Kristen Stewart does her best Kate Middleton impression in the latest issue of Vanity Fair.
As scooped by E! News, the Twilight Saga beauty took off for Paris yesterday in order to pose for an upcoming spread in the famous magazine and it looks like she'll be featured in one seriously glamorous, big-hatted pictorial when the issue eventually comes out, as you can see here:
Stewart won't be seen next in Breaking Dawn. Snow White and the Huntsman comes out this June and fans are buzzing over its trailer. Can you blame them?
Expect Kristen to be featured in many more magazines and interviews leading up to that blockbuster's release.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) ? Confidence in the euro zone's economy strengthened in January for the first time since early 2011, EU data showed on Monday, but a recovery in Germany masked a deterioration in France and Italy in a sign of the bloc's diverging fortunes.
The European Commission's economic sentiment indicator rose by 0.6 points in the euro zone to 93.4, the first improvement in sentiment since March last year as some confidence returned to services, consumers and construction.
The indicator was still slightly lower than forecast by economists polled by Reuters, underscoring the difficulty of measuring the rising optimism that is still tempered by EU leaders' inability to resolve the euro zone debt crisis.
The business climate indicator also rose for the second month in a row to -0.21, in line with economists' expectations.
The mixed picture was evident in the Commission's industrial confidence indicator, which remained unchanged in January, as factory managers said they saw a deterioration in their assessment of their order books, though this was offset by a positive assessment of their stocks.
Confidence in services, meanwhile, rebounded by 2 points in the euro zone and construction also rose 0.6.
Economists are divided over how deep the euro zone's economic contraction will be after the European Central Bank's decision in December to provide 3-year loans to banks averted a credit freeze.
But budget austerity and political divisions over how to solve the two-year debt crisis continue to depress business in the euro zone and the wider European Union, with non-euro zone country Britain heading for a recession in early 2011.
The European Commission forecasts 2012 economic growth of just 0.5 percent for the 17 nations in the euro zone, which generates 16 percent of global economic output. The International Monetary Fund is more pessimistic, forecasting a 0.5 percent contraction in 2012 that it says could drag the world into recession.
EU leaders hope to sketch a pathway out of the slump at a summit in Brussels on Monday, but a big divergence in the performance of the 27-nation bloc's economies makes that a tough task, while spending cuts are still the order of the day.
Recent data suggests Germany will avoid a recession, while non-euro zone member Britain, as well as euro states Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal, are likely to see their economies contract in 2012. Belgium and the Netherlands, also members of the single currency, will struggle to grow at all.
(Reporting By Robin Emmott; editing by Rex Merrifield)
YUMA, Arizona (AP) ? A city council candidate in Arizona who was barred from running because she doesn't speak English proficiently is vowing to appeal the judge's ruling.
Alejandrina Cabrera conceded in an interview with the Yuma Sun that she needs to improve her command of English. But the San Luis resident said the judge's decision that she doesn't satisfy a state law requiring elected officials to be proficient is unjust.
"He can't take away my constitutional rights, and if he takes away my rights, he takes away the rights of the community," Cabrera told The Sun's Spanish-language edition on Saturday.
Her language skills are adequate in a southwestern Arizona border city where Spanish is used as frequently as English, Cabrera said. She declined to give details of the appeal.
The case has brought national and international attention to the city after San Luis Mayor Juan Carlos Escamilla filed a court action last month asking for a determination on whether Cabrera had the English skills necessary to serve on the council.
State law requires elected officials to know English, but Cabrera's attorneys have argued the law does not define proficiency in the language.
An expert testified that in tests he administered to Cabrera, she did not demonstrate the level of proficiency needed to serve on the council. Yuma County Judge John Nelson said he also based his ruling on Cabrera's failure to respond correctly to questions posed to her.
Cabrera said, "the specialist is right that I have to continue (studying English), but I don't agree that my English is not satisfactory for (the council). I clearly have the ability to be a councilwoman here. I'm not (campaigning for) the White House.
"I know that many people know both languages, but the truth is that, whether we like or not, all the people speak Spanish. If you go the market, if you go to the post office, if you go to pay your water bill, nobody speaks to you in English," she said.
Cabrera was one of 10 candidates who had filed nominating petition signatures to run for four council seats in the March primary election. As her attorneys seek an appeal, Cabrera said she will keep campaigning for three other candidates with whom she was planning to run on a slate for the council seats.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney's lead over rival Newt Gingrich edged up to 12 percentage points in Florida, according to Reuters/Ipsos online poll results on Sunday, as Romney's front-runner status stabilized and Gingrich continued to slip.
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and private equity executive, was supported by 42 percent of likely Florida voters surveyed in the online three-day tracking poll, just down from 43 percent in the same poll on Saturday. Romney was at 41 percent on Friday.
But with just two days before the state's primary on Tuesday, Gingrich's support was at 30 percent, down from 32 percent in Saturday's results and 33 percent on Friday.
The gap between the two was 11 percent when poll respondents were asked about a hypothetical head-to-head race between the rivals in the race for the Republican presidential nomination to oppose President Barack Obama in the general election in November.
If the race were between Romney and Gingrich only, Romney would be at 55 percent to Gingrich's 44 percent, according to the Sunday's results. On Saturday the gap between the two was eight percentage points and on Friday it was just two, when respondents were asked the same question.
"Newt Gingrich's position in the primary race is really starting to lose support," said Chris Jackson, research director for Ipsos Public Affairs.
The poll results, similar to those of several other surveys, illustrated Romney's remarkable turnaround since South Carolina's primary on January 21, which Gingrich won in a surprise upset.
"Gingrich got a big boost out of South Carolina, but he's losing that," said Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak.
"It's clear that Romney's run a much more focused and effective campaign in Florida than Newt," he said. "Newt's playing defense every single day in every way and doesn't seem to be able to make Romney play defense."
Romney had two strong debate performances this week and has jumped to a solid lead over Gingrich, whom he had trailed in earlier opinion polls in Florida. He has taken steady aim at Gingrich on the debate stage and in attack ads as a politician who left government under an ethics cloud and has remained a Washington insider ever since.
GINGRICH FACES TOUGH FEBRUARY
Romney has a solid advantage in money and organization over Gingrich in Florida, and the month ahead does not look much better for the former speaker as the state-by-state race for the Republican nomination continues.
Four states with February contests - Nevada, Maine, Colorado and Minnesota - use caucus systems, which can require greater organization to rally voter turnout. That could help Romney take advantage of his superior financial and staff resources.
On February 28, Michigan and Arizona hold primaries. Romney was raised in Michigan, where his father was a governor and car executive.
"February does not look like a good month for Newt," Mackowiak said.
But his failure to gain more support among likely voters in Florida's primary, which is limited only to registered Republicans, shows that Romney is still not electrifying the party faithful. "He's not the guy that everyone loves and rallies behind," Jackson said. "He's not getting that huge rally of support."
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum trailed well behind with 16 percent support, the same as Saturday's level. Santorum seemed to be gaining momentum as an "alternate" to Romney. Thirty-eight percent of likely voters said he would be their second choice if their first choice left the race, up from 33 percent on Saturday and 30 percent on Friday.
But it is probably too close to the January 31 vote to make a difference, Jackson said.
Texas Congressman Ron Paul, who is not campaigning in Florida, was at 6 percent.
Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online surveys, but this poll of 726 likely voters in the Florida primary has a credibility interval of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points for registered voters.
Sunday's Reuters/Ipsos survey is the third of four daily tracking polls being released ahead of Tuesday's Florida primary.
(Reporting By Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Sandra Maler)
LOS ANGELES ? When your dinner party guests include Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Kate Winslet and Glenn Close, and the whole affair is televised live, it can take months to plan the menu. That's why the team behind the Screen Actors Guild Awards began putting together the plate for Sunday's ceremony months ago.
It was still summer when show producer Kathy Connell and director Jeff Margolis first sat down with chef Suzanne Goins of Los Angeles eatery Lucques with a tall order: Create a meal that is delicious at room temperature, looks beautiful on TV, is easy to eat and appeals to Hollywood tastes. Oh, and no poppyseeds, soups, spicy dishes, or piles of onions or garlic.
"It can't drip, stick in their teeth or be too heavy," Connell said. "We have to appease all palates."
The chef put together a plate of possibilities: Slow-roasted salmon with yellow beets, lamb with cous cous and spiced cauliflower and roasted root vegetables with quinoa. There was also a chopped chicken salad and another chicken dish with black beans.
To ensure the dishes are both tasty and TV-ready, Connell and Margolis, along with the show's florist and art director, dined together at this summertime lunch on tables set to replicate those that will be in the Shrine Exposition Center during the ceremony. The pewter, crushed-silk tablecloths and white lilies you'll see on TV Sunday were also chosen months ago.
The diners discussed the look of the plate, the size of the portions and the vegetarian possibilities.
"We'd like the portions a little larger," Connell told the chef.
"And a little more sauce on the salmon," Margolis added.
Come Sunday, it's up to Goins to prepare 1,200 of the long-planned meals for the A-list audience.
A day before the most recent Republican debate in Florida, Newt Gingrich promised that if he were elected president, there would be a permanent base on the moon. The former Speaker of the House added that if 13,000 Americans were living there, the moon could apply for U.S. statehood.
At the Florida GOP debate, Gingrich was asked to outline his proposal, while the rest of the Republican field reacted to this grandiose plan. Here is what the candidates said, according to the presidential debate transcript provided by CNN:
* Newt Gingrich: "If we had a handful of serious prizes, you'd see an extraordinary number of people out there trying to get to the moon first. ? It is really important to go back and look at what John F. Kennedy said in May of 1961 when he said, "We will go to the moon in this decade." ? But I'll tell you, I do not want to be the country that having gotten to the moon first, turned around and said, it doesn't really matter, let the Chinese dominate space, what do we care? I think that is a path of national decline, and I am for America being a great country, not a country in decline."
* Mitt Romney: "That's an enormous expense. And right now I want to be spending money here. Of course the space coast has been badly hurt and I believe in a very vibrant and strong space program. To define the mission for our space program, I'd like to bring in the top professors that relate to space areas and physics, the top people from industry. Because I want to make sure what we're doing in space translates into commercial products. I want to bring in our top military experts on space needs. ??? I'm not looking for a colony on the moon. I think the cost of that would be in the hundreds of billions, if not trillions. I'd rather be rebuilding housing here in the U.S. I spent 25 years in business. If I had a business executive come to me and say they wanted to spend a few hundred billion dollars to put a colony on the moon, I'd say, 'You're fired.'"
* Rick Santorum: "I agree that we need to bring good minds in the private sector much more involved in NASA than the government bureaucracy that we have. But let's just be honest, we run a $1.2 trillion deficit right now. We're borrowing 40-cents of every dollar. And to go out there and promise new programs and big ideas, that's a great thing to maybe get votes, but it's not a responsible thing when you have to go out and say that we have to start cutting programs, not talking about how to how to grow them. We're going to cut programs."
* Ron Paul: "Well, I don't think we should go to the moon. I think we maybe should send some politicians up there. ? The only part that I would vote for is for national defense purposes. Not to explore the moon and go to Mars. I think that's fantastic. I love those ideas, but I also don't like the idea of building government business partnerships. If we had a healthy economy and had more Bill Gateses and more Warren Buffetts, the money would be there. It should be privatized, and the people who work in the industry, if you had that, there would be jobs in aerospace."
ROY, Utah ? The two teens had a detailed plot, blueprints of the school and security systems, but no explosives. They had hours of flight simulator training on a home computer and a plan to flee the country, but no plane.
Still, the police chief in this small Utah town said, the plot was real.
"It wasn't like they were hanging out playing video games," Roy Police Chief Gregory Whinham said Friday. "They put a lot of effort into it."
Dallin Morgan, 18, and a 16-year-old friend were arrested Wednesday at Roy High School, about 30 miles north of Salt Lake City, after a fellow student reported that she received ominous text messages from one of the suspects.
"If I tell you one day not to go to school, make damn sure you and your brother are not there," one message read, according to court records. "We ain't gonna crash it, we're just gonna kill and fly our way to a country that won't send us back to the U.S.," read another message.
While police don't have a motive, one text message noted they sought "revenge on the world."
The suspects say they were inspired by the deadly 1999 Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colo., and the younger suspect even visited the school last month to interview the principal about the shootings and security measures.
However, one suspect told authorities it was offensive to be compared to the Columbine shooters because "those killers only completed 1 percent of their plan," according to a probable cause statement.
The teens had so studied their own school's security system that they knew how to avoid being seen on the facility's surveillance cameras, authorities said.
Whinham said the "very smart kids" had spent at least hundreds of dollars on flight simulator programs, books and manuals, studying them in anticipation of carrying out their plan to bomb an assembly at the 1,500-student high school.
While authorities said the suspects believed they could pull it off, experts said, it would have been a long shot.
Royal Eccles, manager at the Ogden-Hinckley Airport, about a mile from the school, said it would have been nearly impossible for the students to steal a plane or get the knowledge to fly one using flight simulator programs.
"It's highly improbable," Eccles said. "That's how naive these kids are."
Whinham said authorities searched two homes and two cars and found no explosives, but added that police continue to search other locations. The chief said it appeared that "a key component of their plan was not developed."
"I wouldn't want to say that they don't have it or that they weren't ready for it," he said. "I'm just saying that we haven't found anything that says they were ready for it yet."
Whinham said it appeared the suspects, who have no criminal history, also had prepared alternate attack plans, but he declined to elaborate. He also declined to say whether any firearms were found during their searches.
"Most houses have firearms in them," he said. "This is the state of Utah."
While authorities have said they have not found any explosives, they charged Morgan on Friday with possession of a weapon of mass destruction.
The basis for the charge wasn't immediately clear, though one of the elements of that offense is conspiracy to use a weapon, not necessarily possessing one. Prosecutors say they are considering additional charges.
Morgan has been released on bond, pending a court hearing Wednesday. The 16-year-old, whom The Associated Press isn't naming because he's a minor, remained held pending further court hearings.
Whinham said he knew both suspects personally, given the small size of the suburban Utah town of roughly 36,000 people. He said he had met with both of the suspects' parents and they were "devastated."
The 16-year-old suspect's father declined comment Friday, and no one answered the door at Morgan's home.
The plot "was months in planning," said Whinham, who also noted Morgan told investigators the 16-year-old had previously made a pipe bomb using gun powder and rocket fuel.
In Colorado, Columbine Principal Frank DeAngelis confirmed Friday he met with the 16-year-old suspect on Dec. 12 after the teenager told him he was doing a story for his school newspaper on the shootings.
DeAngelis said he frequently gets requests from students doing research on the shootings, and the request from this one wasn't unusual.
"He asked the same questions I get from many callers and visitors asking about the shooting," DeAngelis said. He said the student wanted details about the shooting, the aftermath and the steps taken since then to protect the school.
Police said the student told them Roy school officials would not allow him to write the story.
DeAngelis said he was shocked when he got a call from Utah police on Wednesday asking if he had met with the youth. He said the interview raised no red flags but that he would do things differently with future requests.
"This was definitely a wake-up call. This is the first time this has happened," DeAngelis said.
Police credit the suspects' schoolmate with helping foil their plan, though Whinham said the school didn't have any assemblies set, and the suspects revealed no specific dates to pull off the attack.
Sophomore Bailey Gerhardt told The Salt Lake Tribune she received alarming text messages from one of the suspects and alerted school administrators.
"I get the feeling you know what I'm planning," read one of the messages, according to court records. "Explosives, airport, airplane."
___
Associated Press writer Steven K. Paulson in Denver contributed to this report.
'I'm not Bow; I'm daddy,' MC tells 'RapFix Live' about spending time with his daughter, Shai. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway
Bow Wow Photo: Natasha Chandel/ MTV News
Becoming a dad changes things. After a lot of rumors and speculation, Bow Wow admitted last year on his website that he had fathered his first child, a baby girl names Shai.
At first, the 24-year-old rapper hid the truth because he was "nervous" about how his fans, who have been following him since he first debuted at 13 years old, would look at him. On Wednesday's "RapFix Live," Bow (real name: Shad Gregory Moss) had no reservations about opening up about fatherhood.
"For me, it's just the quality time I get. I'm Bow Wow all the time. To the world, I'm Bow Wow. When I leave here and I go to L.A. and I go to my daughter's house and I sit with her, I feel like Shad. I'm not Bow; I'm daddy," he told MTV News correspondent Sway. "It's, like, the illest feeling in the world. I feel like I'm away from everything."
The feeling has even spilled over into the studio. On his upcoming album, Underrated, Bow said he will include "Boy or Girl," a previously released mixtape track on which he rhymes about being a dad. "The record just hit home, because it was just honest. Right then, I was like, 'Yo, I have to make honest records. I gotta be more personal, I gotta be more honest,' " Bow said. "That's what music is about."
On January 8, Jay-Z joined the ranks of famous rapper dads when he and wife Beyoncé welcomed Blue Ivy Carter into the world. It seems like, more than ever, MCs are opening up publicly about their children. Jay released "Glory," a single that featured baby Blue crying at the end; T.I. stars in a new reality show with his wife and their six children; and Fabolous has been getting more personal in his music since the birth of his son, Johan.
OTTAWA (Reuters) ? Enbridge Inc's controversial plan to build a pipeline to the Pacific Coast from oil-rich Alberta requires the consent of aboriginal bands, some of whom staunchly oppose the project, Canada's top native leader said on Wednesday. The contention underlines the difficulties facing Enbridge as it tries to push through the C$5.5 billion ($5.4 billion) Northern Gateway project, which would cross land belonging to many Indian bands, or first nations, so the oil sands-derived crude could be shipped to Asia and California.
Clock ticking on possible Air Canada strike, lock-out
(Reuters) - Air Canada's refusal to extend a period of conciliated labor talks with its pilots' union raises the chance of a strike or lock-out at the country's biggest airline by as early as February. The 3,000-strong Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) said on Tuesday the carrier had declined to extend labor contract negotiations that had been taking place under a conciliator appointed by the federal government.
Harper fears Europe, U.S. problems to get worse
(Reuters) - Canada is very concerned about the economic problems facing Europe and the United States and fears they could become even more severe in future, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Thursday. Harper told the World Economic Forum in Davos that the uncertain international outlook meant he would focus on boosting the Canadian economy by cutting red tape as well as slowing the growth of spending.
Ontario finance minister sees targeted budget reforms
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ontario's spring budget will see targeted changes to the public sector, rather than cuts across all areas, the finance minister of Canada's most populous province said on Wednesday. "I categorically reject that we will do across the board cuts," Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan said in an interview.
Canada education sector toughest job market
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Unemployed workers in Canada's educational services sector faced the toughest job market in the country in the July-September period, according to a new Statistics Canada report on Tuesday. For every 10 unemployed workers in education, there was just one vacancy, the agency's new data on job vacancies in the three-month period showed. The second worst sector was construction where the ratio was 5.1.
TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's telecoms and broadcasting regulator appointed Vice-Chairman Leonard Katz as its interim chairman on Wednesday as predecessor Konrad von Finckenstein's term ended. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) said in a statement that Katz will exercise the chairman's powers until the federal cabinet appoints a permanent replacement for von Finckenstein.
Rwanda genocide suspect deported from Canada
KIGALI (Reuters) - A Rwandan man charged with crimes against humanity has been deported from Canada and is due to arrive in the central African country overnight, Rwanda's justice minister said on Tuesday. Leon Mugesera, who lost a 16-year battle to stay in Canada, will face charges of inciting murder, extermination and genocide.
Pilots say Air Canada quit talks; government disagrees
CALGARY/OTTAWA (Reuters) - Air Canada pilots said on Tuesday the airline had abandoned contract talks in the hope that Ottawa would step in to resolve the dispute, but the country's largest carrier said it was awaiting the union's response to its latest offer. Canadian Labour Minister Lisa Raitt also said talks had not broken down and the federally appointed conciliator remained in contact with both parties and was available to assist with negotiations.
Ottawa sees itself as protector of oil sands benefits
VANCOUVER/CALGARY (Reuters) - Canada's government has a responsibility to make sure people can take advantage of the economic benefits Alberta's massive oil deposits can generate, the country's energy minister said on Monday as he once again decried "radicals" bent on stopping Enbridge Inc's Northern Gateway oil pipeline. As about 50 protesters demonstrated noisily outside, Joe Oliver, minister of natural resources, said in Vancouver that "environmental and other radical groups" are indiscriminately opposing any and all large industrial projects and are using Canada's regulatory system as their main battleground.
Canadian minister blasts China ahead of PM's visit
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's foreign minister launched an outspoken attack on China's "abhorrent" treatment of religious minorities on Monday, just weeks before Prime Minister Stephen Harper goes to Beijing in a bid to sell more oil. John Baird's comments came as a major surprise, given Canada's right-of-center Conservative government has gradually toned down its attacks on Chinese human rights issues over the years in favor of boosting trade.
WASHINGTON ? Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday the protracted policy fight between Democrats and Republicans in Washington is "not about bad guys and good guys," but centers on how best to keep the middle class growing in America.
Biden said the Obama administration has worked hard to strike deals with congressional Republicans on a wide array of issues, including steps to rein in the mounting federal deficit. But he added that time after time in talks he held with congressional figures in both parties, he was told little could be accomplished because of the wall of opposition from 86 conservative House Republicans.
The vice president said it seemed "like the tail is wagging the dog."
"This president came in with open arms" and said he was ready to sit down and talk, Biden said, only to be repudiated by conservative Republicans.
He denied that the White House renounced the recommendations of the Simpson-Bowles deficit-reduction commission, saying that while President Barack Obama didn't endorse the panel's findings "per se," he embraced many of the ideas contained in the report.
Biden said he wanted to take issue with "this idea that Simpson-Bowles is some kind of Holy Grail."
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said the differences between the GOP and Obama are "stark" and said there will have to be significant work to overcome them.
"I don't think anyone wants to pay higher taxes," he said. The Virginia Republican said that Washington needs to "get out of the mindset" that the country's problems can be solved with new programs and expensive new initiatives.
He said "small business is the backbone" of the nation, and policies that bolster small business should be pursued more aggressively.
Biden appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America," "CBS This Morning" and NBC's "Today" show. Cantor was interviewed on CBS and MSNBC.
With the popular MegaUpload file sharing website shut down, several other online locker services, all of which have legal uses, are limiting their features or closing down entirely in an apparent effort to avoid MegaUpload's fate: a forced shutdown by the United States Department of Justice, FBI, and National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, and the arrests of its operators. More »
Climatic warming-induced change in timings of 24 seasonal divisions in China since 1960Public release date: 24-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Yan ZhongWei yzw@tea.ac.cn Science in China Press
The Twenty-four Solar Terms are ancient Chinese terms used for about 2000 years. They describe 24 stages or timings associated with seasonal changes in phenology and agricultural activity throughout a year. Qian et al. from the Key Laboratory of Regional Climate-Environment for East Asia, Chinese Academy of Sciences, quantitatively defined the somewhat 'astronomic' term for the first time, based on modern temperature records. This facilitated an investigation of changes in the climatic Solar Terms under global warming over the past half-century. Their results were based on a recently developed homogenized dataset of daily temperature observations, dating to 1960. According to these results, the timings of the climatic Solar Terms during the warming phase (around spring) of the seasonal cycle have significantly advanced (by 6-15 days) from the 1960s to the present.
Across China, timings during the cooling phase (around autumn) have delayed by 5-6 days on average. This is mainly because of a warming shift of the entire seasonal temperature cycle, as illustrated in the figure. Four particular phenology-related climatic Solar Terms, namely the Waking of Insects, Pure Brightness, Grain Full, and Grain in Ear, have advanced almost everywhere in the country (as much as 20 days in North China). This has important implications for agricultural planning. The numbers of extremely cold (Great Cold) days decreased by 56.8% over the last 10 years as compared with the 1960s, whereas those of extremely hot (Great Heat) days increased by 81.4%. The paper entitled 'Climatic changes in the Twenty-four Solar Terms during 1960-2008' is published in Chinese Science Bulletin, 2012, Vol 57(2).
The present results imply that under concurrent global warming and consequent earlier / delayed timings of the climatic Twenty-four Solar Terms, planning various human activities (especially agricultural ones) based on traditional experience requires adjustment. It has been suggested that decision-making regarding climate change adaptation should take into account more climate elements, such as changes in precipitation and climate extremes, plus technological advances.
###
See the article: Qian C, Yan Z W, Fu C B. Climatic changes in the Twenty-four Solar Terms during 1960-2008, Chinese Sci. Bull., 2012, 57(2): 276-286
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Climatic warming-induced change in timings of 24 seasonal divisions in China since 1960Public release date: 24-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Yan ZhongWei yzw@tea.ac.cn Science in China Press
The Twenty-four Solar Terms are ancient Chinese terms used for about 2000 years. They describe 24 stages or timings associated with seasonal changes in phenology and agricultural activity throughout a year. Qian et al. from the Key Laboratory of Regional Climate-Environment for East Asia, Chinese Academy of Sciences, quantitatively defined the somewhat 'astronomic' term for the first time, based on modern temperature records. This facilitated an investigation of changes in the climatic Solar Terms under global warming over the past half-century. Their results were based on a recently developed homogenized dataset of daily temperature observations, dating to 1960. According to these results, the timings of the climatic Solar Terms during the warming phase (around spring) of the seasonal cycle have significantly advanced (by 6-15 days) from the 1960s to the present.
Across China, timings during the cooling phase (around autumn) have delayed by 5-6 days on average. This is mainly because of a warming shift of the entire seasonal temperature cycle, as illustrated in the figure. Four particular phenology-related climatic Solar Terms, namely the Waking of Insects, Pure Brightness, Grain Full, and Grain in Ear, have advanced almost everywhere in the country (as much as 20 days in North China). This has important implications for agricultural planning. The numbers of extremely cold (Great Cold) days decreased by 56.8% over the last 10 years as compared with the 1960s, whereas those of extremely hot (Great Heat) days increased by 81.4%. The paper entitled 'Climatic changes in the Twenty-four Solar Terms during 1960-2008' is published in Chinese Science Bulletin, 2012, Vol 57(2).
The present results imply that under concurrent global warming and consequent earlier / delayed timings of the climatic Twenty-four Solar Terms, planning various human activities (especially agricultural ones) based on traditional experience requires adjustment. It has been suggested that decision-making regarding climate change adaptation should take into account more climate elements, such as changes in precipitation and climate extremes, plus technological advances.
###
See the article: Qian C, Yan Z W, Fu C B. Climatic changes in the Twenty-four Solar Terms during 1960-2008, Chinese Sci. Bull., 2012, 57(2): 276-286
[ | 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.
It wasn't just RIM that had designs on the limelight during the football action last night. Comcast affiliates inserted extra commercials over the NFC Championship game last night, thoughtfully playing the clips over the climax of the match 'twixt the Giants and the 49ers. Frustrated fans who missed out on parts of the fourth quarter and overtime promptly began voicing dissent on the company's support forums. The Washington Post has a quote from spokesperson Amiee Metrick indicating the problems were due to a possible "equipment failure" at local affiliate resulting in the ill-timed ads reported in Oregon and Washington D.C. We've heard that it's offering a $10 credit and an apology, but it seems unlikely to soothe the brow of those -- like the person who recorded video of the incident you can see after the break -- thinking of switching to FiOS.
There are hundreds of thousands of iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad apps for just about everything — so how come the one you need, the one you know just has
WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? President Barack Obama, offering a glimpse of next week's State of the Union address, made clear on Saturday that he will deliver a starkly partisan election-year call for a "return to American values" of economic fairness.
"I'm going to lay out a blueprint for an American economy that's built to last," Obama said in a campaign video sent to supporters. "And most importantly, a return to American values of fairness for all, and responsibility from all."
A reference to values is usually political code for social and religious issues, a rallying cry for conservative Republicans who want to deny the Democratic president a second White House term in November.
But Obama, who delivers his annual State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday night, is running for re-election on his claim of being a champion for the middle class, while trying to paint Republicans as the party for the rich.
"We can go in two directions. One is towards less opportunity and less fairness. Or we can fight for where I think we need to go: building an economy that works for everyone, not just a wealthy few," Obama said.
He is expected to use the speech to repeat calls for higher taxes on the wealthy, tax breaks to bring American manufacturing jobs home, steps to aid the housing market, and another nudge to China on currency flexibility to aid U.S. exports.
Republicans, who were holding a closely watched primary election in South Carolina on Saturday to help select their nominee to face Obama, say he is an old-fashioned tax-and-spend liberal whose policies hurt business and jobs.
Obama's suggestions are therefore unlikely to make much headway in Congress, where Republicans control the House of Representatives.
Attacking congressional Republicans on their own turf, during a prime-time televised joint session of Congress, signals a de-emphasis on appeals for cooperation that have marked Obama's previous State of the Union addresses.
Obama campaigned in 2008 on a message of reaching across the political aisle to change the way that Washington works, but now complains that Republicans have obstructed his efforts to collaborate and are only interested in seeing him fail.
Republicans say they oppose his policies because they view them as bad for the country, and say they are willing to work with the president on areas of genuine common ground.
FED UP
Polls show Americans are fed up with gridlock in Washington, but tend to blame congressional Republicans more than the president for the state of affairs.
Obama said he would focus on American manufacturing "with more good jobs and more products stamped with Made in America," American energy, and skills for American workers as key parts of his plans for the economy.
"They're big ideas, because we've got to meet this moment. And this speech is going to be about how we do it," he said.
He is expected to emphasize incentives to encourage lenders to refinance underwater mortgages, which would ease a crucial obstacle to a recovery in housing and the broader economy.
He has also said he will put forward tax breaks to reward companies that bring jobs home to the United States, while eliminating tax benefits that outsource jobs overseas, and has repeatedly stressed wealthy Americans should pay more in taxes.
Obama has proposed a so-called Buffett rule, named after the billionaire Warren Buffett, who supports the president and says it is unfair that he pays a lower tax rate than his secretary because most of his income is taxed as capital gains.
Mitt Romney, a top Republican contender to face Obama and one of the richest politicians to vie for the nomination, this week disclosed he paid a tax rate of around 15 percent, because most of his income comes from investments.
Republicans say Obama is playing the politics of envy and what Americans really care about is jobs.
Voters do rate the economy as one of the most important factors in the upcoming election, and while U.S. growth has picked up, it remains fragile and unemployment, at 8.5 percent, is still high by historical standards.
Obama departs on Wednesday for a five-state, three-day tour to promote the framework he will highlight in the address, including visits to Las Vegas and Denver that were hit hard in the housing downturn, and to Detroit, home to the U.S. auto industry that Obama helped rescue through a taxpayer bailout.
(Reporting By Alister Bull; Editing by Vicki Allen)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? Steven Tyler and Carrie Underwood are teaming up for a special "CMT Crossroads" the night before the Super Bowl.
"CMT Crossroads: Steven Tyler & Carrie Underwood Live From the Pepsi Super Bowl Fan Jam" will air Saturday, Feb. 4.
The Aerosmith frontman and "American Idol" judge teamed with the country music sensation and former "Idol" champion last year during the Academy of Country Music Awards. Their performance of "Undo It" and "Walk This Way" was one of the night's highlights and a viral video on the Web the next day.
They'll try to recreate that energy at a private event at the Pepsi Coliseum in Indianapolis.
This is the second year "CMT Crossroads," which pairs artists from different genres, will broadcast from the Super Bowl Fan Jam.
Accelerated infant growth increases risk of future asthma symptoms in childrenPublic release date: 20-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Nathaniel Dunford ndunford@thoracic.org 212-315-8620 American Thoracic Society
Accelerated growth in the first three months of life, but not fetal growth, is associated with an increased risk of asthma symptoms in young children, according to a new study from The Generation R Study Group at Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands.
"We know that low birth weight is associated with an increased risk of asthma symptoms in children, but the effects of specific fetal and infant growth patterns on this risk had not been examined yet," said researcher Liesbeth Duijts, MD, PhD. "In our study, weight gain acceleration in early infancy was associated with an increased risk of asthma symptoms in children of preschool age, independent of fetal growth patterns, suggesting that early infancy might be a critical period for the development of asthma."
The findings were published online ahead of print publication in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
This study was embedded in the Generation R Study, a population-based prospective cohort study, and included 5,125 children who were followed from fetal life through the age of four. Information on asthma symptoms was obtained by questionnaires at the ages of 1, 2, 3, and 4.
No consistent relationships between fetal length and weight growth during different trimesters and the development of asthma symptoms were observed. Accelerated weight gain from birth to 3 months following normal fetal growth was associated with increased risks of asthma symptoms, including wheezing (overall odds ratio (OR) 1.44 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22, 1.70), shortness of breath: 1.32 (1.12, 1.56), dry cough: 1.16 (1.01, 1.34), and persistent phlegm: 1.30 (1.07, 1.58)). The associations between accelerated infant growth and risk of developing asthma symptoms were independent of other fetal growth patterns and tended to be stronger among children of atopic mothers.
"Our results suggest that the relationship between infant weight gain and asthma symptoms is not due to the accelerated growth of fetal growth-restricted infants only," said Dr. Duijts. "While the mechanisms underlying this relationship are unclear, accelerated weight growth in early life might adversely affect lung growth and might be associated with adverse changes in the immune system."
The study had a few limitations, including the possibility of measurement error in the estimation of fetal weight and the use of self-report for asthma symptoms.
"Further research is needed to replicate our findings and explore the mechanisms that contribute to the effects of growth acceleration in infancy on respiratory health," concluded Dr. Duijts. "The effects of infant growth patterns on asthma phenotypes in later life should also be examined."
###
About the American Journal of Respiratory Research and Critical Care Medicine:
With an impact factor of 10.191, the AJRRCM is a peer-reviewed journal published by the American Thoracic Society. It aims to publish the most innovative science and the highest quality reviews, practice guidelines and statements in the pulmonary, critical care and sleep-related fields.
Founded in 1905, the American Thoracic Society is the world's leading medical association dedicated to advancing pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. The Society's 15,000 members prevent and fight respiratory disease around the globe through research, education, patient care and advocacy.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Accelerated infant growth increases risk of future asthma symptoms in childrenPublic release date: 20-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Nathaniel Dunford ndunford@thoracic.org 212-315-8620 American Thoracic Society
Accelerated growth in the first three months of life, but not fetal growth, is associated with an increased risk of asthma symptoms in young children, according to a new study from The Generation R Study Group at Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands.
"We know that low birth weight is associated with an increased risk of asthma symptoms in children, but the effects of specific fetal and infant growth patterns on this risk had not been examined yet," said researcher Liesbeth Duijts, MD, PhD. "In our study, weight gain acceleration in early infancy was associated with an increased risk of asthma symptoms in children of preschool age, independent of fetal growth patterns, suggesting that early infancy might be a critical period for the development of asthma."
The findings were published online ahead of print publication in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
This study was embedded in the Generation R Study, a population-based prospective cohort study, and included 5,125 children who were followed from fetal life through the age of four. Information on asthma symptoms was obtained by questionnaires at the ages of 1, 2, 3, and 4.
No consistent relationships between fetal length and weight growth during different trimesters and the development of asthma symptoms were observed. Accelerated weight gain from birth to 3 months following normal fetal growth was associated with increased risks of asthma symptoms, including wheezing (overall odds ratio (OR) 1.44 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22, 1.70), shortness of breath: 1.32 (1.12, 1.56), dry cough: 1.16 (1.01, 1.34), and persistent phlegm: 1.30 (1.07, 1.58)). The associations between accelerated infant growth and risk of developing asthma symptoms were independent of other fetal growth patterns and tended to be stronger among children of atopic mothers.
"Our results suggest that the relationship between infant weight gain and asthma symptoms is not due to the accelerated growth of fetal growth-restricted infants only," said Dr. Duijts. "While the mechanisms underlying this relationship are unclear, accelerated weight growth in early life might adversely affect lung growth and might be associated with adverse changes in the immune system."
The study had a few limitations, including the possibility of measurement error in the estimation of fetal weight and the use of self-report for asthma symptoms.
"Further research is needed to replicate our findings and explore the mechanisms that contribute to the effects of growth acceleration in infancy on respiratory health," concluded Dr. Duijts. "The effects of infant growth patterns on asthma phenotypes in later life should also be examined."
###
About the American Journal of Respiratory Research and Critical Care Medicine:
With an impact factor of 10.191, the AJRRCM is a peer-reviewed journal published by the American Thoracic Society. It aims to publish the most innovative science and the highest quality reviews, practice guidelines and statements in the pulmonary, critical care and sleep-related fields.
Founded in 1905, the American Thoracic Society is the world's leading medical association dedicated to advancing pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. The Society's 15,000 members prevent and fight respiratory disease around the globe through research, education, patient care and advocacy.
[ | 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.
ISLAMABAD?? Pakistan's prime minister made a rare appearance before the Supreme Court Thursday in attempt to avoid being held in contempt for refusing to reopen an old corruption case against the president.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told the court that he believes the president cannot being prosecuted because he enjoys immunity while in office.
The court launched contempt proceedings against Gilani earlier in the week for failing to obey a long-standing order to write a letter to Swiss authorities asking them to reopen a graft case against President Asif Ali Zardari dating back to the late 1990s.
"It is my conviction that he (Zardari) has complete immunity inside and outside the country," Gilani told the court. "In the constitution, there is complete immunity for the president. There is no doubt about that."
The immediate battle is about Gilani, but the larger political crisis is about Zardari and the fate of his government, the longest-running civilian administration in Pakistan's coup-marred history.
If Gilani is charged with contempt of court for failing to follow court orders, he could be disqualified from office and forced to resign.
That would further increase the pressure on the unpopular civilian government and the risk of instability in the nuclear-armed ally in America's war on militancy.
Thursday's adjournment did nothing to settle the issue, and was mainly to allow Gilani to explain his position.
After the hearing, a confident-looking Gilani appeared outside the court smiling and waving.
If found in contempt, Gilani could face up to six months in prison and be disqualified from holding office.
The court will resume hearing the case against Gilani on Feb. 1.
Gilani's legal troubles are the latest blow for the civilian administration which also faces pressure from the military over a mysterious memo seeking U.S. help to avert an alleged coup last year.
Gilani won a unanimous vote of confidence in parliament when he became prime minister nearly four years ago, and has been known as a peacemaker even among the ruling Pakistan People's Party's most bitter enemies. Unlike Zardari, he was seen as having smooth ties with the military before the latest turmoil.
But his diplomatic skills may not be enough to fend off both the Supreme Court and Pakistan's generals, who have ruled the country for more than half of its 64 years history through coups, and from behind the scenes.
"The fact is that it's not just the anger of the judges against the PM, it's the anger of the army against the PM as well," said Ayesha Siddiqa, a prominent defense analyst.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Like all of y'all I just read Paul Graham's SOPA-soaked call for a tech startup that would kill Hollywood. ?You would have to be a complete idiot to think Hollywood (or at least some part of Hollywood) isn't ripe for disruption BUT ... "The people who run it are so mean and so politically connected that they could do a lot of damage to civil liberties and the world economy on the way down. It would therefore be a good thing if competitors hastened their demise."
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Public release date: 24-Jan-2012
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Like all of y'all I just read