UCLA and Chinese scientists analyze genetic makeup of human and mouse embryos in amazing detail

Public release date: 30-Jul-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Shaun Mason
smason@mednet.ucla.edu
310-206-2805
University of California - Los Angeles

Single-cell RNA sequencing could lead to improved diagnoses of genetic diseases

UCLA scientists, in collaboration with teams in China, have used the powerful technology of single-cell RNA sequencing to track the genetic development of a human and a mouse embryo at an unprecedented level of accuracy.

The technique could lead to earlier and more accurate diagnoses of genetic diseases, even when the embryo consists of only eight cells.

The study was led by Guoping Fan, professor of human genetics and molecular biology and member of both the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research. The findings were published in the online edition of the journal Nature and will appear later in the print edition.

Single-cell RNA sequencing allows researchers to determine the precise nature of the total gene transcripts, or all of the genes that are actively expressed in a particular cell.

"The advantages of this technique are twofold," Fan said. "It is a much more comprehensive analysis than was achievable before and the technique requires a very minimal amount of sample material just one cell."

Besides its implications for genetic diagnoses such as improving scientists' ability to identify genetic mutations like BRCA1 and BRCA2, which predispose women to breast cancer and ovarian cancer, or genetic diseases that derive from protein dysfunction, such as sickle cell disease the technology may also have important uses in reproductive medicine.

The technique marks a major development in genetic diagnoses, which previously could not be conducted this early in embryonic development and required much larger amounts of biological material.

"Previous to this paper we did not know this much about early human development," said Kevin Huang, the study's co-first author and a postdoctoral scholar in Fan's laboratory. "Now we can define what 'normal' looks like, so in the future we will have a baseline from which to compare possible genetic problems. This is our first comprehensive glance at what is normal."

With single-cell RNA sequencing, much more gene transcription was detected than before. "The question we asked is, 'How does the gene network drive early development from one cell to two cells, two cells to four cells, and so on?'" Fan said. "Using the genome data analysis methods developed by co-author Steve Horvath at UCLA, we have uncovered crucial gene networks and we can now predict possible future genetic disorders at the eight-cell stage."

###

The research was supported by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, the International Science and Technology Cooperation Program of China, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has more than 240 researchers and clinicians engaged in disease research, prevention, detection, control, treatment and education. One of the nation's largest comprehensive cancer centers, the Jonsson center is dedicated to promoting research and translating basic science into leading-edge clinical studies. In July 2013, the Jonsson Cancer Center was named among the top 12 cancer centers nationwide by U.S. News & World Report, a ranking it has held for 14 consecutive years.

The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research: UCLA's stem cell center was launched in 2005 with a UCLA commitment of $20 million over five years. A $20 million gift from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation in 2007 resulted in the renaming of the center. With more than 200 members, the Broad Stem Cell Research Center is committed to a multi-disciplinary, integrated collaboration of scientific, academic and medical disciplines for the purpose of understanding adult and human embryonic stem cells. The center supports innovation, excellence and the highest ethical standards focused on stem cell research with the intent of facilitating basic scientific inquiry directed towards future clinical applications to treat disease. The center is a collaboration of the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center, the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science and the UCLA College of Letters and Science.

For more news, visit the UCLA Newsroom and follow us on Twitter.

---

[ | 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: 30-Jul-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Shaun Mason
smason@mednet.ucla.edu
310-206-2805
University of California - Los Angeles

Single-cell RNA sequencing could lead to improved diagnoses of genetic diseases

UCLA scientists, in collaboration with teams in China, have used the powerful technology of single-cell RNA sequencing to track the genetic development of a human and a mouse embryo at an unprecedented level of accuracy.

The technique could lead to earlier and more accurate diagnoses of genetic diseases, even when the embryo consists of only eight cells.

The study was led by Guoping Fan, professor of human genetics and molecular biology and member of both the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research. The findings were published in the online edition of the journal Nature and will appear later in the print edition.

Single-cell RNA sequencing allows researchers to determine the precise nature of the total gene transcripts, or all of the genes that are actively expressed in a particular cell.

"The advantages of this technique are twofold," Fan said. "It is a much more comprehensive analysis than was achievable before and the technique requires a very minimal amount of sample material just one cell."

Besides its implications for genetic diagnoses such as improving scientists' ability to identify genetic mutations like BRCA1 and BRCA2, which predispose women to breast cancer and ovarian cancer, or genetic diseases that derive from protein dysfunction, such as sickle cell disease the technology may also have important uses in reproductive medicine.

The technique marks a major development in genetic diagnoses, which previously could not be conducted this early in embryonic development and required much larger amounts of biological material.

"Previous to this paper we did not know this much about early human development," said Kevin Huang, the study's co-first author and a postdoctoral scholar in Fan's laboratory. "Now we can define what 'normal' looks like, so in the future we will have a baseline from which to compare possible genetic problems. This is our first comprehensive glance at what is normal."

With single-cell RNA sequencing, much more gene transcription was detected than before. "The question we asked is, 'How does the gene network drive early development from one cell to two cells, two cells to four cells, and so on?'" Fan said. "Using the genome data analysis methods developed by co-author Steve Horvath at UCLA, we have uncovered crucial gene networks and we can now predict possible future genetic disorders at the eight-cell stage."

###

The research was supported by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, the International Science and Technology Cooperation Program of China, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has more than 240 researchers and clinicians engaged in disease research, prevention, detection, control, treatment and education. One of the nation's largest comprehensive cancer centers, the Jonsson center is dedicated to promoting research and translating basic science into leading-edge clinical studies. In July 2013, the Jonsson Cancer Center was named among the top 12 cancer centers nationwide by U.S. News & World Report, a ranking it has held for 14 consecutive years.

The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research: UCLA's stem cell center was launched in 2005 with a UCLA commitment of $20 million over five years. A $20 million gift from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation in 2007 resulted in the renaming of the center. With more than 200 members, the Broad Stem Cell Research Center is committed to a multi-disciplinary, integrated collaboration of scientific, academic and medical disciplines for the purpose of understanding adult and human embryonic stem cells. The center supports innovation, excellence and the highest ethical standards focused on stem cell research with the intent of facilitating basic scientific inquiry directed towards future clinical applications to treat disease. The center is a collaboration of the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center, the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science and the UCLA College of Letters and Science.

For more news, visit the UCLA Newsroom and follow us on Twitter.

---

[ | 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/2013-07/uoc--uac073013.php

xbox live aurora borealis Psy Cat Zingano DMX spartacus spartacus

Wednesday at the state baseball tournament

CLASS 4A QUARTERFINALS
Linn-Mar (27-15) vs. Johnston (26-12)
When: Noon
Where: Principal Park, Des Moines
Scouting Report: Second straight trip to Des Moines has to have a better ending than last year for Linn-Mar. The Lions were blasted by Cedar Rapids Kennedy in a 2012 4A quarterfinal, 13-1. A group that?s now used to the state tournament experience should be more relaxed and give Johnston a strong game. It?s a top secret who will pitch the game for Linn-Mar: Austin Stroschein (8-1, 1.62 ERA) or Justin Wyant (6-2, 1.50 ERA). Either way, you?d expect a strongly pitched game. Brandt Olinger is second in the 4A field with a .463 batting average. Johnston played just two teams from eastern Iowa this season and lost both: to North Scott and Cedar Rapids Kennedy. The Dragons? lost pitcher is Alex McCune (1.02 ERA), though Joe Hawks has a 6-1 record. Look for a close game here.

Sioux City East (30-9) vs. Cedar Rapids Xavier (25-15)
When: 6 p.m.
Where: Principal Park, Des Moines
Scouting Report: This is the first appearance in the 4A field for Xavier, which has been to state as a Class 3A entrant five times. That included a state championship in 2006, the second of three consecutive years Xavier advanced to the 3A title game. These Saints have a top-line pitcher in junior Mitch Keller, a North Carolina commit who is 6-4 with a 1.77 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 63.1 innings. The most important offensive player for Xavier may well be multi-year starter Corbin Woods, who didn?t have a strong regular season but who played well in Xavier?s substate final extra-inning win over Cedar Rapids Prairie. Last year?s 4A player of the year is Dom Thomson-Williams, who is hitting .465 and has a four-year total of 253 career hits. His career BA is .481.

Other Games Today
Des Moines East (36-4) vs. Davenport North (23-15), 2 p.m.
Ankeny (34-7) vs. Clinton (25-14), 8 p.m.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Iowaprepsportscom/~3/H6hb-Wdm9C0/

yvette prieto tebow tyler bray tyler bray lakers Marcus Lattimore Tyrann Mathieu

The 7 Companies Microsoft Won't Let Its Ex-Windows Chief Work For

Late last year, Microsoft booted out booted out its head of Windows, Steve Sinofsky. Now, a few more details have come out about his departure?including who Microsoft have banned him from working for.

Read more...

Source: http://gizmodo.com/the-7-companies-microsoft-wont-let-its-ex-windows-chie-972830859

eric holder eric holder carole king crystal renn matilda cab calloway melissa gilbert

Why one of the biggest indie gaming developers just ?quit? ? Tech ...

A short list of the video games that have helped shape the industry and bring it to the mainstream (and to center stage at both Microsoft and Sony?s E3 presentations) ? would surely include?Fez.?

The 2D platformer that allows the gamer to shift to 3D to get a different perspective of the world, Fez?has won multiple awards and sold more than 200,000 copies on Xbox Live Arcade alone.

But the saga of its creator shows what?s wrong with indie game development these days.

Last month, Fez creator Phil Fish released a teaser for the sequel,?Fez 2.?But after a heated fight on Twitter this weekend, Fish posted this on his company Polytron?s blog:

FEZ II is cancelled.
i am done.
i take the money and i run.
this is as much as i can stomach.
this is isn?t the result of any one thing, but the end of a long, bloody campaign.

you win.

Fish?s Twitter account is now protected, and?Fez 2?has apparently been scrapped.?While the move may seem like a shocker to some fans of the game, Fish?s antics, particularly his relationship with critics and even gamers themselves, have put him on precarious footing all along.

Fish sprung from obscurity at the 2008 Games Development Conference, where he won Excellence in Visual Arts for the debut of?Fez.?But for five years, the game languished, as Polytron lost its funding, and Fish?s business partner quit and threatened legal action.

Part of this story was detailed in the 2012 documentary film?Indie Game: The Movie, which looked at Fish?s bitterness and angst as?Fez?failed to get out the door.

As Fez?finally neared release, Fish began showing a taunting side to the public. For example,?he openly mocked a Japanese developer during a panel at GDC 2012,?saying that?the country?s games ?just suck.??There was a backlash, and Fish then declared that gamers are the??worst f*cking people.?

A number of blowups followed, but this weekend was Fish?s breaking point. The developer got in?an all-out Twitter war?with a gaming journalist Marcus ?Annoyed Gamer? Beer, who writes for GameTrailers. Beer had called Fish a ?tosspot? on the website?s video podcast ?Invisible Walls? for being indignant as media critics asked him about his opinion on the Xbox One?s indie development policies. Fish fired back by telling Beer he should kIll himself (that tweet has since been deleted).

Fish?s blog post saying he quitting gaming followed, and Fish?s statement has?been confirmed by Polygon.

Fish?s behavior is a symbol of what?s wrong with indie gaming: the rise of celebrity developers who have disdain for just about everything around them. The indie business is in its infancy, and now rests on the backs of these few ?stars,? who have made games with cross-genre appeal. Fish?s behavior, though egregious, is not unique:?Braid creator Jonathan Blow, whom Beer also called out during his rant, has called modern game developing a ?f*cked up den of mediocrity.?

All of this perpetuates the stereotype that the gaming industry is full of sniveling children ? and it detracts from the fact that the games that Fish, Blow and others have made are actually?wonderful.?If Fish?s behavior (and that of his cohorts) continues to be tolerated, then great games like?Fez 2 stand little chance of being developed.

Fish could change his mind, and if he does, there?s still a big crowd waiting for?Fez 2.?But perhaps his exit is better for the indie gaming community ? it?s not ready to handle celebrity developers and their crazed egos.

Source: http://gigaom.com/2013/07/29/why-one-of-the-biggest-indie-gaming-developers-just-quit/

amy schumer amy schumer act blackhawks Antoni Gaudí Bobby Blue Bland Zara Hartshorn

NBA free agency rumors roundup: Mo Williams to meet with Grizzlies, Oden may be closing in on decision

Former All-Star Mo Williams is looking for his third team in as many seasons, but it looks like he might be headed to Memphis. Meanwhile, Daniel Gibson turned himself in to police after being charged with second-degree battery and Greg Oden is still deciding on his new home.

Mo Williams was flying to Memphis to meet with the Grizzlies as he continued to search for his third team in as many years, according to Memphis radio host Chris Vernon.

Williams spent last season with the Utah Jazz and averaged a solid 12.9 points and 6.2 assists per game. He started all 46 games he played in, too, but unfortunately sat out nearly half the year with a thumb injury and is now looking for a new home as a free agent.

If things work out between Williams and Memphis, he would likely come off the bench behind Mike Conley as added offensive firepower. The 30-year-old combo guard shot 38 percent from beyond the arc for Utah and Memphis desperately needs a reliable shooter to take some of the load off of Quincy Pondexter.

Veteran leadership would be another plus for the Grizzlies, according to SB Nation's Memphis blog Grizzly Bear Blues:

What is really encouraging about this move is that the Grizzlies are trying to actually, possibly, theoretically, hopefully address the backup point guard spot that has haunted us for years. After literally pulling players off their couches in 2012 and 2013 (Arenas, Dooling), we may be looking forward to seeing what a veteran backup can do with an entire training camp/season to gel with the team.

Oh, and clutch plays like this wouldn't hurt either:

Oden might be near decision

After working out for several teams, including both that played in the NBA Finals, Greg Oden could decide who to sign with this week, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst. The former top pick has suffered through an injury-plagued start to his career while undergoing five separate knee surgeries, but reports indicate he's in good shape and moving well this summer after not appearing in an NBA game since the 2009-10 season with the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Miami Heat are looking for size to accompany their Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and, as Windhorst points out, the Bulls and Nets will both be major Eastern Conference threats next season with tough frontcourts. Oden's defensive ability would be a plus, then, as Miami look for its third straight NBA Championship and fourth consecutive Eastern Conference championship.

Assuming Oden can stay healthy, which is a huge assumption, he would likely fit in well with the San Antonio Spurs, too. The 25-year-old big man and Tim Duncan could create a dominant front line for San Antonio and, as Duncan gets older, it'd be nice to have another cornerstone big to help fill his shoes.

Daniel Gibson turned himself in to police

Former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson turned himself in to New Orleans police Monday after being charged with second degree battery. The 27-year-old is currently a free agent after starting three games and averaging 5.4 points for the Cavs last season.

Reports indicate that the incident allegedly took place at the Essence music festival where Gibson is accused of punching another man in the jaw during an argument at a nightclub. Court records show he posted a $20,000 bond for his release shortly after turning himself in to authorities.

Brandon Jennings considering qualifying offer

Brandon Jennings has "strongly considered" picking up Milwaukee's qualifying offer for next year, according to HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler. That would make Jennings an unrestricted free agent after the season, but he wouldn't get the long-term security he'd receive if he signs the Bucks' current offer.

The qualifying offer is worth $4.53 million and, since Jennings is a restricted free agent, Milwaukee can match any other offer he receives. Jennings is reportedly looking for much more money, possibly between $11 and $12 million, but the Bucks are reportedly not willing to offer that this offseason.

More from SB Nation:

? Kenny Anderson reveals being sexually abused

? The Dwight Howard Effect

? Luis Scola traded to Pacers | Ziller: Pacers may be East?s best

? What cap space and exceptions do teams have left?

? The top 61 rookies at NBA Summer League

Source: http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/7/29/4569614/2013-nba-free-agency-rumors-news-mo-williams

april 18 delonte west vanessa williams nicklas backstrom discovery shuttle allure jane goodall

University of Dayton upgrading athletics facilities

Michael E. Boyd DBJ

The University of Dayton is upgrading its athletics facilities.?

The University of Dayton is preparing to spend $6 million upgrading athletics facilities, including the Donoher Basketball Center, the Dayton Business Journal reports.

The projects splitting the $6 million include a new, 10,000-square-foot Athletic Performance Center in Reichard Hall, renovations at the Donoher Center, and renovations at the Fredericks Center where the Dayton Flyers volleyball team plays.

Funding will come mostly from donations, the paper reported.

?We have invested substantially during the last 15 years in facilities where our sport programs compete and train,? Tim Wabler, vice president and director of athletics, said in a statement. ?We are giving our student-athletes and coaches the tools they need to get better every day. These projects will provide our student-athletes with the support they need to compete successfully on the fields and courts ? and in the classroom.?

Doug Buchanan directs daily online/digital news coverage for Business First.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bizj_columbus/~3/L4CMX2c1DH4/university-of-dayton-upgrading.html

litter marinol flight attendant pau gasol trade michael madsen day light savings day light savings

Intent to harm: Willful acts seem more damaging

[unable to retrieve full-text content]How harmful we perceive an act to be depends on whether we see the act as intentional, reveals new research.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/n7Nea9swENg/130729083354.htm

Diaper the beach Fear Airport Terminal easter bunny easter april fools pranks

The Joy of Dialogue | World of Writing

Tomorrow will see the first anniversary of the death of renowned Irish author Maeve Binchy. Among her many accomplishment, Maeve was famed for her ability to capture the natural rhythms of people?s speech. She was a champion eavesdropper and could lipread, and she put her gifts to good use when she wrote her characters? dialogue.

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

Dialogue brings a story to life. Without it, books would just be big wodges of text. Dialogue helps you cut to the chase. You can reveal a lot of detail about your characters and plot without weighing your reader down. Dialogue also gives your story momentum; you can use it to introduce important scenes.

But people often find that when it comes to dialogue, they don?t know where to start, so here are a few handy hints.

1. Eavesdrop shamelessly

The best way to create dialogue is to listen to people speaking. You?ll naturally absorb their speech patterns into your writing. As part of your craft, you have license to listen to people on buses, in cafes and on the street. You never know what you will hear. The little gems you pick up could well become stories in your own write.

2. Listen to how people speak

Good dialogue isn?t just about what people say, it?s about how they say it. Listen out for how people form their sentences and what kind of slang they use. You?ll find that people?s speech patterns will vary according to where they live, their level of education and how old they are. A couple of crude examples include the young person saying OMG, or the professor peppering their speech with Latin If you zoom in on how people? speak, your dialogue will ring true.

3. Learn from the Masters

Pick up a book by an author you admire and pay attention to how they construct their dialogue. Take note of how it is laid out line by line, and of the language they use. Most dialogue is written in much more informal language, to reflect how people speak. There is also very little ?he said/she said? as this will be apparent from the text. Read it out loud. Put on silly voices. Let it seep into your skin.

Which authors do you think use dialogue particularly well? Let me know.

Like this:

Like Loading...

Source: http://writerlyderv.wordpress.com/2013/07/29/the-joy-of-dialogue/

bob costas bowl projections Jovan Belcher Charlie Batch Miguel Calero Bret Bielema sons of anarchy

Franklin, Ledecky off to good start at worlds

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) ? Missy Franklin is off to a good start at the world swimming championships, thanks to a teammate.

Katie Ledecky showed her Olympic triumph was no fluke, turning in another dominating performance before she heads off to 11th grade.

But the American men still can't beat the French in the relay.

Franklin captured gold in the first of her eight events in Barcelona, though it took a brilliant anchor leg by Megan Romano to pull it out a victory in the women's 400-meter freestyle relay Sunday evening.

No swimmer ? not even Michael Phelps ? has ever won eight golds at the world championships, and Franklin would've been out of the running on the very first night of pool swimming if not for Romano chasing down Australia's Alicia Coutts.

"Oh my gosh, it was amazing!" Franklin said.

Franklin was far behind in second after a blistering start by Cate Campbell. Natalie Coughlin and Shannon Vreeland chipped away at the Australian lead before Romano finished the job. She touched in 3 minutes, 32.43 seconds, edging Coutts by 0.12. The Netherlands finished another 3 seconds behind for the bronze.

"I just love to race. And relays are awesome," Romano said. "It's great competing for these girls next to me. I was doing it for them. It's fun and I love it. I can't not go fast."

The 16-year-old Ledecky captured the first U.S. gold of the night, just missing the world record in the 400 free. Like Franklin, she's planning a grueling program at these worlds that also includes the 800 and 1,500 free.

It looks likes Ledecky can handle the load, her star still on the rise after a stunning gold medal in the 800 at the London Olympics when she was a complete unknown internationally.

"It is easier," she said. "I am a lot more relaxed on the international stage after having the Olympics as a first international competition. It's just great to get back to a top international competition and to do well."

She was under world-record pace much of the race before winning with a time of 3:59.82 ? just 0.67 seconds off the mark set by Italy's Federica Pelligrini back in 2009 in one of those rubberized suits that are no longer allowed.

Melanie Costa of Spain took silver in 4:02.47, while the bronze went to New Zealand's Lauren Boyle in 4:03.89.

"I really wasn't expecting to go that fast, that wasn't my focus," Ledecky said. "I just wanted to get into a race with the other girls and do my best."

The Americans were ready for another celebration until the French chased them down in the final event of the night, the men's 400 free relay.

Sound familiar?

That was just how it went last summer in London, when Yannick Agnel overtook Ryan Lochte just before the finish to snatch the gold away from a U.S. team that included Phelps.

Now retired ? though for how long remains a pressing question in the swimming world ? Phelps cheered on his former teammates from the stands at the Palau Sant Jordi, where he had a breakout performance at the world championships 10 years ago. He was in no condition to swim on this night, entering the arena wearing a boot cast on his right foot, apparently after injuring it a couple of weeks ago playing golf.

On this relay, Agnel went out first for the French instead of at the end, and he was next-to-last when he handed off to Florent Manaudou. France was still only fourth after a blistering 100 by Fabien Gilot (the fastest of the night, 46.90). The U.S. was slightly ahead of the Australians when Anthony Ervin passed it off to anchor Jimmy Feigen.

But Jeremy Stravius closed fast for the French, touching the wall in 3:11.18. The Americans took silver in 3:11.42, while Russia claimed the bronze in 3:11.44. The Aussies faded to fourth.

"I actually didn't even see (the French) until the last five meters," Feigen said. "Maybe I should have paid more attention to them."

Agnel was asked whether he was happy Phelps was in the stands rather than in the pool.

"I don't understand the question," Agnel quipped.

The crowd roared when the results were posted, waving scores of French flags as the four members of the relay team joined hands and posed triumphantly at the edge of the pool.

"It feels like home," Agnel said.

Franklin, now 18 and getting ready to go off to college at Cal-Berkeley, won four golds and a bronze at last summer's Olympics. She just missed out on medals in the 100 and 200 free ? events she will again swim at the worlds along the 50 back, a non-Olympic event..

"I'm right where I was last summer, which gives me a lot of confidence going into the rest of the meet," Franklin said. "I think I am a little stronger in my backstrokes than my freestyles, but I've done a lot of work on my freestyle the past year so I really hope that it's going to be up there."

Phelps, of course, won eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. But he never did it at the worlds, coming oh-so-close in 2007 when he won his first seven events but never got a chance in the eighth. The Americans were disqualified in the preliminaries of the 400 medley relay while Phelps was resting up to swim in the final.

China's Sun Yang cruised to an easy win in the first pool swimming final of these championships, the men's 400 free. The towering Sun said he still had plenty in the tank when he finished.

He sure looked fresh as he hopped out of the pool and flexed his fists for the crowd. The winning time was 3:41.59, far ahead of the silver medalist, Japan's Kosuke Hagino (3:44.82). Connor Jaeger of the United States took the bronze in 3:44.85.

"I had a pretty good time for me because I don't have a major challenger here," said Sun, who won two golds, a silver and a bronze at the London Games. "If I had had one, I would have gone a lot faster."

___

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/franklin-ledecky-off-good-start-worlds-185506874.html

Bret Bielema sons of anarchy adriana lima victoria secret fashion show SEC Championship Rick Majerus Cotto vs Trout

Sequestration Putting The Squeeze On Youth Military Program

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) ? A program that gives teens a firsthand military experience is coping with budget cuts due to sequestration, the automatic federal spending cuts.

The U.S. Sea Cadets Twin Cities Squadron teaches responsibility, dedication, even boot camp-type training drills.

But now, some of the training opportunities have been eliminated, or are costing families more money.

Martha Miller, 14, is at the start of a career in the armed forces.

?It?s always been an interest of mine,? the Sea Cadet said.

Not old enough to enlist, she?s still experiencing military life.

?I love it,? Miller said. ?It?s challenged me so much.?

She?s one of the 50 or so teens participating in the U.S. Sea Cadets Twin Cities Squadron.

The program is targeted to teens ages 13 to 17, allowing people such as Blake Holman to ?test drive? the Navy without the commitment.

?I wanted to join the military, and I wanted to know what it was like, and see if it was right for me,? he said.

The requirements are in some ways similar to the National Guard.

?We do trainings in summer, which is one to two weeks,? Holman said.

Members receive rank and accolades just like enlisted troops.

?I have about 16 now, so it?s a rewarding feeling, because you earned them on your own,? Sea Cadet Jaqueline Levvintre said.

But in the last year, the program has become more limited.

?We are overcoming it, the best way we know how,? said Barney Uhlig, the Squadron?s commanding officer.

Membership dues make up 95 percent of the budget, but federal money covers the remaining five percent. That funding has been drastically reduced because of sequestration.

?We have cases in which cadets attend but don?t join because the parents don?t have means to join at this time,? Uhlig said.

The cuts have affected transportation, uniform upkeep, but most importantly the training exercises where cadets get a sense of what they want to do in military once they enlist.

Families end up paying the difference for the cost of the training. In some cases, it?s more than tripled as some of the training takes cadets out of state.

For Peter Watkins, the price is well worth it. He recently learned he had an eye for marksmanship.

?That was outstanding,? he said. ?I shot an M16A4 all week. We had a blast there.?

While this program faces an uncertain future for training opportunities, the cadets are certain their future is in the armed forces.

?This is what I want to do with my life,? Miller said.

Time in the Sea Cadet program also leads to a higher rank and pay when a cadet decides to enlist in the military.

There are several squadrons around the state, and for more info, click here.

Like this:

Like Loading...

Source: http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2013/07/27/sequestration-putting-the-squeeze-on-youth-military-program/

new jersey nets nba playoff schedule rondo morris claiborne clippers lisa lampanelli lisa lampanelli

Sony Gamescom 2013 Press Conference Gets New Details

Sony has apparently confirmed the first details about its upcoming Gamescom 2013 press conference, as the event will be held one day before the convention kicks off, on August 20, at 7pm CET.

Gamescom 2013 is rapidly approaching and both Sony and Microsoft are gearing up for another round of the next-gen console war, as both companies are expected to show off new details about their PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Now, Sony has confirmed, via MCV, that it's going to hold its Gamescom press conference on August 20, at the special Saatenhaus am Rheinpark venue in Cologne, Germany, right near the Kolnmesse expo center, where Gamescom will be held between August 20 and August 25.

The press conference will start at 7pm CET and should focus on the PlayStation 4, not to mention current platforms like the PS3 or PS Vita.

Source: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Sony-Gamescom-2013-Press-Conference-Gets-New-Details-371484.shtml

mark zuckerberg mark zuckerberg maurice jones drew Yash Chopra George McGovern braxton miller braxton miller

Infamous hacker Barnaby Jack dies, one week before Black Hat convention

Security

Jim Finkle Reuters

14 hours ago

Isaac Brekken / AP

Barnaby Jack demonstrates an attack on two automated teller machines during the Black Hat technology conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday, July 28, 2010.

Barnaby Jack, a celebrated computer hacker who forced bank ATMs to spit out cash and sparked safety improvements in medical devices, died in San Francisco, a week before he was due to make a high-profile presentation at a hacking conference.

The New Zealand-born Jack, 35, was found dead on Thursday evening by "a loved one" at an apartment in San Francisco's Nob Hill neighborhood, according to a police spokesman. He would not say what caused Jack's death but said police had ruled out foul play.

The San Francisco Medical Examiner's Office said it was conducting an autopsy, although it could be a month before the cause of death is determined.

Jack was one of the world's most prominent "white hat" hackers ? those who use their technical skills to find security holes before criminals can exploit them.

His genius was finding bugs in the tiny computers embedded in equipment, such as medical devices and cash machines. He often received standing ovations at conferences for his creativity and showmanship while his research forced equipment makers to fix bugs in their software.

Jack had planned to demonstrate his techniques to hack into pacemakers and implanted defibrillators at the Black Hat hackers convention in Las Vegas next Thursday. He told Reuters last week that he could kill a man from 30 feet away by attacking an implanted heart device.

"He was passionate about finding security bugs before the bad guys," said long-time security industry executive Stuart McClure, who gave Jack one of his first jobs and also had worked with him at Intel Inc's McAfee, the computer security company.

"He was one of those people who was put on this Earth to find vulnerabilities that can be exploited in a malicious way to hurt people," McClure said.

Jack became one of the world's most famous hackers after a 2010 demonstration of "Jackpotting" ? getting ATMs to spew out bills. A clip of his presentation has been viewed more than 2.6 million times on YouTube.

Two years ago, Jack turned his attention to medical devices, while working on a team at McAfee that engineered methods for attacking insulin pumps. Their research prompted medical device maker Medtronic to revamp the way it designs its products.

The U.S. government also noticed Jack's work.

"The work that Barnaby Jack and others have done to highlight some of these vulnerabilities has contributed importantly to progress in the field," said William Maisel, deputy director for science at the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

Jack's passion for hacking sometimes got him into trouble.

In 2012, he connected his laptop to a gold bullion dispensing machine at a casino in Abu Dhabi, according to fellow hacker Tiffany Strauchs Rad. She said Jack had permission from a hotel manager to hack the machine but security intervened.

It turned out the hotel did not actually own the gold machine and the American Embassy had to be called in to help resolve the misunderstanding, Rad said.

"He would hack everything he touched, she said.

'Beloved pirate'

Jack's most recent employer, the cybersecurity consulting firm IOActive, said on its Twitter account: "Lost but never forgotten our beloved pirate, Barnaby Jack has passed."

Jack had been scheduled to present his research on heart devices at Black Hat on Aug. 1. Last week, Jack told Reuters he had devised a way to hack into a wireless communications system that linked implanted pacemakers and defibrillators with bedside monitors that gather information about their operations.

"I'm sure there could be lethal consequences," Jack said in a phone interview.

He declined to name the manufacturer of the device but said he was working with that company to figure out how to prevent malicious attacks on heart patients.

Jack's sudden death drew responses from the hacking community reminiscent of those that followed the suicide of hacker activist Aaron Swartz in January.

Dan Kaminsky, a well-known hacker, described the death as a tragedy. "Barnaby was one of the most creative, energetic, diverse researchers in our field," he said.

"You'll be missed, bro," tweeted another well-known hacker Dino Dai Zovi.

Jack's sister, Amberleigh Jack, who lives in New Zealand, told Reuters her brother was 35 years old. She declined to comment further, saying she needed time to grieve.

Black Hat said that it will not replace Jack's session at the conference, saying the hour would be left vacant for conference attendees to commemorate his life and work.

This story was updated at 7:15 p.m. ET Friday.

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663301/s/2f344a8a/sc/21/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Ctechnology0Cinfamous0Ehacker0Ebarnaby0Ejack0Edies0Eone0Eweek0Eblack0Ehat0Econvention0E6C10A760A881/story01.htm

London 2012 closing ceremony Shark Week 2012 UFC 150 Caster Semenya Medal Count 2012 Olympics victoria beckham London 2012 rhythmic gymnastics

Was 'recklessness' to blame for Spanish train crash?

By Teresa Medrano and Tracy Rucinski

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, Spain (Reuters) - Spanish police were investigating on Friday if the driver of a train that crashed in Santiago de Compostela killing dozens had been driving at reckless speed when he took a tight curve.

Spain's worst train accident in decades on Wednesday evening killed at least 78, with three bodies still unidentified and 81 people in hospital, raising questions about the experienced railwayman's actions.

The driver, Francisco Garzon, 52, was under arrest at a hospital in Santiago, the capital of the northwestern region of Galicia. He had been due to give a statement to police but local media reported he had declined to do so.

Garzon was being investigated for criminal behavior in causing the accident and "recklessness", regional police chief Jaime Iglesias said.

A spokeswoman for Galicia's Supreme Court said Garzon had not yet been charged and evidence including from the train's "black box" data recorded was being assembled.

"We're collecting elements to be used as evidence, videos, audios and all the technical work that is being done on the train," she said.

Renfe, the Spanish state train company, said Garzon was a 30-year company veteran who had been driving for a decade. He was highly qualified and had been driving on the line where the accident took place for about a year. The train was running on time when the crash occurred.

On the morning of the tragedy, he had driven a train on the same line, which connects the coastal city of La Coruna with Madrid, and a Renfe spokesman said he knew every twist and turn of the route.

SHARP CURVE

Spanish media have widely reported that Garzon took the sharp curve with an 80 km/h (50 mph) speed limit at more than twice that speed. The driver was not available for comment and Reuters was not able to locate his family or his lawyer.

The head of the state track operator ADIF said on TV news that there was a sign warning drivers to slow 4 km before the curve, which follows a section of high speed track.

However, another train driver on the line told Cadena Ser radio that the blame should not be put on his colleague.

"There is no safety warning for the speed, it's pure human factor, you have to slow down manually and you have no assistance in the cabin," said Manuel Mato. "When you exit the high-speed section you start slowing down ... you have like 4 km to the curve," he added. A high-speed train would cover that distance in less than a minute.

Investigators from the Public Works Ministry, Renfe and ADIF were expected to look into everything from potential brake failure to the safety system meant to force the train or driver to slow down.

Security video footage showed the train, with 247 people on board, hurtling into a concrete wall at the side of the track as carriages jack-knifed and the engine overturned.

The impact was so strong that one carriage flew over a wall and landed on an embankment several meters above.

"We could feel the carriage lift off from the rails, it was all so quick, it was like (being inside)... a washing machine, turning around very quickly. Suddenly everything was upside down and the carriage was full of seats and open suitcases," Esther Dominguez, a 23-year-old student from Madrid who survived the crash, told Reuters.

Spain's Crown Prince Felipe and his wife Princess Letizia visited the injured in hospital on Friday as well as volunteers who helped in the aftermath of the tragedy.

The crash happened on the eve of the festival of St James, one of Jesus's 12 disciples, whose remains are said to rest in a Santiago shrine that draws huge numbers of pilgrims every year. Thousands of people were in town for the annual event, which was canceled when officials declared a week of mourning.

Four foreigners were among the dead, from the United States, Italy, Mexico and Algeria.

TWO SAFETY SYSTEMS

The train involved, made by Bombardier and Talgo, was a series 730 that Renfe uses for its Alvia service, which is faster than conventional trains but slower than AVE trains that criss-cross Spain at even higher speeds.

The train was built in 2007-2009, but remodeled in 2012.

The train is designed to operate on conventional and high-speed tracks that make use of two different types of safety systems that are meant to regulate excessive speed.

On high-speed lines, trains use the European Train Control System, or ETCS, which automatically slows down a train that is going too fast.

On slower lines, trains operate under an older system called ASFA, a Spanish acronym for Signal Announcement and Automatic Braking, which warns the driver if a train is moving too fast but does not automatically slow it down.

At the site of the disaster, just 3 km (2 miles) before reaching the Santiago de Compostela station, the train was passing through an urban area. At that point of the track, two railway experts said, it uses the older ASFA safety system.

Professor Roger Kemp, a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in Britain, said in an e-mailed comment that as the driver was leaving the high-speed line to join a much slower route before entering the station, there must have been at least prominent visual warnings to reduce speed, if not audible warnings and an electronic speed supervision system.

A source close to ADIF said the safety system was apparently working correctly and a train had passed an hour earlier with no problems.

(Additional reporting by Julien Toyer, Blanca Rodriguez, Andres Gonzalez and Elisabeth O'Leary; Writing by Julien Toyer and Fiona Ortiz; Editing by Giles Elgood and David Stamp)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/recklessness-blame-spanish-train-crash-194901489.html

greg smith catamount mike dantoni bulls heat goldman sachs brandon carr knicks coach

Action Mobile Games Sets Sights on Co-op with 2013: Infected Wars ...

James Petty fills us in on Action Mobile Games' co-op game changer.

Whenever zombies and/or mutants have overrun the Earth, iOS gamers are always more than happy to take to the streets and start blasting. However, they haven?t had many opportunities to do so with friends. That?s why James Petty, president of Action Mobile Games, and the rest of the development team have been working on 2013: Infected Wars. They?re hoping to push the limits of what iOS gamers have come to expect from their action games, and James was gracious enough to answer a few of our questions about their soon-to-be-released project.

148Apps: What made you decide to create a co-op action game as opposed to a more typical single player affair?
James Petty (JP): There were a few reasons for that. One, it has never been done before on mobile so I wanted us to do something new and fun to try and stand out. Two, I thought it would be really well received by the community since playing multiplayer is always more fun. Three, because it is so difficult to pull off; my hope was Apple would feature us in the App Store at release.

148Apps: I was also wondering just how big the environments might be. Are there multiple paths to explore?
JP: They are not as big as some of the huge PC or console hits that many of us are familiar with. There are different paths you can take to some extent but we had to be creative to allow for the large number of creatures spawned at any given time. I wanted to make sure the player felt like the world was covered with infected. Most people probably don?t notice, but on mobile each unique creature takes a ton of resources which is why many games with higher end graphics will cap them at 3 or so. This wouldn?t work at all if we wanted to create hordes of enemies. So we were able to optimize the Unreal Engine to such an extent that we can have around 10 at any given time and have some amazing graphics to boot. With our custom spawn system you often don?t even notice the cap as we can have another enemy spawn as soon as one dies to really give you the feeling of an enemy ?horde?.

148Apps: It looks like there?s a good mix of classes available (Field Support, Marine, Sniper, Sapper). Do you find that some compliment others better, and was it tough to balance them out?
JP: Yes, this was extremely tough to balance out. It would have been easy to just get rid of the classes and have a bunch of weapons but I think that removes some of the depth you can achieve when you get to choose a strategy and see if it works. The field support in my opinion is the easiest class to master, and I suggest this for any player who isn?t as experienced with mobile gaming. The sniper and Sapper are the most challenging and work better in multiplayer.

148Apps: What sort of persistent character progression can we expect in 2013: Infected Wars? Do the characters actually learn skills or become more powerful, or is it more of a rank-based system that unlocks new gear?
JP: There is no gear unlocking in 2013: Infected Wars; instead, the more money you earn from killing infected and the less you die the more money you have. However each class gets benefits with certain weapon types, and as you level up the weapons in that class become more affordable. You also get unique bonuses for each class but there isn?t a special move per say. The game is designed to offer fun replayability and you are meant to die. If you challenge players and they realize a mistake is going to cause them to die, lose weapons, and then have to try a mission again it really ups the intensity. I believe the mobile gaming community is really wanting a challenge and I stand 100% by 2013: Infected Wars being the most challenging mobile shooter that will be in the App Store.

148Apps: What would you consider to be 2013: Infected Wars? most significant feature?
JP: Definitely the fact we have a true full co-op campaign with a ton of content and true hordes of zombies and other infected to kill. And larger than life bosses that actually move around. This has never been done on mobile before and I really hope the community enjoys it. In fact we are already working on our first new content update before the game even hits the App Store.

We?d like to thank James again for taking the time to answer our questions. If you?re anxious to get your co-op mutant blasting on, keep an eye out. 2013: Infected Wars should be hitting the App Store within the next couple of weeks and set you back $6.99. Expect a full review from 148Apps when it does!

Posted in: Blog, Interviews

Tagged with: $6.99, 2013: Infected Wars, action, Action Game, Action Mobile Games, action shooter, arcade shooter, interview, mutants, preview, shooter, Third-Person Shooter, Zombies

Review disclosure: note that the product reviewed on this page may have been provided to us by the developer for the purposes of this review. Note that if the developer provides the product or not, this does not impact the review or score.

Source: http://www.148apps.com/news/action-mobile-games-sets-sights-coop-2013-infected-wars/

st louis blues bulls jerel worthy alshon jeffery stephen hill draft tracker california earthquake

The University of Florida football team will be holding four open practices duri...

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

Source: http://www.facebook.com/ESPN850.WRUF/posts/10151717560207910

Nemo Storm weather forecast Rivals weather channel Kaepernick Eddie Vanderdoes puppy bowl

Mobiles & Acc MINT Apple iPhone 5 16GB Black & Slate (?345)

Asking price: ?345
Condition of item: Excellent
Location: S9

Further details
Like New condition has always had screen protectors fitted

Still has warranty until next year!

It comes boxed with its charger, cable, headphones - on Orange, Tmobile, EE, Virgin

call 07747870174

Interested? Questions?
To contact seller, click on their user name to access the Email or Private Message forms.

Source: http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1202390&goto=newpost

jeff gordon veterans day When Is Veterans Day 2012 brooke burke Alexa Vega Bram Stoker books Paula Broadwell Photos

Affinity China seeks Hawaii businesses to sign on to American Express program

Tina Yuen

From left, Robert Hong, director of real estate for Affinity China; Barinna Poon, president of Hong Kong Business Association of Hawaii; Christine Lu, chief executive officer for Affinity China; and Donn Ariyoshi, municipal finance professional, associate vice president, financial advisor of Morgan Stanley, at the China Ready seminar at the Ala Moana Hotel.

Affinity China, a New York and Shanghai-based company that offers lifestyle and travel opportunities to its private network of high net worth and emerging wealth Chinese members, is partnering with American Express to offer a program that will help Hawaii companies increase business from affluent Chinese visitors.

Affinity China CEO Christine Lu announced Wednesday, during a ?China Ready? seminar hosted by the Hong Kong Business Association of Hawaii, that Affinity China, in partnership with American Express, is launching a global rewards program for independent Chinese travelers, and she is looking for Hawaii businesses to join the program.

The American Express Global Travel Card will allow Chinese residents the ability to load up to $40,000 onto the card to spend while they are traveling out of the country. They can also load an additional $10,000 onto the card while they are traveling, for a total potential spending of $50,000.

?This is basically going to provide a means and vehicle for the affluent Chinese to bring a large sum of money to the U.S. ? to Hawaii ? to spend while they?re here,? said Jennifer Thompson, American Express Global Merchant Services manager of account development, based in Honolulu. In China, the Global Travel Card has been launched in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Affinity China wants to work with Hawaii companies to help lure those high-spending visitors to their businesses by partnering to offer the customers special promotions, starting with Chinese Golden Week, during the first week of October.

It is all part of the ?17 Hawaii? program, which sounds like ?I want to go to Hawaii? when spoken in Chinese. It is designed to help guide Chinese visitors to Hawaii businesses and hotels participating in the program. It will launch for Chinese Golden Week, with Hawaiian Airlines partnering to fly Chinese media and celebrities ? such as Chinese supermodel Hu Bing and media icon, entrepreneur, author and philanthropist Yue Sai Kan ? to Hawaii for the launch.

Stephanie Silverstein covers tourism, retail and money for Pacific Business News.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vertical_13/~3/gGtmQQ9MCUM/affinity-china-seeks-hawaii-businesses.html

concede Obama Acceptance Speech Prop 30 Election 2012 Michigan Election Results Missouri Election Results Amendment 64

HoT HoT MAMA: Finding the Best Pennsylvania Auto Insurance ...

Finding the right Pennsylvania Car Insurance Package

As we live in this expensive world, we?re always looking for methods to reduce our costs in some manner or another. Whether this is an insurance plan you?re purchasing or a bit of clothing, you like a consumer will invariably find methods for getting some discount to be able to stretch your budget. Therefore, when likely to buy an insurance plan from the Pennsylvania car insurance companies, the customer always search for the very best Pennsylvania car insurance quotes in the cheapest possible costs.

The price of the very best Pennsylvania car insurance packages will rely on the kind of the insurance coverage package one selects. You will find two groups of insurance packages that certain can go for. The very first category may be car insurance quotes pa the full tort system. Even though this category is a touch more costly compared to other, it has a tendency to provide greater advantages to the insured as in comparison to another packages. Another category may be the limited tort system that amounted to under another packages. However, the policy within this kind of policy is Compare Auto Insurance Rates going to be disposed to some limited quantity of factors which are economic and Compare Auto Insurance Rates medical damages, whereas the emotional anguish and discomfort won?t be paid out for.

Prior to choosing a business you believe has got the best Pennsylvania car insurance packages, you?ll need to actually meet the requirements of the insurance policy that?s been set through the government. The agent for that insurance provider has got the sole responsibility of making certain the insured has the capacity to satisfy the standards recognized through the condition. Based on the condition rules, the insured will need the liability worth $15000, just in case associated with a harm to your body of the individual. This can be sure that the person being insured has the capacity to repay their responsibility within the situation of killing an individual while driving their or another person?s vehicle. In addition, the insured must also obtain $5000 price of liability for property impairment. This can assist them to make obligations for that destruction of assets they may have triggered from his vehicle.

However, to be able to acquire the best Pennsylvania car insurance package in the cheapest possible cost, it?s essential that you spend a while researching. It?s also important that you don?t blindly trust exactly what the representative is saying, his or her primary goal would be to sell the insurance policy to ensure that they are able to earn a commission onto it.

Before purchasing an insurance policy, it?s essential that you get quotes from a lot of Pennsylvania Car Insurance companies after which decide to purchase the very best Pennsylvania car insurance package that?s using the needs you have defined. In present day technologically advanced world, you don?t have to visit every company and request for quotes, rather, you?ll find all you require on the web and you will get your quotes considerably faster.

The post Finding the Best Pennsylvania Auto Insurance Package appeared first on Car Insurance Quotes PA.

via Car Insurance Quotes PA http://www.car-insurance-quotes-pa.info/finding-the-best-pennsylvania-auto-insurance-package/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=finding-the-best-pennsylvania-auto-insurance-package

Source: http://hot4heat.blogspot.com/2013/07/finding-best-pennsylvania-auto.html

Daily Caller Staten Island Trick or Treat Amy Weber Happy Halloween! Star Wars Episode 7 jfk airport

Wedding Digest Naija | A MUST READ: Causes Of High Divorce ...

The seven-letter-words was almost unheard of among couples some 50 to 40 years back in most parts of Africa, especially in Nigeria. In the 50s, 60s and the 70s, the sanctity of the institution of marriage had not been corrupted; it was still very much intact and respected as a sacred institution. If a couple got married then, it was for better, for worse, till death did them part. Marriage was a worthwhile venture then, especially in Africa.

However, with the advent of the Western culture, the marital institution began to suffer setbacks. Pressures of life and the western way of life, made divorce a hitherto foreign word in the lexicon of couples. Such word was a taboo in some communities in Nigeria.

Divorce or the dissolution of marriage, according to the Wikipedia, the on-line dictionary, is the final termination of a marital union, cancelling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties involved. The One Legacy has taken the pain to know some of the prevalent reasons that is gradually turning up marriages in Nigeria into fun fare shows.

High Expectations
Men and women both make a lot of assumptions when it comes to marriage and what to expect from a marriage. These assumptions are based on many variables and problems arise when the outcome (marriage) doesn?t meet the assumptions or expectations.

If you expect perfection from other people, your whole life will be a series of disappointments, grumbling and complaints. If, on the contrary, you pitch your expectations low, taking folks as the inefficient creatures which they are, you are frequently surprised by having them perform better than you had hoped.

In relationships, many people have high expectations of their partners, and become disappointed when their loved ones do not live up to their expectations. Is common for a lady to fall in love with man because of his car and his nice mansion, the axiom is simple because she feels that man will take good care of her financially without excogitating the other recipes that makes a very good relationship. If the man short fall of that expectations, that is when the situation will start to perforate the happiness bag of the relationship.

Lies
A lot of men win the hearts of their ladies through lies and deceit that makes them also to pitch high expectation and is common to see a man making unachievable promises to a lady in the quest of wanting to marry her.

A lady once told me her husband promised to take her to Dubai for shopping after their marriage and he will also set a very big retail shop for her with workers around her, so this lady will expect all these promises to be fulfilled right after the marriage and if it turns out to be a lie, you can imagine where that marriage will be heading to.

This is common of men, instead of being real and communicate our true feelings and intent to our partners, we turn to swagger with our proposal; there is nothing like swaggering in marital home, after all you have nothing to hide again when both of you share one roof. Is better to win the heart of a woman with your true nature than using cosmetic means. Fake things don?t last and therefore if you happen to be a bachelor or a spinster, you go clean and honest when you are about to choose a partner for marriage.

Extravagance
The issue of unnecessary spending during marriage ceremony is an invincible hand that has the greatest chance of creating flaming atmosphere in the marital homes. The idiom that says ?cut your coat according to your size? should be the first guiding principle when thinking of how to celebrate your marriage, most couple end up piling debt when they refuse to listen to their inner feelings and capabilities rather than succumbing to external pressures.

In this case, women are always falling victim; they always want that special day in their life to be spectacular and very indelible. In life, every action you take has its own price you pay.

If you want to please people, you have a price for that, and if you will also want to swim within the realms of your resources you also have a price to pay, the tormenting price is the price you pay for pleasing people. I have witnessed several wedding ceremonies where money were lavishly spent, later you see these couple hopping from area to area looking for accommodation.

This mistake that served as the preface of our wedding history can go a long way to create discomfort and hatred especially if one of the couples pushed for that stylish and talk of town ceremony, this will degenerate into hatred and loss of trust.

It will also afflict hardship at the initial stages of the marriage as the couples go through unbearable moment of settling the debt, if this conflict is not managed at the early stage.

It will put the marriage in a state of jeopardy. We should learn to finance our marriage ceremonies within our financial strength so we can happily enjoy the marriage without necessary thinking of how to settle huge debts especially, at very early stages of your honeymoon.

Communication
People in loving marriages keep the relationship exciting and new through open communication. It?s easy to get caught up in the stresses of day-to-day life and for two people to lose sight of what made them fall in love in the first place.

Maintaining a strong connection through open communication keeps the bond of love strong in a marriage. Lack of communication can cause two people to drift apart and to feel like they?re just going through the motions in a marriage.

Many relationships failed because of poor communication. Many couples find it hard to express how they feel for each other. They don?t know how to verbalize their needs and they don?t know how to listen carefully. If you are one of those people, then it might be time to read some tips for an effective communication.

Be tactful. Before you even say something, you have to think about it. Is it something that you really have to tell your husband or wife? Do you really mean what you are going to say?

Pay attention. When your spouse wants to say something to you, you?ve got to listen very carefully. Don?t just pretend that you are listening.

Wait for your turn to talk and have some patience. When your spouse is talking, you need to listen first before you talk. Don?t interrupt the person. It?s a way of showing respect your partner.

Be honest about your feelings and thoughts. Don?t fabricate things to cover up your true emotions.

Find time to talk. No matter how busy you are with your jobs and kids (if you have any) you need to find the best time to talk. You need to talk to understand each other.

Express your resentments in a nice way. Don?t just keep it inside. Let the person know how you really feel. Don?t use silence as a weapon because it is deadly.

Communication is one of the keys to a better marriage. It is very important to be a good listener by giving your spouse your full attention and also expressing yourself in a healthy, honest and loving manner.

Be a student of your spouse. Know their likes and dislikes, their strengths and weaknesses, and their fears. Then, pray that God will show you how to show love and respect to your spouse accordingly.

Communication has taken most of my words because it is the prevalent factor that has caused a lot of marriages in Nigeria. I am not saying this is the absolute reason of divorce rate in the country; there are other unique reasons that are not so prevalent. Lack of proper communication creates insecurity in marriages and I can say this with a fact that, Marriages that hit rocks always start from negligence of good communication and the consequence of this gives birth to other factors that slowly usher the marriage onto the path of divorce.

Source-naijamayor

Related posts:

Source: http://www.weddingdigestnaija.com/a-must-read-causes-of-high-divorce-rate-in-nigeria/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-must-read-causes-of-high-divorce-rate-in-nigeria

david wilson playstation all stars battle royale quinton coples a.j. jenkins riley reiff david decastro travis pastrana

Clearest new pictures of immune cells

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Scientists have revealed new images which provide the clearest picture yet of how white blood immune cells attack viral infections and tumors.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/wkpdT9Y2NeM/130723181128.htm

von miller nate robinson ryan braun BBC Selena Gomez royal baby Dennis Farina

San Diego Mayor Is Sued by a Former Aide

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Source: www.nytimes.com --- Tuesday, July 23, 2013
A former communications director becomes the first woman to publicly accuse Mayor Bob Filner of sexually harassing her. ? ? ? ? ...

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/23/us/san-diego-mayor-is-sued-by-an-ex-aide.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

nashville predators king arthur king arthur there will be blood there will be blood nigel barker secret service

Judge: State lawsuits cannot block Detroit bankruptcy filing ?

Economy

Scott Cohn CNBC

3 hours ago

Paul Sancya / AP

Protesters carry a sign outside the Levin Federal Courthouse in Detroit, Wednesday, July 24, 2013.

Federal courts will decide if Detroit is eligible for what would be the largest municipal bankruptcy ever, a federal judge ruled Wednesday, suspending challenges to the Chapter 9 filing in state court.

Detroit's Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr?a bankruptcy expert appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder earlier this year to oversee Detroit's finances?has said the federal bankruptcy filing is necessary to get the city out from under some $18 billion in liabilities.

But the city's employee unions argued the bankruptcy is an end-run around the state constitution, which protects their pension benefits. The unions backed a series of lawsuits filed in Michigan courts to block the bankruptcy. Last week, Ingham County Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina ruled the bankruptcy filing unconstitutional, but a state appeals court put her ruling on hold, and Orr argued the federal court should make that stay indefinite.

The emergency manager said bankruptcy is a federal matter. A bankruptcy filing normally puts all other litigation on hold, but Orr's office asked the judge to extend that automatic stay to cover him and state officials, including the governor. Orr's attorneys acknowledged the request was unusual, but said "recent events"?the lawsuits in state court?made it necessary.

"That kind of activity has got to stop," city attorney Heather Lennox said. Lennox is a partner at Jones Day?Orr's former law firm?which is collecting millions of dollars in legal fees from the city.

But attorney Sharon Levine, representing the local council of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, said the federal bankruptcy code "is not there to enforce rights that do not exist."

The unions said framers of the Michigan constitution decided to guard public employee pensions because public pensions have no insurance protection, unlike private pensions, which are insured by the federal Pension Benefit Guarantee Corp.

"Here, there is no safety net," Levine said. She said nonuniformed employee pensions in Detroit are below $19,000 per year.

Attorney Robert Gordon, representing the police and fire pension funds, argued that because of the constitutional provision, the governor had no right to authorize the bankruptcy filing in the first place. As a result, Gordon said, the filing is "void," and it was premature to even be discussing it in federal court.

"The motions assume facts not in evidence," Gordon said.

(Read more: What's next for Detroit? Long court battle)

But the judge appeared unconvinced.

"How do you deal with the law that gives the bankruptcy court exclusive jurisdiction," Rhodes asked.

Gordon responded that there was no need to deal with the provision, because there was no valid bankruptcy filing to begin with.

Because of the intense interest in the largest municipal bankruptcy filing in U.S. history, the hearing was moved from Rhodes' normal courtroom to a much larger one across the street at the Theodore Levin Federal Courthouset. Many members of the public and the media were relegated to an overflow courtroom down the hall to view a video feed.

Outside the courthouse, a handful of protesters carried signs in support of the unions. One demonstrator played a recording of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech through a megaphone.

City firefighter Mark Jackson.said he came to the courthouse because so much is at stake.

"I am scared. Scared that I will lose my retirement. I'm scared for all of us," Jackson told CNBC.

(Read more: Detroit bankruptcy could hit millions of retirees)

But Orr and Snyder have repeatedly insisted that city pensions will not be cut entirely under a bankruptcy. In an interview before the hearing, Orr said the majority of the pensions are funded, but there remains a $3.5 billion shortfall?and the city has no way to make it up.

"The money's not there," Orr said.

Reuters contributed to this article.

? 2013 CNBC LLC. All Rights Reserved

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663286/s/2f1cac91/sc/2/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0Cjudge0Estate0Elawsuits0Ecannot0Eblock0Edetroit0Ebankruptcy0Efiling0E6C10A731655/story01.htm

jose canseco zimmerman derek fisher lyrid meteor shower hippocrates andrew breitbart penguins