Dr. John Martin awarded $3.7M for movement control studies

Public release date: 16-Oct-2013
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Contact: Ellis Simon
esimon@ccny.cuny.edu
212-650-6460
City College of New York

$3.4M from NIH for brain development and injury research; $300K from Neilsen Foundation to study recovery of movement after brain or spinal injury

The laboratory of Dr. John Martin, medical professor in The City College of New York's Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, recently received $3.7 million for three new investigations into how the nervous system controls movement. Two $1.7 million, five-year awards from the National Institutes of Health and a grant of $300,000 over two years from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation comprise the funding.

The funds will be used to generate new understanding of the connections between the brain and spinal cord that control movement. The studies will address brain development as well as recovery of movement function after brain or spinal injury.

"Our studies aim to repair the damaged nervous system after injury to restore the connections for movement," Professor Martin said. "Ultimately, we aim to translate what we learn to devise therapies for humans with mobility impairments."

One project supported by NIH focuses on repair of connections for movement that were damaged during early development. Professor Martin and colleagues are studying how electrical stimulation after brain injury can reestablish lost connections and, in turn, restore movement function. This has important implications for devising therapies for movement developmental disorders such as cerebral palsy, which affect between two and three out of every 1,000 births.

In a previous investigation, Professor Martin's lab discovered an important basic mechanism that determines development of the connections for movement: more active nerve cells are able to make more connections and stronger connections between the brain and the spinal cord.

This knowledge will also be applied to additional studies funded by NIH and the Neilsen Foundation to investigate movement recovery in mature animals. The NIH project will focus on basic mechanisms of nervous system plasticity and devising novel therapies after stroke. Funding from Neilsen will support studies to promote mobility after spinal cord injury.

Electrical stimulation will be applied to activate nerve cells in order to strengthen undamaged connections and promote new connections between the brain and spinal cord after an injury. Stimulation of the motor cortex leads to growth of spared connections into areas of the spinal cord that had lost their connections after injury.

Professor Martin noted that most nervous system injuries do not completely damage the parts of the brain and spinal cord that enable people to move; many connections are spared. Unfortunately, the spared connections often are not strong enough to produce a significant range of movements.

Stimulating outgrowth of neural connection from the motor cortex to the spinal cord could form the basis of a therapy to promote function after spinal cord injury or stroke in humans, he added. Applying magnetic fields or weak electric stimulation to the body surface over damaged brain or spinal cord is a non-invasive technique. Hence, it could be developed more readily than invasive procedures or drugs.

###

On the Internet

Professor Martin

Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education

About The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education

Since 1973, the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education has offered a unique, seven-year BS/MD program that integrates an undergraduate education with the first two years of medical school. After five years, students transfer seamlessly to a cooperating medical school for the final two years. The school's mission is to increase accessibility to careers in medicine for underrepresented groups and to train primary care physicians to serve in medically underserved communities. Around 40 percent of its approximately 360 students are African-American or Hispanic.

About The City College of New York

Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided low-cost, high-quality education for New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. More than 16,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in: the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture; the School of Education; the Grove School of Engineering; the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, and the Colin L. Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership.

Set on a striking, 35-acre hilltop campus in upper Manhattan, CCNY has produced more Nobel laureates than any other public institution in the United States. The College has been touted as one of America's Top Colleges by Forbes, one of the Best Colleges in the United States as well as one of the Best Value Colleges by the Princeton Review, and ranks among U.S. News' top regional universities. For additional information, visit http://www.ccny.ccny.edu.

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Public release date: 16-Oct-2013
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Contact: Ellis Simon
esimon@ccny.cuny.edu
212-650-6460
City College of New York

$3.4M from NIH for brain development and injury research; $300K from Neilsen Foundation to study recovery of movement after brain or spinal injury

The laboratory of Dr. John Martin, medical professor in The City College of New York's Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, recently received $3.7 million for three new investigations into how the nervous system controls movement. Two $1.7 million, five-year awards from the National Institutes of Health and a grant of $300,000 over two years from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation comprise the funding.

The funds will be used to generate new understanding of the connections between the brain and spinal cord that control movement. The studies will address brain development as well as recovery of movement function after brain or spinal injury.

"Our studies aim to repair the damaged nervous system after injury to restore the connections for movement," Professor Martin said. "Ultimately, we aim to translate what we learn to devise therapies for humans with mobility impairments."

One project supported by NIH focuses on repair of connections for movement that were damaged during early development. Professor Martin and colleagues are studying how electrical stimulation after brain injury can reestablish lost connections and, in turn, restore movement function. This has important implications for devising therapies for movement developmental disorders such as cerebral palsy, which affect between two and three out of every 1,000 births.

In a previous investigation, Professor Martin's lab discovered an important basic mechanism that determines development of the connections for movement: more active nerve cells are able to make more connections and stronger connections between the brain and the spinal cord.

This knowledge will also be applied to additional studies funded by NIH and the Neilsen Foundation to investigate movement recovery in mature animals. The NIH project will focus on basic mechanisms of nervous system plasticity and devising novel therapies after stroke. Funding from Neilsen will support studies to promote mobility after spinal cord injury.

Electrical stimulation will be applied to activate nerve cells in order to strengthen undamaged connections and promote new connections between the brain and spinal cord after an injury. Stimulation of the motor cortex leads to growth of spared connections into areas of the spinal cord that had lost their connections after injury.

Professor Martin noted that most nervous system injuries do not completely damage the parts of the brain and spinal cord that enable people to move; many connections are spared. Unfortunately, the spared connections often are not strong enough to produce a significant range of movements.

Stimulating outgrowth of neural connection from the motor cortex to the spinal cord could form the basis of a therapy to promote function after spinal cord injury or stroke in humans, he added. Applying magnetic fields or weak electric stimulation to the body surface over damaged brain or spinal cord is a non-invasive technique. Hence, it could be developed more readily than invasive procedures or drugs.

###

On the Internet

Professor Martin

Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education

About The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education

Since 1973, the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education has offered a unique, seven-year BS/MD program that integrates an undergraduate education with the first two years of medical school. After five years, students transfer seamlessly to a cooperating medical school for the final two years. The school's mission is to increase accessibility to careers in medicine for underrepresented groups and to train primary care physicians to serve in medically underserved communities. Around 40 percent of its approximately 360 students are African-American or Hispanic.

About The City College of New York

Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided low-cost, high-quality education for New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. More than 16,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in: the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture; the School of Education; the Grove School of Engineering; the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, and the Colin L. Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership.

Set on a striking, 35-acre hilltop campus in upper Manhattan, CCNY has produced more Nobel laureates than any other public institution in the United States. The College has been touted as one of America's Top Colleges by Forbes, one of the Best Colleges in the United States as well as one of the Best Value Colleges by the Princeton Review, and ranks among U.S. News' top regional universities. For additional information, visit http://www.ccny.ccny.edu.

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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/2013-10/ccon-djm101613.php
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Birds on repeat: Do playbacks hurt fowl?

Public release date: 16-Oct-2013
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Contact: B. Rose Huber
brhuber@princeton.edu
609-258-0157
Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs

Princeton study shows that playing bird recordings could zap birds' energy

PRINCETON, NJIn the forests of Ecuador, plain-tailed wrens nest in bamboo thickets, singing complex and continuous melodies. Residing nearby are rufous antpittas, small, secretive birds that hop like thrushes and whistle in mossy forests. Together, their songs fill parts of the South American Andes.

Birdwatchers often seek out rare and beautiful birds like the wren and antpitta using "playbacks" or recordings of bird songs to draw such them out from their hideaways. But does such babbling-on-repeat harm the birds?

Using the emphatic sounds of both bird species, a Princeton University researcher has for the first time in peer-reviewed research examined the effects of birdwatchers' "playbacks" in the wild. In PLOS One, he shows that playbacks do have potentially negative consequences, especially in terms of birds' energies.

"Playbacks would be harmful if a species becomes stressed, expends energy, or takes time away from other activities to respond to these recordings," said J. Berton C. Harris, a postdoctoral fellow studying under Professor David Wilcove from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs' Program in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy.

Working in a southern Ecuadorian biological reserve, Harris studied the effects of both single and repeated playbacks on wrens and antpittas. In his first trial, he introduced single playbacks to 24 groups of wrens and 12 groups of antpittas. Along with David Haskell from the University of the South in Tennessee, Harris monitored both bird species for one hour after playing a five-minute, self-recorded song.

Harris' results show that, after the single playbacks, both wrens and antpittas sang more often. Both species also tended to repeat these songs more often after listening to the playbacks. This could be harmful to the birds, Harris said, if it zaps them of too much energy.

"Birds could be wasting their time and energy by responding to non-existent intruders. When male birds respond to birdwatchers' playbacks to defend their territories, they may spend less time caring for their nestlings, experience higher levels of stress hormones or be subject to a romantic coup from other males while away from their mates."

In the second part of the study, Harris and Haskell monitored the effects of daily playback on groups of plain-tailed wrens. Like the first experiment, he played the birds' song once for five minutes, recording the birds' responses for one hour. This was done daily for two-and-a-half weeks.

Although the vocal response was strong for the first 12 days, the wrens eventually habituated and stopped responding suggesting that playbacks have minimal effects on wrens. One group of wrens, seemingly uninterested, even built a nest near a playback site. Harris says this behavior should nudge scientists to consider birdwatching activity when selecting research sites so that results aren't biased.

"Birdwatchers are ardent conservationists, and they want to minimize their impact while observing secretive birds," Harris said. "They promote environmental conservation by funding ecotourism infrastructure, especially in developing countries, where tourism can provide local people alternatives to habitat exploitation. Unfortunately, as evidenced by this research, birdwatchers may also have negative effects on ecosystems."

Harris suggests that future studies be conducted in order to better understand how playbacks may affect other aspects of a bird's life.

"Studies of the effects of playback on bird reproductive success have not yet been done. And until such studies are available, it'd be wise for birdwatchers to be cautious of the negative effects. For example, it might make sense to minimize the use of playback with endangered species or in areas that host a lot of birdwatchers."

###

The paper, "Simulated Birdwatchers' Playback Affects the Behavior of Two Tropical Birds," was first published online Oct. 11 in PLOS One. This research was supported by the Jocotoco Conservation Foundation in Ecuador.

For more information about the Woodrow Wilson School's STEP program, click here.

Founded in 1930, the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University is a major international center of advanced training and research in public affairs. The Woodrow Wilson School is an institution with the energy and strength to tackle the most serious issues of the present day, and the vision and experience to prepare the leaders who will shape the public policies of the future.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 16-Oct-2013
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Contact: B. Rose Huber
brhuber@princeton.edu
609-258-0157
Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs

Princeton study shows that playing bird recordings could zap birds' energy

PRINCETON, NJIn the forests of Ecuador, plain-tailed wrens nest in bamboo thickets, singing complex and continuous melodies. Residing nearby are rufous antpittas, small, secretive birds that hop like thrushes and whistle in mossy forests. Together, their songs fill parts of the South American Andes.

Birdwatchers often seek out rare and beautiful birds like the wren and antpitta using "playbacks" or recordings of bird songs to draw such them out from their hideaways. But does such babbling-on-repeat harm the birds?

Using the emphatic sounds of both bird species, a Princeton University researcher has for the first time in peer-reviewed research examined the effects of birdwatchers' "playbacks" in the wild. In PLOS One, he shows that playbacks do have potentially negative consequences, especially in terms of birds' energies.

"Playbacks would be harmful if a species becomes stressed, expends energy, or takes time away from other activities to respond to these recordings," said J. Berton C. Harris, a postdoctoral fellow studying under Professor David Wilcove from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs' Program in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy.

Working in a southern Ecuadorian biological reserve, Harris studied the effects of both single and repeated playbacks on wrens and antpittas. In his first trial, he introduced single playbacks to 24 groups of wrens and 12 groups of antpittas. Along with David Haskell from the University of the South in Tennessee, Harris monitored both bird species for one hour after playing a five-minute, self-recorded song.

Harris' results show that, after the single playbacks, both wrens and antpittas sang more often. Both species also tended to repeat these songs more often after listening to the playbacks. This could be harmful to the birds, Harris said, if it zaps them of too much energy.

"Birds could be wasting their time and energy by responding to non-existent intruders. When male birds respond to birdwatchers' playbacks to defend their territories, they may spend less time caring for their nestlings, experience higher levels of stress hormones or be subject to a romantic coup from other males while away from their mates."

In the second part of the study, Harris and Haskell monitored the effects of daily playback on groups of plain-tailed wrens. Like the first experiment, he played the birds' song once for five minutes, recording the birds' responses for one hour. This was done daily for two-and-a-half weeks.

Although the vocal response was strong for the first 12 days, the wrens eventually habituated and stopped responding suggesting that playbacks have minimal effects on wrens. One group of wrens, seemingly uninterested, even built a nest near a playback site. Harris says this behavior should nudge scientists to consider birdwatching activity when selecting research sites so that results aren't biased.

"Birdwatchers are ardent conservationists, and they want to minimize their impact while observing secretive birds," Harris said. "They promote environmental conservation by funding ecotourism infrastructure, especially in developing countries, where tourism can provide local people alternatives to habitat exploitation. Unfortunately, as evidenced by this research, birdwatchers may also have negative effects on ecosystems."

Harris suggests that future studies be conducted in order to better understand how playbacks may affect other aspects of a bird's life.

"Studies of the effects of playback on bird reproductive success have not yet been done. And until such studies are available, it'd be wise for birdwatchers to be cautious of the negative effects. For example, it might make sense to minimize the use of playback with endangered species or in areas that host a lot of birdwatchers."

###

The paper, "Simulated Birdwatchers' Playback Affects the Behavior of Two Tropical Birds," was first published online Oct. 11 in PLOS One. This research was supported by the Jocotoco Conservation Foundation in Ecuador.

For more information about the Woodrow Wilson School's STEP program, click here.

Founded in 1930, the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University is a major international center of advanced training and research in public affairs. The Woodrow Wilson School is an institution with the energy and strength to tackle the most serious issues of the present day, and the vision and experience to prepare the leaders who will shape the public policies of the future.

---

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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/2013-10/puww-bor101613.php
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Italy rescues 370 migrants, steps up naval patrols

By Steve Scherer

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's navy rescued about 370 migrants in the waters between Sicily and Libya on Tuesday as the government deployed ships, helicopters and unmanned drones to help avert further shipwrecks that have already drowned hundreds this month.

A naval frigate and a patrol boat brought some 290 people, mostly Syrians, Somalis and Eritreans, to the tiny southern Italian island of Lampedusa after two migrant vessels used satellite phones to dial for help late on Monday, the navy said.

A Panamanian merchant vessel later picked up about 80 people adrift on a large raft in Libyan waters and took them to Sicily, the coastguard said.

The migrant boats risked the dangerous sea passage despite a shipwreck on October 3 that killed more than 360, mostly Eritreans, less than a kilometer from Lampedusa. Last Friday, at least 34 more migrants drowned when their boat capsized, though Italian officials say the true figure may be above 200.

Lampedusa, which lies southwest of Sicily and just 70 miles from the coast of Tunisia, has been a stepping stone for migrants seeking a better life in Europe for two decades.

Now the Syrian civil war and unrest in Egypt and other Arab and African countries are fuelling the flow of refugees, many of whom have to pass through an increasingly unstable Libya.

Sicily's regional parliament declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, a move that allows it to tap additional funds to help its struggling immigration services.

The reception center on Lampedusa, which is under Sicily's administration, is now hosting four or five times its capacity.

To try to stem the flow of rickety boats and prevent further tragedies, Italy began on Tuesday deploying more ships, long-range helicopters, an airplane equipped with night-vision, plus unmanned drone aircraft.

MILITARISATION

However, humanitarian organizations say the measures may leave more migrants stranded in the Sahara desert or delivered into the hands of Libyan militias and crime groups, which are known to have beaten, raped and imprisoned migrants in the past.

Libya is the departure point for two thirds of the boats.

Riccardo Compagnucci, head of the Interior Ministry's immigration office, ruled out Libya as a safe port because of its poor security and human rights situation.

Compagnucci told Reuters some migrants could be taken to "Malta and Greece" in order to facilitate rescue operations, but added: "Libya isn't safe even for its prime minister."

Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was kidnapped for several hours last week. This week, he asked for Europe's help to stem the flow of migrants.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso was heckled on Lampedusa last week by islanders who said the European Union was partly responsible for the October 3 shipwreck.

Italy and Malta have asked for more EU funds and have called for the migrant emergency to be put on the agenda of the next European Council meeting on October 24-25.

(Additional reporting by Antonella Cinelli, Gabriele Pileri and Cristiano Corvino; Editing by Gareth Jones)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italy-rescues-300-migrants-sends-navy-ships-drones-094747294.html
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For Medal of Honor recipient, award is a long time coming (CNN)

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18-Foot-Long Sea Creature Found Off Calif. Coast

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A marine science instructor snorkeling off the Southern California coast spotted something out of a fantasy novel: the silvery carcass of an 18-foot-long, serpent-like oarfish.

Jasmine Santana of the Catalina Island Marine Institute needed more than 15 helpers to drag the giant sea creature with eyes the size of half dollars to shore Sunday.

Staffers at the institute are calling it the discovery of a lifetime.

"We've never seen a fish this big," said Mark Waddington, senior captain of the Tole Mour, CIMI's sail training ship. "The last oarfish we saw was three feet long."

Because oarfish dive more than 3,000 feet deep, sightings of the creatures are rare and they are largely unstudied, according to CIMI.

The obscure fish apparently died of natural causes. Tissue samples and video footage were sent to be studied by biologists at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Santana spotted something shimmering about 30 feet deep while snorkeling during a staff trip in Toyon Bay at Santa Catalina Island, about two dozen miles from the mainland.

"She said, 'I have to drag this thing out of here or nobody will believe me,'" Waddington said.

After she dragged the carcass by the tail for more than 75 feet, staffers waded in and helped her bring it to shore.

The carcass was on display Tuesday for 5th, 6th, and 7th grade students studying at CIMI. It will be buried in the sand until it decomposes and then its skeleton will be reconstituted for display, Waddington said.

The oarfish, which can grow to more than 50 feet, is a deep-water pelagic fish — the longest bony fish in the world, according to CIMI.

They are likely responsible for sea serpent legends throughout history.

Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=234773236&ft=1&f=
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Selena Gomez Falls Off Stage During Concert (Video)

8:49 AM PDT 10/15/2013 by Kimberly Nordyke

Getty Images

Selena Gomez performing in Fairfax.

Selena Gomez had an un-choreographed moment in one of her recent concerts.

STORY: Selena Gomez Scraps Concerts in Russia Amid Visa Controversy

During her Oct. 10 show in Fairfax, Va., the singer was so into her performance of "Slow Down" that she didn't realize she was too close to the front of the stage. She ended up falling off the stage while jumping up and down -- wearing, it should be noted, high-heeled boots.

Fortunately for Gomez, it wasn't a long drop. She immediately got up, shook a few fans' hands and, with the help of a dancer, returned to her performance on stage.

STORY: Selena Gomez Earns First No. 1 Album With 'Stars Dance'

Gomez is in the midst of her "Stars Dance" tour, which next hits Buffalo, N.Y.

Watch the video below.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thr/music/~3/Yemz7jfA3CA/story01.htm
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CSX 3Q profit grows 2 pct on higher volume, rates

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — CSX says it delivered a 2 percent profit increase in the third quarter as the railroad operator's overall revenue rose despite disappointing coal revenue.

The results beat Wall Street expectations, and the railroad slightly increased its outlook for the year. Its shares edged up.

The Jacksonville, Fla.-based railroad said Tuesday that it earned $463 million, or 46 cents per share. That's up from $455 million, or 44 cents per share, a year ago.

CSX's revenue grew 4 percent to nearly $3 billion as it hauled 5 percent more carloads of freight and increased some shipping rates.

Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected CSX to report earnings of 42 cents per share on revenue of $2.95 billion.

CSX says it expects slightly higher 2013 earnings per share than in 2012. Previously, the railroad predicted relatively flat earnings.

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-10-15-US-Earns-CSX/id-4502eadf04dd4a5ca7eeae9c4c595b85
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Support Unclear For GOP's Plan To End Shutdown

Audio for this story from Morning Edition will be available at approximately 9:00 a.m. ET.

 

House Republicans were expected to announce their own plan Tuesday to end the partial government shutdown and avert a default on the national debt. But House Speaker John Boehner came to the microphones and kept things very vague.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2013/10/15/234752361/support-unclear-for-gops-plan-to-end-shutdown?ft=1&f=3
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California governor vetoes tough gun control bills

By Sharon Bernstein

SACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) - California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed several gun control bills on Friday, a move that essentially rebuffs an effort by fellow Democrats to enact a sweeping expansion of firearms regulation in the most populous U.S. state.

Brown vetoed the strictest bill, which would have classified any rifle with a removable magazine as an assault weapon, calling it an "infringement on gun owners' rights."

"I don't believe that this bill's blanket ban on semi-automatic rifles would reduce criminal activity or enhance public safety enough to warrant this infringement on gun owners' rights," Brown said in his veto message.

He also vetoed a measure that would have banned people from owning a gun for 10 years if they had been convicted of substance abuse violations or ordered to undergo outpatient mental health treatment.

Brown did approve a measure to ban kits used to convert standard guns into semi-automatics with large capacity magazines, which he described as closing a loophole in existing state law.

California's actions come amid national political lobbying around gun control, as lawmakers struggle to balance calls for more regulation following mass shootings against fear among gun rights supporters that their constitutional right to bear arms may be violated.

State lawmakers sent 17 gun control measures to Brown's desk, in part because the U.S. Congress, mired in partisan bickering, failed to act after several high profile gun rampages last year, including a deadly Connecticut school shooting that killed 20 children and six adults in December.

"Large-capacity magazines have no place on our streets," said Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner, who represents Berkeley. "We seized the opportunity to make California a model for common-sense gun violence prevention."

Chuck Michel, a Southern California attorney who advises the National Rifle Association on gun rights issues, said that with the exception of a bill phasing out the use of lead in ammunition used in hunting, Brown vetoed the measures that were of greatest concern to the NRA.

"I am pleased he's shown some respect for the rights of California gun owners and those who would choose to own a gun to defend their families," Michel said. Even so, the gun rights organization is concerned about several measures that Brown did sign, including the one banning conversion kits.

"He vetoed the worst of the worst," Michel said, "But the rest are still bad."

In all, Brown signed 10 new gun control bills and vetoed seven. Those he signed included a measure to ban people from gun ownership for five years if they tell a licensed psychotherapist that they plan to shoot people. Another, by Republican Ted Gaines, would give mental health professionals 24 hours to report such threats.

In addition to the semi-automatic weapons ban, bills vetoed included a measure that would have limited the ability of private parties to sell guns in the state, and one that would have allowed the city of Oakland to enact its own gun restrictions.

(Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Cynthia Johnston, Chris Reese and Kenneth Barry)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/california-governor-vetoes-several-tough-gun-control-bills-202721952.html
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APNewsBreak: Kansas abortion lawsuits cost $913K

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- Kansas has paid more than $913,000 to two private law firms that are helping the state defend anti-abortion laws enacted since conservative Republican Gov. Sam Brownback took office, and such expenses appear likely to grow.

The attorney general's office disclosed the figures in response to requests from The Associated Press. More than $126,000 in legal fees stem from two lawsuits filed this summer against restrictions enacted just this year.

Kansas has enacted sweeping limits on abortion and providers since Brownback took office in January 2011, though it hasn't attempted to ban abortions in the earliest weeks of pregnancies, as Arkansas and North Dakota have. The newest Kansas restrictions, challenged in separate state and federal lawsuits this summer, block tax breaks for abortion providers and even govern what appears on their websites.

A state-court lawsuit is still pending against health and safety regulations approved in 2011 specifically for abortion clinics, but the state prevailed in a federal lawsuit against 2011 restrictions on private health insurance coverage for elective abortions. All of those cases have been handled by the firm of Thompson Ramsdell & Qualseth, of Lawrence.

A federal lawsuit against a 2011 law preventing the state from distributing federal family planning dollars to Planned Parenthood to provide non-abortion services is before the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. That case has been handled by Foulston Siefkin, the state's largest law firm, with offices in Wichita, Topeka and Overland Park.

Peter Brownlie, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, said Monday that the spending shows the Republican-dominated Legislature is more interested in "political posturing" on abortion than good financial stewardship. His organization provides abortions at a clinic in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park and is involved in two federal lawsuits.

"It's a travesty that Kansans are spending $913,000 on things that don't benefit the state in anyway," Brownlie said.

But abortion opponents contend abortion providers are to blame for the expenses because they've turned to the courts after losing support for their positions among voters.

"It's a free country, and there's a right to sue on anything," Mary Kay Culp, executive director of Kansans for Life, the most influential anti-abortion group at the Statehouse. "But, then, to try to blame us for the money involved in defending the lawsuits is ridiculous."

The state has paid the Foulston firm more than $386,000 for its work on the lawsuit over the family planning funds for Planned Parenthood.

The Thompson firm has been paid more than $527,000, including more than $252,000 for defending the 2011 clinic regulations. The state paid the firm almost $149,000 for work on the successful defense of the health insurance law.

Brownback, a strong abortion opponent, called on state lawmakers to create a "culture of life" upon taking office. The Legislature already had strong anti-abortion majorities, but it efforts to restrict abortion were stymied by previous governors who'd supported abortion rights.

Some restrictions aren't being enforced because of the lawsuits. But Culp and other abortion opponents have said the laws were written to survive court scrutiny — unlike in other states such as North Dakota, where lawmakers passed a law banning abortions as early as the sixth week of pregnancy.

A federal judge blocked the North Dakota law, and legislators there set aside $400,000 to defend anti-abortion measures.

___

Follow John Hanna on Twitter at www.twitter.com/apjdhanna

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/apnewsbreak-kansas-abortion-lawsuits-cost-110832833.html
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Apple launches iPhone trade-in program in Europe

Late last week, BGR covered a rumor that the iPhone Reuse and Recycle Program would be making its way to Europe “in the coming months.” As it turns out, the coming months wasn’t soon enough. Whether or not that was the original plan, the program was made available in the UK and other European countries beginning Monday for anyone looking to save money on an iPhone upgrade at the Apple Store. Apple has yet to provide a list of all the countries which will be able to participate in the program, but Apple Stores in both the UK and Germany have been reported to be taking trades now. The iPhone Reuse and Recycle Program will presumably make its way throughout Europe in the weeks following this initial launch.

More from BGR: Video: Nexus 5 bares all in early hands-on walkthrough

This article was originally published on BGR.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/apple-launches-iphone-trade-program-europe-011537810.html
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2 in custody for shooting of 5 at Tulsa event

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Two men are in custody and facing multiple charges in the shooting of five people at a Hmong New Year's festival in Tulsa, authorities said Sunday.

Authorities were holding 21-year-old Boonmlee Lee and 19-year-old Meng Lee, both of Tulsa. Each faces five counts of shooting with intent to kill plus firearms charges. It was not clear from jail records whether each had an attorney.

Tulsa police spokesman Capt. Steve Odom said a gun was recovered but that it will have to be tested to see if it is linked to the Saturday night shooting. Odom said the alleged shooters and the victims were all Hmong and that there was "probably a relationship" between the men charged and the victims.

The suspects were arrested shortly after the attack, which happened about 8 p.m. An arraignment is pending.

A police helicopter that was in the area spotted a car driving away from the scene with its headlights off and notified officers on the ground, who pulled it over.

The suspects had thrown clothes and a semi-automatic handgun believed to have been used in the attack out of the vehicle, Williams said.

A witness at the party described the chaotic scene, as people lined up to get dinner were sent running and ducking for cover when the shots rang out. There were at least 200 people at the celebration, which festival-goers likened to a Thanksgiving celebration in America.

The Hmong are an Asian ethnic group mainly from Laos and number between 3,000 and 4,000 in Tulsa.

Names of the victims, who police say are all hospitalized, weren't released.

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-10-13-Tulsa%20Shootings/id-12281d3ab5d84a07b4f882edbc8bd0fe
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How to dominate/exercise control over your men - Health, Beauty ...

One of the fact that many people don’t know is men likes the women who are in dominant nature. Yes! it is a believable truth. Men like those kind of women due to various reasons. They like may be due to their strongness in every aspect or their way of control on the things or the way they treat the issues. Here the word domination means the sensual phase of controlling the men but not overwhelming in the regarding things.

Women need to retain a point in their mind while they are under the status of dominating. Dominating should not be suspected by your men, make sure he don’t even realize that what is happening indeed. It is the main trick you have to deal with, do it sufficient to keep him in the control without even knowing it. When you become perfect in that art it just takes some amount of time to get what ever you ask for.

So, here are the few steps to dominate your men without knowing him.

Flush out orders

Men never like to take any orders from the women, they don’t want to make the things if they are percepting like orders. If you ever want to ask him any things ask in a pleasing manner. When it sounds like request he will almost get ready for the things to make you have ask for and it is the first and the inherent step to follow to dominate a men.

Be the woman he craves for

Men give importance to looks and the wear you appear. Get down the weight, enhance your beauty with the make-up, go for a make-over which brings the beauty from you. Change yourself attractive, so that he cannot say no for the things you have wish for. Make yourself like a best women that every man craves for.

Punish and forgive

If your men done a mistake, punish him, don’t even communicate for few days, let him know his mistake is. Be sure you are showing your true emotions. When he found himself that he had made wrong forgive instantly in a surprising nature. Most of the men have child like nature and this kind of emotions may work excellent between you.

Dwell interdependent

This point describes, despite you have independent nature  you always wanted him. But also make him sure that though you are depending on him you always don’t want to dependent on him for every single aspect. Show you have your own interests too and when he points you are focusing on some other hobbies, he will try best to enthralls you.

By following the above suggestions that are stated you can nail him. But never go in such a way these rules will dominate your relationship and your life. The major aspect you need to focus is understanding his psyche. So, while you are going to follow these steps understand him first entirely and then go with these steps.

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Source: http://beautyhealthtips.in/how-to-dominate-you-men/
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