Scientist: Ozone thinning has changed ocean circulation

Public release date: 31-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Phil Sneiderman
prs@jhu.edu
443-287-9960
Johns Hopkins University

According to a Johns Hopkins earth scientist, the hole in the Antarctic ozone layer has caused changes in the way that waters in those southern oceans mix a situation that has the potential to alter the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and eventually could have an impact on global climate change.

In a paper published in this week's issue of the journal Science, Darryn W. Waugh and his team show that subtropical intermediate waters in the southern oceans have become "younger" as the upwelling, circumpolar waters have gotten "older" changes that are consistent with the fact that surface winds have strengthened as the ozone layer has thinned.

"This may sound entirely academic, but believe me, it's not," said Waugh, of the Morton K. Blaustein Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Johns Hopkins' Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. "This matters because the southern oceans play an important role in the uptake of heat and carbon dioxide, so any changes in southern ocean circulation have the potential to change the global climate."

Waugh's team used measurements taken from the early 1990s to the mid-to-late 2000s of the amount of a chemical compound known as "chlorofluorocarbon-12," or CFC-12, in the southern oceans. CFC-12 was first produced commercially in the 1930s and its concentration in the atmosphere increased rapidly until the 1990s when it was phased out by the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer. (Prior to the Montreal Protocol, CFC-12 was used in products such as aerosol hairsprays and refrigerants and in air conditioning systems.)

From those ocean measurements, Waugh's team was able to infer changes in how rapidly surface waters have mixed into the depths of the southern oceans. Because they knew that concentrations of CFCs at the ocean surface increased in tandem with those in the atmosphere, they were able to surmise that the higher the concentration of CFC-12 deeper in the ocean, the more recently those waters were at the surface.

The inferred age changes "younger in the subtropics, "older" nearer the South Pole -- are consistent with the observed intensification of surface westerly winds, which have occurred primarily because of the Antarctic ozone hole, suggesting that stratospheric ozone depletion is the primary cause of the changes in ocean ventilation. As stratospheric ozone recovers over the next 50 years, the changes in ventilation may slow or reverse. The impact of continued increases in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will also need to be considered, however. The combined impact of the two factors on the southern oceans' ventilation and uptake of heat and carbon is an open question.

###

Also on the research team were collaborators Francois Primeau of the University of California, Irvine; Tim Devries of the University of California, Los Angeles; and Mark Holzer of the University of New South Wales and Columbia University. Funding for the study was provided by the National Science Foundation and the Australian Research Council.

Related link:

Darryn Waugh's Website: http://www.jhu.edu/~dwaugh1/

MEDIA CONTACT: Amy Lunday
(443) 287-9960 (office)
(410) 804-2551 (cell)
acl@jhu.edu

Phil Sneiderman
(443) 287-9960 (office)
(410) 299-7462 (cell)
prs@jhu.edu

---

[ | 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: 31-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Phil Sneiderman
prs@jhu.edu
443-287-9960
Johns Hopkins University

According to a Johns Hopkins earth scientist, the hole in the Antarctic ozone layer has caused changes in the way that waters in those southern oceans mix a situation that has the potential to alter the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and eventually could have an impact on global climate change.

In a paper published in this week's issue of the journal Science, Darryn W. Waugh and his team show that subtropical intermediate waters in the southern oceans have become "younger" as the upwelling, circumpolar waters have gotten "older" changes that are consistent with the fact that surface winds have strengthened as the ozone layer has thinned.

"This may sound entirely academic, but believe me, it's not," said Waugh, of the Morton K. Blaustein Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Johns Hopkins' Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. "This matters because the southern oceans play an important role in the uptake of heat and carbon dioxide, so any changes in southern ocean circulation have the potential to change the global climate."

Waugh's team used measurements taken from the early 1990s to the mid-to-late 2000s of the amount of a chemical compound known as "chlorofluorocarbon-12," or CFC-12, in the southern oceans. CFC-12 was first produced commercially in the 1930s and its concentration in the atmosphere increased rapidly until the 1990s when it was phased out by the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer. (Prior to the Montreal Protocol, CFC-12 was used in products such as aerosol hairsprays and refrigerants and in air conditioning systems.)

From those ocean measurements, Waugh's team was able to infer changes in how rapidly surface waters have mixed into the depths of the southern oceans. Because they knew that concentrations of CFCs at the ocean surface increased in tandem with those in the atmosphere, they were able to surmise that the higher the concentration of CFC-12 deeper in the ocean, the more recently those waters were at the surface.

The inferred age changes "younger in the subtropics, "older" nearer the South Pole -- are consistent with the observed intensification of surface westerly winds, which have occurred primarily because of the Antarctic ozone hole, suggesting that stratospheric ozone depletion is the primary cause of the changes in ocean ventilation. As stratospheric ozone recovers over the next 50 years, the changes in ventilation may slow or reverse. The impact of continued increases in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will also need to be considered, however. The combined impact of the two factors on the southern oceans' ventilation and uptake of heat and carbon is an open question.

###

Also on the research team were collaborators Francois Primeau of the University of California, Irvine; Tim Devries of the University of California, Los Angeles; and Mark Holzer of the University of New South Wales and Columbia University. Funding for the study was provided by the National Science Foundation and the Australian Research Council.

Related link:

Darryn Waugh's Website: http://www.jhu.edu/~dwaugh1/

MEDIA CONTACT: Amy Lunday
(443) 287-9960 (office)
(410) 804-2551 (cell)
acl@jhu.edu

Phil Sneiderman
(443) 287-9960 (office)
(410) 299-7462 (cell)
prs@jhu.edu

---

[ | 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/2013-01/jhu-sot012813.php

dancing with the stars season 14 david garrard michael bay ninja turtles san antonio weather mike daisey nicollette sheridan apple dividend

Pregnancy Update - 12 Weeks - Our Full House

These pregnancy days are just flying by. You can remind me of this day in a few months when it seems like things are moving at a snails pace. I am currently entering my second trimester and actually I think the date we have may be off by a week or two. I am sure we will have another ultrasound to check dates at a later appointment. Overall things have been going very well. I have a strong suspicion that I know what this baby is...but I am not telling.

I am trying my best to eat well, drink lots of water and herbal tea, take my vitamins and exercise daily. I am walking just over 12 miles a week right now and hope to add a little running and maybe some weights in there soon. My older boys are faithful to walk with me in the mornings which I am loving. On Saturdays my hubby and the littles come along with me. Last weekend Andrew, Josiah and Abigail walked with me while we pushed Eden and Titus in the stroller.

After walking and pushing the little ones I was again reminded why I want a Bob Stroller! I would really enjoy a Bob Double Stroller that can be found at the local sporting goods store. For you moms that walk or run, what kind of stroller do you have? Do you like it?

Source: http://www.ourfullhouse.com/14-babies/912-pregnancy-update-12-weeks.html

indiana autoimmune disease news channel 9 insanity workout mass effect 3 launch trailer yelp huntsville al

Israel attacks convoy near Syrian border - Reuters

As Israel is becoming increasingly worried about the fate of Syria's chemical weapons arsenal, "Reuters" reports that Israeli aircraft have attacked a convoy allegedly transporting arms from Syria to Lebanon. An eye witness, a diplomat, said there was definitely a hit in the attack. The IDF spokesman declined to deny or confirm the report.

Earlier the Lebanese Army reported that the Israel Air Force (IAF) carried out sorties over south Lebanon yesterday and last night. The Lebanon media reports that at least seven IAF jets flew over coastal areas near Zidon. The Lebanese claim that, since Friday, IAF jets have repeatedly entered the country's air space, including over Baalbek near the Syrian border. The sources claim that the IAF conducted maneuvers for over nine hours.

Meanwhile, in Israel, rising fears that Syria's chemical weapons could end up in the hands of Hizbullah and other terrorist organization, Israel Postal Company Ltd. reports a three-fold rise in requests for gas masks at its distribution points nationwide. The number of gas masks distributed has risen from an average of 1,400 a day last week to over 4,000 gas masks distributed yesterday.

The Post Office has distributed 4.7 million gas masks to day. In the face of rising demand, it has asked the public to use call service, 171, to place orders for gas masks, which will be delivered by messenger to the callers' homes, instead of going to the distribution points.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 30, 2013

? Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2013

Source: http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000818276

triple play james neal jackie robinson virginia tech emancipation proclamation april 16 tornadoes

Outside The Box | Oklahoma Observer

BY VERN TURNER

Democracy is at risk of being undermined by the oil and gas industries. Towns are being sued by the energy industry for voting against having holes drilled in their property for the sake of extracting oil/gas. The pollution potential has yet to be fully understood or quantified. You?ll all recall when this attack against the private ownership of the land began.

It happened during George W. Bush?s first term when Dick Cheney and friends, including the felonious Kenneth Lay of Enron fame, convened a secret series of meetings that gutted the EPA, OSHA and other regulatory agencies that would oversee the technology and the drilling for environmental and human safety purposes. They rammed virtually unlimited drilling and exploration through to either laws or presidential decree.

A recent article by David Sirota shocked readers by exposing the naked attacks on the citizens of America by the oil/gas companies insisting that what lies beneath is theirs to exploit. The title of the article is Can Capitalism and Democracy Coexist? I think that question is more poignant now than ever.

In view of the complexity of our national problems ? most of which involve money, jobs, our environment, the poor, education and health care ? let?s step outside the box and try something new, you know, like using existing technology to create new industries, employ millions and solve short-term problems for the long term. We?ve done it before. Remember, we went from Roman candles to the moon in 12 years.

Some engineers at NASA who, having had their budgets reduced and thus with time on their hands, conjured up some new ideas for space exploitation. They thought we could assemble those solar panels used to operate satellites and our international space station in a large array such that it could generate enough electricity to supply cities and towns on Earth. The transmitter attached to this array sends the electrical energy to receivers on Earth much like we receive TV signals from communication satellites.

When they proposed this idea to our Department of Energy, they were told to go mind their rockets and nozzles. Our intrepid engineers then went to Canada?s energy people who fell over themselves with excitement and are currently developing this idea.

We must keep in mind the massive project necessary for electrifying the Earth from space gathered sunlight. The arrays would likely have to be the size of Rhode Island. So what? They?d be hundreds of miles above the Earth?s surface, on the job 24/7 and everyone would be thrilled to see them in the night sky. We do have the technology to build it. Do we have the political will?

Would this project be expensive? Oh yes! We may even resurrect the space shuttles from the museums to kick it off until we build something even smarter, like reusable robotic rockets that launch and deposit sub-assemblies for space-based workers or robots to assemble.

The cost recovery, savings and avoidance will be summarized later. The new technologies needed would rival our original space exploration efforts.

Could we do this alone? Probably. After all, we have 20 million unemployed people in country who would be excited about finding work. Who would pay for this project? We would. All of us.

The vast wealth of the current oil/gas business would be used to fund some portion of the project of the sun and they would reap huge profits for time immemorial. Here?s how.

With unlimited, constant electricity for everyone on Earth, everyone would be obliged to pay for it. Every dwelling, camper, vehicle, business that used this power would pay just like we pay for satellite radio or TV. The world is the subscriber to guaranteed energy for as long as the sun shines. Current estimates say the sun is good for another three billion years or so.

Now, the payback ? Coal-fired power plants go away, but the coal is used to generate vast quantities of coal oil, naphtha and a wide variety of volatile base chemicals for plastic manufacturing, and all the other industries currently married to oil.

That?s not to say we won?t need oil, we will. We?ll just need much less of it. In fact, some of our petroleum refinement capacity could be converted to coal tar refinement. Nuclear power plants will no longer be necessary. Use the fuel for other things that are safe.

Cutting up all those unnecessary oil tankers provides a bonanza of scrap metal for just about everything else. Dismantling power lines provides another metallic bonanza, in this case, copper.

Think of how much quieter we will become when most of our vehicles are electric powered with never a need for refueling ? as long as they don?t let their subscriptions expire.

We won?t need to spend our money on fuel transporting our fuel source from those exotic and wonderful places on Earth where the citizens love us so. We can channel our current petroleum reserves to people-positive items for cheaper commodities ? like antibiotics, drugs and containers for them. This would also tend to keep the tar balls out of the oceans.

Of course, we?d have to educate an entire generation of citizens to appreciate this undertaking, build it, design and build the spin-off products and solve one of the most onerous of looming problems mankind faces.

Since most of the Western world has lost/forgotten the capabilities for sustenance economics and the ability to live in a peaceful country, this chance to liberate ourselves from the basic modern need for energy might just allow democracy to regain its control over capitalism and thus avoid the United States from becoming a plutocratic dictatorship run by such lovely beings as the Koch brothers.

That prospect alone is enough to motivate me to try.

? Vern Turner is a regular contributor to The Oklahoma Observer. He lives in Marble Falls, TX, where he writes a regular column for the River Cities Daily Tribune. He is the author of three books ? A Worm in the Apple: The Inside Story of Public Schools, The Voters Guide to National Salvation and Killing the Dream: America?s Flirtation With Third World Status ? all available through Amazon.com.

?

Source: http://www.okobserver.net/2013/01/30/outside-the-box/

brandon rios oklahoma news nascar news doppler radar colorado rockies moonshine news channel 4

Santa Maria mourns its dead, calls for justice

Girls cry in front of a makeshift memorial outside the Kiss nightclub where a fire killed over 230 people in Santa Maria, Brazil, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. The repercussions of a tragic nightclub fire in southern Brazil widened Tuesday as mayors around the country cracked down on such venues in their own cities and investigators searched two other nightspots owned by a partner in the club that caught ablaze. Most of the dead were college students 18 to 21 years old, but they also included some minors. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Girls cry in front of a makeshift memorial outside the Kiss nightclub where a fire killed over 230 people in Santa Maria, Brazil, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. The repercussions of a tragic nightclub fire in southern Brazil widened Tuesday as mayors around the country cracked down on such venues in their own cities and investigators searched two other nightspots owned by a partner in the club that caught ablaze. Most of the dead were college students 18 to 21 years old, but they also included some minors. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

A makeshift memorial that include pictures of the victims of the Kiss nightclub fatal fire is seen inside the gymnasium where a collective funeral was held a day earlier, in Santa Maria, Brazil, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. A fast-moving fire roared through the crowded, windowless nightclub, early Sunday, killing more than 230 people. The first funeral services were held Monday for the victims. Most of the dead were college students 18 to 21 years old, but they also included some minors. Almost all died from smoke inhalation. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

A man prays in front of a makeshift memorial outside the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria, Brazil, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. A fast-moving fire roared through the crowded, windowless nightclub early Sunday, where there was no alarm, no working fire extinguisher, no sprinkler and almost no escape from the nightclub that became a death trap for more than 200 Brazilian college students. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

A woman bows her head in front of a makeshift memorial outside the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria, Brazil, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. A fast-moving fire roared through the crowded, windowless nightclub early Sunday, where there was no alarm, no working fire extinguisher, no sprinkler and almost no escape from the nightclub that became a death trap for more than 200 Brazilian college students. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Marcia Gerhardt, a teacher who lost students in the fire at the Kiss nightclub, prays in front of a makeshift memorial outside the club in Santa Maria, Brazil, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. The repercussions of a tragic nightclub fire that killed more than 230 people in southern Brazil widened Tuesday as mayors around the country cracked down on such venues in their own cities and investigators searched two other nightspots owned by a partner in the club that caught ablaze. Most of the dead were college students 18 to 21 years old, but they also included some minors. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

SANTA MARIA, Brazil (AP) ? The young law student sat alone in a pew, clutching a shirt on which she'd written the names of friends she'd lost in a weekend nightclub fire in this Brazilian college town.

It was grubby and wrinkled, as Halana Pinheiro Rubim alternately smoothed it out on her knees, tracing out the names, then clutched it and cried.

"Luiza Alves," she said, fingering the first name. "She was one of my closest friends. She was a fantastic cook and made the best lasagna. We'd always go to her house to study, then stay to eat."

"Andressa Brissow, and her sister, Louise Brissow. It was Loulou's birthday. She called all her friends. I should have been there. My name was on the guest list."

Crying, Rubim ran her hands over other names: Sabrina Mendes, Gilmara Oliveira, Pedro Mogental. "There are others in the hospital. There are so many names."

Throughout this college town in a prosperous corner of Brazil, residents seemed stunned on Tuesday, unable to digest the sudden tragedy that claimed the lives of 234 young people in a pre-dawn fire Sunday ? Santa Maria's lost generation.

As police pressed on with their investigation into the devastation at the Kiss nightclub, which had no fire alarm or sprinklers and only one exit, family and friends of the victims stepped beyond their pain to demand answers. What had gone wrong? Who had failed the town's children?

Their grief spilled over Monday night into a march by about 30,000 people who, dressed in white, coursed quietly through town. Every minute or so, a wave of clapping rippled through the river of mourners, starting at one end and running down the length of the street.

By Tuesday, grief had turned to anger. A group of mostly young people gathered in front of the mayor's office. Chanting "We want justice!" they held up placards bearing the faces of victims. Among them was Douglas Dorneles Medeiros, who lost his girlfriend, Thanise Correa Garcia.

Holding a banner with her photos, he said, "It was murder. These corrupt politicians must be held accountable. ... This was not an accident. It was a death foretold."

Images of desolation abounded. The cars of the young revelers who came to hear a local country band and died inside the gutted club early Sunday haunted its parking lot. In a gym where a mass wake had been held, posters with the victims' faces lingered, amid wilting lilies and white roses. Some contained messages of farewell to a friend or child; others simply said "Mourning" in large black letters.

There were also pointed calls for accountability. "No to impunity!" read one; "Why do we pay taxes? What are authorities doing?" said another.

"Families want an answer," said Camila Schreiner, a head of student government at the university's forestry engineering department. "Next week we go back to classes having lost many of our friends. We need an answer."

In the town's largest Catholic church, priests were doing double duty trying to comfort parishioners who waited quietly for their turn to speak privately in the pews or in the confessionals.

"We are on permanent call," said Father Nelson Luiz Pappis. People come for answers, but "a tragedy such as this one has no explanation."

What he offered were reminders. "For those who have faith, life doesn't end. We are in communion with those who have gone," he said. "And to keep on going, we look for solidarity with those who are here with us."

At the Federal University of Santa Maria, classrooms should have been bustling with students preparing for final exams. Instead, footsteps echoed Tuesday in the darkened hallways of the college, which lost 113 students, among them aspiring agronomists, veterinarians and forestry engineers.

Agronomy professor Toshio Nishijina threw up his hands in bewilderment as he walked among the deserted classrooms. "This should be full of students. This is always such a festive environment. It is so strange now," he said.

Some mourners tried to work through their grief by taking refuge in routine. Grasiele Melo Moreira was back at the counter selling jewelry in a small shop just around the corner from the nightclub where her best friend died.

She swallowed back tears as she described Patricia Pazzini Bairro, a friend with whom bonds were as tight as with family. Bairro had been her maid of honor, Moreira said. When Bairro's son, Gabriel, was born, she asked Moreira to be godmother.

Bairro and her husband, Vandelcork Marques Lara Junior, went into the club about 10 minutes before the fire to pick up her 18-year-old sister, Greicy. The teenager had gotten into college and was celebrating with her boyfriend. All died in the fire.

"Pat always took such good care of her sister," said Moreira, shaking her head at the senseless of it all. "She wanted to be sure she got home safe.

"Justice won't bring them back," she said. "But it can prevent other deaths."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-29-Brazil-Fire-A%20Town%20in%20Mourning/id-90d81a56308f4c33bbf050583e6297a8

Dick Van Dyke anne hathaway pro bowl victoria azarenka Royal Rumble 2013 adam levine senior bowl

WTF: Amazon Barely Ekes Out Profit On $21B In Sales, Hits Negative P/E, Misses Estimates, Guidance, Yet Stock Jumps 10%

You really have to hand it to Jeff Bezos and Amazon, which seem to continuously defy reality -- and gravity. Amazon just announced its fourth quarter earnings, and if you listen to the press, you'd think it was another home run, and if you are watching Amazon trade after-hours, you'd think this is the most buyable stock since the last time MG wrote about APPL. Amazon is up nearly 10 percent since the market closed and, as Reuters points out to wit, the stock hit a record high on January 25th.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/dzhG1I4Omqk/

Ryan Freel Melissa Nelson sound of music foot locker champs champs calvin johnson

'Star Wars' And J.J. Abrams: Yay, Nay Or Meh?

The MTV News staff offers their thoughts on the hiring.
By MTV News staff

J.J. Abrams
Photo: Craig Barritt/ Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700853/star-wars-jj-abrams-opinion.jhtml

camille grammer camille grammer us supreme court breaking dawn part 2 trailer mississippi state chris carpenter chris carpenter

RolePlayGateway?

Hello! Well, as you can tell by the topic, I am looking for a partner to do a one on one role play with.

I like a variety of role plays. I like realist, fantasy, and almost anything in between. I do have a few preferences, as most of us do. I prefer role plays to have some romance in them. Now, this doesn't necessarily mean they have to focus on romance, although that is fine too, I just prefer to have at least an element of romance in them. On that topic, I prefer to play females, though I will double up and play a male and female, if you are also willing to do the same. Great role plays are about making both parties happy, right?

I have several ideas in mind, but would also like my partner to contribute to the plot! I'm not a mean person, so be honest and upfront with me and I'll do the same for you. If there's something you want, speak up. If there's something I do that upsets you let me know.

Now, in the past I have usually only role played over messenger. I am very much okay with role playing over PM's though, and will do forums if that's what your comfortable with. I'm open to compromise.

As I have said, I am open to a variety of role plays so if you are still interested send me a PM with an idea, or if you don't have any idea's give me a few things that you would be interested in role playing (it can be as vague as 'I like knights' or 'realistic' and we can go from there).

Also, I like to get to know my partners a bit, so include a bit about yourself, and I'll send you back a bit about me. Doesn't have to be personal, and it can be completely random. For example, I have two tiny parrots (Green Cheek Conures) that were both rescue birds.

So shoot me a PM and I'll get right back to you =)

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/RolePlayGateway

where do i vote dixville notch Remember Remember The 5th Of November African painted dogs What Time Do Polls Open Krysten Ritter v for vendetta

Immigration overhaul? GOP, Dem senators vow action

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., center, takes a reporter's question as a bipartisan group of leading senators announce that they have reached agreement on the principles of sweeping legislation to rewrite the nation's immigration laws, during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. From left are Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. The deal covers border security, guest workers and employer verification, as well as a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants already in this country. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., center, takes a reporter's question as a bipartisan group of leading senators announce that they have reached agreement on the principles of sweeping legislation to rewrite the nation's immigration laws, during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. From left are Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. The deal covers border security, guest workers and employer verification, as well as a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants already in this country. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., right, confer as they and other leading senators announce that they have reached agreement on the principles of sweeping legislation to rewrite the nation's immigration laws, during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. The deal covers border security, guest workers and employer verification, as well as a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants already in this country. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Fla, states his support for immigrants and pledges to work in favor of immigration reform to reporters as immigration reform activists protest in front of Freedom Tower in downtown Miami, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. The Florida Immigrant Coalition, together with other immigrant families and community organizations, have initiated the "Di Que Si!" campaign, which translates into English "Say yes!," demanding immigration reform that creates a system that keeps families united. Activists and immigrants also asked for the suspension of deportations as lawmakers work on immigration reform, and announced they will join a national mobilization in favor of immigration reform in Washington D.C. on April 10. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Press Secretary Jay Carney briefs reporters at the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

A bipartisan group of leading senators announce that they have reached agreement on the principles of sweeping legislation to rewrite the nation's immigration laws, during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. From left are Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J. The deal covers border security, guest workers and employer verification, as well as a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants already in this country. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Side by side, leading Democratic and Republican senators pledged Monday to propel far-reaching immigration legislation through the Senate by summer providing a possible path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people now in the U.S. illegally.

The senators acknowledged pitfalls that have doomed such efforts in the past, but they suggested that November's elections ? with Hispanics voting heavily for President Barack Obama and other Democrats ? could make this time different.

Passage of the emotionally charged legislation by the Democratic-controlled Senate is far from assured, and a taller hurdle could come later in the House, which is dominated by conservative Republicans who've shown little interest in immigration overhaul. Obama will lay out his own proposals Tuesday, most of which mirror the Senate plans.

Besides the citizenship provision, including new qualifications, the Senate measure would increase border security, allow more temporary workers to stay and crack down on employers who would hire illegal immigrants. The plans are still short on detail, and all the senators conceded that months of tedious and politically treacherous negotiations lie ahead.

But with a re-elected Obama pledging his commitment, the lawmakers argued that six years after the last sustained congressional effort at an immigration overhaul came up short in the Senate, chances for approval this year are much better.

"Other bipartisan groups of senators have stood in the same spot before, trumpeting similar proposals," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. "But we believe this will be the year Congress finally gets it done. The politics on this issue have been turned upside down," Schumer said, arguing that polls show more support than ever for immigration changes and political risk in opposing it.

"Elections. Elections," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. "The Republican Party is losing the support of our Hispanic citizens. And we realize that there are many issues on which we think we are in agreement with our Hispanic citizens, but this is a pre-eminent issue with those citizens."

Obama got 71 percent of the Latino vote in November compared to 27 percent for Republican Mitt Romney.

The president will endorse the Senate process during an event in Las Vegas Tuesday, administration officials said. He will outline a similar vision for overhauling the nation's immigration laws, drawing on the immigration "blueprint" he first released in 2011.

The blueprint focuses on four key areas: a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., improved border security, an overhaul of the legal immigration system and making it easier for businesses to verify the legal status of workers.

Seeking to ramp up pressure on lawmakers, the White House has prepared formal immigration legislation that it could sent to Capitol Hill should the Senate process stall, administration officials said. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal strategy.

Like the president's blueprint, the Senate proposals also call for a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants already here. But lawmakers want the creation of that pathway to be contingent upon securing the border and better tracking of people in the U.S. on visas.

The Senate's five-page framework also calls for overhauling the legal immigration system, including awarding green cards to immigrants who obtain certain advanced degrees from American universities, creating an effective high-tech employment verification system to ensure that employers do not hire illegal immigrants in the future and allowing more low-skill and agricultural workers.

In a sign of the challenges ahead, the proposals immediately got a cool reaction from Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

"This effort is too important to be written in a back room and sent to the floor with a take-it-or-leave it approach," McConnell said. "It needs to be done on a bipartisan basis and include ideas from both sides of the aisle."

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said on the Senate floor, "No one should expect members of the Senate are just going to rubber-stamp what a group has met and decided."

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said he was concerned about the proposed path to citizenship.

"To allow those who came here illegally to be placed on such a path is both inconsistent with rule of law and profoundly unfair to the millions of legal immigrants who waited years, if not decades, to come to America legally," said Cruz.

A year after Border Patrol apprehensions of illegal border crossers plunged to the lowest levels in nearly 40 years agents have seen a slight increase in arrests, according to Border Patrol arrest data obtained by The Associated Press. In the budget year that ended in September, Border Patrol agents arrested 356,873 would-be border crossers along the Mexican border. In fiscal year 2011, agents along the Mexican border made 327,577 arrests.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., applauded the framework and said, "I will do everything in my power to get a bill across the finish line."

Pressures from outside groups from business to organized labor to immigrants themselves will be immense, even as lawmakers warily eye voters for their reaction.

Besides McCain and Schumer, the senators endorsing the new principles Monday were Democrats Dick Durbin of Illinois, Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Michael Bennet of Colorado and Republicans Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Marco Rubio of Florida and Jeff Flake of Arizona.

Several of them have worked for years on the issue. McCain collaborated with the late Democratic Sen. Edward M. Kennedy on the comprehensive immigration legislation pushed by then-President George W. Bush that failed in 2007.

The group claims a notable newcomer in Rubio, a potential 2016 presidential candidate whose conservative bona fides may help smooth the way for support among conservatives wary of anything that smacks of amnesty. Rubio has been working with the group while also detailing his own similar immigration proposals to selected media, getting a generally positive reaction from conservative media.

"There are 11 million human beings in this country today that are undocumented. That's not something that anyone is happy about; that's not something that anyone wanted to see happen, but that is what happened. And we have an obligation and the need to address the reality of the situation that we face," Rubio said Monday.

As the group turns to the work of writing legislation, which they hope to see come to a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee in March, there may be most disagreement over the path to staying in the U.S. legally. In order to satisfy the concerns of Rubio and other Republicans, the senators are calling for the completion of steps on border security and oversight of those here on visas before taking major steps forward on the path to citizenship.

Even then, those here illegally would have to pass background checks and pay fines and taxes in order to qualify for a "probationary legal status" that would allow them to live and work here ? and not qualify for federal benefits ? before being able to apply for permanent residency, a critical step toward citizenship. Once they are allowed to apply they would do so behind everyone else already in line for a green card within the current immigration system.

That could be a highly cumbersome process, but how to make it more workable is being left to future negotiations. The senators envision a more streamlined process toward citizenship for immigrants brought here as children, and for agricultural workers.

Outside groups including Latino advocacy organizations, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and organized labor were quick to praise the emerging framework. But some also sounded notes of caution.

Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, questioned a proposal by the Senate group to require illegal immigrants to provide proof of employment before they can gain legal status. Trumka said it could exclude millions of workers "who cannot prove employment because they have been forced to work off the clock or have no employer by virtue of being independent contractors."

Deepak Bhargava, executive director of the Center for Community Change, questioned the process being set out for the path to citizenship. "If the details are not done correctly, the path to citizenship can take far longer than it is reasonable. There is real concern about those details," he said.

___

Associated Press writers Julie Pace and Luis Alonso Lugo contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-28-US-Immigration/id-9a4b34e3600e477c879a9c8fcc205cbe

big east tournament 2012 solar storm solar flares spanx aurora borealis gcb mary j blige

Hilton Craigendarroch Resort, Royal Deeside, Scotland | Timeshare ...

Up in the northeastern corner of Scotland?s coast is a unique and unspoiled region with stunning scenery and captivating towns. Called the Grampian Highlands, it has been beloved by the British Royal family ever since Queen Victoria and Prince Albert built Balmoral Castle there in the mid 1800s as a summer home.

Rich in historic castles, royal connections and whisky distilleries, you will find here forested hills tumbling down to a craggy and dramatic coast with quaint fishing villages and secluded beaches. The River Dee, one of the world?s most famous salmon rivers, rises high in the Cairngorm Mountains here and rushes through the wooded river valley to enter the sea at Aberdeen, Scotland?s ?city of flowers?.

A special region of these highlands, called Royal Deeside because of its many Royal connections, has the charming villages of Braemar, Balmoral, Ballater, Aboyne, and Banchory for you to love. The names alone are a song.

The area around Braemar and Ballater is known as Royal Deeside and it is one of the most beautiful regions in Scotland. Since the reign of Queen Victoria the British Royal Family have spent their summers at Balmoral Castle. Every year they attend the Braemar Highland Games and other local events. Birkhall, previously owned by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother is now a favourite retreat of Prince Charles, who spent his second honeymoon there in 2005. Note that the Balmoral Castle grounds, gardens and exhibitions are closed to the Public during August, September and October as The Royal Family are in residence.

Ballater, the ?Jewel of the Cairngorms?, was developed during the 19th Century craze for Spa towns. Today, the original Pannanich Wells still produces bottled spring water which is sold locally and internationally. This village and its surroundings are riotous with flowers in the spring, have pleasantly mild summers, blaze with color in the autumn and have picture-postcard winters. So any time is a good time to visit.

Royal Deeside, looking east from Craigendarroch. Heather is in full August bloom and the valley is flat and wide here.

The village, just a 10-minute drive from Balmoral Castle, is easily accessible by road, rail and air to Aberdeen then a spectacular 1-hour drive by car or bus to town. It is surrounded by famous name whisky distilleries, ski facilities, castles and mountains. Major events of the year, according to the official Royal Deeside website, include: ?in August of each year Victoria Week recognising the areas? Victorian heritage, Ballater Highland Games and Food and Wine events throughout the year. The ?Taste of Royal Deeside? Food & Wine festival is a popular event. Golf Week takes place amid spectacular scenery. Various arts events happen during the year and in 1995 Ballater was proud to host the European Pipe Band Championships. Ballater boasts art galleries, artists and writers, and antique shops.?

So you see that there is no lack of things to see and do in this charming and remote region.

Just a couple of minutes away from the village is Hilton Craigendarroch Resort (pronounced ?Cragendarrick? ? and roll those ?r?s?), a spectacular country estate perched on the slopes of Craigendarroch Hill, high above the Dee Valley. The main house (pictured top left) was built in the 19th century for the Keiller family (the inventors of marmalade) and was converted into a modern resort hotel with timeshare lodges and every imaginable facility. (Note: as of Jan. 6, 2013 the hotel portion? the original manor house ? was closed, to be turned into timeshare suites; the entire property will be a Hilton Grand Vacations Resort. The leisure facilities which currently operate as part of the Country Club will also be refurbished. The resort will continue to offer Country Club memberships, as well as guest access to the restaurant and bar areas.)

An Interval International-affiliated Premier Resort, its leisure facilities include an 55 foot lagoon pool and fully equipped exercise facility. There?s also a health and beauty suite and tennis and squash courts are also available. There?s even a dry ski slope on the grounds and children are exceptionally well accommodated.

You will not want for fine food here, either? whether you dine in town or on the estate grounds! Fine Dining is available on the grounds at the famous Oaks Restaurant, at the family oriented club house restaurant near the pool, at the Alfresco Bar, or the Club Bar. If you want to cozy up with a good book, there is even a library bar available onsite with a blazing log fire.

In addition, a casino is just an hour away; golf less than a mile; fishing and just about anything else you can think of within easy reach.

Options for Hilton Grand Vacations Club members include: The Lochnagar and Glengairn Lodges at Craigendarroch, 99 lodges sprinkled throughout the grounds in small groupings, each unit with its own magnificent view, each with its own fireplace and glassed balcony to protect you from wind and cold, each with its own fully equipped kitchen just in case you really want to make yourself at home. There is nothing impersonal here, and there are no strangers? only new and old friends. (note that Lodge electricity is metered and charged on departure.)

Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Craigendarroch Suites will offer thirty-two, studio, one and two bedroom apartments in the converted Craigendarroch House, originally built by the Keiller family in 1891. (Due for completion by the middle of 2013). Key features include:

• Reservations for one night or longer
• Studio apartments to sleep 2
• One bed apartments to sleep 2+2
• Two bed apartments to sleep 4 + 2
• 150cm & 180cm Master Beds
• Lounge areas
• Light meal preparation facilities inc, Dining table, Full fridge, Microwave, Toaster, Kettle
• Complimentary internet access & latest television and sound technology.
• Private access to exclusive members lounge for Suite Owners only

If you like a bit of the unusual combined with luxury, nature, beauty, sports and history, the Hilton Craigendarroch might be your place!

So you take the high road and I?ll take the low road? and I?ll be in Scotland afore ye?

Some Web sites with information about the area:

---

"On the Road" is a compilation of destination ideas, resort reviews, videos and more gathered from a variety of sources that includes our readers.

The purpose of "On the Road" is to showcase some of the magnificent places in the world to visit, to give you an idea for someplace to go that you might previously not have thought of or known about. In most cases, but not all, we have provided a brief overview of a timeshare resort in the spotlighted area. Most of those resorts are either RCI Gold Crown or I.I. Premier quality. However, these resorts are not usually the only timeshare resorts in the area; be sure to check in your exchange catalog for a complete listing of available resorts. Check it out--- enjoy yourself, go somewhere new this year!

Readers are encouraged to contribute their own stories and photos. Email info@insidethegate.com and put "On the Road" in the Subject line so we'll know what it's about.

Source: http://www.insidethegate.com/2013/01/hilton-craigendarroch-resort-royal-deeside-scotland/

Microsoft Tropical Storm Isaac amber portwood Phyllis Diller Darla Moore newsweek Tony Scott

Quotes from the Screen Actors Guild Awards

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Quotes from the 19th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

___

"I'm just so thrilled I have dental." ? Best supporting actress winner Anne Hathaway after accepting her Screen Actors Guild award for her role in "Les Miserables."

___

"Just tape the 'Big Bang Theory' for once, for crying out loud." ? Best supporting comedy actress winner Tina Fey, whose show "30 Rock" is ending its run this week and is going up against a show more popular in the ratings.

___

"Oh my God. It's ridiculous." ? Alec Baldwin on his seventh consecutive Screen Actors Guild win for best male actor in a comedy series for "30 Rock."

___

"Aren't we lucky that we found a line of work that doesn't require growing up?" ? Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement award recipient Dick Van Dyke, who received a lengthy standing ovation from his fellow actors.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/quotes-screen-actors-guild-awards-021749084.html

Tammy Baldwin house of representatives paul ryan michele bachmann donald trump Election 2012 map Election Results Map

Israel leader seeks wide coalition to face threats

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Israel's prime minister says he wants to build a broad governing coalition to face serious security threats to Israel, including Syria's chemical weapons and Iran's nuclear program.

Benjamin Netanyahu told his outgoing Cabinet Sunday that Israel must be ready for any development in the turbulent region.

Netanyahu's ticket won the most seats in last week's parliamentary election, meaning he will likely serve another term as prime minister. But with his traditional hardline and religious allies holding only a slim majority in parliament, Netanyahu has reached out to centrist parties in hopes of building a broad coalition.

On the occasion of international Holocaust Remembrance Day, Netanyahu called Iran the world's leading Holocaust denier. He accused Tehran of seeking to destroy the Jewish state, and said Israel takes the threats seriously.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/israel-leader-seeks-wide-coalition-face-threats-113729238.html

evan mathis staff sgt. robert bales jason russell norfolk state st patrick s day parade duke invisible children

Mass funeral held in Egypt after riots kill 37

PORT SAID, Egypt (AP) ? Tens of thousands of mourners poured into the streets of the restive Egyptian city of Port Said on Sunday for a mass funeral for most of the 37 people killed in rioting a day earlier, chanting slogans against Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

Violence erupted briefly when some in the crowd fired guns and police responded with volleys of tear gas, witnesses said. State television reported 110 were injured.

"We are very worried about what may happen after the burial," said local youth activist Rasha Hamouda, noting the city was fraught with tension.

The violence in the city, about 140 miles northeast of Cairo, broke out on Saturday after a court on Saturday convicted and sentenced 21 defendants to death for their roles in a mass soccer riot in a Port Said stadium on Feb. 1, 2012 that left 74 people dead. Most of those sentenced to death were local soccer fans from Port Said. The 21 were convicted on murder charges and the court is to rule on the remainder of the 73 defendants in March.

The riots stemmed mostly from animosity between police and die-hard Egyptian soccer fans, known as Ultras, who have become highly politicized. The Ultras frequently confront police and were also part of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak's regime two years ago.

They were also at the forefront of protests against the military rulers who took over from Mubarak and are now again on the front lines of protests against the Morsi, the country's first freely elected leader.

A prominent Islamist leader delivered a thinly veiled warning that Islamist groups would set up militia-like vigilante groups to protect public and state property against attacks.

Addressing a news conference, Tareq el-Zomr of the once-jihadist Gamaa Islamiya, said:

"If Security forces don't achieve security, it will be the right of the Egyptian people and we at the forefront to set up popular committees to protect private and public property and counter the aggression on innocent citizens."

The threat by el-Zomr was accompanied by his charge that the mostly secular and liberal opposition was responsible for the deadly violence of the past few days, setting the stage for possible bloody clashes between protesters and Islamist militiamen. The opposition denies the charge.

There was also a funeral in Cairo for two policemen killed in the Port Said violence a day earlier. Several policemen grieving for their colleagues heckled Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim, who is in charge of the force, when he arrived for their funeral, according to witnesses. The angry officers screamed at the minister that he was only at the funeral for the TV cameras ? a highly unusual show of dissent in Egypt, where the police force maintains military-like discipline.

Ibrahim hurriedly left and the funeral proceeded without him.

In Port Said, mourners chanted "There is no God but Allah," and "Morsi is God's enemy" as the funeral procession made its way through the city after prayers for the dead at the city's Mariam Mosque. Women clad in black led the chants, which were quickly picked up by the rest of the mourners.

There were no police or army troops in sight. But the funeral procession briefly halted after gunfire rang out. Security officials said the gunfire came from several mourners who opened fire at the Police Club next to the cemetery.

A witness said the police responded to the gunfire with volleys of tear gas. The witness and the officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation in the city on the Mediterranean at the northern tip of the Suez Canal.

Survivors and witnesses of the Port Said soccer melee blame Mubarak loyalists for the violence, saying they had a hand in instigating the killings. The troubles erupted after Port Said's home team Al-Masry beat Cairo's Al-Ahly 3-1. Some witnesses said "hired thugs" wearing green T-shirts and posing as Al-Masry fans led the attacks.

Other witnesses said at the very least, police were responsible for gross negligence in the soccer violence, which killed 74 people, most of them Al-Ahly fans.

Anger at police was evident in Port Said, home to most of the 73 men accused of involvement in the bloodshed.

The trial was in Cairo and Judge Sobhi Abdel-Maguid did not give his reasoning when he handed down the guilty verdicts and sentences for 21 defendants. Executions in Egypt are usually carried out by hanging.

Verdicts for the remaining 52 defendants, including nine security officials, are to be delivered on March 9. Some have been charged with murder and others with assisting the attackers. All the defendants ? who were not present in the courtroom Saturday for security reasons ? can appeal the verdict.

In Port Said on Sunday, army troops backed by armored vehicles staked out positions at key government facilities to protect state interests and try to restore order.

The military issued a statement urging Port Said residents to exercise restraint and protect public property, but also warning that troops would deal "firmly" with anyone who "terrorizes" citizens or infringes upon the nation's security and stability.

Rioters on Saturday attacked the prison where the defendants were being held and tried to storm police stations and government offices around the city. Health officials say at least 37 people were killed, including two policemen, in rioting on Saturday.

The clashes in Port Said were the latest in a bout of unrest across the country that has left a total of 48 people dead since Friday. That death toll includes 11 people killed in clashes between police and protesters marking the second anniversary of the uprising that overthrew Mubarak after nearly 30 years of authoritarian rule.

Clashes broke out in Cairo for the fourth straight day on Sunday, with protesters and police near central Tahrir Square, birthplace of the 2011 uprising. Police fired tear gas while protesters pelted them with rocks.

The clashes show how turmoil was deepening in Egypt nearly seven months after Morsi took office. Critics say Morsi has failed to carry out promised reforms of the judiciary and police, and claim little has improved in the two years since the uprising.

At the heart of the rising opposition toward Morsi's government is a newly adopted constitution, which was ratified in a nationwide referendum.

Opponents claim the document has an Islamist slant. It was drafted hurriedly by the president's allies without the participation of representatives of liberals and minority Christians on the panel that wrote the charter.

Protesters on the streets this past week demanded the formation of a national unity government, early presidential elections and amendments to disputed clauses in the constitution.

Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group from which he hails, counter that the opposition was seeking to overturn the results of democratic and free elections. The Brotherhood, a well-organized and established political group in Egypt for decades, has emerged as by far the most powerful force in post-Mubarak Egypt.

As the situation in Port Said spiraled out of control Saturday, police disappeared from the city's streets, residents and security officials said, staying put in their camps, police stations and the city's security headquarters.

The military then dispatched troops to the city, taking up positions at vital state facilities, including the local power and water stations, the city's main courthouse, the local government building and the city prison. Navy sailors were guarding the local offices of the Suez Canal company.

Navy vessels were escorting merchant ships sailing through the international waterway, a vital income earner for Egypt's beleaguered economy. Military helicopters were flying over the canal to ensure the safety of shipping, according to Suez Canal spokesman Tareq Hassanein.

Residents said Port Said was quiet overnight except for intermittent bursts of gunfire. The city was still on edge early Sunday ? but streets were largely deserted, stores were closed for the second successive day, and some hotels asked guests to leave, fearing more violence.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mass-funeral-held-egypt-riots-kill-37-134608043--spt.html

420 secret service fenway park coachella philadelphia flyers 4/20 student loan forgiveness

The Early History Of The Ear Piercing Gun | BME: Tattoo, Piercing ...

This morning I was reading old patents (yes, this is what I do for entertainment) and came across an interesting one from way back the last time piercing was ?berpopular over 130 years ago ? filed May 10 and patented July 13, 1880 by Edward Seyfarth in Illinois (US Patent #240,073). As you can see, the design is not that much different from the piercing guns used by disease spreading hacks ^H^H^H^H nostril mutilating morons ^H^H^H^H I mean beauty salon ?piercers? even to this day. The patent application reads in part,

?Be it known that I, Edward Seyfarth, of Lanark, in the county of Carroll and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ear-Piercers ? The object of this invention is to furnish ear-piercers so constructed that the puncture can be made in exactly the desired spot and so quickly as to be painless ? The invention consists in constructing an ear-piercer of a pair of bars hinged to each other at one end and provided at their other ends with sockets to receive blocks to be pressed against the ear, the tube having a cap upon its outer end, the needle having a disk and a notch, the spiral spring, and the catch for holding the needle when drawn out, so that the ear may be pierced while being compressed.?

?In using the piercer the blocks (D) are placed upon the opposite sides of the lobe of the ear in such a position that the hole through the blocks (D) will be directly over the spot where it is desired to puncture the ear. The arms (A and B) are then pressed together to numb the part of the ear between the blocks (D). The catch (K) is then drawn back to release the needle (G), which is forced forward to make the puncture by the elasticity of the spring (H), thus making the puncture without causing pain. The needle (G) is then drawn back, the instrument is removed from the ear, and a wire or thread passed through the puncture in the usual way.?

I?ve often heard the urban myth that the ear piercing gun is directly based on or evolved from the tool that places tags in animal ears ? it wouldn?t surprise me if I?ve even written that at times. Even the extremely qualified and knowledgeable Elayne Angel says this in her recent book on the subject ?The Piercing Bible? (which reminds me, check out her excellent piercing blog at that link), writing ?these gadgets were originally invented for tagging cattle and other animals, and later adapted for use on humans?. But it seems this is a misleading statement, arguably false ? at best the two tools co-evolved. More likely when we?re talking about piercing tools of the ?gun? type that?s most common, one should more accurately argue the evolutionary process is actually the other way around, with a number of patents for animal tagging tools going to far as to explicitly refer back to this very ear-piercing gun patent by Edward Seyfarth! On the whole though I think it?s more realistic to say that the vast majority of animal tagging tools come from the same design family as modified pliers like riveting tools and leather punches, without that much overlap with the design of piercing guns (with a number of notable exceptions). But I?m beginning to digress.

Speaking of ear piercing guns that look more like animal tagging tools, there?s Francis X. Xavbet?s ?ear piercing pliers? filed December 3rd, 1880 (US Patent #250,121 issued November 29, 1881), a simple clamp-like device. Xavbet?s design, unlike Seyfarth?s which only creates the hole, uses sharpened jewelry to accomplish the process in a single step as the tool places the ring. His patent reads in part,

?The object I have in view is to produce simple and convenient means for piercing ears, in which the ear-ring itself can be used as the piercing-point, and will be released by the instrument when the hole is formed, so as to remain in the ear till healed.?

?The ear-ring (F) ? has a sharp-pointed wire (g). It is grasped by the clamp (A), in the position shown in Fig. 1, the plate (E) is then pushed toward the socket (D), and the lobe of the ear is introduced between such plate and the point of the ear-ring. The pliers are then forced together and the ear pierced, when the chain (B) draws back the dog (B) and the clamp is released. The instrument can now be removed from the ear and leave the ear-ring in position. The sharp point of the ear-ring can then be cut off; but this is not necessary, if the ear-ring is provided with a closed keeper, such as is used on safety pins.?

?When it is desired to place in the ears earrings not provided with sharpened points the removable cutting-points (h), Fig. 6, are used. These can be detached from the wires of the ear-rings after the holes are formed.?

I want to mention one other piercing tool that I dug up, filed just after the Seyfarth design by James McAlpine, on May 20, 1880 with the patent issued November 30th (US Patent #234,881). It deserves mention because it?s by far the simplest ? not much more than a holder to help shove a short needle through the lobe with your thumb ? he even suggests piercing both ears at once, as the tool is designed to be one-handed. The patent reads,

?The invention consists, mainly, in certain peculiarities of construction ? [a] means of which the instrument is adapted for use with one hand, in consequence of which it is possible, by applying an instrument to each ear and operating them simultaneously, to pierce both ears at the same time.?

?The operation is substantially as follows: The jaws having been opened, the set-screw being loose, the bearing-faces may be adjusted to the lobe of the ear, and then be held in the proper position simply by tightening the set-screw. By means of the stop projection and pin the jaws are prevented from being brought together too closely. An instrument being thus attached to each ear, as indicated in Fig. 7, and the piercers being inserted in the tubes, the operator, by means of his thumb and finger, simply presses the piercer toward the button, in consequence of which the lobe is pierced. The hands being used simultaneously, both ears are pierced at once.?

?Some of the advantages are as follows: The use of two instruments at once for simultaneous action is desirable, because, first, a saving of time is effected, and, second, the pain and difficulty resulting from two distinct operations are avoided.?

The above designs are some of the earliest piercing tools of their respective families that I have been able to find to date ? although I?m still searching and I strongly believe there are earlier ones in the patent archives that are still to be dug up. I don?t know for certain whether the first one is the earliest patent on a ?true piercing gun? and whether Mr. Seyfarth can be credited as the concept?s overall inventor (I doubt it), but it?s certainly very early and you can still see its influence in ear piercing guns in use around the world.

As you may have noticed from these three Victorian patents, at this point there wasn?t a standardized design for the initial jewelry such as the ubiquitous butterfly-back that is still common today. However, browsing other early patents you start to see hints of this line of thinking, and definite precursors of designs that are still in use. From left to right below are US patents 216,954 (filed May 1, 1879 by Lois Heckman), 269,383 (May 8, 1882 by John Caldwell), and 320,991 (May 1, 1885 by Charles Westcott) ? what is it with piercing inspiration and the month of May by the way?

All three of these designs use some variation on the backing lightly clamping into place on the bar, the first two being aesthetically closest to modern salon-style jewelry. The third one caught my eye though, because although it is functionally similar to the first two, visually it is identical to the barbell jewelry popularized in the body piercing world by Jim Ward in the 1970s?

When I have more time I will do additional patent research on this subject, both on the early history of body modification, and on some of the more recent patents, which have the advantage of being far more hilarious. For example, I was just reading a silly patent on a line of tongue piercing jewelry that contains a receptacle to release ?a substance such as a chemical, breath freshener, pleasant flavor, or medication into the mouth of a wearer? (US Patents 6,675,613 and 8,006,516). The concept works just as you?d expect ? a hollow bar to hold the substance, which is then released through holes in the beads. Anyone who has ever brushed plaque off of a tongue barbell can imagine just how disgusting this jewelry has the potential of becoming!!!

Source: http://news.bme.com/2013/01/26/the-early-history-of-the-ear-piercing-gun/

Marcus Lattimore news 12 world series Natina Reed giants Sandy Hurricane flight tracker

Finally, Marissa Mayer Explains What Her Yahoo ... - Business Insider

The question that has plagued every Yahoo CEO for the last 10 years or so is a pretty simple one: What does Yahoo do?

Marissa Mayer, six months on the job now, seems to have come up with a pretty good answer.?

She debuted it this morning in a keynote interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

She said that the Web has become "vast" with content, and that what Yahoo can do is use all the contextual clues it has about its users ? their "social context," their specific location, their activity on Yahoo and elsewhere ? "to make sense of the content."

In short, what Marissa Mayer's Yahoo will do is present "The Internet, ordered for you."

"We provide a feed of information that is ordered ? a web, ordered for you, [that] is also available on your mobile phone."

"Which is interesting," she said, "because it brings Yahoo back to its roots."

That's the kind of vision that will excite Yahoo shareholders, employees, users and clients.?

Unfortunately, Mayer says it's not going to happen right away.

Personalization that fully takes advantage of "personalized notions" ? "things like likes on Facebook, tweets, articles you click on" ? "will probably happen in the next three to five years," Mayer told the audience.

You can watch Mayer talk about this specific idea, here.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/finally-marissa-mayer-explains-what-her-yahoo-does-we-provide-a-web-ordered-for-you-2013-1

chariots of fire nbc Medal Count Sam Mikulak London 2012 diving Tim Berners-Lee Olympics 2012 Schedule

Chicken wing prices soar ahead of Super Bowl

It's the hit of most Super Bowl parties, but last summer's drought caused farmers around the country to slow chicken production, and that's now hitting chicken wing fans in the wallet. NBC's Michelle Franzen reports.

By Allison Linn, TODAY

Last summer?s drought has come home to roost in the price you?ll be paying for those Super Bowl party chicken wings.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Thursday that chicken prices were up 6 percent in December, versus a year earlier. That's more than triple how much overall food prices have risen over?the same time.

Food economists had been warning that the price of foods such as meats and dairy would likely rise because of the summer?s severe drought.

In the case of poultry, the drought led to a rise in prices for the grains that are typically used to feed animals such as chickens and turkeys. That, in turn, has pushed up the price of the chickens.

There are other factors that also are making chicken wings in particular?more expensive this year, said Ryan Koory, an economist with IHS Global Insights who specializes in agriculture.

Last year, Koory said there was a glut in supply for chickens that led some farmers to decrease the number of chickens they produced. That in turn started to push prices up.

In addition, he said, in the past year and a half or so consumers have increasingly been turning to cheaper types of chicken, such as dark meat and wings, over pricier parts of the chicken such as chicken breasts.?

All that will likely translate into higher prices when you go to buy your chicken wings for next Sunday's matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers.

The National Chicken Council also said the rise in corn prices resulted in slightly fewer chickens being produced. The trade group is expecting 1.23 billion chicken wings to be consumed on Super Bowl weekend, a 1 percent decline from last year, because of the lower supply.

Despite the higher prices, Koory said chicken remains a better deal than other protein options.

?It?s still the cheapest meat, in comparison to a pork or beef,? Koory said.

Chicken wing lovers who are on a budget could have something to look forward to next year. If the weather cooperates and farmers don?t have to deal with a drought this summer, Koory said chicken prices should start to go down toward the end of 2013.

That means your chicken wings could be cheaper when you host that Super Bowl Sunday party in 2014.

Related: Fingerlickin' good! Best chicken wings in America

?

Source: http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2013/01/25/16697406-downright-un-american-chicken-wing-prices-up-ahead-of-super-bowl?lite

alyssa bustamante protandim weightless ellen degeneres jcpenney yeardley love nba all star reserves rock center

plumbing - No water from hot tap - Home Improvement

This is a collaboratively edited question and answer site for contractors and serious DIYers. It's 100% free, no registration required.

Got a question about the site itself? meta is the place to talk about things like what questions are appropriate, what tags we should use, etc.

about ???? faq ? ? meta ?

Source: http://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/24689/no-water-from-hot-tap

Ryan Lanza Facebook usa today foxnews cnn yahoo news nbc news cnn news

The Daily Roundup for 01.25.2013

You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

Pebble smartwatch review

After $10 million in funding from Kickstarter, Pebble finally ships to backers, and us...

The Engadget Interview

Don't ask, don't get. That's why we rang up Canonical and requested an early build of Ubuntu for the Galaxy Nexus. (Politely declined.) Next, we asked if maybe the company could speed up development...

Apple drops supplier over underage labor

Apple's latest Supplier Responsibility Report has just been published...

Distro Issue 75

Ever wanted to take off and soar the friendly skies...

You also might like:

• Samsung reports $8.27 billion in profits for Q4 2012
• IDC: Samsung extends lead over Apple in smartphone marketshare, while Huawei and ZTE increase influence
• Dual OS phone with Android and desktop Ubuntu not likely to arrive before 2014

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/25/the-daily-roundup-for-01-25-2013/

Mavericks Surf Stonewall Inaugural Ball Kaepernick kelly clarkson julio jones j crew