US economy barely grew in Q4, but rebound likely

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The weakest quarter for the U.S. economy in nearly two years may end up being a temporary lull. Economists think growth has begun to pick up on the strength of a sustained housing recovery and a better job market.

The economy grew at an annual rate of just 0.1 percent from October from December, a government report Thursday showed. That's only slightly better than the Commerce Department's previous estimate that the economy shrank at a rate of 0.1 percent. And it's down from the 3.1 percent annual growth rate in the July-September quarter.

Economists said the weakness last quarter was caused by steep defense cuts and slower company restocking, which are volatile. Residential construction, consumer spending and business investment ? core drivers of growth ? all improved. Steady job growth will likely keep consumers spending, despite higher Social Security taxes that have cut into take-home pay.

Analysts think growth is picking up in the January-March quarter to a roughly 2 percent annual rate. The only impediment may be the across-the-board government spending cuts that kick in Friday ? especially if those cuts remain in place for months.

"I continue to have some optimism about the economy despite the efforts of Washington to kill it, because the labor market continues to improve," said Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisers

The latest indication of the job market's strength came Thursday in a government report that the number of Americans seeking weekly unemployment benefits fell 22,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 344,000.

Applications for unemployment have fallen steadily in recent months. The four-week average has declined nearly 11 percent since November. At the same time, employers added an average of 200,000 jobs a month from November through January. That was up from about 150,000 in the previous three months.

Naroff thinks the economy could grow at an annual rate of around 2 percent in the first quarter of 2013 and an even better rate of 4 percent in the April-June quarter. But he and other economists warn that lawmakers will slow growth if they fail to reach a budget agreement indefinitely. If the spending cuts last two weeks or longer, Naroff said they could shave a half-percentage point off first-quarter growth and a full percentage point off second-quarter growth.

Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist at Capital Economics, predicts growth could be as high as 2 percent in the current quarter. Alan Levenson, chief economist for T. Rowe Price, said growth could be as high as 2.5 percent.

Ashworth noted that a sharp decline in defense spending and slower business restocking subtracted 2.9 percentage points from growth in the fourth quarter. At the same time, consumer spending and business investment ? two key drivers of growth ? accelerated at the end of last year.

"We still believe that the fourth-quarter GDP figures were a lot better than the headline stagnation suggests," said Ashworth.

More jobs and ultra-low mortgage rates are helping the once-battered housing market recover. New-home sales jumped 16 percent to their highest level in 4? years in January.

At the same time, the number of new homes available for sale remains near record lows. That means builders will likely have to start construction on more homes and apartments to keep up with demand. That should create more construction jobs.

Home prices also rose in December compared with the same month a year ago by the most in more than six years. Rising home values contribute to the housing recovery and the broader economy. They encourage more people to buy before prices rise further. Higher prices also build homeowners' wealth, which can spur more spending and economic growth.

Businesses and consumers are also showing greater confidence despite automatic spending cuts scheduled to take effect on Friday. A measure of consumer confidence rebounded in February after a sharp fall the previous month that likely was a result of the tax increase.

Companies, meanwhile, sharply increased orders in January for a category of long-lasting manufactured goods that reflect their investment plans. That suggests they are confident about their business prospects.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-economy-barely-grew-q4-rebound-likely-193356964--finance.html

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Video: Caroline Kennedy considered for ambassadorship

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Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50986832/

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Evaluating Benefits 101 - Small Business CEO

The current business environment is a difficult one. While businesses are still seeking to expand, prudent business executives and owners are also looking to economize in every way possible. These cost-cutting efforts will affect every department in a company, especially HR, as most companies spend the largest part of their revenue on salaries and wages.

Not only will salaries and wages be tightly controlled but the depth and range of benefits packages will also be reconsidered every year. Lessening benefits and thus lowering premiums may seem the most obvious way to achieve savings but there are hidden costs that should also be considered before reducing a company?s benefits package. These hidden costs involve the recruiting, hiring and training of employees and can have a significant effect on the financial health and bottom line of a company.

Lower Premiums Don?t Necessarily Mean Lessened Benefits

It seems an almost immutable law of the business world that if a company or its employees pay less in premiums that it will receive less in benefits. While this notion is typical, utilizing an outsource HR vendor or Professional Employer Organization (PEO) can change the dynamics for the better.

In many cases, an HR vendor can, because of economies of scale, reduce administrative costs and thus reduce premiums to some degree. More importantly, an outsourced HR vendor brings consolidated purchasing power to their negotiations with insurance companies. Since the HR vendor represents many companies and therefore many employees, they can achieve significant reductions in premium costs without negatively affecting the benefit packages.

Lessened Benefits DO Mean Lower Quality Candidates

For many employees, especially younger ones, the allure of benefits pales in comparison to the salary or wage associated with a job. However, there are many, more mature employees who recognize the advantages of a well-designed and affordable benefits package.

A business owner or executive should recognize that people choose a job for specific reasons, and are not always entirely focused on which employer offers them the highest salary. While a superior benefits package may not always entice a higher quality employee to apply, a meager one can unintentionally deter many highly qualified potential applicants.

Superior Benefits Packages Attract and RETAIN More Qualified Applicants

More qualified applicants mean more qualified hires. In general, these employees are secure in their positions, and are more likely to train faster, stay longer, and be more productive. The savings in ?soft? costs that accrue due to higher employee morale and lowered turnover should not be underestimated. A superior benefits package can be instrumental in perfecting this aspect of the human resources equation.

Similarly, more highly qualified employees are most likely more familiar with the rules and regulations that affect their job, and are therefore more likely to follow company policy. In short, they are less likely to err when it comes to business laws, regulations, or company procedures. The result is lower workplace accidents, fines, and penalties levied by governmental agencies, and fewer harassment or other types of lawsuits. While not entirely an issue for some business niches, it is a significant benefit in many fields.

A Menu Plan Can Keep Benefits Affordable for Everyone

The multi-generational composition of most workforces demands that a company?s benefits package allow for customization. Different time-off options, medical benefits, educational opportunities, and other features can be chosen from a benefits menu, and unwanted options can simply be declined. The result is a benefits package that more closely fits the needs of every employee and also significantly reduces premiums.

For example, singles are more interested in investment options, families need the best health care plans, and seniors are probably looking for both. The only affordable way to accommodate these individual needs is to provide a menu plan. Even the simple expedient of offering separate medical, dental, and vision plans can make a difference to certain categories of applicants.

In short, the ability to ?pick and choose? from a variety of benefits options allows your company to attract the broadest range of top tier candidates while keeping those benefits affordable for both the potential employees and your company.

Benefits Can be the Tiebreaker

While a good benefits package may not overcome a significantly deficient compensation package, it can mean the difference between candidates choosing your company?s total compensation package over another?s. This fact presides in every business environment, good or bad.

At times there may be a glut of applicants, but the best talent is always in demand. A superior benefits package will attract them and, even more importantly, keep them from leaving after you have invested time and energy in their recruitment, hiring, and development.

In the same vein, properly trained and developed employees are less likely to run afoul of company policies or government regulations, saving the company time, expenses, and possibly an otherwise excellent employee. Lastly, a superior benefits package engenders better morale and a more productive workforce.

The Result

Each of the relatively intangible factors will considerably diminish the ?soft? costs to a company. The CFO may not be able to point to a line item where the savings appear, but the results will show on the bottom line.

This fact, when coupled with the great possibility that premiums can be kept constant or reduced, is a very strong incentive for a business owner or HR executive to examine the possibilities offered by an outsourced HR vendor or Professional Employer Organization.

About The Guest Author: Carolyn Sokol is a founder of PEOcompare.com and a frequent contributor to compareHRIS.com, both of which help match businesses to the right HR or payroll service provider for their particular needs. Her background is in marketing and communications, employee education and training, development of policies and procedures and the ongoing delivery of outstanding customer service.

Benefits Photo via Shutterstock

Source: http://www.smbceo.com/2013/02/27/evaluating-benefits/

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Sequester Threatens University Research Funding And Federal Student Aid

The impending federal budget cuts known as the sequester, which will go into effect on Friday without action by Congress, are poised to have a significantly negative effect on both public and private universities nationwide. Some forms of federal student aid and funding for a variety of research programs are likely to find themselves on the chopping block, according to the White House and university administrators.

Several critical revenue streams for universities are at risk: The National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and the National Endowment for the Humanities are all subject to cuts that fall within both the 7.6 percent cut to mandatory spending and the 8.2 percent cut to discretionary spending.

Students' tuition rates won't go up, and Pell Grants are protected; but the federal work-study program and other scholarship sources, like the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, would be subject to the 8.2 percent cut.

Some examples of how that breaks down, according to the White House: 4,720 low-income students in Texas would lose federal financial aid; an estimated 2,370 college students in Iowa will lose federal college aid; 4,520 low-income college students in New York would lose money; 6,250 Florida low-income students and 9,600 in California would get hit.

A White House fact sheet issued on Feb. 8 estimated that "several thousand researchers could lose their jobs," and the National Science Foundation would issue nearly 1,000 fewer research grants. The White House warned some projects with reduced funding would "need to be cancelled, putting prior year investments at risk."

"Sequestration is a reckless and blunt tool," Peter McPherson, president of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, told the Chronicle of Higher Education. "It would have severe, long-term impacts that would put our nation at an extreme disadvantage for years to come."

With the loss of these federal grants, undergraduate research assistants would likely be the first to get cut, University of Washington vice provost for research Mary Lidstrom told Oregon Public Broadcasting.

That has Harvard Medical School executive dean of research William W. Chin worried. Chin warned earlier this month at a rally that "a generation of scientists could be lost in a period of profound funding reduction."

Although Harvard University has the largest endowment by far, they depend on federal dollars for 60 percent of research funding. With the sequester looming and after years of flat funding, Harvard has already begun to scale back its research, the Crimson reports.

"The bottom line for us is that there is a tremendous amount of uncertainty about what will happen if sequestration goes into effect," Harvard provost Alan M. Garber told the Crimson. "We expect, regardless of whether Congress averts the fiscal cliff or not, that there will be serious long-term cuts in research spending, in real terms and in nominal terms."

For public universities already dealing with years of declining state financial support, these cuts represent huge sums of money, and it's unlikely that schools will be able to compensate for the shortfall that results from the sequester.

Because it's unclear how the research cuts would play out and which initiatives would actually lose money, school officials can only speculate as to its consequences. What they do know: People working in their labs will be sent home, and that will have a ripple effect for both the science and the economy.

Information Technology and Innovation Foundation estimates the overall economic cost from cutting federal research spending would be between $203 billion and $860 billion over the next nine years.

For example, a report from the Arizona Board of Regents found the state's three public universities generated more than $1 billion in economic activity last year alone as a result of their research.

"Faculty bring in grants. They hire people. Those people buy houses and shop for groceries, and so on," University of Arizona senior vice president for research Dr. Leslie Tolbert told KOLD. "The impact is the creation of a research industry really within the university. So the impact on jobs, on workforce is going to be significant."

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/27/sequester-university-research_n_2768501.html

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Getting Creative: Top Seven Sparkling Wine Cocktails to Serve at ...

What stag party would be complete without at least one round of cocktails? Teach the groom to flip like Tom Cruise, get in a mixologist for the evening to impress your friends, or just crack out a cocktail book and go for your life. However you choose to do it, there?s a certain moment in any stag party when nothing will do but that there?s a glass of something fizzy and brightly coloured in everyone?s hand.

So ??what are the most popular cocktails to make using sparkling wine? Well, that all depends on how dangerous everyone?s feeling?

?

1: The Real Deal Tequila Slammer

Most people think a tequila slammer is a shot of tequila done with salt and lemon. It?s not. That?s technically known as a tequila shot.

No ??a real deal tequila slammer is a shot of agave liquor slammed in a measure of sparkling wine. The original cocktail calls for champagne but you can work just as well with a Cava or a Prosecco. In fact, given the expected results of having more than one of these (think Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster), using sparkling wine is probably just as well.

The method is simple. Using a heavy tumbler, add one measure of fizz and dump in the shot. Cover the glass with your hand, rap on the bar and drink immediately. The tequila goes into the bubbles and hits the bloodstream quickly ??so be careful?

?

2: Black Velvet

It?s easy to make and a hot favourite with Guinness drinkers in particular. The Black Velvet is essentially stout (normally Guinness) and fizz in the same glass. The fizz is floated on top of the stout to give a two layered appearance.

Note ??to float one drink on top of another, the second liquid is poured slowly over the back of a teaspoon. In a Black Velvet, the stout is added first, then the fizz, in a champagne flute.

?

3: The Champagne Cocktail

This is the original movie-buff?s cocktail, and a classic still. Start by swirling a small measure of Angostura bitters around a flute. Pour the bitters away. Add champagne or sparkling wine, a pinch of sugar and float a maraschino cherry in the liquid. It?s what every9one drinks at Rick?s in?Casablanca.

?

4: Bellini

Peachy, that?s the word for this one. Literally. Everything about the Bellini, with the exception of the champagne of course, is derived from peaches: cr?me de peche, fresh skinned peach and (if you can find it) peach bitters). If you can?t get peach bitters normal bitters will do.

Start by blending one quarter of a fresh, skinned peach and putting the resulting slop in the bottom of a champagne flute. Add a dash of bitters and a single measure of cr?me de peche. Top to the rim with bubbles and drop a peach ball in to finish.

?

5: Champagne Charlie

Easy to make, fiendishly strong and having the added attraction of being named after a legendary traveller and champagne magnate, a Champagne Charlie is basically apricot brandy and fizz in a champagne flute. Brandy first, then chilled champers, preferably served in a flute that?s been in the fridge.

?

6: Kir Royale

Similar to the Champagne Charlie but made with blackcurrant liqueur instead of apricot brandy, the Kir Royale is dark and sweet. A Kir without the Royale is made using white wine instead of champagne; while a Kir Imperiale can only be made with Dom Perignon. The ratio is the same in all cases: one part blackcurrant liqueur (cr?me de cassis) to four parts wine.

?

7: The French 75

Easy and classic, this is more like a sparkling martini than anything else. It uses a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Add one and a half measures of gin, the juice of half a lemon and a half teaspoon of icing sugar. Shake and strain into a flute. Top up with fizz.

Source: http://maincourse101.com/getting-creative-top-seven-sparkling-wine-cocktails-to-serve-at-the-stag-party/

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Humidity could save you from the flu, study says

You may be safer from the flu in a humid room than in a dry one, according to a new study from researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To simulate flu transmission in a health care setting, the researchers used "coughing" and "breathing" mannequins that were placed about 6 feet apart. Flu virus particles were released during a "cough," and devices throughout the room and near each "breathing" mannequin's mouth captured the particles. The particles were then collected and tested for their ability to infect human cells.

At humidity levels of 23 percent, 70 to 77 percent of the flu virus particles were still able to cause an infection an hour after the coughing simulation. But when humidity levels were raised to 43 percent, just 14 percent of the virus particles had the ability to infect. Most of the flu particles became inactive 15 minutes after they were released into the humid air. "The virus just falls apart," at high humidity levels, said study researcher John Noti, of the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

High humidity was just as detrimental to small flu particles as large ones. That's important because small flu particles tend to hang in the air for a longer time, while large particles fall to the ground, Noti said.

Researchers already knew that humidity levels affect flu transmission . One reason flu transmission is thought to be lower during the summer months is because of the high humidity. But the new study more directly assessed how humidity levels might affect flu transmission in a health care setting, and also took into account flu particle size, said study researcher Donald Beezhold, also of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

During the summer months, it's pretty easy for indoor humidity levels to be up to 30 to 40 percent, Noti said. But during the winter months it's harder because indoor heating dries out the air, he said. [See Does A Warmer World Mean Less Flu?]

Raising the humidity level of a whole building could be a challenge. But the findings suggest that hospitals might consider raising humidity levels in certain rooms where there might be a high risk for flu transmission, or in rooms with patients who are particularly vulnerable to the flu, such as the intensive care unit (ICU), Noti said.

However, humidity levels should not be too high, because mold starts to grow, Noti said.

The new study is published today (Feb. 27) in the journal PLOS ONE.

Pass it on: The flu virus is less infective at in rooms with higher humidity levels.

Follow Rachael Rettner on Twitter @RachaelRettner, or MyHealthNewsDaily @MyHealth_MHND. We're also on Facebook & Google+.

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

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/higher-humidity-lowers-flu-transmission-235810475.html

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Muscle, skin and gastrointestinal problems cause a quarter of patients with heart disease and strokes to stop treatment in HPS2-THRIVE trial

Feb. 27, 2013 ? The largest randomised study of the vitamin niacin in patients with occlusive arterial disease (narrowing of the arteries) has shown a significant increase in adverse side-effects when it is combined with statin treatment.

Results from the HPS2-THRIVE study (Heart Protection Study 2 -- Treatment of HDL to Reduce the Incidence of Vascular Events), including the reasons patients stopped the study treatment, are published online February 27 in the European Heart Journal [1].

Niacin has been used for decades to help increase levels of "good" HDL cholesterol and to decrease levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (fats) in the blood in people at risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and stroke. However, it has a number of side-effects including flushing of the skin. Another drug, laropiprant, can reduce the incidence of flushing by blocking the prostaglandin D2 receptor that is involved in the process. Therefore, the HPS2-THRIVE study investigated whether combining extended-release niacin with laropiprant (ERN/LRPT), given in addition to an LDL cholesterol-lowering statin, simvastatin, could reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems in people at high risk due to existing occlusive arterial disease.

A total of 25,673 patients from China, the UK and Scandinavia were randomised between April 2007 and July 2010 to receive either 2g of extended release niacin plus 40 mg of laropiprant or matching placebo. In addition, all participants received intensive LDL cholesterol-lowering therapy with simvastatin (with or without ezetimibe). Researchers from the Clinical Trial Service Unit & Epidemiological Studies Unit (CTSU) at the University of Oxford (UK), who were responsible for designing and conducting the trial and analysing the results, followed the patients for an average of 3.9 years.

By the end of the study, 25% of patients taking ERN/LRPT had stopped their treatment, compared with 17% of patients taking placebo.

Jane Armitage, Professor of Clinical Trials and Epidemiology & Honorary Consultant in Public Health Medicine at the CTSU, said: "The main reason for patients stopping the treatment was because of adverse side-effects, such as itching, rashes, flushing, indigestion, diarrhea, diabetes and muscle problems. We found that patients allocated to the experimental treatment were four times more likely to stop for skin-related reasons, and twice as likely to stop because of gastrointestinal problems or diabetes-related problems.

"We found that, in the trial as a whole, participants in the experimental arm had a more than four-fold increased risk of myopathy (muscle pain or weakness with evidence of muscle damage) compared with the placebo group. This is highly significant. It appeared that this effect was about three times greater among participants in China than those in Europe, for reasons that are not clear. In the placebo arm (i.e. those on statin-based treatment alone), the statin-related myopathy was more common among participants in China than those in Europe. Therefore -- in combination with the greater effect of ERN/LRPT on myopathy in China -- the excess number of cases of myopathy caused by ERN/LRPT (though low in both regions) was over ten times greater among participants in China than those in Europe (0.53 percent per year compared to 0.03 percent per year)."

Dr Richard Haynes, Clinical Coordinator at the CTSU, said: "This is the largest randomised trial of extended release niacin treatment and it provides uniquely reliable results on adverse side-effects and the ability of patients to tolerate them. Although 25 percent of patients stopped the treatment early, 75 percent continued on it for approximately four years. Currently, we are analysing the final data on the cardiovascular outcomes from the trial, and once we have these we will know whether or not the benefits of the treatment outweigh the myopathy, skin and gastrointestinal problems."

The researchers will be presenting full results on the cardiovascular outcomes at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology in March and these will be published in another paper afterwards [2].

The co-principal investigator of the study, Dr Martin Landray, Reader in Epidemiology and Honorary Consultant Physician at the CTSU, said: "Previous research had suggested that improving cholesterol levels in high-risk patients might translate into a 10-15 percent reduction in major vascular events such as heart attacks and strokes. In the HPS2-THRIVE study, 3,400 of the 25,673 participants suffered a major vascular event over an average of four years of follow-up. This means the study has excellent statistical power to discover the effectiveness or otherwise of the treatment."

In an accompanying editorial [3], Professor Ulf Landmesser, of the University Hospital Zurich (Switzerland), points out that although the study showed an increase in myopathy, it also showed that the ERN/LRPT substantially lowered LDL cholesterol and triglycerides by nearly 20%. He writes that these observations "raise important questions as to why niacin/laropiprant did not reduce major cardiovascular events," and he wonders whether laropiprant "is really biologically inert with respect to atherosclerosis and thrombosis."

He concludes that "niacin has failed as a valuable 'partner' of statin therapy in lipid-targeted approaches to further reduce major cardiovascular events in high-risk patients." He continues: "At present, statin therapy has been clearly shown to reduce vascular events effectively and is reasonable well tolerated in most patients. We will still have to wait for the results of ? ongoing studies to see whether another lipid-targeted intervention can further reduce vascular events in addition to statin therapy."

Notes:

[1] "HPS2-THRIVE randomized placebo-controlled trial in 25 673 high-risk patients of ER niacin/laropiprant: trial design, pre-specified muscle, and liver outcomes and reasons for stopping study treatment," by Richard Haynes, Lixin Jiang, Jemma C. Hopewell, Jing Li, Fang Chen, Sarah Parish, Martin J. Landray, Rory Collins, and Jane Armitage, The HPS2-THRIVE Collaborative Group. European Heart Journal.

[2] In December 2012 the pharmaceutical company Merck, which manufactures ERN/LRPT under the trade name Tredaptive and which funded the HSP2-THRIVE study, issued a statement saying the trial had failed to meet its primary endpoint and that "the combination of extended-release niacin and laropiprant to statin therapy did not significantly further reduce the risk of the combination of coronary deaths, non-fatal heart attacks, strokes or revascularizations compared to statin therapy." ERN/LRPT is not approved for use in the USA, and on January 11, Merck announced that it was "taking steps to suspend the availability of TREDAPTIVE? (extended-release niacin/laropiprant) tablets worldwide."

[3] "The difficult search for a 'partner' of statins in lipid-targeted prevention of vascular events: the re-emergence and fall of niacin," by Ulf Landmesser. European Heart Journal. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/eht064

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by European Society of Cardiology (ESC), via AlphaGalileo.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Richard Haynes, Lixin Jiang, Jemma C. Hopewell, Jing Li, Fang Chen, Sarah Parish, Martin J. Landray, Rory Collins, and Jane Armitage, The HPS2-THRIVE Collaborative Group. HPS2-THRIVE randomized placebo-controlled trial in 25 673 high-risk patients of ER niacin/laropiprant: trial design, pre-specified muscle, and liver outcomes and reasons for stopping study treatment. European Heart Journal, 2013 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/eht055

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/health_medicine/heart_disease/~3/Evx6aULTeDo/130226193840.htm

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PST: US U-20 men beat Canada, qualify for WC

Final verdict for U.S. under-20 men?s national team in its drive for redemption, after the notorious qualification failure for the FIFA U-20 World Cup last time out: not the best performance in the world, and not exactly pretty, but job done.

Tab Ramos? young bunch of Yanks downed Canada tonight in Mexico, 4-2, qualifying for this summer?s FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Turkey.

The CONCACAF qualifying tournament goes on, but this was the money match; all four quarterfinal winners move on Turkey.

While the run has been less-than-perfect, Ramos? side has managed to improve each time out, which is certainly something to take away from the team?s trip into Mexico. Further credit, too, for not getting undone by Canada?s 23^rd-minute goal Tuesday.

U.S. attacker Luis Gil was strong once again, recording the equalizer six minutes after Canada?s first-half strike. We told you about him earlier today on the blog, about this being a big year for the young man at Real Salt Lake.

The LA Galaxy?s Jose Villarreal had two goals for the United States.

Source: http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/26/united-states-qualifies-for-summer-u-20-world-cup-in-turkey/related/

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Senate to vote on moving ahead on Hagel nod

FILE - In this Jan. 31, 2013, file photo, Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. A deeply divided Senate is moving toward a vote on President Barack Obama?s contentious choice of Chuck Hagel to head the Defense Department, with the former Republican senator on track to win confirmation after a protracted political fight. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, file)

FILE - In this Jan. 31, 2013, file photo, Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. A deeply divided Senate is moving toward a vote on President Barack Obama?s contentious choice of Chuck Hagel to head the Defense Department, with the former Republican senator on track to win confirmation after a protracted political fight. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, file)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A deeply divided Senate is moving toward a vote on President Barack Obama's contentious choice of Chuck Hagel to head the Defense Department, with the former Republican senator on track to win confirmation after a protracted political fight.

Twelve days after Republicans stalled the nomination, the Senate was slated to vote Tuesday on proceeding with the Hagel selection after GOP lawmakers signaled late Monday they would end their delaying tactics. If Hagel gets the necessary votes, it would just be a matter of time for a simple up-or-down vote, although Republicans could insist on the maximum 30 hours of debate before a final vote.

If confirmed, Hagel would succeed Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and join Obama's retooled national security team just days before automatic, across-the-board budget cuts hit the Pentagon.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., said he was optimistic about the vote's outcome and said it was critical for the Senate to act quickly.

"Given sequestration, it's really important that we have a secretary of defense who is in place when that hits, if it hits," Levin told reporters Monday. "I want to still say 'if' because I'm a perennial optimist."

Hagel's nomination bitterly split the Senate, with Republicans turning on their former GOP colleague and Democrats standing by Obama's nominee.

The president got no points with the GOP for tapping the former two-term senator and twice-wounded Vietnam combat veteran. Republican lawmakers excoriated Hagel over his past statements and votes. They argued that he was too critical of Israel and too compromising with Iran. They cast the Nebraskan as a radical far out of the mainstream.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., clashed with his onetime friend over his opposition to President George W. Bush's decision to send an extra 30,000 troops to Iraq in 2007 at a point when the war seemed in danger of being lost. Hagel, who voted to authorize military force in Iraq, later opposed the conflict, comparing it to Vietnam and arguing that it shifted the focus from Afghanistan.

McCain called Hagel unqualified for the Pentagon job even though he once described him as fit for a Cabinet post.

Republicans also challenged Hagel about a May 2012 study that he co-authored for the advocacy group Global Zero, which called for an 80 percent reduction of U.S. nuclear weapons and the eventual elimination of all the world's nuclear arms.

The group argued that with the Cold War over, the United States can reduce its total nuclear arsenal to 900 without sacrificing security. Currently, the U.S. and Russia have about 5,000 warheads each, either deployed or in reserve. Both countries are on track to reduce their deployed strategic warheads to 1,550 by 2018, the number set in the New START treaty that the Senate ratified in December 2010.

In an echo of the 2012 presidential campaign, Hagel faced an onslaught of criticism by well-funded, Republican-leaning outside groups that labeled the former senator "anti-Israel" and pressured senators to oppose the nomination. The groups ran television and print ads criticizing Hagel.

Opponents were particularly incensed by Hagel's use of the term "Jewish lobby" to refer to pro-Israel groups. He apologized, saying he should have used another term and should not have said those groups have intimidated members of the Senate into favoring actions contrary to U.S. interests.

The nominee spent weeks reaching out to members of the Senate, meeting individually with lawmakers to address their concerns and seeking to reassure them about his policies.

Hagel's halting and inconsistent performance during some eight hours of testimony at this confirmation hearing last month undercut his cause, but it wasn't a fatal blow.

There was no erosion in Democratic support for the president's choice and Hagel had the backing of three Republicans ? Sens. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Mike Johanns of Nebraska and Richard Shelby of Alabama. Other Republicans were reluctant to block a president's Cabinet choice from getting an up-or-down vote, fearing the precedent.

Democrats hold a 55-45 edge in the Senate, more than enough to confirm Hagel on a majority vote.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-02-26-US-Hagel/id-671af6ea3c324a4fad22ca7f01134d2e

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Researchers test holographic technique for restoring vision

Feb. 26, 2013 ? Researchers led by biomedical engineering Professor Shy Shoham of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology are testing the power of holography to artificially stimulate cells in the eye, with hopes of developing a new strategy for bionic vision restoration.

Computer-generated holography, they say, could be used in conjunction with a technique called optogenetics, which uses gene therapy to deliver light-sensitive proteins to damaged retinal nerve cells. In conditions such as Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) -- a condition affecting about one in 4000 people in the United States -- these light-sensing cells degenerate and lead to blindness.

"The basic idea of optogenetics is to take a light-sensitive protein from another organism, typically from algae or bacteria, and insert it into a target cell, and that photosensitizes the cell," Shoham explained.

Intense pulses of light can activate nerve cells newly sensitized by this gene therapy approach. But Shoham said researchers around the world are still searching for the best way to deliver the light patterns so that the retina "sees" or responds in a nearly normal way.

The plan is to someday develop a prosthetic headset or eyepiece that a person could wear to translate visual scenes into patterns of light that stimulate the genetically altered cells.

In their paper in the Feb. 26 issue of Nature Communications, the Technion researchers show how light from computer-generated holography could be used to stimulate these repaired cells in mouse retinas. The key, they say, is to use a light stimulus that is intense, precise, and can trigger activity across a variety of cells all at once.

"Holography, what we're using, has the advantage of being relatively precise and intense," Shoham said. "And you need those two things to see."

The researchers turned to holography after exploring other options, including laser deflectors and digital displays used in many portable projectors to stimulate these cells. Both methods had their drawbacks, Shoham said.

Digital light displays can stimulate many nerve cells at once, "but they have low light intensity and very low light efficiency," Shoham said. The genetically repaired cells are less sensitive to light than normal healthy retinal cells, so they preferably need a bright light source like a laser to be activated.

"Lasers give intensity, but they can't give the parallel projection" that would simultaneously stimulate all of the cells needed to see a complete picture, Shoham noted. "Holography is a way of getting the best of both worlds."

The researchers have tested the potential of holographic stimulation in retinal cells in the lab, and have done some preliminary work with the technology in living mice with damaged retinal cells. The experiments show that holography can provide reliable and simultaneous stimulation of multiple cells at millisecond speeds.

But implementing a holographic prosthesis in humans is far in the future, Shoham cautioned.

His team is exploring other ways, aside from optogenetics, to activate damaged nerve cells. For instance, they are also experimenting with ultrasound for activating retinal and brain tissue.

And Shoham said holography itself "also provides a very interesting path toward three-dimensional stimulation, which we don't use so much in the retina, but is very interesting in other projects where it allow us to stimulate 3-D brain tissue."

In mid-February, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first artificial retina and retinal prosthesis, which works in a different fashion than the Technion project. The FDA-approved device, the Argus II, uses an artificial "retina" consisting of electrodes, and a glasses-like prosthesis to transmit light signals to the electrodes.

"I think Shy's lab is very smart to pursue many methods of restoring vision," said Eyal Margalit, a retinal disease specialist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He said researchers around the world are also looking for ways to use stem cells to replace damaged retinal cells, to transplant entire layers of healthy retinal cells, and in some cases "bypass the eye entirely, and stimulate the cortex of the brain directly" to restore lost vision.

Shoham's co-authors on the paper included Dr. Inna Reutsky-Gefen, Lior Golan, Dr. Nairouz Farah, Adi Schejter, Limor Tsur, and Dr. Inbar Brosh.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Technion Society. The original article was written by Kevin Hattori.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Inna Reutsky-Gefen, Lior Golan, Nairouz Farah, Adi Schejter, Limor Tsur, Inbar Brosh, Shy Shoham. Holographic optogenetic stimulation of patterned neuronal activity for vision restoration. Nature Communications, 2013; 4: 1509 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2500

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/strange_science/~3/G1QOPaftAZc/130226134259.htm

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Treat malware as biology to know it better

Hal Hodson, technology reporter

Classifying different kinds of malware is notoriously hard, but crucial if computer defences are to keep up with the ever-evolving ecosystem of malicious programs. Treating computer viruses as biological puzzle could help computer scientists get a better handle on the wide world of malware.?

Ajit Narayanan and Yi Chen at the Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, converted the signatures of 120 worms and viruses into an amino acid representation. The signatures are more usually presented in hexadecimals - a base-16 numbering system which uses the digits 0 to 9 as well as the letters a to f - but the amino acid "alphabet" is better suited to machine-learning techniques that can analyse a piece of code to figure out whether it matches a known malware signature.

Generally, malware experts identify and calculate the signatures of new malware, but it can be hard for them keep up. While machine learning can help, it is limited because the hexadecimal signatures can be different lengths: Narayanan's team found that using machine learning to help classify the hexadecimal malware signatures resulted in accuracy no better than flipping a coin.

But some techniques used in bioinformatics for comparing amino acid sequences take differing lengths into account. After applying these to malware, Narayanan's average accuracy for classifying the signatures automatically using machine learning rose to 85 per cent.

Biology might help in other ways too. Narayanan notes that if further study shows malware evolution follows some of the same rules as amino acids and proteins, our knowledge of biological systems could be used to help fight it.

Journal reference: arXiv:1302.3668

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/28ee8ddf/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Conepercent0C20A130C0A20Cmalware0Ebiology0Bhtml0Dcmpid0FRSS0QNSNS0Q20A120EGLOBAL0Qonline0Enews/story01.htm

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Insert Coin semifinalist: Ziphius is a smartphone-controlled aquatic drone

Who doesn't want a little aquatic drone to call their own? Azorean's Ziphius is a partially submerged device that can be controlled via iOS or Android smartphone or tablet. There's an on-board HD camera that offers up visuals to give the user a first-person view both above and below the water. Azorean plans to open the API on the vehicle and software to let developers create all manner of games and apps that'll harness augmented reality. Inside of the drone, you'll find a Raspberry Pi, an Ardunio-based plate and two differential motors. The company's promising intuitive handling and even a bit of autonomy with the Ziphius.

By why talk about it, when we can play you some videos of the little guy in action? You'll find those after the break.

Check out the full list of Insert Coin: New Challengers semifinalists here -- and don't forget to pick a winner!

Comments

Source: My Ziphius

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

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How would you sell your family on a Disney cruise ... - PassPorter.com

Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below. To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link. If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.

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Yesterday, 04:39 PM	? #1 (permalink)
? Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Cleveland OH Posts: 257	How would you sell your family on a Disney cruise? Hello all! I've just received word from my family that they want to take a cruise in 2015. I'm the planner and researcher in the family so it's been left up to me to do the dirty work. I'm also the disney fanatic and although they make fun of me I'm hoping to convert at least some family to disney. So my question is, how would you sell a disney cruise over the other cruise lines? I'm a cruise newbie but my uncle (instigated this idea) has cruised on princess cruise line and wants to use them again. How would you lure him over? Any help, hints, tricks, or advice is greatly appreciated. I'm starting by ordering a DCL DVD and I will order a passporter for DCL after I get our trip later this yet set. The people going on this cruise will be: me, 31 (all ages are at time of cruise) DBF 36 and DS 12, my dad 51 and his girlfriend 63, uncle 61, sister and brother in law 33 ad any future kiddos of theirs (we are really hoping they get pregnant soon!). We will probably go spring break 2015 or summer 2015 but we are flexible since DS won't be in high school yet. TIA everyone!
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Yesterday, 05:54 PM	? #2 (permalink)
? Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: St. Louis Posts: 1,637	Tell them that since you've been elected to plan, you've decided to make it easy on yourself, you're going with DCL Seriously, I'd look for the various reviews of DCL done by Travel & Leisure, Conde Nast etc. and share them with your family. DCL always ranks way up there. I think DCL offers a great cruise experience. Quality all the way. The ships are beautiful. We've not been disappointed with the service or food on any of our cruises. I think DCL makes it easy with rotational dining and just the right amount of choices of activities, shopping opportunities etc. I appreciate not having to sort through too many choices while on vacation. The shows are broadway quality. There's plenty for adults to do on their own, for the families to do together and for the kiddos to do. One thing that I think is a positive is DCL only has 4 ships to look after, maintain, staff etc. There's also the few little details like the magical horn, being introduced when you board, the fireworks (unless you're doing AK), the unique dinner show in Animator's Palate, the rotational dining allows you to know your servers and them to know you. One thing we appreciate is no casinos on board. We also like the fact that DCL is a more family oriented cruise so that takes any "partiers" off. Most beverages are available to you 24/7 eliminating the need to figure out will you get the most use out of a soda card, coffee card, juice/tea card. I think you'll get lots of feedback here. Good luck, hope things go your way. __________________ My Previous Trips 4 M.K. visits 70s/80s, Epcot '88 & '90, M.K. June '04; M.K., A.K., Cont. March '05; M.K. June '05; Epcot, MGM, M.K. Yacht Club March '06; M.K., June '06; Wonder 4 nights, March '07; M.K., Grand Floridian, June '07; M.K., Epcot, Studios, Yacht Club, March '08, M.K. & A.K.L. June '08; the Wonder, March '09, the Poly June '09; G.F. March '10, W.L. '10; W.L. March '11; A.K.L. June '11; Alaska July 2011; W.L., March '12; GF, June '12; Fantasy/Western, March '13
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Yesterday, 08:39 PM	? #3 (permalink)
? Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 6,589	Quote: Tell them that since you've been elected to plan, you've decided to make it easy on yourself, you're going with DCL Seriously, I'd look for the various reviews of DCL done by Travel & Leisure, Conde Nast etc. and share them with your family. DCL always ranks way up there. I think DCL offers a great cruise experience. Quality all the way. The ships are beautiful. We've not been disappointed with the service or food on any of our cruises. I think DCL makes it easy with rotational dining and just the right amount of choices of activities, shopping opportunities etc. I appreciate not having to sort through too many choices while on vacation. The shows are broadway quality. There's plenty for adults to do on their own, for the families to do together and for the kiddos to do. One thing that I think is a positive is DCL only has 4 ships to look after, maintain, staff etc. There's also the few little details like the magical horn, being introduced when you board, the fireworks (unless you're doing AK), the unique dinner show in Animator's Palate, the rotational dining allows you to know your servers and them to know you. One thing we appreciate is no casinos on board. We also like the fact that DCL is a more family oriented cruise so that takes any "partiers" off. Most beverages are available to you 24/7 eliminating the need to figure out will you get the most use out of a soda card, coffee card, juice/tea card. I think you'll get lots of feedback here. Good luck, hope things go your way. We also like that that smoking areas are pretty defined and out, there really is something for everyone to do regardless of age (and you can do things together), the service is really second to none, and the food is fantastic. It really is worth the money. __________________ -Mary Ann - Mad for the Mouse My PassPorter Bookshelf
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Today, 01:35 AM	? #4 (permalink)
? Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Maidstone, Kent, UK Concierge Level: 7 Posts: 137,558	How ironic - I've just been covering persuasion skills in my management course. It's all straightforward, common sense stuff, but the basic idea is to look at what they might want and play to that, as everyone wants to know "what's in it for me?" Perhaps the adults would like the idea of being able to use the adult only areas? Perhaps the kids love the idea of characters being on board? If you can try and find things that will appeal to them, you'll have much more chance of success. Equally, if you can work out what barriers they might put up, then you can tackle those and come up with arguments to deal with them. For example, they might think Disney's expensive compared to other cruise lines (true) but if you can explain what you get on board Disney for the extra money, that might help to tackle that issue.... __________________ My PassPorter Bookshelf My Previous Trips 16 trips to WDW, including our honeymoon, four Christmases and my 30th and 35th birthdays, 5 to Disneyland in California including one Christmas there, 6 to Disneyland Paris, 1 to Hong Kong Disneyland, 1 to Tokyo Disney and 5 Disney cruises on the Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy, including the inaugural cruise round the Med summer 2007, Alaska and my 40th birthday!
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Michelle Williams and Jason Segel Break Up

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/michelle-williams-and-jason-segel-break-up/

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Chromebook Pixel review: another impractical marvel from Google

We've had a bit of a love / hate relationship with the Google Chromebook since the first one crossed our laps back in 2011 -- the Samsung Series 5. We loved the concept, but hated the very limited functionality provided by your $500 investment. Since then, the series of barebones laptops has progressed, and so too has the barebones OS they run, leading to our current favorite of the bunch: the 2012 Samsung Chromebook.

In that laptop's review, we concluded that "$249 seems like an appropriate price for this sort of device." So, then, imagine our chagrin when Google unveiled a very similar sort of device, but one that comes with a premium. A very hefty premium. It's a high-end, halo sort of product with incredible build quality, an incredible screen and an incredible price. Is a Chromebook that starts at more than five times the cost of its strongest competition even worth considering? Let's do the math.

Gallery: Chromebook Pixel review

Filed under: Laptops, Google

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/chromebook-pixel-review/

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Adele's 'Skyfall' theme wins Oscar for best song

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Adele's "Skyfall" has won the Academy Award for best original song, a first for a James Bond theme.

While 007 themes have long been a beloved movie tradition, they've never before won an Oscar. Three previous Bond tunes were nominated: "For Your Eyes Only," ''Nobody Does It Better," and "Live and Let Die."

The Oscar extends Adele's award show dominance, leaving only an Emmy eluding her of the major American awards. She accepted the Oscar with producer Paul Epworth, with whom she wrote the lyrics and composed the music.

Adele also performed "Skyfall" for the first time at the Sunday night ceremony.

The other nominees were "Before My Time" from "Chasing Ice"; "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from "Ted"; "Pi's Lullaby" from "Life of Pi"; and "Suddenly" from "Les Miserables."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/adeles-skyfall-theme-wins-oscar-best-song-042157767.html

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Logitech?s newest touchpads replicate a touchscreen experience for Mac or Windows users

Logitech has introduced two new touch pads with smooth glass surfaces that replicate a touchscreen feel. ?There are versions for both Mac and Windows computers. ?Both versions have a large touch area and both are USB rechargeable. ?The Rechargeable Trackpad for Mac (top) connects to your Mac computer via Bluetooth and allows you to control [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/02/25/logitechs-newest-touchpads-replicate-a-touchscreen-experience-for-mac-or-windows-users/

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Samsung 'Godiva' pops up at the FCC with less than ideal timing

Samsung's 'Godiva' may be one of Verizon's worst-kept secrets of the past several weeks, with leaks involving both benchmarks and photos. There's even less of mystery involved now that the device has passed through the FCC's testing. Showing under its SCH-i425 name, the smartphone carries the requisite CDMA and LTE bands, including support for future AWS networks. GSM roaming and NFC are also lurking below the phone's surface. The approval is good news for Verizon, whose mid-range device is closer to reaching stores, although it might come too late to draw many customers' eyes -- when the Galaxy S IV is right around the corner, we have a hunch that most attention will be focused squarely on Samsung's high end.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung, Verizon

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Source: FCC

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

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Wall Street dips on uncertain Italian election

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks edged lower on Monday after fears of a divided parliament in Italy, the euro zone's third-largest economy, rekindled worries about the currency union's stability.

The center-right coalition led by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi was leading in the race for the Italian Senate, dashing hopes of a pro-reform, center-left victory seen as crucial to dig the euro zone out of a debt crisis.

The market had hoped for a center-left victory because it would continue the path to pay down Italian debt, said Art Hogan, managing director of Lazard Capital Markets in New York.

"What we don't want to hear is a renewed fear about a euro zone fracture," he said.

The S&P 500 was nonetheless near highs not seen in five years, and bets on a strong U.S. economy have given equities support. The S&P 500's slight fall last week was the first weekly drop after a seven-week string of gains.

Barnes & Noble Inc climbed 9 percent to $14.73 after its chairman offered to buy the bookseller's declining retail business.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> fell 22.5 points or 0.16 percent, to 13,978.07, the S&P 500 <.spx> lost 2.15 points or 0.14 percent, to 1,513.45 and the Nasdaq Composite <.ixic> added 3.18 points or 0.1 percent, to 3,164.99.

The Nasdaq received support from Amgen Inc , up 3.8 percent to $90.16 after a voluntary recall from a competitor to its top-selling red blood cell booster Epogen.

European shares <.fteu3> trimmed gains, edging up 0.1 percent and Italy's main FTSE MIB <.ftmib> was up 0.7 percent after earlier gaining near 4 percent.

U.S. equities will face a test with the looming debate over the so-called sequestration, U.S. government budget cuts that will take effect starting Friday if lawmakers fail to reach an agreement over spending and taxes. The White House issued warnings about the harm the cuts are likely to inflict on the economy if enacted.

With 83 percent of the S&P 500 having reported results, 69 percent of beat profit expectations, compared with a 62 percent average since 1994 and 65 percent over the past four quarters, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Fourth-quarter earnings for S&P 500 companies are estimated to have risen 6 percent, according to the data, above a 1.9 percent forecast at the start of the earnings season.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stock-index-futures-point-flat-higher-open-091937222--finance.html

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Israel fears prisoner death may spark Palestinian uprising

SE'EER, West Bank (Reuters) - Masked Palestinian gunmen fired in the air on Monday as thousands marched at the West Bank funeral of a prisoner whose death in an Israeli jail has raised fears in Israel of a new uprising.

Arafat Jaradat's death on Saturday and a hunger strike by four other Palestinian inmates have raised tension in the occupied territory after repeated clashes between stone-throwers and Israeli soldiers in recent days.

Israeli troops, on high alert, took up positions outside Jaradat's home village of Se'eer, in earshot of bursts of automatic fire from the half-dozen masked Palestinians in full battle dress.

"We sacrifice our souls and blood for you, our martyr!" mourners chanted.

In confrontations with stone-throwers elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli soldiers wounded at least six Palestinians. Doctors said some of the injuries were gunshot wounds, though the army said it used non-lethal weapons only.

The scenes were reminiscent of the Intifada, Arabic for uprising, that started in 2000 after Israeli-Palestinian peace talks failed. A previous Intifada, in 1987-1993, led to interim accords and limited Palestinian self-rule.

Israeli Civil Defence Minister Avi Dichter, former chief of the Shin Bet intelligence service, warned that a new uprising may start if confrontations with protesters turned deadly.

The Israeli military said dozens of Palestinians had thrown stones at soldiers in various parts of the West Bank on Monday. Troops responded with teargas and stun grenades, the army said.

"The previous two Intifadas ... came about as a result of a high number of dead (during protests)," Dichter told Israel Radio. "Fatalities are almost a proven recipe for a sharper escalation."

With Palestinian protests in the West Bank increasing in frequency in recent months, and Israeli crackdowns often causing casualties, both sides worry about a wider eruption of violence.

THROWING STONES

Jaradat, 30, was arrested a week ago for throwing stones at Israeli cars in the West Bank.

Palestinian officials said he had died after being tortured in prison. But Israel said an autopsy carried out in the presence of a Palestinian coroner was inconclusive and that injuries such as broken ribs could have been caused by efforts to revive Jaradat.

Robert Serry, the U.N. coordinator for the Middle East peace process, called for "an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Jaradat's death, the results of which should be made public as soon as possible".

"The United Nations is closely monitoring the situation on the ground where mounting tensions present a real risk of destabilization," Serry's office said in a statement.

Palestinian frustration has been fuelled by Israel's settlement expansion in the West Bank, peace negotiations in limbo since 2010 and a rift between President Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian Authority and the armed Islamists of Hamas who run Gaza and reject coexistence with the Jewish state.

"We have no choice but to continue the popular resistance and escalate it in the face of the occupation, whether it be the army or the settlers," Mahmoud Aloul, a senior member of Abbas's Fatah movement, told Reuters.

In Se'eer, local merchant Abu Issa, 45, said he was unsure whether what he described as Palestinian opposition to Israeli occupation would lead to an uprising.

"One day the Palestinian people will take a stand, but I don't know if that day is today," he said.

Abbas has said he will not allow a third armed Intifada.

"The Israelis want chaos... We will not allow them to drag us into it and to mess with the lives of our children and our youth," Abbas told reporters in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

TREAD CAREFULLY

Dichter said Israel had to tread carefully in dealing with protests, accusing the Palestinians of trying to portray themselves as victims before U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to the region next month.

"I don't think the Palestinian Authority will gain from an Intifada, just as it didn't achieve anything from the first or second Intifadas," he said.

"But I would say that, after conducting themselves with poor and warped thinking over the years, they don't always recognize what's in their best interests."

Israel demanded on Sunday that the Palestinian Authority curb the protests, many of which have taken place in areas outside the Authority's jurisdiction.

"They (the Palestinians) are trying to drag us to a situation where there will be dead children," Dichter said.

Palestinians have rallied to the cause of the four hunger-strikers, two of whom are being held without trial on suspicion of anti-Israeli activity.

Some 4,700 Palestinians are in Israeli jails and Palestinians see them as heroes in a struggle for statehood.

The death of any of the hunger-strikers, one of whom has been refusing food, off and on, for more than 200 days, would likely lead to more widespread violence.

Israel killed more than 4,500 Palestinians in the second Intifada, and more than 1,000 Israelis were also killed, half of them in Palestinian suicide attacks mostly against civilians.

(Writing by Jeffrey Heller in Jerusalem; Additional reporting by Ori Lewis in Jerusalem and Ali Sawafta in Ramallah; Editing by Louise Ireland)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/israel-fears-prisoner-death-may-spark-palestinian-uprising-180553818.html

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