SF Bay Area transit talks could last all weekend

In this file photo from Monday, July 1, 2013, commuters wait in standstill traffic to pay their tolls on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in Oakland, Calif. A major San Francisco Bay Area transit system ran trains as usual on Friday after labor negotiations were extended past a midnight deadline, but the threat of a commute-disrupting strike loomed with the unions promising to walk off the job Monday if weekend talks fail to reach a deal. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

In this file photo from Monday, July 1, 2013, commuters wait in standstill traffic to pay their tolls on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in Oakland, Calif. A major San Francisco Bay Area transit system ran trains as usual on Friday after labor negotiations were extended past a midnight deadline, but the threat of a commute-disrupting strike loomed with the unions promising to walk off the job Monday if weekend talks fail to reach a deal. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A long weekend of talks are in store for negotiators for San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit and two unions, who are working to avert a second strike in less than three months.

The unions have vowed to strike if no new labor agreement is reached by Monday, forcing hundreds of thousands of commuters in the nation's fifth-largest rail system to find other ways to work.

With state legislators acting as facilitators and BART's general manager listening to proposals much of the day Friday, the two sides did not discuss specific developments but said the day saw a shift that could lead to a weekend agreement.

"The elements are here that are needed for the two sides to come together," said Pete Castelli, executive director for the Service Employees International Union local 1021.

A BART news release said the talks adjourned for the night at 10 p.m. PDT riday and would resume at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. The statement said no further details of the day's discussions were being released.

The SEIU and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 agreed to keep negotiating after a 60-day, state-mandated cooling-off period that prohibited a strike expired Friday, saying their 2,300 members would stay on the job at least through Sunday night.

The unions said BART General Manager Grace Crunican's presence in talks Friday made a difference — they had repeatedly criticized her for not being more involved.

"The unions have been clear that they feel that Grace would be helpful in the process," BART spokesman Jim Allison said. "She's been abreast of all of the developments on a daily basis, hourly basis, sometimes."

ATU leader Antonette Bryant said they wanted Crunican at the table "because she's the dealmaker. She's the one who can say yay, nay or whatever."

BART workers went on strike for nearly 5 days in July before Gov. Jerry Brown mandated the cooling-off period.

The unions want a raise of nearly 12 percent over three years while BART has proposed a 10 percent increase over four years. BART said workers from the two unions now average about $71,000 in base salary and $11,000 in overtime annually.

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-10-12-US-BART-Strike/id-64192b1e1ef74d27aabac55bf870a8c0
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2 Afghan police die in Taliban checkpoint attack

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? Afghan authorities say Taliban fighters attacked security checkpoints in a northern provincial capital, killing two members of a community-based security force. The officials claim 18 attackers died in the assault.

Sayed Sarwar Hussaini, spokesman for Kunduz provincial police, said Saturday that the initial Taliban attack Friday in the provincial capital of the same name killed one member of the Afghan local police and wounded two.

Hussaini says the Taliban then moved outside the city where a gun battle with Afghan security forces lasted until about midnight. He says 18 Taliban fighters and another local policeman were killed. Another 11 militants were wounded.

NATO formally handed over control of Afghanistan's security entirely to local forces on Tuesday. The transition comes as violence reaches levels matching the worst in 12 years.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/2-afghan-police-die-taliban-checkpoint-attack-084519297.html

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Friend: James Gandolfini died of heart attack

ROME (AP) ? An autopsy on James Gandolfini confirmed the "Sopranos" star died of a heart attack, with no evidence of substance abuse or foul play, a family friend said Friday.

Michael Kobold told reporters that Gandolfini's body has been released to a funeral director and that the family was working with the Italian government to speed up the bureaucratic red tape to get the body back to the United States soon. While the process can take up to 10 days, Kobold said the family was hoping to have the body repatriated by mid-week with a funeral planned in New York by Saturday at the latest.

Gandolfini, 51, died Wednesday night after being discovered in a Rome hotel room by a family member.

He had arrived in Rome on Tuesday and spent his first full day in the Eternal City with his son visiting the Vatican and dining in the hotel, the luxury Boscolo Exedra.

"He had a wonderful day," Kobold said of the father-son vacation.

Asked if Gandolfini had a history of heart problems, Kobold said he was healthy.

"There's nothing out of the ordinary. It was a heart attack. It was a natural cause," he said. "There was no foul play, no substance abuse. None of that."

Morgue officials at Rome's Policlinico Umberto I hospital said the U.S. Embassy had told them not to speak to the media, and that a family representative would provide the results of the autopsy. Gandolfini's sister, Leta, went to the morgue on Friday to formally identify the body.

Gandolfini was to have helped preside over the closing ceremony on Saturday of the Taormina Film Festival in Sicily. The festival instead is organizing a tribute to him.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/friend-james-gandolfini-died-heart-attack-135046174.html

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Wall Street ends mostly higher in late rebound

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks mostly rose in a late rebound on Friday, with the Dow and S&P 500 ending two days of heavy losses, though traders continued to fret over planned changes to the Federal Reserve's easy money policy.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> was up 44.31 points, or 0.30 percent, at 14,802.63. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.spx> was up 4.45 points, or 0.28 percent, at 1,592.64. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.ixic> was down 7.39 points, or 0.22 percent, at 3,357.25.

For the week, the Dow fell 1.8 percent, the S&P lost 2.1 percent and the Nasdaq declined 1.9 percent.

(Reporting by Angela Moon; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wall-st-plunges-p-posts-biggest-drop-since-004828050.html

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Bacterial DNA may integrate into human genome more readily in tumor tissue

June 20, 2013 ? Bacterial DNA may integrate into the human genome more readily in tumors than in normal human tissue, according to a new study from the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Institute for Genome Sciences. Researchers analyzed genomic sequencing data available from the Human Genome Project, the 1,000 Genomes Project and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). They considered the phenomenon of lateral gene transfer (LGT), the transmission of genetic material between organisms in the absence of sex.

Scientists have already shown that bacteria can transfer DNA to the genome of an animal. The researchers at the University of Maryland Institute for Genome Sciences found evidence that lateral gene transfer is possible from bacteria to the cells of the human body, known as human somatic cells. They found the bacterial DNA was more likely to integrate in the genome in tumor samples than in normal, healthy somatic cells. The phenomenon might play a role in cancer and other diseases associated with DNA damage. The paper was published in PLOS Computational Biology on June 20.

"LGT from bacteria to animals was only described recently, and it is exciting to find that such transfers can be found in the genome of human somatic cells and particularly in cancer genomes," says Julie C. Dunning Hotopp, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and lead author on the paper. Dr. Hotopp also is a research scientist with the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center. "Studies applying this approach to additional cancer genome projects could be fruitful, leading us to a better understanding of the mechanisms of cancer."

In the research, a team of interdisciplinary scientists and bioinformatics researchers found that while only 63.5% of TCGA samples analyzed were from tumors, the tumor samples contained 99.9% of reads supporting bacterial integration. The data presented a compelling case that LGT occurs in the human somatic genome and that it could have an important role in cancer and other human diseases associated with mutations. It is possible that LGT mutations play a role in carcinogenesis, yet it is also possible that they could simply be passenger mutations.

The investigators suggest several competing ideas to explain the results, though more research is needed for definitive answers. One possibility is that the mutations are part of carcinogenesis, the process by which normal cells turn into cancer cells. Alternatively, tumor cells are so very rapidly proliferating that they may be more permissive to lateral gene transfer. It is also possible that the bacteria are causing these mutations because they benefit the bacteria.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health's Director's New Innovator Award Program (1-DP2-OD007372) and the NSF Microbial Sequencing Program (EF-0826732).

"This is the type of basic science research, conducted using the analysis of much publicly available genomic data, that makes us leaders in the cutting edge field of genomic science and personalized medicine," says E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Maryland and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. "It is just this type of research that will lead us to a new world of personalized medicine, in which doctors can use each patient's genomic make-up to determine care and preventive measures. We are excited to be a part of this future with the outstanding work of our Institute for Genome Sciences."

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/genes/~3/1E47tAbVfjI/130620192043.htm

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What the NSA Does With the Data It Isn't Allowed to Keep (Atlantic Politics Channel)

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Billboard won't count Jay-Z-Samsung 1M downloads

NEW YORK (AP) ? Jay-Z's got 99 problems and the Billboard chart is one.

Billboard said Friday it will not include the 1 million album downloads Jay-Z is giving to Galaxy mobile phone users through a deal with Samsung. Jay-Z announced the partnership this week. His new album, "Magna Carta Holy Grail," will be released July 7, but it will go out to 1 million Samsung users on July 4.

In a letter posted on Billboard's website, editorial director Bill Werde says it won't count the downloads because Samsung ultimately isn't selling the album on its phones. He adds that it wasn't easy turning down Jay-Z's request to include the downloads on the Billboard chart.

Werde writes: "The passionate and articulate argument by Jay's team that something was for sale and Samsung bought it ... doesn't mesh with precedent."

____

Online:

http://www.billboard.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/billboard-wont-count-jay-z-samsung-1m-downloads-131351979.html

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Scientists Implant Telescope to Treat Macular Degeneration

Virginia researchers have successfully used a new tool on a patient with a vision-stealing disorder. They implanted a telescope in the eye to treat macular degeneration.

According to ScienceDaily, doctors at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Medical Center used a telescope implant to provide central vision to a patient suffering from end-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The National Eye Institute says AMD is the leading cause of vision loss among older adults. There are two types: dry and wet macular degeneration. The dry form sometimes progresses into the more serious wet AMD.

Most AMD develops slowly and destroys the macula in the center of the eye. While patients don't lose all their sight, many eventually experience a significant loss of central vision in one or both eyes. Over time, it becomes harder to drive, write, do most close work, or read.

AMD.org estimates that as many as 15 million Americans have AMD. Around 200,000 patients receive an AMD diagnosis each year.

A majority have dry macular degeneration, the far more common form. It has three stages -- early, intermediate, and advanced -- and occurs when cells in the macula sensitive to light start breaking down. Patients can eventually experience blurring or a "blob" in their central vision.

Experts consider the wet form advanced AMD. It develops when blood vessels under the macula leak blood and fluid. Damage can quickly occur.

The surgeon who implanted the telescope was William H. Benson, M.D. A cornea specialist, he also chairs the Department of Ophthalmology at the VCU School of Medicine.

The implant is smaller than a pea. It utilizes micro-optical technology to enlarge objects that a sufferer with advanced AMD could not see. The device projects images onto a healthy part of the retina. The patient is able to see them as if they appeared in the central vision field.

Like many people with AMD, I didn't know I had any symptoms when I received my diagnosis. Two doctors had noted that I had the dry form in medical records, but had never told me. Only when I saw one of them two years later for another problem was AMD mentioned.

There is no medication to reverse the effects of dry AMD. However, I quickly started on a supplement recommended by my ophthalmologist to help slow any loss of vision. Five years later, I have an exam every six months to detect changes in the macula in both eyes.

Hopefully, I will never reach the most advanced stage of AMD. If I had this condition in only one eye, it would be easier to imagine surgery for an implant if it were affordable. Perhaps I'm a bit squeamish or haven't lost enough vision, but the idea of implanting a telescope to treat macular degeneration feels uncomfortably unnatural.

Vonda J. Sines has published thousands of print and online health and medical articles. She specializes in diseases and other conditions that affect the quality of life.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/scientists-implant-telescope-treat-macular-degeneration-161000406.html

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Verizon Galaxy S4 officially confirmed via Samsung website

No Verizon logo on the home button, so you can cross that off your list of things to worry about

Up until a couple of days ago, we've only had leaks to confirm the existence of Verizon's version of the Samsung Galaxy S4. Today, Samsung has made two new pages live on its official website -- one for the black Verizon model, and one for the white.

Carrier branding looks to be more conservative than with the Galaxy Note 2 -- no home button branding in sight. Other than the Verizon logo on back, this version seems to be identical to the other carrier variants. The same specs and hardware features are shared with the entire U.S. Galaxys S family this time around.

For the official specifications list, as well as pictures from all angles of both the black and white models, check out the Samsung links at the bottom. If the previous availability leak pans out, we can expect Verizon to start selling their Galaxy S4 on May 30.

Sources: Samsung 1, Samsung 2; via Droid Life

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/ZwKi2zohQ_Q/story01.htm

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Arizona Man, 86, Gets Probation in Mercy Killing; Caregiving ? AARP

PHOENIX (AP) ? There was no doubt 86-year-old George Sanders killed his ailing wife. Yet everyone in the small Arizona courtroom ? the prosecutor, the judge and even the couple?s family members ? agreed it was a time for compassion, not punishment.

?My grandfather lived to love my grandmother, to serve and to make her feel as happy as he could every moment of their life,? Sanders? grandson, Grant, told the judge, describing the couple?s life together as ?a beautiful love story.?

?I truly believe that the pain had become too much for my grandmother to bear,? he said, while Sanders looked on during the sentencing hearing Friday and occasionally wiped his eyes with a tissue as relatives pleaded tearfully for mercy.

Sanders was arrested last fall after he says his wife, Virginia, 81, begged him to kill her. He was initially charged with first-degree murder, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter in a deal with prosecutors. Still, he faced a sentence of up to 12 years.

His wife, whose family called her Ginger, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1969, and was forced into a wheelchair soon after. She and Sanders, a World War II veteran, moved from Washington state in the 1970s for Arizona?s warm, dry climate.

George Sanders became her sole caregiver. He cooked for her, cleaned the house, did laundry, put on her makeup and would take her to the beauty salon where he?d hold her hands up so she could get her nails done.

Eventually, though, his own health deteriorated. He had a pacemaker put in, and Virginia was diagnosed with gangrene on her foot. She was set to be admitted to a hospital, then likely a nursing home where she would spend the remainder of her life.

?It was just the last straw,? Sanders told a detective during his interrogation shortly after the shooting at the couple?s home in a retirement community outside Phoenix. ?She didn?t want to go to that hospital ? start cutting her toes off.?

He said his wife begged him to kill her. ?I said, ?I can?t do it honey,?? he told the detective. ?She says, ?Yes you can.??

Sanders then got his revolver and wrapped a towel around it so the bullet wouldn?t go into the kitchen. ?She says, ?Is this going to hurt?? and I said, ?You won?t feel a thing,?? he said.

?She was saying, ?Do it. Do it. Do it.? And I just let it go,? Sanders added.

In court Friday, as Sanders awaited his fate, his son told the judge the family never wanted him to be prosecuted.

?I want the court to know that I loved my mother dearly,? Steve Sanders said. ?But I would also like the court to know that I equally love my father.?

Breaking down at times in tears, he explained how his parent?s spent 62 years together, and his father took care of his mother day in and day out.

?I fully believe that the doctor?s visits, the appointments, the medical phone calls and the awaiting hospital bed led to the decision that my parents made together,? he said. ?I do not fault my father.

?A lot of people have hero figures in their life, LeBron James ? some world class figures ? but I have to tell you my lifelong hero is my dad,? he told the judge, sobbing.

George Sanders, wearing khakis and a white sport coat, spoke for only a minute about his deep love for his wife.

?Your honor, I met Ginger when she was 15 years old and I?ve loved her since she was 15 years old. I loved her when she was 81 years old,? he said, trembling.

?It was a blessing, and I was happy to take care of her,? Sanders continued. ?I am sorry for all the grief and pain and sorrow I?ve caused people.?

Prosecutor Blaine Gadow also asked the judge not to sentence Sanders to prison, instead recommending probation. ?The family very much loved their mother,? Gadow said, noting the ?very unique, difficult circumstances of this case.?

?I don?t know where our society is going to go with cases like this, judge,? he added. ?At this point in time, what Mr. Sanders did was a crime.? However, he said, ?No one in the courtroom has forgotten the victim in this case.?

As family members took their seats and Sanders stood trembling at the podium in the courtroom, Judge John Ditsworth spoke softly, staring at the defendant from just a few feet away then sentenced him to two years of unsupervised probation.

Ditsworth said his decision ?tempers justice with mercy.?

?It is very clear that he will never forget that his actions ended the life of his wife,? Ditsworth said.

?

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://blog.aarp.org/2013/03/30/arizona-man-86-gets-probation-in-mercy-killing/

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Ex-Anglican leader says Britain's PM alienating Christians

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron is alienating Christians by promoting gay marriage, an influential former leader of the world's 80 million Anglicans said on Saturday.

In a strongly worded article, former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey said Cameron's plan to legalize gay unions hid an "aggressive secularist" approach that threatened the link between church and state.

The comments echoed widespread concern about the policy among some Christians - and also highlighted the challenge facing Cameron whose efforts to modernize his center-right Conservative Party have antagonized some traditional party voters.

"The danger I believe that the government is courting with its approach both to marriage and religious freedom, is the alienation of a large minority of people who only a few years ago would have been considered pillars of society," Carey wrote in Britain's Daily Mail newspaper.

Carey's comments come at a bad time for Cameron, who as the economy flounders is attempting to woo right-leaning voters with tough talk on immigration and the European Union.

The former Anglican leader also condemned what he saw as a lack of government support for Christians who choose to wear a cross at work, a practice that has been challenged in the past due to rules on religious expression at the workplace.

He cited a survey by pollster ComRes saying more than two thirds of Christians in Britain felt they were a "persecuted minority" and that more than half who voted Conservative in 2010 would not do so in 2015.

"It was a bit rich to hear that the prime minister has told religious leaders that they should 'stand up and oppose aggressive secularization' when it seems that his government is aiding and abetting this aggression every step of the way," Carey said.

Cameron's Downing Street office rejected Carey's accusations, and praised the church's role in charities and education, but did not address the issue of gay marriage.

"This government strongly backs faith and Christianity in particular, including backing the rights of people wanting to wear crosses at work and hold prayers at council meetings," Downing Street said in a statement.

"The prime minister values the profound contribution that Christianity has made and continues to make to the country, which is why he strongly backs it," the statement continued.

Carey was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1991 to 2002. Current Archbishop Justin Welby this month said some gay relationships were "stunning" in quality, but he is also opposed to gay marriage.

As elsewhere in Europe, the number of regular churchgoers in Britain has been declining in recent decades.

(Reporting by Mohammed Abbas)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ex-anglican-leader-says-britains-pm-alienating-christians-110655911.html

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Business, labor close on deal for immigration bill (The Arizona Republic)

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Dungeon Hunter 4 hacking and slashing its way onto iOS this April

Iron Man 3 wasn't the only title Gameloft was showing off at GDC 2013; they also had Dungeon Hunter 4, which promises to be a great addition to their fantasy action-RPG family. Though the game remains free-to-play with optional in-app purchases for some items, Dungeon Hunter 4 has a greater focus single player campaign (while DH3 was more about quick-and-dirty arena matches). DH4 has clearly upped the ante in terms of graphics, too. Character models are more detailed, lighting effects are dramatic, and overall, the whole thing plays very smoothly.

Players work their way through a linear storyline, slaying all manner of monsters using one of four different character classes and their unique special abilities. As they progress, new powers are unlocked and new gear is picked up and upgraded. Players can hook up online for co-operative of competitive multiplayer. Sure, the hack-and-slash gameplay might not be a massive departure from what you're used to, but you know what they say: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Keep an eye out for Dungeon Hunter 4 when it hits the App Store this April.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/NPaJYx0G0h4/story01.htm

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Solar plane to set out to cross U.S. in early May

By Braden Reddall

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California | Thu Mar 28, 2013 7:17pm EDT

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California (Reuters) - The first crossing of the United States by a solar-powered plane is expected to start in just over a month, its creators said on Thursday, as they make final preparations for an attempt two years from now at the first round-the-world flight without any fuel.

Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard and project co-founder and pilot Andre Borschberg, whose Solar Impulse made its first intercontinental flight from Spain to Morocco last June, aim for their plane to take off from near San Francisco in early May and land at New York's John F. Kennedy airport about two months later.

With the wingspan of a jumbo jet and weighing the same as a small car, the Solar Impulse is just a test model for the team as they build a new aircraft they hope will circumnavigate the globe in 2015.

The project began in 2003 with a 10-year budget of 90 million euros ($112 million) and has involved engineers from Swiss lift maker Schindler and research aid from Belgian chemicals group Solvay -- backers who want to test new materials and technologies while also gaining brand recognition.

Unveiling the current plane at a news conference at Moffett Field on San Francisco Bay, Borschberg highlighted the cramped conditions of the cockpit in the Solar Impulse.

"That's a bad economy seat - you would not fly on this airline," he joked. "The next one should be good business class."

While the current plane was set up for 24-hour flights, the next one would have to allow for up to five days and five nights of flying by one pilot - a feat never yet accomplished.

Meditation and hypnosis were part of the training for the pilots as they prepare to fly on very little sleep, Borschberg said, adding that some sort of autopilot system would have to be built on the next plane to allow for some rest.

The plane runs on about the same power as a motor scooter, he explained, powered by 12,000 solar cells built into the wing that simultaneously recharge the batteries - with storage equivalent to that of a Tesla electric car.

The plane has already flown a 26-hour flight, back in 2010, to prove continuous flight was possible with charging taking place in the day and battery power working at night.

Piccard, asked about the downside of solar-powered flight, agreed that there is a price paid for the small carrying capacity and massive wings.

"In that sense, it is not the easiest way to fly," he said. "But it is the most fabulous way to fly, because the more you fly, the more energy you have on board."

The first stop for the Solar Impulse as it crosses the United States will be Phoenix, followed by Dallas and then one of three cities: Atlanta, Nashville or St. Louis. It will then stop outside Washington D.C. before heading on to New York.

"It carries one pilot and zero passengers, but it carries a lot of messages," Piccard said. "We want to inspire as many people as possible to have that same spirit: to dare, to innovate, to invent."

Piccard has a pioneering legacy to maintain. His grandfather helped his father, Jacques, build a revolutionary submarine that Jacques co-piloted on the deepest-ever dive. Bertrand said he believes the basic idea behind this spirit is to find out what you deeply believe, and then try the opposite.

"Innovation is not about new ideas, it's about getting rid of old ideas."

(Reporting by Braden Reddall in San Francisco; Editing by Leslie Adler)

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/scienceNews/~3/OTYf8aOho-I/story01.htm

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Obama makes impassioned plea for gun control legislation

By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama attempted on Thursday to inject fresh momentum into efforts to pass gun-control legislation, pleading with U.S. lawmakers not to forget those shot to death in Newtown, Connecticut three months ago.

Amid signs that he may have to accept a scaled-down version of gun legislation, Obama sounded a note of frustration in calling upon Americans to demand action from the U.S. Congress in the weeks ahead.

He said the legislation's opponents, the powerful U.S. gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association, are "doing everything they can" to derail the effort barely 100 days after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, in which a gunman killed 20 children, six staff members and then himself.

"The entire country pledged we would do something about it and that this time would be different. Shame on us if we've forgotten. I haven't forgotten those kids. Shame on us if we've forgotten," said Obama, appearing at the White House with mothers of children who had been shot to death.

The gunman in Newtown, Adam Lanza, fired 154 rounds in less than 5 minutes, selecting high capacity magazines from a home arsenal stocked with swords, knives and a cache of guns, officials said Thursday.

Despite events like this, a grassroots organizing effort by Obama supporters and a high-profile advertising campaign funded by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to keep up the pressure, gun legislation has been stalled on Capitol Hill in recent weeks.

The best chance of success for gun-control advocates is that Congress will approve universal background checks for gun purchasers and tougher penalties for gun trafficking.

Less likely to pass are bans on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips, two of the main proposals to emerge from Vice President Joe Biden's gun violence task force, formed by Obama after the Newtown shootings.

'JUST THE BEGINNING'

Biden seemed to acknowledged the challenge when he said on a conference call on Wednesday organized by Mayors Against Illegal Guns that the administration will keep pressing for action regardless of what Congress does in the immediate future.

"Let me say this as clearly as I can: This is just the beginning," Biden said.

Obama had hoped at the outset of his second term to use his re-election mandate to make rapid progress on three major issues: gun violence, deficit-reduction and immigration reform.

All are moving slowly, however.

Immigration may offer the best prospect for action as Republicans seek to attract more Hispanic Americans who voted overwhelming for Obama and his Democrats in the 2012 elections.

Republicans insist that any pathway to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants be preceded by certification that U.S. borders are secure.

The biggest stumbling block to an immigration bill concerns creation of a guest-worker program to allow immigrants to cross the U.S.-Mexican border legally for temporary jobs.

U.S. labor unions, which worry such a program would lead to a loss of jobs for Americans, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have yet to arrive at a formula acceptable to both. Their agreement is considered crucial to bringing Congress along.

Obama has said he is encouraged by the progress, and he believes the dispute over the guest-worker program can be resolved. After first declaring the U.S.-Mexican border sufficiently secure, Obama now says it can be improved, a position that may permit him to make a deal with Republicans.

"I'm actually optimistic about this, in part because I think both Republicans as well as Democrats are now recognizing that it's the right thing to do," Obama told Univision, a Spanish-language network, in an interview on Wednesday.

Obama's attempt to negotiate a "grand bargain" aimed at reducing the U.S. budget deficit is facing old-fashioned political gridlock and could collapse into a partisan sinkhole.

In a fresh round of schmoozing to discuss this and other legislative items, Obama will dine with a dozen Republican senators on April 10, the second such meeting he will have held in his attempts to engage his political opponents.

TAXING THE RICH

Lawmakers are still bruised from a fight over $85 billion in automatic spending cuts that went into effect a month ago despite Obama's attempt to head them off.

Obama still wants what Republicans refused to give him in that budget fight, an increase in taxes on the wealthy by eliminating some deductions and loopholes. Republicans instead want to cut spending.

The White House struck a pessimistic note this week on the prospects for success given the Republican leadership's refusal to agree to raise more tax revenues.

"As long as Republicans are saying we're not going to ask the wealthiest and well-connected to pay a single dime to reduce our deficit, then it is hard to imagine that we're going to reach a compromise," White House deputy press secretary Josh Earnest said Wednesday.

The difficulties in gaining passage of major legislation reflects the continued grip partisan politics holds on Washington, with the White House and Senate run by Democrats and the House of Representatives controlled by Republicans. This makes the 2014 midterm congressional elections of increasing importance.

"Look, it's what we all thought when Obama was re-elected," said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. "There is just not going to be a lot of new legislation in Obama's second term, unless he wins the House in 2014, and even then it looks very, very tough."

(Editing by Fred Barbash and Todd Eastham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-makes-impassioned-plea-gun-control-legislation-220944701.html

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Video: PFT: How can Lions maximize pick?

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/51355237#51355237

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Newtown gunman had access to huge weapons cache

NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) ? When Adam Lanza walked out of his house for the last time, he left behind firearms and knives and more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition ? taking only four guns. They would suffice.

He loaded the weapons into his car, drove to Sandy Hook Elementary School, blasted his way into the building and within five minutes fired off 154 shots with a Bushmaster .223-caliber rifle. Having murdered 20 first-graders and six educators, he killed himself with a final, single shot from a Glock handgun. He still had more than 100 rifle bullets at hand.

Warrants released Thursday provide the most insight to date into the world of the 20-year-old gunman, a recluse who played violent video games in a house packed with weaponry that was all too real. The inventory of items taken from the spacious, colonial-style home included books on autism, a vast array of weapon paraphernalia, and images of what appears to be a dead person covered with plastic and blood.

The weapons used in the shooting had all apparently been purchased by Lanza's mother, Nancy, with whom he lived, said prosecutor Stephen J. Sedensky III, in a statement accompanying the warrants.

She was found dead in her bed; Adam Lanza had shot her the morning of the massacre, Dec. 14. Authorities also found a holiday card from Nancy Lanza containing a check made out to her son for the purchase of yet another firearm.

Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy expressed incredulity over the access that the troubled young man had to a cache of weapons.

"There are parts of this story that are unfathomable," he said. "How anyone would have maintained that household that way is difficult to understand."

Mark Barden, whose 7-year-old son Daniel was killed at Sandy Hook, said he was not surprised by anything revealed Thursday.

"Most of this is pretty high level stuff that we were aware of already and it just reminds me of what happened, that a gunman stormed his way into an elementary school and shot to death 26 people, 20 of which were first-grade boys and girls," Barden said.

The shooting elevated gun safety to the top of President Barack Obama's agenda; at an event in Washington on Thursday, joined by the families of four children killed at Sandy Hook, he urged lawmakers not to get "squishy" in the face of opposition to gun control.

"Shame on us if we've forgotten," Obama said. "I haven't forgotten those kids."

The debate has extended to Newtown, a rural community of 27,000 people in western Connecticut which is also home to the National Shooting Sports Foundation. A protest and counter-protest were scheduled outside the foundation's offices Thursday.

If it's possible to determine a motive for the massacre, there may be clues in Adam Lanza's journals, which state police seized from the house and turned over to the FBI for analysis. But authorities say that so far no conclusions have been reached. Sedensky estimated the investigation will be finished this summer.

At the Lanza house, investigators found books about autism and Asperger's syndrome, as well as one with tabbed pages entitled: "Train Your Brain to Get Happy." Adam Lanza was said to have been diagnosed with Asperger's.

But the warrants also reveal an intense interest in weaponry and violence.

A gun locker in Lanza's bedroom was open when police arrived at the house in the aftermath of the shootings, and there was no sign it had been broken into.

Investigators found a 7-foot pole with a blade on one side and a spear on another, a metal bayonet, three samurai swords, a .323-caliber bolt-action rifle, a .22-caliber Savage Mark II rifle and a .22-caliber Volcanic starter pistol. There was a military-style uniform in Lanza's bedroom; literature seized from the house included a news article on a 2008 shooting at Northern Illinois University and a National Rifle Association guide to pistol shooting.

In a duffel bag, investigators found ear and eye protection, binoculars, numerous paper targets and an NRA certificate that belonged to Adam Lanza. The NRA said Lanza was not a member.

An unnamed person told investigators that Lanza was an avid gamer who played "Call of Duty" and rarely left his home. The affidavit, which is partially blacked out, also has that person saying that Sandy Hook, the school Lanza attended as a child, was his "life."

On the day of the massacre, Lanza took two loaded handguns to the school along with the Bushmaster rifle. A fourth gun, a loaded 12-gauge Saiga shotgun, was found in the passenger compartment of his Honda Civic, along with 70 shotgun rounds.

Lanza went through six 30-round magazines for the Bushmaster, although half of them were not completely empty, and police said he had three other 30-round magazines in addition to one that was in the rifle.

A judge's order to seal the warrants expired on Wednesday, and a Danbury Superior Court judge granted a request by Sedensky to withhold some details. Sedensky asked to redact the name of a witness, saying the person's safety might be jeopardized if the name were disclosed. He also asked that the release not include other information such as telephone numbers, serial numbers on items found and a few paragraphs of an affidavit.

Malloy, a Democrat in his first term as governor, said the fact that Lanza left smaller magazines at the house should boost support for a state ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines.

"That somebody could get 154 shots off in less than five minutes, kill 20 children and six adults, is disturbing," Malloy said.

Connecticut House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero Jr., a Republican, said he expects the General Assembly will be ready to vote next week, possibly Wednesday, on a package addressing gun control and other issues raised by the shooting.

___

Associated Press writers John Christoffersen, Dave Collins and Susan Haigh in Hartford and John Christoffersen in New Haven contributed to this report. Melia reported from Hartford.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/newtown-gunman-had-access-huge-weapons-cache-201407746.html

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Behringer iNuke Boom Junior

The iNuke Boom Junior ($179.99 list) does one thing and one thing well?it plays your music loud. Available online exclusively at Costco, the iNuke Boom Junior recalls the company's iNuke Boom, the eight-foot-wide, 10,000-watt monster speaker that debuted at CES 2012 for an insane $30,000. This much smaller version delivers powerful bass punch, but its veiled midrange and tinny treble mean it's purely for kicking out the jams at a party. Audiophiles should consider spending more for better sound, such as the?Editors' Choice Bowers & Wilkins Z2, or by going with a smaller but smoother-sounding wireless speaker like the Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Mobile Speaker II.

Design and Connectivity
Thankfully, the iNuke Boom Junior isn't nearly as big as the original?but it's no svelte portable speaker, either. At 8.7 by 16.5 by 9.8 inches (HWD) and 10.6 pounds, this is one speaker dock you'll want to set up once and then leave it where it is. It's made entirely of textured black ABS plastic, with the exception of the black cloth grille on the front. The speaker actually doesn't feel all that heavy when you pick it up, mainly because the enclosure is large enough to distribute the weight evenly. If you've ever carried a 1980s-style boombox, it's basically that size, but deeper.

The top panel features a dock with a 30-pin connector; it works with iPods, iPhones, and iPads, but not any of the newest models with Apple's Lightning Connector. A tall, clear plastic slab sticks up behind the docking connector and works as a brace to hold up your iDevice; behind it is a 3.5mm auxiliary input. Below that are three LED lights indicating the currently selected input (line in, Aux, or iPod) and a pair of volume buttons. The bottom row has five additional buttons, for Power, Source, Back, Play, and Forward. When the iNuke Boom Junior is powered on, all of the buttons light up with white rings around them, while the power button and LED for the selected input both illuminate in green.

The back panel features an oversized, tuned bass port, an additional stereo RCA audio input, a composite video output, and a jack for the included power cable. The video output lets you play movies from your Apple device on a television screen, although it's not a digital connection and consequently won't offer the best video quality. In addition to the iNuke Boom Junior and the power cord, Behringer includes a remote control, as well as cables for both aux inputs?a thoughtful gesture.

The remote is a plastic black slab with plenty of functionality. In addition to the usual Power, Volume, Skip, Mute, and Play buttons, you get playlist controls, buttons for each of the source inputs, and Up and Down buttons for both bass and treble.

Performance and Conclusions
You probably won't need to increase the bass very often. The iNuke Boom Junior features a three-way design, with a 1-inch tweeter, a pair of 3-inch midrange speakers, and a 5.25-inch woofer. Sound quality-wise, the iNuke Boom Junior delivers on its promise. This beast puts out some serious bass, with enough extension to add the proper weight to hip-hop tracks like Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild." On our standard bass test track, The Knife's "Silent Shout," the iNuke Boom Junior pumps out the synth bass notes and 808 kick drum with enough power that the walls in a small room off of our test lab began to vibrate. As I turned it up further, though, the sound completely fell apart, as the unit distorted heavily. Keep it just shy of maximum, and you'll be thrilled with the amount of power the iNuke Boom delivers.

Its midrange and high-end response isn't as impressive, unfortunately. While the speaker sounds reasonably well-balanced from about 200Hz on up, with a balanced midrange, I couldn't hear the air around Bill Callahan's voice in "Drover," and the strummed acoustic guitar strings didn't sparkle the way they do on higher-end systems. The eighth-note repeating kick drum was louder than usual, thanks to the system's heavy bass tilt. With the electronic chill-out track "Indian Rope Trick" from Flunk, the hi-hats and the lead singer's voice edged toward harsh. And while the electronic bass had plenty of extension, it was a little flabby sounding, and the tight electronic kick didn't quite push through the way it usually does on other systems.

The best sound I heard from the iNuke Boom Junior was when I played Rage Against The Machine's "Fistful of Steel." The bass response and extension gave as much weight to the powerful kick drum and growling electric bass in the song as I've heard from some 2.1 systems with powered subwoofers; it was truly awe-inspiring, coming from a desktop dock. That said, while the guitars came through with sufficient bark, the hi-hats sounded thin and tinny, and almost like white noise, and it was difficult to pick up the reverb on the instruments as well.

So the iNuke Boom Junior is a little rough around the edges. At $180, and with occasional heavy discounts, it delivers excellent value if you need a lot of volume and bass from your music. Otherwise, audiophiles seeking a more balanced and transparent sound for the same price will have to give up sheer volume and bass. The Bowers & Wilkins Z2, our current Editors' Choice for speaker docks, costs a lot more and still doesn't go as loud as the iNuke Boom Junior. But the Z2's sublime midrange and high-end performance is second to none at the price, and it still delivers plenty of bass punch. Plus, it has a Lightning Connector for the newest iOS devices, as well as AirPlay support for wireless streaming. A less expensive wireless option is the Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Mobile Speaker II, which doesn't go nearly as loud as the iNuke Boom Junior, but sounds nicer with a wider variety of music, and is also portable to boot.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/CTycfw37sak/0,2817,2416916,00.asp

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How diabetes drug delays aging in worms

Mar. 28, 2013 ? A widely prescribed type 2 diabetes drug slows down the aging process by mimicking the effects of dieting, according to a study published today using worms to investigate how the drug works.

Following a calorie-restricted diet has been shown to improve health in later life and extend lifespan in a number of animals, ranging from the simple worm to rhesus monkeys. The type 2 diabetes drug metformin has been found to have similar effects in animals but until now it was not clear exactly how the drug delays the aging process.

Researchers supported by the Wellcome Trust and Medical Research Council looked at the effects of metformin on C. elegans worms that were grown in the presence of E. coli bacteria, a relationship similar to that which humans have with the 'healthy' bacteria in our gut. They found that the worms treated with metformin lived longer only when the E. coli strain they were cultured with was sensitive to the drug.

Dr Filipe Cabreiro from the Institute of Healthy aging at UCL, who led the research, explains: "Overall, treatment with metformin adds up to 6 days of life for the worm which is equivalent to around a third of its normal lifespan. It seems to work by altering metabolism in the bacteria that live in the worm, which in turn limits the nutrients that are available to the worm host and has a similar effect to restricting the diet."

Bacteria living in the gut have an important role in helping the host organism to digest and extract nutrition from food. Defects in gut bacteria have been linked to metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and cancer. It has also been suggested that gut bacteria may have an impact on the aging process, but this is the first study to suggest a mechanism for how this works.

The team used strains of E. coli with defects in genes that are linked to metabolism and tweaked the levels of nutrients available to tease out which metabolic pathways might be affected by the drug. They found that treatment with metformin disrupted the bacteria's ability to metabolise folate, a type of B-vitamin, and methionine, one of the building blocks of proteins. This limits the nutrients that are available to the worm and mimics the effects of dietary restriction to enable the worms to live longer.

However, when they added an excess of sugar to the diet, the team found that the life-extending effects of metformin were cancelled out. As the drug is used as a treatment for diabetes caused by elevated glucose levels in the blood, this finding is particular relevant for understanding how the drug works in people.

Professor David Gems, who directed the study, said: "We don't know from this study whether metformin has any effect on human aging. The more interesting finding is the suggestion that drugs that alter bacteria in the gut could give us a new way of treating or preventing metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes."

Metformin is currently one of the most widely prescribed drugs and the findings should help to inform how it is used in patients.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Wellcome Trust, 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. Filipe Cabreiro, Catherine Au, Kit-Yi Leung, Nuria Vergara-Irigaray, Helena?M. Cochem?, Tahereh Noori, David Weinkove, Eugene Schuster, Nicholas?D.E. Greene, David Gems. Metformin Retards Aging in C.?elegans by Altering Microbial Folate and Methionine Metabolism. Cell, 2013; 153 (1): 228 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.02.035

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/tv-92dVqdys/130328125106.htm

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Brown sues over claim he'd remarry Houston

Joe Giblin / AP

By Josh Grossberg, E! Online

Bobby Brown's prerogative is to sue.?Whitney Houston's ex-hubby has filed a lawsuit against the National Enquirer for alleging that the duo had planned to remarry before her tragic death last year.

Brown's rep confirmed to E! News that the 44-year-old R&B star had filed the complaint in Manhattan Federal Court Monday, but had no further comment on the matter.

However, per court docs obtained by the New York Daily News, Brown was incensed by a March 26, 2012, story the tabloid ran that suggested the New Jack Swinger had been unfaithful to his then-fiance, Alicia Etheredge, by resuming his relationship with Houston.

Bobby Brown marries fiance Alicia Etheridge in Hawaiian ceremony

As it turned out, the only person Brown ended up swapping vows with was Etheredge, whom he married later that June.

The New Edition singer's suit also names as a defendant the Enquirer's source, Derrick Handspike, a Georgia music-industry executive.

A look back at Whitney Houston's remarkable life

A rep for the National Enquirer was unavailable for comment.

Brown, meanwhile, began last week a four-year probation stint after serving less than a day in a Los Angeles jail resulting from a prior DUI conviction.

-- reporting by Holly Passalaqua

Related content:

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/03/27/17486111-bobby-brown-sues-tabloid-for-claiming-he-would-remarry-whitney-houston?lite

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Blake Shelton gets no love on 'The Voice'

By Rebecca Ford, The Hollywood Reporter

Adam Taylor / NBC

"Voice" coach Blake Shelton wasn't picked by any of the hopefuls Tuesday.

After raking in stellar ratings on Monday night, "The Voice"?returns for the second installment of its two-night premiere.

The four coaches --?Shakira, Usher, Blake Shelton?and?Adam Levine?-- continue to turn their chairs for big voices and surprising talent.

Photos from THR: 'The Voice' teams: Season 4's performers

Tawnya Reynolds
Song: ?Mammas Don?t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys?
Coaches who turned their chairs: Levine, Usher, Shakira
This aspiring country singer couldn't get Shelton to turn his chair, but she got all three other coaches to notice her. She went with Shakira, despite Shelton's encouragement for her to choose Usher.

Josiah Hawley
Song: "Sunday Morning"
Coaches who turned their chairs: Shelton, Usher, Levine
He wants to be known as much more than a pretty face, but look at that face! The religious, married model sings "Sunday Morning," a Maroon 5 song. It's a risky move, but he gets Shelton, Usher, and yes, Levine, to turn for him. Surprisingly, he chooses Usher for his coach! Bold move. Usher serves up some even bolder dance moves in celebration.

Midas Whale
Song: "Folsom Prison Blues"
Coaches who turned their chairs: All four
This geeky, goofy folk duet belts out "Folsom Prison Blues" onstage. The first coach to turn his chair is, surprisingly, Usher, followed quickly by Shelton, Levine and Shakira. "I hope ya'll don't screw up the rest of your lives by going with one of these other coaches," says Shelton. Shakira has a long chat with them in Spanish, which is totally adorable. But the pair chooses Levine, making them his first duo ever.

More from THR: 'Voice' gamble pays off with Usher and Shakira

Abraham McDonald
Song: "Best Thing I Never Had"
Coaches who turned their chairs: None
The 35-year-old grew up shy, but was pushed into the spotlight by his sister, who got him to compete in a karaoke contest for?Oprah Winfrey. He has a voice as big as his stature, but his raspy voice doesn't turn any chairs.

Cathia
Song: "No Me Doy Per Vencido"
Coaches who turned their chairs: Usher, Shakira, Shelton
Studying music business, Cathia is looking for a mentor on the show. She takes a risk by singing in Spanish, her first language. Usher turns first, but we all know that everyone is looking towards Shakira, who turns her chair second. Shelton doesn't understand a word she's saying but he also turns his chair. The three coaches also give her a standing ovation. Shelton tries to play the veteran card, but Shakira name drops Gloria Estefan -- her own mentor. Cathia goes with Shakira, naturally.

Sarah Simmons
Song: "One of Us"
Coaches who turned their chairs: All four
After having her dad fall in and out of her life because of addiction issues, Sarah has finally rebuilt that relationship and is ready to perform for the coaches. She hits just the right note early on in her song and Shakira and Levine quickly hit their buttons. Her cool, unique, powerful voice gets Shelton and Usher to turn too. "I think you can win this thing and you may be in my top three singers I have ever heard audition for 'The Voice,' " says Shelton. But Adam's charm wins out again, and Sarah joins the Maroon 5 frontman's team.

So Shakira and Levine add two new members to their teams, Usher adds one and Shelton fails to add a single member to Team Blake.

Which act impressed you the most Tuesday? Tell us on our Facebook page!

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Source: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2013/03/26/17479341-blake-shelton-gets-no-love-on-the-voice?lite

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PFT: Talks stall between Freeney, Broncos

Getty Images

The 2011 labor agreement included an important provision:? HGH testing is coming to the NFL.? Nearly 20 months later, HGH testing is no closer than it was before the agreement was signed.

The latest evidence comes from the case of Andrus Veerpalu, an Estonian skier whose three-year suspension was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.? Naturally, the NFL and the NFLPA disagree as to the meaning of the ruling, and the incident has caused Albert Breer of NFL Network to learn that the two sides have scrapped an agreement to conduct a so-called ?population study? aimed at gauging the permissible natural levels of HGH in football players.

The details don?t matter, because neither the NFL nor Congress is willing to do anything more than huff and puff about the union?s refusal to honor the agreement to submit to HGH testing.? As a result, the perception is that neither the NFLPA nor the NFL truly want HGH testing.

Since the day the NFL banned the use of HGH, the prohibition has been enforced via the honor system.? The problem with the honor system? ? It works roughly as well as the rhythm method.? So with no way to test for HGH, players will get caught only if a vial of HGH falls out of their letterman jackets, or if the player?s name pops up in the records of an HGH supplier the government is prosecuting.

Surely, the NFL and the NFLPA realize that, if/when HGH testing begins, plenty of players will be caught.? Which will reduce the supply of healthy players.? In turn, players who quit using HGH will not recover as quickly from injuries, likewise reducing the supply of healthy players.

And it won?t be good for the game if players are busted for using HGH, even though most fans presume that they?re using something to get big, to stay big, and/or to rebound from big hits applied by other big men.

If the NFL truly wanted to force the issue on HGH testing, wouldn?t the league unleash the legal hounds and push the issue in court or via an arbitration?? The players already have agreed to submit to testing, and the NFL has more than enough ammunition to argue that the NFLPA deliberately is dragging its feet.? The idea that the NFL doesn?t want to force players to the needle by court order only goes so far.? At some point, the NFL needs to do more than complain about the NFLPA?s refusal to proceed, or the NFLPA will continue to refuse to proceed.

Likewise, Congress has proven to be impotent on the topic, periodically issuing hollow threats but never taking action.

Through it all, the delay has given those who use HGH an opportunity to find better masking agents ? or to develop the next wave of substances that work like HGH but for which testing doesn?t yet exist.

The best news for the NFL, the NFLPA, and Congress is that neither the media nor the fans seem to care that the NFL and the NFLPA have struck a deal to abandon the honor system, but that the honor system has continued to be used for two seasons, and counting.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/26/talks-between-freeney-broncos-stall/related/

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Disruptions: FAA May Loosen Curbs on Fliers&#39; Use of Electronics

As I wrote in 2011, travelers are told to turn off their iPads and Kindles for takeoff and landing, yet there is no proof that these devices affect a plane's avionics. To add to the confusion, the F.A.A. permits passengers to use electric razors and audio recorders during all phases of flight, even though those give off more electronic emissions than reading tablets.

The F.A.A. declined to comment.

Last year, the agency announced that an industry working group would study the issue. The group, which first met in January, comprises people from various industries, including Amazon, the Consumer Electronics Association, Boeing, the Association of Flight Attendants, the Federal Communications Commission and aircraft makers. The group plans to introduce its findings by July 31.

The group has several goals beyond determining the safety of electronics on planes, according to an internal document that describes its objectives that was shown to The New York Times. Those include ensuring that flight attendants do not have to be the social police for which devices are acceptable during flight and determining what the term "airplane mode" really means. Finally, the group wants to ensure that whatever rules the agency announces apply to devices that are not on the market today.

The report also hopes to replace multiple regulations with a single, concise set.

To guarantee that the F.A.A. follows through with its promise to relax the rules, Senator Claire McCaskill, Democrat of Missouri, said she planned to hold the agency accountable by introducing legislation.

In a phone interview, Ms. McCaskill said she had grown frustrated with the F.A.A.'s stance on devices after she learned that the agency now allows iPads as flight manuals in the cockpit and has subsequently given out devices to some flight attendants with information on flight procedures. (Read more: Why Flight Attendants Will Stalk You With Tablets)

"So it's O.K. to have iPads in the cockpit; it's O.K. for flight attendants ? and they are not in a panic ? yet it's not O.K. for the traveling public," she said. "A flying copy of 'War and Peace' is more dangerous than a Kindle."

In recent months, Julius Genachowski, chairman of the F.C.C., sent a letter to the F.A.A. urging it to allow more electronics on planes. Airline pilots unions, travel coalitions and travel agencies have also asked the agency to change the rules. There have also been more episodes of unruly passengers who have been arrested or removed from planes for refusing to turn off their cellphones or iPads. (Read more: In the Air, Minor Tiffs Can Escalate Fast)

Ms. McCaskill met this month with Mr. Genachowski, who said on Friday that he will leave the commission soon, to discuss the rule. After the meeting, she said, "The idea that in-flight use of electronic devices for things like reading a book poses a threat to the safety of airline passengers is baseless and outdated."

The issue is only increasing in importance as more Americans board flights with wearable computers. People are flying with electronics like the Nike FuelBand, Jawbone Up and FitBit, all of which track your daily activity. But before long, there will be passengers with Google glasses and an Apple iWatch.

Can you imagine pilots mandating that people shut down their glasses before takeoff?

"We're going to start drafting legislation that would dictate these changes," said Ms. McCaskill, adding that the F.A.A. was moving too slowly. She said she was meeting with various parties and corralling bipartisan support for action in Congress. "Let's hope it's not necessary, but I will be looking for vehicles to get this changed."

Source: http://www.cnbc.com/id/100587826

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