New Card Game 'Legend of the Cipher' Teaches Players How To ...

(AllHipHop News)?Today (March 30th) is ?International Tabletop Day.? A?day, promoted by popular YouTube channel?Geek & Sundry,?that is dedicated to building bonds with friends and family by playing card and board games at home and at local events across the globe.

So how can Hip-Hop help celebrate having fun on ?Tabletop Day??

One self-financed start-up company based in Boston, Massachusetts has filled in the rap void in the tabletop world by combining freestyling and gaming in the new?Legend of the Cipher.

Noticing the lack of strategy card games involving Hip-Hop, co-founders Ben Sanchez and Todd Anderson created Legend of the Cipher?as a combination of Hip-Hop karaoke and Magic: The Gathering.

Anderson and Sanchez were later joined by rapper Seth Brown and graphic designer Zeen Rachidi as the four Hip-Hop heads continuously strived to answer the question: How can we take Hip-Hop and convert it to the tabletop medium?

After three years of development and two failed versions, the team finally hit the right note with the rendition displayed at this year?s PAX East gaming showcase in Boston. Now Legend of the Cipher is available for the general public to purchase and play, and not just by people who are already invested in Hip-Hop or gaming.

?We have video [from Pax East]?of people who have never rapped in their lives, have no interest in Hip-Hop, don?t listen to it, come sit down play our game and are rapping inside of forty-five minutes,? says Rachidi.

The way the game works is that each person plays as an emcee trying to become the ?legend of the cipher? by successfully achieving 5 different levels -?local, nice, boss, icon, and then legend. Players level up by accumulating currency in the form of ?hype? which is collected as your career grows throughout the game.

In order to earn more ?hype? and get to perform at larger venues, players have to?buy more opportunities by?rapping a certain number of bars based on the cards in their hand.

The game can be played ?raps on? or ?raps off.? ?In the ?raps on? format the player has to actually rap out loud in order to receive a reward. Players have a choice to read printed lyrics on the selected card, freestyle their own lyrics, recite bars from their favorite rapper, or perform a rap cover of other songs.

Beyond the fun of pretending to be an aspiring emcee looking for fame and fortune, Legend of the Cipher also ties in the business aspect of the rap industry which allows participants to get a better understanding of the non-musical parts of what it takes to be a rap star.

?This is a real life skill that you are learning that you can transpose into the real world,? adds Rachidi. ?Not a lot of games offer that.?

There are particular cards called ?Moves? (wild cards that affect the game like the ?flip the script? card which gives you an edge when you challenge another rapper who is at a higher level), ?Crew? (employees like promoters, producers, and lawyers that are paid to assist you), ?Ventures? (businesses that can be purchased like independent record labels that can earn you more currency), ?Shine? (items you can buy like chains, vehicles, and clothes that can earn you more hype), and ?Allies? (real underground artists like Wax, EOM, Alyssa Marie, and Prince Ea?that you can collaborate with.)

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The ?Allies? stable will continue to expand as more and more independent artists with growing fanbases are added to cards available to buy online. Each artist will also have a profile on the LOC?website with links to each rapper?s various social media sites.

This allows players of the game to continue to discover new rising rappers, and for those rappers to expand their reach to a growing audience.

New ?Moves? and ?Crew? cards will also be added, and?eventually the creators of?LOC?want to incorporate real life?executives, managers, promoters, famous venues, and other authentic rap related people and places into the game.

The?team is already talking about producing All-Female, Dirty South, East Coast, West Coast, and overseas expansions as well.

Legend of the Cipher?is a game that salutes and promotes Hip-Hop culture by providing a virtual blueprint on how to make it in the rap music industry, but it?can also be an effective classroom tool.

?We had a teacher from Brooklyn say that she could write a lesson plan around our game,? says Rachidi. ?She could incorporate it into her program because it teaches kids skills like creative writing and public speaking. It also teaches basic business skills.?

Initially, Rachidi, Anderson, Sanchez, and Brown thought Legend of the Cipher?s?target audience would be a niche market of Hip-Hop fans who were also tabletop gamers, but they soon discovered that the interest group for their product was much larger than expected.

Hip-Hop has become so extensive that people of different races, ages, and interests can all find some part of the culture that they can latch on to. Gaming is just the latest realm impacted by one of the most influential cultural creations in human history.

?Hip-Hop is such a vast and diverse ecosystem that there is something for everybody,? Rachidi gladly acknowledges. ?I don?t care how weird you are there is someone just as weird as you out there rapping about what you love.?

With Legend of the Cipher,?now anyone can learn to rap about that thing they love too- no matter how weird.

For more information about Legend of the Cipher visit?www.legendofthecipher.com/.

To connect with LOC follow them @Cipher_Legend.

Watch video of Legend of the Cipher?highlights at Pax East 2013 below.

Filed under: Features, MOBILE, News Tagged: gaming, Hip-Hop game, International Tabletop Day, Legend of the Cipher
AllHipHop.com

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Bing Gordon's Founder Checklist: Animal Energy, Blind Confidence, And A Toupee.

Editor?s note:?Derek?Andersen?is the founder of?Startup Grind, a 40-city community bringing the global startup world together while educating, inspiring, and connecting entrepreneurs. As an?Electronic Arts’ intern eight years ago, I asked Bing Gordon then the chief creative officer?and the only remaining early founding team member, a question about vision. ?How can I know where the puck is going to be?? While he delivered a satisfactory response, two weeks later I received an email from Bing saying, ?I answered that question poorly a few weeks and I wanted to try again.? A few weeks ago?Bing joined me?at Startup Grind in Silicon Valley where he delivered some videogame history and founder advice. In 2010?Mark Pincus called KPCB general partner Bing Gordon?(look for a bald guy on the front row) one of the world?s ?great CEO coaches? supporting founders on the boards of companies like Amazon, Zynga, Klout, and Zazzle. Here?are some excepts from our recent?interview. Derek: Tell us about your family and where you grew up? BING: So I grew up in a suburb of Detroit.? My dad was a first generation Scotsman and his dad was a janitor.? And he was somebody that believed the grass was always greener and didn?t have, kind of, context or resources.? Thanks, Dad!? We were the first to move in to a subdivision built out of farmlands surrounding Detroit, so I grew up kind of in the creek.? Playing sports with my brother who remembers growing up in the House of Pain. ?So I had a good Midwestern upbringing.? I didn?t work in an office before going to Stanford business school, but I did think I was a pretty damn good teenage caddy. I played hockey and lacrosse at the university level and played both, kind of, for most of my adult life. Derek: What was your plan heading to college? BING: Well I went to Yale thinking I was going to be a math major and a writer, and I got there and Yale was lousy at math and it seemed socially irrelevant, so I kind of became an athlete-near-college-dropout.? I realized I was flunking a third of my classes going into the final.? My proud accomplishments in college other than sports achievements was I wrote poetry.? Kind of light verse, in a coffee shop, and Peter Faulk when he was doing Columbo came, and liked it so much he took me out drinking that

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Argentina offers to pay debts with cash, bonds

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) ? Argentina proposed a creative way out of its debt showdown Friday night, describing a mix of cash and bonds that it suggested would amount to a huge profit, but not a gargantuan one, for the investors it calls "vulture funds."

The government's lawyers gave an appellate panel in New York a proposed payment plan that could take many more years to cancel $1.44 billion in defaulted bonds, interest and penalties left unpaid since the country's world-record 2001 default.

"Argentina's proposal accounts for past-due amounts to bring the debt current, provides for a fair return going forward, and also gives an upside in the form of annual payments if Argentina's economy grows," the Cleary, Gottlieb lawyers said.

The money directly at stake in this case is just a fraction of Argentina's remaining defaulted debt, which adds up to more than $11 billion in capital and interest. This plan would also enable those creditors to get paid as well, over time, providing an equitable solution, the lawyers argued.

And to be truly fair to all, they said the new bonds would also be made available to the vast majority of investors who accepted pennies on the dollar in 2005 and 2010 for their defaulted debt.

Argentina is arguing that to do otherwise would violate the principle the court aims to uphold ? the "pari passu" clause in the original bond contracts, which means the sovereign debt issuer must treat all bondholders equally.

"This proposal would provide plaintiffs with significant compensation, and ? unlike the '100 cents on the dollar immediately' formula adopted by the court below ? is consistent with the pari passu clause, longstanding principles of equity, and the Republic's capacity to pay," Argentina argued.

Just who owns these bonds and at what price they were originally bought for is impossible to say. Even defaulted bonds are constantly traded, and the plaintiffs include huge hedge fund investors like billionaire Paul Singer as well as Argentine retirees who saw their much more humble life savings melt away in Argentina's economic crisis.

Under this deal, Argentina said the mom-and-pop investors would get immediate cash for the interest that has built up since 2003, plus Par bonds and GDP bonds that would eventually make them whole.

Institutional investors would be offered a different mix, mostly discount bonds, which Argentina said would reward them handsomely.

It cited as an example nearly $50 million in defaulted debt that the lead plaintiffs, NML Capital Ltd., reportedly purchased in 2008. Accepting the mix of new bonds in exchange for these bad debts would eventually provide an aggregate profit of 284 percent, but not an unfair gain of 1,380 percent, the lawyers argued.

President Cristina Fernandez personally reviewed the proposal just before it was filed, the state news agency Telam reported.

Fernandez and her economic team are proud of sharply reducing the country's foreign debt burden from 166 percent of GDP in 2002 to just 46 percent recently, and never failing to meet payments on the new bonds her government issued in exchange for the defaulted debt.

Argentina can pay $1.44 billion, but there are many more creditors seeking the same kind of judgment that NML Capital Ltd. won from U.S. District Judge Thomas Griesa last year. If upheld, it would force the country to pay out an economy-destroying $43 billion in cash, the government said.

But the payment plan it proposed Friday night includes some bonds that wouldn't come fully due for 25 years, and that could be a non-starter with the appellate judges in New York, whose rulings in bond litigation are almost never second-guessed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

If the court agrees to Argentina's payment proposal, Fernandez expects a willing congress to promptly enact it, and voluntary exchanges of defaulted debt for new bonds would then eliminate most of the remaining mess, whether or not Singer's hedge fund accepts the deal, the filing said.

But if the judges don't agree and Argentina loses in court, it could be "suicide" for the South American nation's economy, says financial analyst Josh Rosner, managing director of Graham Fisher & Co. in New York.

"The court was looking for something simple, like: we're not going to pay them in a lump sum, but we're going to make a quarterly payment of the full $1.4 billion over three years. They weren't looking for creative financing where Argentina demands or forces a new bond," Rosner said. "What if somebody took that new bond, and the Argentine government defaulted the next day?"

Refusing to pay the holdouts anything better than what the exchange bondholders got is a politically popular position among Argentines, but Rosner says that's irrelevant when it comes to the markets.

"Monday morning is going to be a disaster," Rosner predicted.

Argentina's economy is being strangled by punishingly high borrowing costs because the Fernandez government hasn't fully settled its debts to bondholders, other governments and the many companies that have won judgments against it, Rosner said.

Instead, the government borrows from its own people, fueling inflation, and tries to centrally manage the increasingly isolated economy by frequently changing the rules for exchanging currency, importing and exporting goods, setting prices and paying taxes.

Increasingly, Argentines are feeling trapped by the government controls, and foreign companies are being scared off.

"This economic starvation ends up, by necessity, with the ultimate cutting of those services ? education, police, energy subsidies, transportation subsidies to the provinces, which is going to increase social unrest," Rosner said. "It's a human tragedy. I'm not understanding why they're fighting this."

.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/argentina-offers-pay-debts-cash-bonds-040817493--finance.html

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Mandela spends second night in hospital

By Shafiek Tassiem

SOWETO, South Africa (Reuters) - Former South African President Nelson Mandela has made steady progress and is "in good spirits" after spending a second night in hospital under treatment for a lung infection, the country's government said on Friday.

The news came as a relief to South Africans who were anxiously praying and waiting for an update on the health of the 94-year-old anti-apartheid legend, who was undergoing his third hospital treatment in four months.

"The Presidency wishes to advise that former President Nelson Mandela is in good spirits and enjoyed a full breakfast this morning," President Jacob Zuma's office said in a statement.

"The doctors report that he is making steady progress. He remains under treatment and observation in hospital," the statement added.

Zuma's government had said previously Mandela was responding well to treatment after he was admitted to hospital before midnight on Wednesday. Zuma had sought to reassure the nation about his health.

Global leaders sent best wishes for the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and in churches across South Africa, Christians included him in their prayers on Good Friday.

"I hope this time God will have mercy on him to give him the strength and courage to continue to be an icon for our country," Father Benedict Mahlangu said at the Regina Mundi Catholic Church as it held services in the Soweto township outside Johannesburg where Mandela once lived.

Mandela became South Africa's first black president after winning the country's first all-race election in 1994.

A former lawyer, he is revered at home and abroad for leading the struggle against white minority rule - including spending 27 years in prison on Robben Island - and then promoting the cause of racial reconciliation.

(Additional reporting by Pascal Fletcher in Johannesburg; Writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Pascal Fletcher)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/south-africas-mandela-spends-second-night-hospital-092102547.html

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AP PHOTOS: Easter celebrations around the world

Pope Francis blesses a man as he leads the Easter vigil service in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican Saturday, March 30, 2013. Pope Francis is celebrating a trimmed back Easter Vigil service after having reached out to Muslims and women during a Holy Week in which he has begun to put his mark on the Catholic Church. Francis processed into a darkened and silent St. Peter's Basilica at the start of the Saturday service, which recalls the period between Christ's crucifixion on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis blesses a man as he leads the Easter vigil service in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican Saturday, March 30, 2013. Pope Francis is celebrating a trimmed back Easter Vigil service after having reached out to Muslims and women during a Holy Week in which he has begun to put his mark on the Catholic Church. Francis processed into a darkened and silent St. Peter's Basilica at the start of the Saturday service, which recalls the period between Christ's crucifixion on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis leaves after celebrating the Easter vigil service in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican Saturday, March 30, 2013. Pope Francis celebrated a trimmed back Easter Vigil service after having reached out to Muslims and women during a Holy Week in which he has begun to put his mark on the Catholic Church. Francis processed into a darkened and silent St. Peter's Basilica at the start of the Saturday service, which recalls the period between Christ's crucifixion on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis leaves after celebrating the Easter vigil service in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican Saturday, March 30, 2013. Pope Francis celebrated a trimmed back Easter Vigil service after having reached out to Muslims and women during a Holy Week in which he has begun to put his mark on the Catholic Church. Francis processed into a darkened and silent St. Peter's Basilica at the start of the Saturday service, which recalls the period between Christ's crucifixion on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Cardinal Audrys Juozas Backis bless during the Easter vigil mass at the Cathedral-Basilica in Vilnius, Lithuania, Saturday, March 30, 2013. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)

Penitents of the "Las Siete Palabras" brotherhood take part in the procession of "La Soledad" during Holy Week in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, March 30, 2013. Hundreds of processions take place throughout Spain during the Easter Holy Week. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

In his Easter Vigil homily at St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis kept his message simple and tied to the liturgical readings. "Let the risen Jesus enter your life, welcome him as a friend, with trust: he is life!" Just a few hours after the vigil ends, Francis on Sunday will celebrate his first Easter Mass as pontiff and deliver his "Urbi et Orbi" speech, Latin for "To the city and the world."

Here are scenes from Easter celebrations at the Vatican and across the world.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-30-Easter-Photo%20Gallery/id-2d3375cbac494a648de023f530e565c5

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For All You Foodies Out There- SAVOUR 2013: Come Celebrate the ...

This is for all you foodies out there because if you love food, SAVOUR 2013 is one food event that you must not miss out on!

SAVOUR 2013 will be taking place from 11th April 2013 [Thursday] to 14th April 2013 [Sunday] at the F1 Pit Building and Paddock!

[Credits to SAVOUR 2013 for the Image]

If you don?t know what SAVOUR is all about, it is a one of its kind concept in Singapore to relentless pursuit to unite the best in food and drink with a wide range of unique activities that is accessible to all. During last year?s SAVOUR 2012 event, it brought together over 14,000 like-minded food enthusiasts into one exclusive purpose-built venue where they enjoyed a day of Michelin-starred dishes, expert master classes, live demonstrations, fun workshops and culinary shopping.

An example of the fun workshops that will be conducted is the recent Nespresso Atelier Class that I attended. Click the following link to find out more: http://awinsomelife.org/2013/03/28/nespresso-atelier-class-savour-2013-preview/

SAVOUR 2013 is divided into three main exclusive areas, namely, Gourmet Village, Gourmet Market, and Gourmet Auditorium.

Gourmet Village

Credits to SAVOUR 2013 for the Image]

Credits to SAVOUR 2013 for the Image]

The alfresco Gourmet Village will feature over 25 leading chefs and 18 award-winning restaurants serving up a global tasting trail. The 2013 line-up will feature chefs with over 10 Michelin-stars between them in addition to top-100 ranked restaurants, including representation from South America and Africa. Overall, over 60 signature dishes will be on offer for you to create your very own culinary adventure. Click the following link to view participating chefs and restaurants: http://www.savour.sg/gourmet/chefs-restaurants-bars

Gourmet Market

Credits to SAVOUR 2013 for the Image]

[Credits to SAVOUR 2013 for the Image]

SAVOUR would not be complete without the two-storey Gourmet Market, a 10,000 sqm international showcase of a plethora of food and drink exhibitors. The Market also includes Savour Event Arenas which will host complementary workshops, tastings and product demonstrations conducted by renowned experts. Sample hundreds of quality products from an array of top producers, and take part in fun activities at the Wine Theatre, Baking Arena and even the Kids? Corner.

Gourmet Auditorium

Credits to SAVOUR 2013 for the Image]

Credits to SAVOUR 2013 for the Image]

Expect the best chefs from around the world as well as Singapore?s top talent to put on master classes to remember at the Gourmet Auditorium, SAVOUR?s bespoke 300-seater air-conditioned arena. SAVOUR 2013 will see a expanded schedule of master classes covering an increased variety of topics. Click the following link for the latest schedule of master classes: http://www.savour.sg/activity/event/activity_date_id/1/activity_date_detail_id/1

Tempted to go to SAVOUR 2013 yet?

Now, here?s 8 compelling reasons that I have gotten from SAVOUR 2013?s Website about why you should go to SAVOUR 2013!

1. Celebrate the all-new Gourmet Village
Singapore?s biggest gourmet festival packs a mighty punch, all in one 32,000sqm purpose-built location. The Gourmet Village in 2013 not only features the finest in food and drink, but an all-weather experience under additional shelter, including a brand new air-cooled dining pavilion.

2. Celebrate the Stars
Get up-close and personal with over 30 award-winning international chefs from here and around the world as they cook off against each other at the Gourmet Village. With over 12 Michelin stars across 18 top restaurants, find yourself served by some of the best chefs in the world.

3. Celebrate global cuisine at first class prices
Go on a tasting trail and sample over 60 award-winning dishes at the Gourmet Village because SAVOUR 2013 dishes are now priced lower, from S$6 to S$18. You can feel free to create your own unique culinary journey like starting with a molecular-fusion appetizer from Hong Kong, moving on to a main course from South Africa, and finishing off with a delicate Peruvian dessert

4. Celebrate SAVOUR at its great location
Savour a great dish, grab a drink and enjoy culinary workshops with friends and family members right in the heart of the city. Spend a day or three at SAVOUR, soaking up the exciting atmosphere, or simply coming for a fun, friendly day out.

5. Celebrate being inspired
Learn tricks of the trade from the very best in the culinary world. Attend FREE chef master classes and cooking demonstrations in the comforts of the 300-seater indoor Gourmet Auditorium. SAVOUR 2013 will give everyone the opportunity to immerse in an inspiring behind-the-scenes experience with their favourite chef.

6. Celebrate Market flavours
Visit the Gourmet Market and shop for top quality ingredients and produce sourced from around the world. Connect with an entire ecosystem of quality brands, food and wine producers, and attend live workshops, demonstrations and FREE sampling sessions. There?s over 300 different activities that are available for you to attend for that complete sensory experience.

7. Celebrate new discoveries with Savour Itineraries
Not sure what to experience first? Solve your culinary conundrum by picking up one of the many SAVOUR Itineraries customised to specific themes. Follow your nose on a fascinating tour of the World of Wines, satisfy your sweet tooth by taking on the SAVOUR Pastry Journey or delve into the the origins of exotic coffee on the SAVOUR Coffee Trail. The only problem you will have will be choosing between them all!

8. Celebrate great value, with a time extension
The SAVOUR Premier Pass is priced at $55 (Lunch Session) and $65 (Dinner Session), inclusive of SAVOUR Dollars to buy food and drinks at the Gourmet Village, and produce at the Gourmet Market. Extended opening hours at the Gourmet Village and Gourmet Market means a combined total of 7 more fun-filled hours to spend at SAVOUR 2013. It?s definitely fulfilling!

Well, it?s less than two weeks away to SAVOUR 2013 and looking at Sistic?s Website now, tickets for Saturday?s SAVOUR Pass [access to Gourmet Market only] and Sunday?s SAVOUR Pass [access to Gourmet Market only] are sold out! Also, tickets to Friday?s SAVOUR Premier Pass [Dinner] (access to Gourmet Village and Gourmet Market) and Saturday?s SAVOUR Premier Pass [Dinner] (access to Gourmet Village and Gourmet Market) are selling fast!

To purchase tickets to SAVOUR 2013, you can click here <?

Don?t miss out on SAVOUR 2013 and get your tickets soon! Baby and I have already purchased Saturday?s SAVOUR Premier Pass [Dinner] (access to Gourmet Village and Gourmet Market) so if you?re there too, do hook us up!

Source: http://awinsomelife.org/2013/03/30/for-all-you-foodies-out-there-savour-2013-come-celebrate-the-delicious/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=for-all-you-foodies-out-there-savour-2013-come-celebrate-the-delicious

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North Koreans Rally to Support Threat of Military Strike (Voice Of America)

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No end to Italy deadlock despite president's efforts

By James Mackenzie and Barry Moody

ROME (Reuters) - Italy remained in political deadlock on Friday after a new round of talks led by President Giorgio Napolitano failed to break the stalemate created by elections last month that left no group able to form a government alone.

Napolitano, 87, conducted a swift round of talks with the three main forces in parliament on Friday after the failure of a week of efforts by center-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani to win support for a new government.

But all the parties remained in the same entrenched positions they have occupied since the February 24-25 election, with no sign of movement from any of them.

Bersani won the largest share of the vote in the election but fell short of a majority in parliament.

The third biggest force, Beppe Grillo's populist 5-Star Movement, which holds the balance of power, on Friday again rejected backing a Bersani government or any administration not led by them.

The center-left in turn reiterated that it would not enter a coalition with Berlusconi, which the 76-year-old billionaire media magnate said after his talks with Napolitano was the only way out of the crisis short of a snap new election.

Bersani's deputy, Enrico Letta, said after meeting Napolitano that a coalition with Berlusconi's center-right, "would not be the choice of change the country has asked for."

Berlusconi and 5-Star both ruled out backing a technocrat government like the one led by outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti, whom they both blame for pushing Italy into recession.

This had been seen as a possible alternative way to give Italy the government it needs to address a deep economic crisis.

"Our position has not changed. We expressed it with absolute clarity to the president," Berlusconi told reporters after the meeting with Napolitano.

Grillo on Friday scornfully rejected any idea of giving support for a government not led by his movement.

"Give them a vote of confidence? Those are swear words in the mouths of people like them," Grillo said in a live video broadcast on his popular blog. "They should all just go home."

Bersani says Berlusconi is untrustworthy and also rejects the latter's demand to nominate a successor to Napolitano, whose mandate expires in May.

PRESIDENT'S OPTIONS LIMITED

The refusal by Berlusconi and his allies in the Northern League, as well as Grillo, to back a technocrat government reduces Napolitano's options greatly and makes it much less likely that an independent figure will be able to lead a non-political administration.

"We were against the Monti government and if there is to be another government of that type it's a thousand times better to have new elections," League leader Roberto Maroni said.

The political gridlock has fed growing worries about Italy's ability to confront a prolonged economic crisis that has left it in deep recession for more than a year, with a 2-trillion-euro ($2.6-trillion) public debt and record unemployment, especially among the young.

Rumors have been circulating for days that ratings agency Moody's is preparing to cut its rating on Italy's sovereign debt, which is already only two notches above "junk" grade, partly due to the uncertain political outlook.

Napolitano has made clear that he does not want Italy to go back to new elections immediately, not least because the widely criticized election law is likely to just repeat the deadlock.

He made no announcement after the end of the talks on Friday and officials said he was considering his options. After the failure of the latest round of talks it is not clear what he can do to avoid a quick return to the polls.

Many are already preparing to vote again, with Berlusconi's center-right confident that the momentum created by his surge towards the end of the last campaign will continue.

A poll by the SWG company on Friday showed the center-right had pushed Bersani's bloc into second place since the vote.

(Additional reporting by Naomi O'Leary; Editing by Barry Moody and Michael Roddy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italys-president-seeks-way-political-deadlock-091517168.html

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Deal of the Day ? HP ENVY h8-1520t Core i7 desktop PC plus a 23? LED monitor

Saturday’s LogicBUY Deal is the?customizable HP ENVY h8-1520t Core i7 desktop PC with a?free 23″ HP w2371d 1080p LED-backlit LCD monitor, with prices starting at $749.99. ?Features: Core i7-3770 3.4GHz Quad-core CPU 8GB RAM 1TB hard drive and 15-in-1 card reader 1GB Radeon HD 7570 USB 3.0 ports Wireless-N Beats Audio Wireless keyboard and mouse [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/03/30/deal-of-the-day-hp-envy-h8-1520t-core-i7-desktop-pc-plus-a-23-led-monitor/

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With Plans For SF Expansion, 500 Startups Promotes George Kellerman To Partner, Adds Parker Thompson As Venture Partner

500 Startups has had a bit of personnel shuffling, with the promotion of George Kellerman to partner, the addition of Pivotal Labs' Parker Thompson as a venture partner, and the unfortunate departure of Paul Singh, who's running off to do his own startup. The firm now has 22 employees stationed all around the globe, in Silicon Valley, NYC, China, India, and Latin America.

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Fewer children mean longer life?

Thursday, March 28, 2013

New research into ageing processes, based on modern genetic techniques, confirms theoretical expectations about the correlation between reproduction and lifespan. Studies of birds reveal that those that have offspring later in life and have fewer broods live longer. And the decisive factor is telomeres, shows research from The University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Telomeres are the protective caps at the end of chromosomes. The length of telomeres influences how long an individual lives.

Telomeres start off at a certain length, become shorter each time a cell divides, decline as the years pass by until the telomeres can no longer protect the chromosomes, and the cell dies. But the length of telomeres varies significantly among individuals of the same age. This is partly due to the length of the telomeres that has been inherited from the parents, and partly due to the amount of stress an individual is exposed to.

"This is important, not least for our own species, as we are all having to deal with increased stress," says Angela Pauliny, Researcher from the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Gothenburg.

Researchers have studied barnacle geese, which are long-lived birds, the oldest in the study being 22 years old. The results show that geese, compared to short-lived bird species, have a better ability to preserve the length of their telomeres. The explanation is probably that species with a longer lifespan invest more in maintaining bodily functions than, for example, reproduction.

"There is a clear correlation between reproduction and ageing in the animal world. Take elephants, which have a long lifespan but few offspring, while mice, for example, live for a short time but produce a lot of offspring each time they try," says Angela Pauliny.

The geese studied by researchers varied in age, from very young birds to extremely old ones. Each bird was measured twice, two years apart. One striking result was that the change in telomere length varied according to gender.

"The study revealed that telomeres were best-preserved in males. Among barnacle geese, the telomeres thus shorten more quickly in females, which in birds is the sex with two different gender chromosomes. Interestingly, it is the exactl opposite in humans," says Angela Pauliny.

###

The journal BMC Evolutionary Biology has classified the research article "Telomere dynamics in a long-lived bird, the barnacle goose" as "Highly Accessed".

Link to the article: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/12/257

University of Gothenburg: http://www.gu.se/english

Thanks to University of Gothenburg for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 51 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127500/Fewer_children_mean_longer_life_

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On meal and break pay, don&#39;t expect a federal case ? Business ...

Attorneys who represent workers on meal-and-break-pay claims like to keep those cases in state courts, which are usually better for em??ployees than federal courts are.

Employers, on the other hand, usually prefer the federal court system, which tends to favor employers. How??ever, getting a case moved to federal court isn?t as easy as it used to be.

Recent case: Bill and several co-workers sued for unpaid break-and-meal-time pay under California Labor Code provisions. Their employer argued it was a multimillion-dollar case and tried to get it transferred to federal court.

The federal judge hearing the re?quest refused. He reasoned that the employer?s numbers were highly speculative and that it was more likely each employee was owed less than $75,000?the jurisdictional limit for a state case. (Taylor v. Coxcom, No. 12-10149, CD CA, 2013)

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We believe great content should be read and passed around. After all, knowledge IS power. And good business can become great with the right information at their fingertips. If you'd like to share any of the insightful articles on BusinessManagementDaily.com, you may republish or syndicate it without charge.

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Expanding Medicaid in Pennsylvania would increase federal revenue to the state, study finds

Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Warren Robak
robak@rand.org
310-451-6913
RAND Corporation

Expanding Medicaid in Pennsylvania under the Affordable Care Act would boost federal revenue to the state by more than $2 billion annually and provide 340,000 residents with health insurance, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

The increased federal spending on health care in Pennsylvania would provide a $3 billion boost in economic activity and sustain more than 35,000 jobs, according to the analysis.

But the expansion of Medicaid would not be without cost. Expanding Medicaid would require an additional $53 million in state spending in 2014, with the cost rising to $611 million in 2020 as the federal government trims its support for the Medicaid expansion.

"The expansion of Medicaid in Pennsylvania increases health care coverage, net federal inflows, economic growth and employment compared to not expanding Medicaid, but requires a net increase in state spending beginning in 2017," said Carter Price, the study's lead author and a mathematician at RAND, a nonprofit research organization. "Our findings may help policymakers decide whether the benefits are worth the cost."

Researchers from RAND and the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health used the RAND COMPARE microsimulation model to estimate the effect of the federal Affordable Care Act on health insurance coverage and federal spending in Pennsylvania, both with and without expansion of Medicaid. Researchers also estimated the broader economic effects of the Affordable Care Act on the state.

The project was sponsored by the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania.

Researchers found that under the federal Affordable Care Act, the proportion of uninsured people in Pennsylvania will drop from 13 percent of the population to 8 percent. Expanding Medicaid in the state would further cut the proportion of uninsured residents, down to 5 percent.

Federal payments into Pennsylvania in 2014 for health programs are estimated to be $6 billion in 2014 if Medicaid is expanded and $4 billion without expansion. Because tax payments and other outflows to the federal government from Pennsylvania under the Affordable Care Act will be nearly $5 billion annually in either case, the state receives a net financial benefit only if Medicaid is expanded, according to the study.

Under the federal Affordable Care Act, states have the option to opt in or out of an expansion of the Medicaid insurance intended to provide health insurance to low-income families. The Affordable Care Act provides support to expand Medicaid to include families that earn up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level.

The federal government will pay a much larger share of costs for the Medicaid expansion than it does for current Medicaid enrollees. It will cover 100 percent of the costs for expanding Medicaid beginning in 2014 through 2016, and then gradually decrease support to 90 percent of costs beginning in 2020. The federal government currently pays about 54 percent of the costs for Medicaid in Pennsylvania.

Spending on Medicaid by Pennsylvania will grow whether the program is expanded or not. Without expansion, Medicaid costs are expected to rise $50 million in 2014, growing to $120 million by 2020, according to the study. These costs will primarily be caused by people who are currently eligible, but not enrolled. They are expected to sign up for the program in order to comply with the Affordable Care Act's mandate that individuals have health insurance.

Researchers say much of the higher state costs for Medicaid will be offset by new state tax revenue that will result from the increased spending on health care.

The study estimates that if the state expands Medicaid, there would be net surplus in state revenue from 2014 to 2016. But beginning in 2017, there will be a net cost to the state. The study estimates that state government will be required to pay $200 million more with expansion of Medicaid than without over the 2014 to 2020 time period.

One benefit of expanding Medicaid would be to lower the amount of uncompensated care provided by the state's hospitals and other health care providers, according to the study. In 2011, uncompensated care cost hospitals $990 million.

Even without expansion of Medicaid, uncompensated hospital costs will drop by up to 33 percent under the Affordable Care Act over the 2014 to 2020 time period. Expanding Medicaid would cut uncompensated hospital care by an addition 10 to 15 percent.

###

The study, "Economic Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Pennsylvania," is available at http://www.rand.org.

Other authors of the study are Julie Donohue of the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, and Evan A. Saltzman, Dulani Woods and Christine Eibner of RAND.

RAND Health, a division of the RAND Corporation, is the nation's largest independent health policy research program, with a broad research portfolio that focuses on health care costs, quality and public health preparedness, among other topics.

---

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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: 28-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Warren Robak
robak@rand.org
310-451-6913
RAND Corporation

Expanding Medicaid in Pennsylvania under the Affordable Care Act would boost federal revenue to the state by more than $2 billion annually and provide 340,000 residents with health insurance, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

The increased federal spending on health care in Pennsylvania would provide a $3 billion boost in economic activity and sustain more than 35,000 jobs, according to the analysis.

But the expansion of Medicaid would not be without cost. Expanding Medicaid would require an additional $53 million in state spending in 2014, with the cost rising to $611 million in 2020 as the federal government trims its support for the Medicaid expansion.

"The expansion of Medicaid in Pennsylvania increases health care coverage, net federal inflows, economic growth and employment compared to not expanding Medicaid, but requires a net increase in state spending beginning in 2017," said Carter Price, the study's lead author and a mathematician at RAND, a nonprofit research organization. "Our findings may help policymakers decide whether the benefits are worth the cost."

Researchers from RAND and the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health used the RAND COMPARE microsimulation model to estimate the effect of the federal Affordable Care Act on health insurance coverage and federal spending in Pennsylvania, both with and without expansion of Medicaid. Researchers also estimated the broader economic effects of the Affordable Care Act on the state.

The project was sponsored by the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania.

Researchers found that under the federal Affordable Care Act, the proportion of uninsured people in Pennsylvania will drop from 13 percent of the population to 8 percent. Expanding Medicaid in the state would further cut the proportion of uninsured residents, down to 5 percent.

Federal payments into Pennsylvania in 2014 for health programs are estimated to be $6 billion in 2014 if Medicaid is expanded and $4 billion without expansion. Because tax payments and other outflows to the federal government from Pennsylvania under the Affordable Care Act will be nearly $5 billion annually in either case, the state receives a net financial benefit only if Medicaid is expanded, according to the study.

Under the federal Affordable Care Act, states have the option to opt in or out of an expansion of the Medicaid insurance intended to provide health insurance to low-income families. The Affordable Care Act provides support to expand Medicaid to include families that earn up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level.

The federal government will pay a much larger share of costs for the Medicaid expansion than it does for current Medicaid enrollees. It will cover 100 percent of the costs for expanding Medicaid beginning in 2014 through 2016, and then gradually decrease support to 90 percent of costs beginning in 2020. The federal government currently pays about 54 percent of the costs for Medicaid in Pennsylvania.

Spending on Medicaid by Pennsylvania will grow whether the program is expanded or not. Without expansion, Medicaid costs are expected to rise $50 million in 2014, growing to $120 million by 2020, according to the study. These costs will primarily be caused by people who are currently eligible, but not enrolled. They are expected to sign up for the program in order to comply with the Affordable Care Act's mandate that individuals have health insurance.

Researchers say much of the higher state costs for Medicaid will be offset by new state tax revenue that will result from the increased spending on health care.

The study estimates that if the state expands Medicaid, there would be net surplus in state revenue from 2014 to 2016. But beginning in 2017, there will be a net cost to the state. The study estimates that state government will be required to pay $200 million more with expansion of Medicaid than without over the 2014 to 2020 time period.

One benefit of expanding Medicaid would be to lower the amount of uncompensated care provided by the state's hospitals and other health care providers, according to the study. In 2011, uncompensated care cost hospitals $990 million.

Even without expansion of Medicaid, uncompensated hospital costs will drop by up to 33 percent under the Affordable Care Act over the 2014 to 2020 time period. Expanding Medicaid would cut uncompensated hospital care by an addition 10 to 15 percent.

###

The study, "Economic Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Pennsylvania," is available at http://www.rand.org.

Other authors of the study are Julie Donohue of the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, and Evan A. Saltzman, Dulani Woods and Christine Eibner of RAND.

RAND Health, a division of the RAND Corporation, is the nation's largest independent health policy research program, with a broad research portfolio that focuses on health care costs, quality and public health preparedness, among other topics.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/rc-emi032813.php

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Video: Elvis has left the building

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

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/51361881#51361881

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EE switches on 4G in 13 more areas, claims half of the UK population now covered

After spending a week relaxing in the Cumbrian countryside, EE's back on the road, bringing its 4G LTE network to some relatively more populated areas. The company has announced 13 additional locations it's coating with high-speed coverage today: Bradford, Bingley, Doncaster, Dudley, Harpenden, Leicester, Lichfield, Loughborough, Luton, Reading, Shipley, St Albans and West Bromwich. This brings the total number of regions under the 4G umbrella to 50, which EE claims, coincidentally, now covers 50 percent of UK residents. A higher June rollout target has also been set -- switch-flipping is planned in 30 extra towns and cities before the end of that (hopefully) summer month. EE is certainly scrambling to get as much coverage as possible, as well as your business, before any of the other players get a chance to join the 4G club. Oh, and if it's shiny new handsets you're after, remember Galaxy S 4 pre-orders are live on EE's website today.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Wireless, Mobile

Comments

Source: EE

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/28/ee-switches-on-4g-in-13-more-areas/

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Brain's 'molecular memory switch' identified

Mar. 28, 2013 ? Scientists have identified a key molecule responsible for triggering the chemical processes in our brain linked to our formation of memories. The findings, published in the journal Frontiers in Neural Circuits, reveal a new target for therapeutic interventions to reverse the devastating effects of memory loss.

The BBSRC-funded research, led by scientists at the University of Bristol, aimed to better understand the mechanisms that enable us to form memories by studying the molecular changes in the hippocampus -- the part of the brain involved in learning.

Previous studies have shown that our ability to learn and form memories is due to an increase in synaptic communication called Long Term Potentiation [LTP]. This communication is initiated through a chemical process triggered by calcium entering brain cells and activating a key enzyme called 'Ca2+ responsive kinase' [CaMKII]. Once this protein is activated by calcium it triggers a switch in its own activity enabling it to remain active even after the calcium has gone. This special ability of CaMKII to maintain its own activity has been termed 'the molecular memory switch'.

Until now, the question still remained as to what triggers this chemical process in our brain that allows us to learn and form long-term memories. The research team, comprising scientists from the University's School of Physiology and Pharmacology, conducted experiments using the common fruit fly [Drosophila] to analyse and identify the molecular mechanisms behind this switch. Using advanced molecular genetic techniques that allowed them to temporarily inhibit the flies' memory the team were able to identify a gene called CASK as the synaptic molecule regulating this 'memory switch'.

Dr James Hodge, the study's lead author, said: "Fruit flies are remarkably compatible for this type of study as they possess similar neuronal function and neural responses to humans. Although small they are very smart, for instance, they can land on the ceiling and detect that the fruit in your fruit bowl has gone off before you can."

"In experiments whereby we tested the flies' learning and memory ability, involving two odours presented to the flies with one associated with a mild shock, we found that around 90 per cent were able to learn the correct choice remembering to avoid the odour associated with the shock. Five lessons of the odour with punishment made the fly remember to avoid that odour for between 24 hours and a week, which is a long time for an insect that only lives a couple of months."

By localising the function of the key molecules CASK and CaMKII to the flies' equivalent brain area to the human hippocampus, the team found that the flies lacking these genes showed disrupted memory formation. In repeat memory tests those lacking these key genes were shown to have no ability to remember at three hours (mid-term memory) and 24 hours (long-term memory) although their initial learning or short-term memory wasn't affected.

Finally, the team introduced a copy of the human CASK gene -- it is 80 per cent identical to the fly CASK gene -- into the genome of a fly that completely lacked its own CASK gene and was therefore not usually able to remember. The researchers found that flies which had a copy of the human CASK gene could remember like a normal wildtype fly.

Dr Hodge, from the University's School of Physiology and Pharmacology, said: "Research into memory is particularly important as it gives us our sense of identity, and deficits in learning and memory occur in many diseases, injuries and during aging."

"CASK's control of CaMKII 'molecular memory switch' is clearly a critical step in how memories are written into neurons in the brain. These findings not only pave the way for to developing new therapies which reverse the effects of memory loss but also prove the compatibility of Drosophila to model these diseases in the lab and screen for new drugs to treat these diseases. Furthermore, this work provides an important insight into how brains have evolved their huge capacity to acquire and store information."

These findings clearly demonstrate that neuronal function of CASK is conserved between flies and human, validating the use of Drosophila to understand CASK function in both the healthy and diseased brain. Mutations in human CASK gene have been associated with neurological and cognitive defects including severe learning difficulties.

The BBSRC-funded study, entitled 'CASK and CaMKII function in the mushroom body a'/?' neurons during Drosophila memory formation' by Bilal Rashid Malik, John Michael Gillespie, James John Llewellyn Hodge was published on Wednesday 27 March 2013 in the Frontiers in Neural Circuits Journal.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Bristol.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Bilal R. Malik, John Michael Gillespie, James J. L. Hodge. CASK and CaMKII function in the mushroom body ??/?? neurons during Drosophila memory formation. Frontiers in Neural Circuits, 2013; 7 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2013.00052

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/~3/cT56pPuns70/130328125226.htm

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Home hot water temperatures remain a burn hazard for young and elderly

Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Natalie Wood-Wright
nwoodwri@jhsph.edu
410-614-6029
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

Home hot water heater temperatures are too high, warns a team of researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Despite the adoption of voluntary standards by manufacturers to preset hot water heater temperature settings below the recommended safety standard of 120F, temperatures remain dangerously high for a significant proportion of homes, presenting a scald hazard for young children and the elderly. The report is published in the March 2013 issue of Journal Of Burn Care Research.

In the U.S., tap water burns cause an estimated 1,500 hospital admissions and 100 deaths per year and the economic burden stemming from these burns is tremendous. According to the researchers, human exposure to hot water at 140F can lead to a serious burn within 3 seconds, and at 120F a serious burn can occur in about 10 minutes. Young children and older adults have thinner skin which burns more quickly putting them at increased risk.

"Hot water temperatures above the Consumer Product Safety Commission's recommended 120F were observed in 41 percent of homes we surveyed, including 27 percent of homes with temperatures at or above 130F. We also found renters were less likely to have safe hot water temperature than homeowners," said Wendy Shields, MPH, lead author of the study and an assistant scientist with the Bloomberg School's Department of Health Policy and Management. "Delivering hot water at a consistent temperature is difficult. As a hot water tank is depleted, replenished and reheated, water temperature will not be constant throughout the tank. In addition, water heater thermostats are not designed to provide precise estimates of water temperatures, making it difficult for residents to assess the exact temperature."

In a community trial to improve home safety, researchers examined the temperature of hot water using a candy thermometer and recorded the characteristics of the hot water heater including the type, date of manufacture, capacity and descriptors used on the temperature gauge in 708 Baltimore city homes. Demographic data such as the household size, income and home ownership status was also documented. Researchers found that despite the fact that 99 percent of the water heaters examined in the study were purchased after the voluntary standard was implemented, hot water temperatures remained dangerously high for 4 out of 10 homes. Gas water heaters were less likely to have safe temperatures and water heaters that held fewer gallons per person were more likely to be above the recommended 120F.

"Given the limitations of reducing tap water temperature through current thermostat technology alone, other existing strategies should be prioritized," said Shields. "One potential solution is to equip faucets with anti scald devices, such as thermostatic mixer valves, anti-scald aerators or scald guards, but until engineering solutions can be implemented on a large-scale, attention must be paid to educational messages. To prevent scald burns, families should be encouraged to test hot water temperatures after adjusting gauges to insure that a safe temperature is achieved."

###

"Still too hot: Examination of water temperature and water heater characteristics 24 years after manufacturers adopt voluntary temperature setting," was written by Wendy C. Shields, Eileen McDonald, Shannon Frattaroli, Jeffrey Zhu, Elise C. Perry and Andrea C. Gielen.

This research was supported by in the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Natalie Wood-Wright
nwoodwri@jhsph.edu
410-614-6029
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

Home hot water heater temperatures are too high, warns a team of researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Despite the adoption of voluntary standards by manufacturers to preset hot water heater temperature settings below the recommended safety standard of 120F, temperatures remain dangerously high for a significant proportion of homes, presenting a scald hazard for young children and the elderly. The report is published in the March 2013 issue of Journal Of Burn Care Research.

In the U.S., tap water burns cause an estimated 1,500 hospital admissions and 100 deaths per year and the economic burden stemming from these burns is tremendous. According to the researchers, human exposure to hot water at 140F can lead to a serious burn within 3 seconds, and at 120F a serious burn can occur in about 10 minutes. Young children and older adults have thinner skin which burns more quickly putting them at increased risk.

"Hot water temperatures above the Consumer Product Safety Commission's recommended 120F were observed in 41 percent of homes we surveyed, including 27 percent of homes with temperatures at or above 130F. We also found renters were less likely to have safe hot water temperature than homeowners," said Wendy Shields, MPH, lead author of the study and an assistant scientist with the Bloomberg School's Department of Health Policy and Management. "Delivering hot water at a consistent temperature is difficult. As a hot water tank is depleted, replenished and reheated, water temperature will not be constant throughout the tank. In addition, water heater thermostats are not designed to provide precise estimates of water temperatures, making it difficult for residents to assess the exact temperature."

In a community trial to improve home safety, researchers examined the temperature of hot water using a candy thermometer and recorded the characteristics of the hot water heater including the type, date of manufacture, capacity and descriptors used on the temperature gauge in 708 Baltimore city homes. Demographic data such as the household size, income and home ownership status was also documented. Researchers found that despite the fact that 99 percent of the water heaters examined in the study were purchased after the voluntary standard was implemented, hot water temperatures remained dangerously high for 4 out of 10 homes. Gas water heaters were less likely to have safe temperatures and water heaters that held fewer gallons per person were more likely to be above the recommended 120F.

"Given the limitations of reducing tap water temperature through current thermostat technology alone, other existing strategies should be prioritized," said Shields. "One potential solution is to equip faucets with anti scald devices, such as thermostatic mixer valves, anti-scald aerators or scald guards, but until engineering solutions can be implemented on a large-scale, attention must be paid to educational messages. To prevent scald burns, families should be encouraged to test hot water temperatures after adjusting gauges to insure that a safe temperature is achieved."

###

"Still too hot: Examination of water temperature and water heater characteristics 24 years after manufacturers adopt voluntary temperature setting," was written by Wendy C. Shields, Eileen McDonald, Shannon Frattaroli, Jeffrey Zhu, Elise C. Perry and Andrea C. Gielen.

This research was supported by in the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/jhub-hhw032813.php

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Dems criticize GOP support of fed marriage act

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The cost to taxpayers for a House Republican decision to fund the legal team supporting the Defense of Marriage Act has climbed from $500,000 to as much as $3 million, Democrats say in questioning the GOP stance on the gay marriage issue now before the Supreme Court.

"It's really disappointing and unworthy of a subject that is going before the Supreme Court of our country," House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday, referring to Republicans spending that money without input from House Democrats. Pelosi made the comments after emerging from the court hearing on whether to strike down parts of the 1996 law that denies married gay couples the federal benefits available to other couples.

She said Democrats had no input in several modifications to the legal contract that has increased the ceiling for spending on the legal defense of DOMA from the initial $500,000 to $3 million.

Shortly after the administration of President Barack Obama in early 2011 declared that DOMA was not constitutional, House Republicans convened a meeting of the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group and, according to Pelosi, used their 3-2 majority to authorize funds to defend the law. Pelosi said the advisory group held no more meetings on the issue and that Republicans acted on their own to increase the funding ceiling as the case dragged on. Paul Clement, one of Washington's most prominent attorney's was hired to argue the case for DOMA supporters.

"Again, $3 million speaks very loudly, especially $3 million that has gone forth without benefit of a vote in the so-called Bipartisan (Legal) Advisory Group," Pelosi said.

House Speaker John Boehner, at a news conference last week, defended the GOP role in the lawsuit, saying that Congress passed the law in 1996, President Bill Clinton signed it, "and in our system of government, the administration doesn't get to decide what's constitutional. The Supreme Court does. And our financing the lawsuit was to make sure that the proper forum was used to make sure that we know what's constitutional and what isn't."

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., at a recent Appropriations subcommittee hearing on congressional budgets, also questioned why the House was spending up to $3 million to defend DOMA when the personal staff budgets of House lawmakers were being cut 8.2 percent because of automatic budget cuts.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dems-criticize-gop-support-fed-192017299.html

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