. Lin Mei, director of the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University. How TARP gamma-2 was controlled, was an unknown.

Inside the nucleus of inhibitory cells in areas of the brain that control learning and memory, the researchers found erbin interacts with TARP gamma-2, enabling it to survive.

Researchers also found that erbin is only in these inhibitory neurons, called interneurons. They?re working on what they believe to be the counterpart for excitatory cells, which account for about 80 percent of brain cells.

When scientists ablated the erbin gene in mice or kept erbin from interacting with TARP gamma-2, a protein that helps anchor the AMPA receptor on the cell surface, TARP gamma-2 couldn?t do its job. The result was less receptors on the cell surface and mice that were hyperactive with impaired learning and memory.

Urvaksh Karkaria covers Technology and Health Care

Source: http://feeds.bizjournals.com/~r/bizj_atlanta/~3/97aZrV2aovU/georgia-regents-university-does-brain.html

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Microchip moves information around in 3-D: From left to right, back to front, and up and down

Jan. 30, 2013 ? Scientists from the University of Cambridge have created, for the first time, a new type of microchip which allows information to travel in three dimensions. Currently, microchips can only pass digital information in a very limited way -- from either left to right or front to back.

The research is published Jan. 31 in Nature.

Dr Reinoud Lavrijsen, an author on the paper from the University of Cambridge, said: "Today's chips are like bungalows -- everything happens on the same floor. We've created the stairways allowing information to pass between floors."

Researchers believe that in the future a 3D microchip would enable additional storage capacity on chips by allowing information to be spread across several layers instead of being compacted into one layer, as is currently the case.

For the research, the Cambridge scientists used a special type of microchip called a spintronic chip which exploits the electron's tiny magnetic moment or 'spin' (unlike the majority of today's chips which use charge-based electronic technology). Spintronic chips are increasingly being used in computers, and it is widely believed that within the next few years they will become the standard memory chip.

To create the microchip, the researchers used an experimental technique called 'sputtering'. They effectively made a club-sandwich on a silicon chip of cobalt, platinum and ruthenium atoms. The cobalt and platinum atoms store the digital information in a similar way to how a hard disk drive stores data. The ruthenium atoms act as messengers, communicating that information between neighbouring layers of cobalt and platinum. Each of the layers is only a few atoms thick.

They then used a laser technique called MOKE to probe the data content of the different layers. As they switched a magnetic field on and off they saw in the MOKE signal the data climbing layer by layer from the bottom of the chip to the top. They then confirmed the results using a different measurement method.

Professor Russell Cowburn, lead researcher of the study from the Cavendish Laboratory, the University of Cambridge's Department of Physics, said: "Each step on our spintronic staircase is only a few atoms high. I find it amazing that by using nanotechnology not only can we build structures with such precision in the lab but also using advanced laser instruments we can actually see the data climbing this nano-staircase step by step.

"This is a great example of the power of advanced materials science. Traditionally, we would use a series of electronic transistors to move data like this. We've been able to achieve the same effect just by combining different basic elements such as cobalt, platinum and ruthenium. This is the 21st century way of building things -- harnessing the basic power of elements and materials to give built-in functionality."

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

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Reinoud Lavrijsen, Ji-Hyun Lee, Amalio Fern?ndez-Pacheco, Doroth?e C. M. C. Petit, Rhodri Mansell, Russell P. Cowburn. Magnetic ratchet for three-dimensional spintronic memory and logic. Nature, 2013; 493 (7434): 647 DOI: 10.1038/nature11733

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/matter_energy/technology/~3/PL8nx83-Zv4/130130132407.htm

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Female deer take control during the mating season

Female deer take control during the mating season [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 30-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Neha Okhandiar
n.okhandiar@qmul.ac.uk
020-788-27927
Queen Mary, University of London

A new study provides the first evidence of polyandry when females choose to mate with more than one male in female fallow deer.

According to a team of scientists from Queen Mary, University of London, UWEHartpury, and University College Dublin, female fallow deer play an active role in selecting their mates, with a consistent proportion (on average 12 per cent) choosing to mate with multiple males each year.

"Until now there has been limited understanding of female mate choice during this process, with many people believing that female deer are controlled by males during the mating season, explains co-author Dr Alan McElligott from Queen Mary's School of Biological and Chemical Sciences.

"In fact, not only do females decide with whom they mate, but our study has shown that a proportion choose to mate more than once each year, and with different males. Traditionally most research of this type has focused on male deer mating strategies and female behaviour during the rut was often overlooked."

The research was carried out on a herd of fallow deer in Dublin's Phoenix Park over a 10-year period.

Dr Elodie Briefer, also from Queen Mary's School of Biological Sciences, said: "While the majority of female deer only mated once, we found that 5-20 per cent of the female fallow deer population mated with multiple males over the 10-year period. We believe that the presence of polyandrous females each year in the population is very good evidence of female fallow deer adopting different mating strategies."

The researchers suggest that the most likely explanation for polyandry in female fallow deer is to ensure that they become pregnant. For example, they observed that the female deer were more likely to mate again if their first mate was relatively old, or he had mated many times before, potentially indicating sperm depletion.

Dr Mary Farrell from UWEHartpury commented: "The timing of breeding is driven by the best time for offspring to be born. If a female is not fertilised during the first breeding season, she will come back into oestrous three weeks later. This causes a delay in the birth of the fawn, which can reduce its chances of survival."

###

The research was published in the journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology today.



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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.


Female deer take control during the mating season [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 30-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Neha Okhandiar
n.okhandiar@qmul.ac.uk
020-788-27927
Queen Mary, University of London

A new study provides the first evidence of polyandry when females choose to mate with more than one male in female fallow deer.

According to a team of scientists from Queen Mary, University of London, UWEHartpury, and University College Dublin, female fallow deer play an active role in selecting their mates, with a consistent proportion (on average 12 per cent) choosing to mate with multiple males each year.

"Until now there has been limited understanding of female mate choice during this process, with many people believing that female deer are controlled by males during the mating season, explains co-author Dr Alan McElligott from Queen Mary's School of Biological and Chemical Sciences.

"In fact, not only do females decide with whom they mate, but our study has shown that a proportion choose to mate more than once each year, and with different males. Traditionally most research of this type has focused on male deer mating strategies and female behaviour during the rut was often overlooked."

The research was carried out on a herd of fallow deer in Dublin's Phoenix Park over a 10-year period.

Dr Elodie Briefer, also from Queen Mary's School of Biological Sciences, said: "While the majority of female deer only mated once, we found that 5-20 per cent of the female fallow deer population mated with multiple males over the 10-year period. We believe that the presence of polyandrous females each year in the population is very good evidence of female fallow deer adopting different mating strategies."

The researchers suggest that the most likely explanation for polyandry in female fallow deer is to ensure that they become pregnant. For example, they observed that the female deer were more likely to mate again if their first mate was relatively old, or he had mated many times before, potentially indicating sperm depletion.

Dr Mary Farrell from UWEHartpury commented: "The timing of breeding is driven by the best time for offspring to be born. If a female is not fertilised during the first breeding season, she will come back into oestrous three weeks later. This causes a delay in the birth of the fawn, which can reduce its chances of survival."

###

The research was published in the journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology today.



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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/2013-01/qmuo-fdt013013.php

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Facebook Updates iOS App With Voice Messages, Video Recording And Sharing

fbvoiceFacebook yesterday updated its iOS app to version 5.4, giving users a few new features in what could be one of the world's most complex and layered mobile apps. The update brings with it the ability to share voice messages, much like iOS's Voice Memos, letting users record a cute little message and send it through the app to friends. The update also lets users record and share video from right within the app.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/wMyFZDI5i3M/

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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

British Troops Are Going to Mali, Despite What David Cameron Said

Today, the U.K. announced that it would be sending around 350 troops to support the French operation in Mali, which means?Prime Minister David Cameron has some explaining to do. Two weeks ago,?he promised there would be no British troops on the ground on Mali. Last week Cameron promised Britain would only send "tens, not hundreds" of troops?to help in the fight.?Now the number is growing?as is Europe's role in West African conflict.

RELATED: Five Best Tuesday Columns

The 350 military personne,?includes up to 40 military who will train soldiers in Mali and "200 British soldiers to be sent to neighbouring African countries to assist in the training of the army," reports the BBC.?Secretary of Defense Jim Murphy made it very clear the did not want people to see this as another war that their country shouldn't have been in. He told the BBC:?

We have to be very clear about how long we intend to be there [and] what it is we're seeking to achieve, so that the public, who are wary and weary after Iraq and Afghanistan, don't say 'Oh not again'

Well, judging from the people who believed Cameron's earlier promises and?are now calling this a "mission creep", getting public support for this intervention is going to be very difficult. And it will be even more difficult for Cameron to find support if its troops are forced into a combat roll. Tuesday's pledge of 350 troops comes with a promise that they're there for "military support" not combat, but the Mali Islamists probably won't see it that way.

RELATED: Twitter Braces for U.K. Censorship Following the Riots

Big picture-wise, the involvement of British troops is one more sign that the Mali conflict isn't over and that the longer this drags out, the more countries will be getting involved. It was on January 21 that the U.S. began lending a logistical hand to France, by providing airlifts into the region. For now, the French have over 2,000 troops in Mali and 1,000 more "supporting the operation from elsewhere" according to CNN, and it is still unclear how long they plan to be there. Even though they believe they have a good handle on the war, French President Francois Hollande said at a press conference on Monday, these things tend to last much longer than anyone originally plans.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/british-troops-going-mali-despite-david-cameron-said-125718364.html

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Earthquake Early Warning in California Shifts Closer

An early warning system for California earthquakes could soon get a much-needed dose of money, a state lawmaker announced today (Jan 28).

State Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) introduced legislation to fund a California-wide earthquake early warning system during a press conference at Caltech. The technology for a warning system already exists, through a prototype called the California Integrated Seismic Network, but scientists need more money to take it public. Other earthquake-prone countries with public warning systems include Japan, Mexico, Taiwan and Turkey.

The estimated cost to create a public warning system is $80 million. This will cover adding new seismic monitoring equipment and upgrading the state's existing network, as well as public outreach and education, said Lucy Jones, senior adviser for risk reduction for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), one of the monitoring network partners. "If we were building it from scratch, it would cost $650 million," she said.

Padilla added, "If you think about the lives we can save, the injuries we can reduce, and the billions upon billions of damages associated with every large earthquake, the system would more than pay for itself."

It would take from one to three years to fully launch the new system, Jones said.

Hope for more funding

However, Padilla's bill has no funding source within the state's budget, which is only now recovering from years of billion-dollar deficits. He hopes to identify a funding source by August, he said. The project also needs federal funding, Padilla said. Private groups have stepped in to help: The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation kicked in $6 million in 2011 for the prototype.

"I'm moving on the state funding piece because I don't want to wait for the federal government. We ought to deploy it sooner rather than later," Padilla said.

There is a 99 percent chance of a magnitude-6.7 earthquake or larger in the next 30 years in California, according to the U.S. Geological Survey's most recent forecast, released in 2008. But the state's been relatively quiet for the past two decades ? college students born and raised in the Golden State have never lived through a catastrophic earthquake.The last big shaker, the Northridge quake in 1994, killed 60 people and caused about $13 billion in damage. [The 10 Biggest Earthquakes in History]

"We should do this before the next big earthquake," said Caltech seismologist Egill Hauksson, one of the project leaders. "Then we will not miss the opportunity of saving lives," he told OurAmazingPlanet.

How earthquake early warning works

The warning system relies on the speed of light to outrun earthquake waves, which travel at the speed of sound, Hauksson explained. "It's like lightning and thunder. You see the lightning first, and hear the thunder later."

Here's how it works:

California is dotted with a dense network of sensitive seismic monitoring equipment called seismometers. When an earthquake starts, the nearest seismometers ? and there are almost 1,000 in California ? detect ground shaking and send electronic signals at the speed of light to computers that rapidly analyze the strength and location of the quake.

The early warning system relies on the time delay between two earthquake waves. The first wave to emerge from an earthquake, called the P-wave, is an acoustic, or sound wave. It may make a slap or a bump as it passes, but doesn't cause much shaking. The second wave out is an S-wave (sometimes called secondary waves), and they travel at half the speed of the P-wave ? about 1.8 miles (3 kilometers) per second. The slower S-wave is the destroyer, the source of heavy shaking during an earthquake.

A computer can figure out the earthquake's size and location from the P-wave, and send out a warning signal before the damaging S-wave arrives. [Video: Earthquake Early Warning System Demonstration]

The signal arrives a few seconds to a minute before shaking, depending on the distance between the earthquake epicenter and the user's location, said Doug Given, the USGS early earthquake warning project coordinator. The primary users will be emergency personnel, hospitals, nuclear reactors, trains, factories and schools, Jones said. However, the signal will be publicly available, as in Japan, where programmers have created custom signal apps for phones, Hauksson said.

The prototype in place today works best for smaller earthquakes, and needs to be improved so it has fewer false alarms and can perform better during major quakes, such as those expected on the San Andreas Fault, Hauksson said. A recently published study suggests that California could experience a statewide earthquake, with the fault ripping apart for hundreds of miles.

"This is a starting point," Hauksson said.

The early warning system is a partnership between Caltech, the USGS and the University of California, Berkeley.

Reach Becky Oskin at boskin@techmedianetwork.com. Follow her on Twitter @beckyoskin. Follow OurAmazingPlanet on Twitter?@OAPlanet. We're also on?Facebook?and Google+.

Copyright 2013 OurAmazingPlanet, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/earthquake-early-warning-california-shifts-closer-223726888.html

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Ed Dept: Disabled have right to compete in sports ? Joanne Jacobs

Disabled students must have ?equal access? to school sports,?the U.S. Education Department ruled Friday. If there?s no ?reasonable? way to include disabled athletes on school teams, schools must set up separate programs.

?Participation in extracurricular athletics can be a critical part of a student?s overall educational experience,? said Seth Galanter, of the department?s civil rights office. ?Schools must ensure equal access to that rewarding experience for students with disabilities,? he added.

The directive doesn?t require schools to open sports teams to everyone, regardless of athletic ability, officials said. But it?s not all clear what will be considered ?reasonable.? One example ? providing ?visual clues? in addition to a starter pistol to allow hearing disabled students to compete in track events ? seems like the sort of thing any school would and should do. The second ? waiving the ?two-hand touch? finish at swim meets to allow one-armed swimmers to compete ? also seems fair. But it raises a question: Can a one-armed student swim fast enough to make the team?

In 1972, Title IX forced schools to offer equal athletic opportunities to girls. But there are lots of girls in high schools. There aren?t that many one-armed students who want to compete in swimming.

It was also welcomed by disabled student competitors, among them Casey Followay, a 15-year-old high school track athlete confined to a wheelchair by a birth defect, who under current rules, has to race on his own.

?This will help me become a better athlete conditioning- wise, because I have something to push for,? said Followay, who filed a complaint with the U.S. Office of Civil Rights in 2011 asking that he be allowed to run alongside, but not against, the able-bodied.

If he?s not running against able-bodied runners, is he really on the team? He needs to compete against other wheelchair athletes. Schools are supposed to work with community groups to set up regional teams, if they don?t have enough disabled athletes in each sport. That could be expensive.

?The problem is this was done without any deliberation in Congress and no public input and it is not clear how expansive it will be,? says Fordham?s Mike Petrilli. ?Just how far must a school district go to be compliant??

Source: http://www.joannejacobs.com/2013/01/ed-dept-disabled-have-right-to-compete-in-sports/

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App.net adds File API, talks "unbundling", gives members 10GB of cloud storage

App.net adds File API, expounds on

App.net, which pivoted to a Twitter-style service when Twitter began choking out third party client developers, has now taken a bold new step towards what just might be a bigger, unbundled future. And, oh yeah, that future comes with 10GB of cloud storage for members. Dalton Caldwell writes on the App.net blog:

Imagine a world in which your social data (e.g. messages, photos, videos) was easier to work with. For instance, imagine you could try out a new photo sharing service without having to move all of your photos and social graph. In this world, your photos are held in a data store controlled by you. If you want to try out a new service, you can seamlessly login and choose to give permission to that service, and the photos that you have granted access to would be immediately available.

And that storage, part of the new Files API:

App.net ?member? and ?developer? tier accounts now have access to a 10GB bucket of file storage. This storage can be accessed by App.net applications in order to read/write files.

10GB for $36 a year could be compelling, depending on how services tie into it and build on it. Apple's iCloud is free, Dropbox has a ton of buy-in from iOS developers, and Google and Microsoft continue to escalate size and value with Google Drive and SkyDrive.

But none of it is very social, at least not yet. Many of us probably don't need another Twitter. A surprising amount of us might need a better social web service. Something that lets us keep our stuff our stuff while we explore the migration patterns between giant corporations and hungry young upstarts.

This could be interesting.

Source: App.net



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/QE_Y4Je-ee8/story01.htm

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Thursday, January 24, 2013

Kerry: Climate change a 'life-threatening issue'

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Calling global climate change a "life-threatening issue," Secretary of State nominee John Kerry said Thursday that the United States must play a key role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.

Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat, said at his confirmation hearing that the U.S. should pursue policies to boost clean energy and energy efficiency. In his state and others, such as California, "the fastest growing sector of our economy is clean energy," Kerry said. "It's a job creator."

Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has made climate change a central focus of his Senate career and led a failed effort in the Senate for a climate change bill in 2010.

Kerry told fellow senators he would be a "passionate advocate" on the issue if confirmed as secretary of state, "not based on ideology but based on facts, based on science. And I hope to sit with all of you and convince you that this $6 trillion (energy) market is worth millions of American jobs and leadership, and we better go after it."

Failing to deal with climate change was more of a risk than addressing it head-on, Kerry said, citing damage caused by Superstorm Sandy, drought and wildfires. Congress is expected to approve more $50 billion in disaster relief for Sandy victims alone. The storm pounded Northeastern states in late October and has been blamed for 140 deaths.

"If we can't see the downside of spending that money" as a short-term fix after a disaster "and risking lives for all the changes that are taking place ? to agriculture, to our communities, the ocean and so forth, we're ignoring what science is telling us," Kerry said.

On a related issue, Kerry said he has made no decision about the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada. Environmental groups have been pressuring the Obama administration to reject the pipeline, saying it would carry "dirty oil" that contributes to global warming.

Kerry said a review process is well underway at the State Department. The department has jurisdiction over the pipeline because it crosses an international border.

"It will not be long before that comes across my desk," Kerry said. "And at that time, I'll make the appropriate judgments about it."

___

Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-climate-change-life-threatening-222853666.html

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Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Great Reason for Naturally Reversing Insulin Resistance ...

A great reason to start reversing insulin resistance naturally (The Minky Plan) is the deadly effects of the alternative? taking prescription drugs long term. ?Like drugs for blood sugar control, like Avandia. ?A Senate Finance Committee investigation showed that GlaxoSmithKline intentionally hid reliable scientific data clearly showing that Avandia significantly increases the risk of heart attack.*

This daily ritual is far more dangerous than many people believe ?who are taking properly prescribed pharmaceutical drugs. Popping pills on a daily basis to ?improve health? has become far too common for many Americans. In fact, according to the CDC, approximately 50% of all Americans take a pharmaceutical drug daily. When you isolate senior citizens, the number shoots up to an astonishing 90%. And perhaps even more troubling, 20% of children take a pharmaceutical drug.
At the same time, statistics are showing that deaths from pharmaceutical drugs are rising at an alarming rate. But don?t take my word for it. Just Google the term ?pharmaceutical drugs kill? and you?ll see headlines from major news organizations such as Fox and CNN that read:

?Prescription drugs 62,000 times more likely to kill?

?Prescription drugs are now killing more people than traffic accidents??

?Prescription Drug Deaths Skyrocket??

?Prescription drugs kill one person every 19 minutes??

One reason that most people are in the dark about the dangers of pharmaceutical drugs is due to a fundamental misunderstanding of how these drugs get tested and approved. Too many people believe that the FDA has some kind of rigorous testing and evaluation system. Sadly, this is far from the truth.

What?s the final product of this cozy relationship between Big Pharma and the FDA? It?s simple ? dangerous drugs being put on the market, leaving us hapless consumers as real world guinea pigs. Simply put, the big drug companies profit and we get sicker and/or die.

Here?s more:

**An Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR?s) is a negative side effect that
occurs from using a drug as prescribed.?? The New England Journal
of Medicine shows that ADR?s occur in one out of every four
individuals who visit their family medical doctor ? this
equates 22 million people.? Many ADR?s are not caused by the drug
directly.? Instead, they are the result of drug-induced
nutritional deficiencies.

The primary mechanisms of drug-induced nutrient depletion include
inhibition of nutrient absorption, synthesis, transport, storage,
metabolism or excretion.?? Regardless of the mechanism the end
result is the same ? ADR?s.

The magnitude of this danger is immense.? Despite the 22 million
who are injured every year from ADR?s, the FDA does not require
drug companies to report whether or not an approved drugs elicits
a nutrient deficiency.? As a result, most physicians and
pharmacists are unaware of this real and present danger.? This
lack of awareness among our health professionals puts millions at
risk for poor health and even premature death ? courtesy of
ADR?s.

* From: ?Live in the Now
Your Guide to Natural Health
www.LiveInTheNow.com

**From: ?Life-Saving Health Briefs
By The People?s Chemist
Author Over-The-Counter Natural Cures
Free chapter at?http://www.thepeopleschemist.com

??????????????

The Minky Plan begins Intermittent Fasting (IF) this week. ?We will talk about the topic on Wednesday, 1/16/13, during our ?Waistless Wednesdays? session at 12:30pm EST,

Call in number: (206) 402-0100, code 704896#

We will also review the importance of keeping track of what you eat for 7 days, worry about the calorie count later. ?Just write down the foods you eat and how you feel right before eating them.

This week?s lunch meal:

I had sardines in olive oil and cheese (pepper jack):

This sardine & cheese lunch (my first meal) at 1pm, skipped breakfast, not hungry)with the smoothie (coconut milk, frozen blueberries, spinach and whey protein) and an orange and purified water. About 600 calories.

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?

?

?

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I make a smoothie enough for the next 3 or 4 days. ?The one below is made from: Coconut milk, frozen blueberries, fresh spinach, whey protein and ice. ?I drink only about 5-6 ozs. ??See you? Wednesday! ? Minky

Source: http://weightlossprn.com/2013/01/naturally-reversing-insulin/

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Thursday, January 10, 2013

BlueAnt's Q3 Bluetooth headset hands-on

BlueAnt's Q3 Bluetooth headset handson

We saw the 3rd generation BlueAnt Q3 press release that it was set to launch at CES and indeed it did. The headset is mostly exactly what was expected, very light and well put together. Notable physical features include the main action button, a volume rocker and a bright red power button on the underside. Charging is accomplished via a USB port in the back and as an update, BlueAnt told us that even if the box lists six hours as the devices talk time it is actually seven. Peek at the gallery of this little earpiece after the break.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/HII3IHkf5Ww/

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Hasbro aims to jazz up Monopoly with new token

NEW YORK (AP) ? The gig is almost up for one of the eight Monopoly tokens. But which will it be? Iron? Thimble? Top Hat?

Or another of their board game buddies?

Hasbro is holding a Facebook contest to eliminate one of the eight tokens that identify the players and introduce a new one. Possible new tokens include a cat, diamond ring, guitar, toy robot and helicopter

It's the latest effort by the toymaker to jazz up the game which debuted almost eight decades ago.

In recent years Hasbro introduced a version that replaces paper money with an electronic bank and another that incorporates an iPad. There is an app-only version of the game for smartphones and tablets.

Monopoly's tokens have actually changed quite a lot over the years. The original version also included a lantern, purse, cannon and a rocking horse. A horse and rider token was used in the 1950s. During World War II, metal tokens were replaced by wooden ones.

But this time, users have a say.

So if you are tired of the iron token and would rather be represented by a robot, here's your chance to make those wishes known. Beginning Tuesday, Facebook fans of monopoly can vote on which piece to eliminate and which one to add. The voting ends Feb. 5.

Up for elimination: all eight current tokens including a battleship, iron, racecar, Scottie dog, shoe, thimble, top hat and wheelbarrow. Most tokens were introduced with the first Parker Brothers iteration of the game in 1935, and the Scottie dog and wheelbarrow were added in the early 1950s.

Eric Nyman, global brand leader for Hasbro gaming, said the impetus for the contest came from chatter on Facebook, where Monopoly has over 10 million fans.

"We're constantly interacting with those fans and we're always getting suggestions from fans about what tokens they would love to see," Nyman said. They took five of the top suggestions from Facebook for the contest.

A special $17.99 limited edition of the game called Golden Ticket will be available in Target stores beginning Feb. 15 with golden versions of both the old and new tokens. It will be the last time all of the classic tokens will be available with the game.

Versions of Monopoly with the new token will come out later this year.

Monopoly's iconic tokens originated when game creator Charles Darrow's niece suggested using charms from a charm bracelet for tokens.

On the Web: Facebook.com/monopoly

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hasbro-aims-jazz-monopoly-token-205904098--finance.html

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Property Management ? Fidelity Investor Center in Novi ?

THOMAS A. DUKE COMPANY HAS BEEN AWARDED THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OF THE FIDELITY INVESTOR CENTER IN NOVI, MICHIGAN

FARMINGTON HILLS, MICHIGAN ? December 27th, 2012

Farmington Hills, Michigan ? Thomas A. Duke Company has been awarded the property management of the Fidelity Investor Center, 43420 Grand River Road, Novi, Michigan. The building is a 6,660 sq. ft. single use retail building, situated on 45,000 sq. ft. of land, located at the corner of Grand River and Novi Roads.

Fidelity Center

?After meeting with the Thomas A. Duke Company team, it was clear that they understood the market, as well as our investment goals, and are truly focused on tenant satisfaction?, states Kenneth Lewis, Manager of Novi Investment Partners, LLC.

Thomas A. Duke Company is a full-service commercial real estate and investment firm headquartered in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Since 1976, we have been known as specialists in providing guidance to those individuals who make complex real estate decisions throughout Southeast Michigan. We provide a full complement of real estate services, including investment sales, brokerage services, property management, distressed asset solutions, and project management. In short, we make every square foot count!

For more information, please contact John Bridges at jbridges@thomasduke.com or call 248.476.3700.

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Source: http://thomasdukeblog.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/property-management-fidelity-investor-center-in-novi/

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Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Sports Concussions In Youths Examined In New Government Study


By Ian Simpson
WASHINGTON, Jan 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. government launched on Monday a sweeping study of rising sports-related concussions among the youth, amid concerns that the injuries may have contributed to the suicides of professional football players.
The Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academies of Science, will probe sports-related concussions in young people from elementary school through early adulthood. The study will include military personnel and their dependants, and review concussions and risk factors.
The study, one of the most extensive ever done, will be scrutinized intently by Americans worried about brain injuries in sports, said Robert Graham, head of the panel carrying out the study.
"You start talking about, 'Is it safe for Sally to be playing soccer?,' you get lots of public interest," Graham, a public health expert at George Washington University in Washington, told Reuters after the committee's first meeting.
He said the panel likely would submit its report to the Institute of Medicine in the middle of the summer, with publication expected in late 2013.
A 2010 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that U.S. emergency rooms yearly treat 173,000 temporary brain injuries, including concussions, related to sports or recreation among people less than 19 years of age.
The number of emergency room visits for such injuries rose 60 percent in the previous decade among children and adolescents, the CDC study showed.
A separate 2007 study showed that the incidence of brain injury was highest in football and girls' soccer.
About 2,000 former National Football League players sued the league last year, alleging it concealed the risk of brain injury from players while marketing the ferocity of the game.
Concerns about a possible link between concussions and mental illnesses, such as depression, grew in the wake of the suicides of former NFL players Junior Seau, Ray Easterling and Dave Duerson in the last two years.
Participants at the committee's meeting said there was a shortage of data on sports-related concussions among young people. The number of relevant brains available for study is in the single digits, and many studies lack breakdowns by age.
Sponsors of the study include the Department of Defense, the CDC and the National Institutes of Health. The panel will also examine studies being done by the CDC and the American Academy of Neurology. (Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Paul Simao)

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/08/sports-concussions-youths-kids_n_2427083.html

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Home Remodeling Contractor in Maryland ? Realizing Your ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Eric B Home Improvement LLC is a home improvement contractor based out of Gaithersburg, Maryland. For over 20 years we have been turning homeowners' home improvement and remodeling dreams into reality.

Source: http://www.cohocton.org/429-home-remodeling-contractor-in-maryland-realizing-your-remodeling-dream

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Coping with Kids: 911 wristwatch, fast-food calories | TribLIVE

A 911-GPS wristwatch allows children to instantly alert their parents and authorities the moment they are in danger. www.leowristwatch.com


By Tribune-Review

Published: Monday, January 7, 2013, 9:08?p.m.
Updated 6 hours ago

Wristwatch with 911 button protects kids

A new 911-GPS wristwatch is designed to let children instantly alert their parents and authorities when they face danger. The LEO wristwatch, invented by a group of child-protection advocates and manufactured by Guardian Lion Wireless, makes it easier for kids to call 911 by pressing a panic button, as opposed to fumbling with a cell phone.

Authorities will be dispatched to the child?s location. The watches are available on pre-order for $149.95.

Details: http://leowristwatch.com

Make birthday party a charity event

Kids may want to get toys for their birthdays, but you can also make their parties charitable events through ECHOage.

The founders of the program, Debbie Zinman and Alison Smith, met at a birthday party and came up with the idea. The ECHOage service works like this: The birthday child?s family selects the present or presents they want, and chooses a charity they want to support.

When guests make reservations to attend the party, they can choose to simply make a donation. Half of the money will go toward the child?s presents, and half will be donated to a nonprofit organization.

Details: echoage.com

Study: Teens take in extra 300 calories per fast-food trip

A new study reinforces that eating at home is the healthier option for families.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago found kids and teens consumed up to 300 calories more per trip to a fast-food or full-service restaurant, compared to days they ate at home. Over time, that can add up, contributing to the ballooning childhood-obesity epidemic.

?Parents (should) realize that restaurant consumption is not a straight-off substitute for eating at home,? study author Dr. Lisa Powell, professor of health policy and administration in the UIC School of Public Health, told Reuters. ?Restaurant consumption and fast-food consumption should not be the norm.?

About 12.5 million U.S. kids and teens ages 2 to 19 are obese ? that?s 12.5 million young Americans.

Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey that took place from 2003 to 2008, the researchers wanted to see whether there were differences in calorie intake, diet quality and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages ? namely soda ? on days when kids ate at home and kids ate out.

They found that children consumed an extra 126 calories, and adolescents took in 309 calories more each trip to a fast-food restaurant, as opposed to home cooking.

Fast-food restaurants in particular tacked on an added 13 percent more sugar, 22 percent more total fat, 25 percent more saturated fat and 17 percent more sodium on teen?s diets than daily recommended values.

Parenting Task Force offers resources

The Allegheny County Family Resource Guide is a comprehensive compilation of services and systems available to Allegheny County families of children ages birth to 21 with developmental delays, special health-care needs or disabilities.

There is information about and contacts for the State and Local Interagency Coordinating Council. This is a federal- and state-mandated group of parents, professionals and community members that provides feedback on public early-intervention services for children ages birth to 5 years with special needs.

Parents of school-age children and youth may want to learn more about the Local Task Force on the Right to Education. These are ?state-mandated, parent-majority advocacy groups that oversee the delivery of special education in each Intermediate Unit in Pennsylvania,? according to a statement, which continues with each ?provides parent information and monitors special-education programs.?

The Allegheny County task force serves Allegheny County outside the city of Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh task force serves Pittsburgh and Mt. Oliver. Both groups offer Parent Assistance Hotlines and regular meetings.

For information, visit www.familyresourceguide.org, or call 412-350-7079.

? Staff and wire reports

Send parenting news to Coping With Kids in care of Rebecca Killian, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, D.L. Clark Building, 503 Martindale St., Pittsburgh, PA 15212, or e-mail rkillian@tribweb.com.

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Source: http://triblive.com/lifestyles/family/3220769-74/kids-pittsburgh-fast

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South Africa: Nelson Mandela's recovery is good

FILE - In this June 17, 2010 file photo, former South African President, Nelson Mandela leaves the chapel after attending the funeral of his great-granddaughter Zenani Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mandela was released Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012 from the hospital after being treated for a lung infection and having gallstones removed, a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Siphiwe Sibeko, Pool, File)

FILE - In this June 17, 2010 file photo, former South African President, Nelson Mandela leaves the chapel after attending the funeral of his great-granddaughter Zenani Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mandela was released Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012 from the hospital after being treated for a lung infection and having gallstones removed, a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Siphiwe Sibeko, Pool, File)

A giant portrait of former president Nelson Mandela adorns a cooling tower of a now defunct power station in Soweto, South Africa, Monday, Dec 31, 2012. Mandela is recovering at his Johannesburg home since being hopitalized for a lung infection and undergoing gallstone surgery. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

A pebble with a message to former President Nelson Mandela lays outside his Johannesburg home Thursday, Dec. 27 2012. Mandela was released Wednesday from the hospital after being treated for a lung infection and having gallstones removed, a government spokesman said. (AP Photo/Denis farrell)

(AP) ? South African anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela has recovered from his recent lung infection and a surgical procedure to remove gallstones, according to an announcement Sunday by President Jacob Zuma.

Doctors say that Mandela, 94, has made "steady progress and that clinically, he continues to improve," according to a statement issued by Zuma's office. Mandela was hospitalized for nearly three weeks in December before going home on Dec. 26.

Zuma's statement said Mandela "continues to receive high care" at his home in the Houghton suburb of Johannesburg and that "his daily routine is being gradually re-established."

Zuma congratulated Mandela on his recovery and said the anti-apartheid icon has "the love and support of all South Africans."

Mandela has been reading newspapers, sitting up in bed and receiving visitors, according to reports in the South African media.

The news that Mandela has recovered from the recurring lung infection and the minor surgery will reassure many in South Africa concerned about the aged leader's health.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-06-South%20Africa-Mandela/id-f2d4563570a94b9d902671b27cc75975

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Monday, January 7, 2013

Nintendo chief describes Wii U sales as 'not bad', says supplies were misjudged at launch

Nintendo chief says Wii U sales are 'not bad', admits overambitious launch

There's almost a gory fascination with watching Wii U sales right now, because we know they're short of the thunderous launch of the original Wii and it's only a question of "by how much?". Nevertheless, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has insisted to Reuters that the Wii U's reception has been "not bad" in terms of hard figures, and that the next-gen console is "selling steadily" even though shelves haven't been depleted like they were with its predecessor. Satoru admits that trying to launch two versions of the console simultaneously was a "challenge" and that quantities weren't balanced quite right, with too few of the premium $350 option and an excess of the $300 model that early adopters didn't much want. Nintendo sales trends have a habit of doing wild things, of course, so like the pension paperwork says: previous performance isn't necessarily an indication of future success.

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Source: Reuters

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/wii-u-sales-satoru-iwata/

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Choices For Apple's Next Retail Chief - Business Insider

Apple has been pretty hush hush about its search for a new SVP of retail following the unexpected departure of retail boss John Browett.

As John Paczkowski of AllThingsD reports, Apple can't afford to make another hiring mistake. So for the last several weeks, Paczkowski has been poking around to find ideal candidates.?

He found three from inside Apple who would be a good fit for the position:

  • Steve Cano, Apple's manager of retail stores
  • Bob Bridger, Apple VP for Retail Real Estate and Development
  • Jeremy McDougal, Apple VP of Retail

His sources are divided over who would be best suited to lead Apple's retail operations.?One says McDougal would be best, considering that he already has the VP of Retail title. But another says Cano would be best because he's the most well-rounded out of the three and understands Apple's retail store culture.

Paczkowski also named five candidates from outside of Apple that Apple would be lucky to hire away, given their experience working for global consumer brands:

  • Angela Ahrendts, CEO, Burberry
  • Victor Luis, President, International Group at Coach
  • Jeanne Jackson, President, Director to Consumer at Nike
  • John Culver, President, Starbucks Coffee China and Asia Pacific
  • Paul Gainer, Executive Vice President, Global Disney Store

However, it would be a hard sell to get these people to leave those powerful positions and join Apple because, as one of?Paczkowski's source said "Apple is not a true retailer."

For now, the retail team reports directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Cook is expected to take his time to find a replacement.?

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/choices-for-apples-next-retail-chief-2013-1

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Sunday, January 6, 2013

Congress approves $9.7 billion in Sandy flood aid

Crews work work to replace the Superstorm Sandy destroyed boardwalk in Seaside Heights, N.J., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. Under intense pressure from angry Republicans, House Speaker John Boehner has agreed to a vote this week on aid for Superstorm Sandy recovery. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Crews work work to replace the Superstorm Sandy destroyed boardwalk in Seaside Heights, N.J., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. Under intense pressure from angry Republicans, House Speaker John Boehner has agreed to a vote this week on aid for Superstorm Sandy recovery. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Henny Mauro walks in Seaside Heights, N.J., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, past a beach-side home that was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. Under intense pressure from angry Republicans, House Speaker John Boehner has agreed to a vote this week on aid for Superstorm Sandy recovery. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

A man photographs a beach front home in Bay Head, N.J., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, that was severely damaged two months ago by Superstorm Sandy. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican who has praised President Barack Obama's handling of the devastating storm, has blasted Republican U.S. House Speaker John Boehner for delaying a vote for federal storm relief. Now, under intense pressure from angry Republicans, Boehner has agreed to a vote this week on aid for Superstorm Sandy recovery. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Homes and docks damaged by Superstorm Sandy remain uninhabitable in the Broad Channel section of Queens, New York, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. Many home and business owners flooded out by Hurricane Sandy could get insurance payouts soon through congressional action expected Friday, Jan. 4 on a $9.7 billion bill to replenish the National Flood Insurance Program. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which runs the program, warned that it will run out of money next week if Congress doesn?t give it additional borrowing authority to pay out claims. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo talks to NYS Responds and NYS Ready Commissions members following a meeting in the Red Room at the Capitol on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Albany, N.Y. A still angry Cuomo isn't ready to believe the Republican House leadership will finally vote on Sandy relief aid. Instead, he's telling them: "Show me the money." (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The new Congress on Friday rushed out $9.7 billion to help pay flood insurance claims to 115,000 people and businesses afflicted by Superstorm Sandy, two days after New Jersey's governor and other Northeast Republicans upbraided Speaker John Boehner for killing a broader package for state and local governments in the storm's path.

The bill replenishes the National Flood Insurance Program that was due to run out of money next week with the pending Sandy-related claims as well as 5,000 unresolved claims from other floods.

"It's a small down payment on the larger aid we need," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. The legislation cleared the Senate by a voice vote following passage by the House, 354-67.

The government already has spent about $2 billion on the emergency response to the late October storm, one of the worst ever in the Northeast. It slammed the Atlantic coastline from North Carolina to Maine, with the worst damage occurring in New York City and its suburbs, New Jersey and Connecticut. The storm is blamed for 140 deaths.

Boehner has promised a vote Jan. 15 on a broader, $51 billion package of aid, which would bring the total to the more than $60 billion requested by President Barack Obama. Senate leaders have promised a vote the following week.

The Senate passed a $60.4 billion bill a week ago but House Republicans, complaining that it was laden with pork projects unrelated to the storm, cut it by more than half. Boehner canceled a New Year's Day vote on it after nearly two-thirds of House Republicans voted against the "fiscal cliff" package of tax and spending increases.

The White House praised Friday's vote helping homeowners, renters and businesses, and urged Congress to act quickly on the remainder of Obama's request.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a joint statement also imploring Congress to move hastily on the rest of the money. "We are trusting Congress to act accordingly on January 15th," they said.

It was a more temperate response than was heard earlier in the week, when a livid Christie blistered House Republicans and Boehner himself for holding up the aid and other GOP figures from the region, as well as Democrats, cried "betrayal."

All of the "no" votes in the House were cast by Republicans, who said other government programs should have been cut to pay for the measure. As with past natural disasters, the Sandy aid proposals do not provide for offsetting spending cuts, meaning the aid comes at the cost of higher deficits.

The bill gives more authority to the National Flood Insurance Program to borrow money from the U.S. Treasury to pay claims. Premiums average about $625 per year and residential claims under the program average nearly $30,000.

Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., a fiscal conservative who voted against the flood bill, said he was among those with concerns it would add to huge budget deficits. "We have to talk seriously about offsets," Huelskamp said. "We can't take $60 billion off budget, that's my problem with it."

The Club For Growth, a conservative group, urged lawmakers to oppose the flood insurance bill. "Congress should not allow the federal government to be involved in the flood insurance industry in the first place, let alone expand the national flood insurance program's authority," the group said in a statement.

Among those with a pending flood insurance claim is Philip Rock in New Jersey. Rock has gotten $8,000 in flood insurance payments so far on a house he rents out in Toms River that was destroyed. He expects to receive much more from his $220,000 insurance policy but can't level the house until he knows the final payout.

"We don't want to demolish the house and have them say, 'We have to go around and take more pictures,'" Rock said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency had warned that the flood insurance program would run out of money next week if Congress didn't provide additional borrowing authority. Congress created the FEMA-run program in 1968 because few private insurers cover flood damage.

The $2 billion FEMA already has spent went to providing shelter, restoring power and meeting other immediate needs. Eleven states ? New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, New Hampshire, Delaware, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts ? plus the District of Columbia have shared that money.

FEMA's disaster relief fund still has about $4.3 billion, enough to pay for emergency response efforts into early spring, according to officials.

Sandy is the most costly natural disaster since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Northeast lawmakers have complained that while it took Congress just 10 days to approve about $50 billion in Katrina aid, additional money for Sandy victims hasn't been forthcoming in more than two months.

The storm damaged or destroyed more than 72,000 homes and businesses in New Jersey. In New York, 305,000 housing units were damaged or destroyed and more than 265,000 businesses were disrupted, officials have said.

___

Associated Press writers Andrew Taylor and Jim Abrams in Washington and Katie Zezima in Newark, N.J., contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-01-04-Superstorm%20Aid/id-d256b9fb286b4cf1b571f08e8dea54a5

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