Sunday, June 30, 2013

Reports: China National Petroleum Corp to pay $5 billion for stake in Kazakhstan's largest oil field - @Bloomberg

China National Petroleum Corp (CNPZ). plans to pay about $5 billion for a stake in Kazakhstan?s biggest oil field, people with knowledge of the matter said.

CNPC is planning to acquire 8.33 percent in the Kashagan project from state oil company KazMunaiGaz National Co., two of the people said, asking not to be identified before the deal is public. An announcement may be made as soon as next week, two of the people said.

KazMunaiGaz will maintain its holdings in Kashagan, due to start production in September, by exercising an option to acquire 8.4 percent of the project from ConocoPhillips, the people said. While Conoco agreed to sell to India?s Oil & Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC) last year, as the state oil company KazMunaiGaz has the right to step in and buy the shares.

CNPC?s largest foreign acquisition will deepen Kazakhstan?s relationship with China as the start of production at Kashagan, eight years late and at double the original cost, boosts oil exports. A pipeline linking Kazakhstan and China opened in 2006 and is being expanded to 400,000 barrels a day from 240,000 barrels a day.

Li Runsheng, CNPC?s Beijing-based spokesman, didn?t answer three calls to his office. Officials at KazMunaiGaz and the Kazakh government declined to comment immediately and asked for written questions. ONGC Chairman Sudhir Vasudeva didn?t answer two calls to his mobile phone seeking comments.

After KazMunaiGaz completes both deals it will have a stake of 16.88 percent of the Kashagan project, one of the people said. Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM)., Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA), Total SA (FP) and Eni SpA (ENI) hold 16.81 percent each. Japan?s Inpex Corp (1605). has 7.56 percent.

Kashagan, a Caspian Sea field slated to produce as much as 370,000 barrels of oil a day, will cost $48 billion, double early estimates.

The deal will be CNPC?s largest overseas acquisition, overtaking a $4.2 billion deal earlier this year to buy a stake in gas fields in Mozambique from Italy?s Eni.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said on June 27 that the country is studying whether to buy Conoco?s stake in Kashagan, according to his website.

To contact the reporters on this story: Zijing Wu in Hong Kong at zwu17@bloomberg.net; Nariman Gizitdinov in Almaty at ngizitdinov@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Will Kennedy at wkennedy3@bloomberg.net

Enlarge image CNPC Said Set to Buy $5 Billion Stake in Largest Kazakh Field

CNPC Said Set to Buy $5 Billion Stake in Largest Kazakh Field

CNPC Said Set to Buy $5 Billion Stake in Largest Kazakh Field

Nariman Gizitdinov/Bloomberg

CNPC?s largest overseas acquisition will deepen Kazakhstan?s relationship with China as the start of production at Kashagan, eight years late and at double the original cost, boosts oil exports.

CNPC?s largest overseas acquisition will deepen Kazakhstan?s relationship with China as the start of production at Kashagan, eight years late and at double the original cost, boosts oil exports. Photographer: Nariman Gizitdinov/Bloomberg

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-28/cnpc-said-set-to-buy-5-billion-stake-in-largest-kazakh-field.html

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Royal Lanes to host Food Truck Rodeo & Family Fun Fest | Events ...

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - Royal Lanes will be packed with food trucks, kids activities, and much more this weekend for a fun-filled event for the whole family.

The Royal Food Truck Rodeo & Family Fun Fest will take place Saturday, June 29 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Food trucks scheduled to be in attendance include King of Pops, Roadside Seafood, Dulce, Cast Iron, Refueler's, Moose's Famous BBQ, and Slingers.

Kids will be able to enjoy face painting, balloon animals, a jump castle, and pony pictures. While the kids are having a blast, adults can take part in a cornhole tournament, enjoy drinks at an indoor sports bar, and dance to music from an on-site DJ.

Royal Lanes is located at 106 Central Avenue in Goose Creek.

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Source: http://berkeleycounty.live5news.com/news/events/91312-royal-lanes-host-food-truck-rodeo-family-fun-fest

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Cattle grazing and clean water are compatible on public lands, study finds

June 28, 2013 ? Cattle grazing and clean water can coexist on national forest lands, according to research by the University of California, Davis.

The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, is the most comprehensive examination of water quality on National Forest public grazing lands to date.

"There's been a lot of concern about public lands and water quality, especially with cattle grazing," said lead author Leslie Roche, a postdoctoral scholar in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences. "We're able to show that livestock grazing, public recreation and the provisioning of clean water can be compatible goals."

Roughly 1.8 million livestock graze on national forest lands in the western United States each year, the study said. In California, 500 active grazing allotments support 97,000 livestock across 8 million acres on 17 national forests.

"With an annual recreating population of over 26 million, California's national forests are at the crossroad of a growing debate about the compatibility of livestock grazing with other activities dependent upon clean, safe water," the study's authors write.

"We often hear that livestock production isn't compatible with environmental goals," said principal investigator Kenneth Tate, a Cooperative Extension specialist in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences. "This helps to show that's not absolutely true. There is no real evidence that we're creating hot spots of human health risk with livestock grazing in these areas."

The study was conducted in 2011, during the grazing and recreation season of June through November. Nearly 40 UC Davis researchers, ranchers, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service staff and environmental stakeholders went out by foot and on horseback, hiking across meadows, along campsites, and down ravines to collect 743 water samples from 155 sites across five national forests in northern California.

These areas stretched from Klamath National Forest to Plumas, Tahoe, Stanislaus, and Shasta-Trinity national forests. They included key cattle grazing areas, recreational lands and places where neither cattle nor humans tend to wander.

UC Davis researchers analyzed the water samples for microbial and nutrient pollution, including fecal indicator bacteria, fecal coliform, E. coli, nitrogen and phosphorus.

The scientists found that recreation sites were the cleanest, with the lowest levels of fecal indicator bacteria. They found no significant differences in fecal indicator bacteria between grazing lands and areas without recreation or grazing. Overall, 83 percent of all sample sites and 95 percent of all water samples collected were below U.S. Environmental Protection Agency benchmarks for human health.

The study noted that several regional regulatory programs use different water quality standards for fecal bacteria. For instance, most of the study's sample sites would exceed levels set by a more restrictive standard based on fecal coliform concentrations. However, the U.S. EPA states that E. coli are better indicators of fecal contamination and provide the most accurate assessment of water quality conditions and human health risks.

The study also found that all nutrient concentrations were at or below background levels, and no samples exceeded concentrations of ecological or human health concern.

The study was funded by the USDA Forest Service, Region 5.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/aavvWA-O4sY/130628103143.htm

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Saturday, June 29, 2013

Cavs take Bennett with No. 1 pick in NBA draft

NBA Commissioner David Stern, left, shakes hands with UNLV's Anthony Bennett, who was selected first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 27, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

NBA Commissioner David Stern, left, shakes hands with UNLV's Anthony Bennett, who was selected first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 27, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

NBA Commissioner David Stern, left, shakes hands with UNLV's Anthony Bennett, who was selected first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 27, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Indiana's Victor Oladipo, left, and Cody Zeller chat before the NBA basketball draft got underway, Thursday, June 27, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Indiana's Victor Oladipo waits for the NBA basketball draft to begin, Thursday, June 27, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Alex Len, of Ukraine, gestures after being selected by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 27, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

(AP) ? Anthony Bennett was stunned at the start. David Stern had a big surprise at the finish.

In between, Nerlens Noel and a number of others experienced wild rides to start their careers in an unsettled first round of the NBA draft.

Bennett became the first Canadian No. 1 overall pick, and Noel tumbled out of the top five and right into a trade, the first of many moves that took a back seat to one in the works for the team that calls Barclays Center home.

The Brooklyn Nets will acquire Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett from Boston in a blockbuster deal that was still developing as the draft neared its conclusion, according to a person with knowledge of the details.

"There was a lot of activity," said Nets general manager Billy King, who wouldn't comment on the trade. "As you guys will find out, there will be a lot of trades that are announced."

His can't be until July 10, after next season's salary cap is set.

As for the draft, it was as unpredictable as expected, capped by Hakeem Olajuwon coming on stage at the end of the first round to greet Stern, dressed in the same tuxedo style he wore when Stern called his to start the soon-to-be retired commissioner's first draft in 1984.

One of the favorites to be taken first Thursday night, Noel fell to No. 6, where the New Orleans Pelicans took him and then dealt his rights to the Philadelphia 76ers for a package headlined by All-Star guard Jrue Holiday, according to a person familiar with the details.

The Cleveland Cavaliers started things by passing on centers Noel and Alex Len, who went to Phoenix at No. 5, in favor Bennett, the UNLV freshman forward who starred for Canada's junior national teams and was the Mountain West Conference freshman of the year. Bennett led a record 12 international players who were taken in the first round.

"I'm just as surprised as anyone else," Bennett said.

There was suspense right until the end, either because the Cavs were unsure who they wanted or were trying to trade the pick. Most predictions had them taking one of the big men, with Noel largely considered the favorite for the No. 1 choice even after a torn ACL that ended his lone season at Kentucky in February.

"I thought everything was in the air, so I wasn't thinking I was the No. 1 pick," Noel said.

Stern, booed heavily in his final draft, added to the surprise of the moment by pausing slightly before announcing the Cavs' pick, their first at No. 1 since taking All-Star Kyrie Irving in 2011.

Orlando passed on both of the big men, too, going with Indiana swingman Victor Oladipo with the No. 2 pick. Washington took Otto Porter Jr. with the third pick, keeping the Georgetown star in town.

Ten years after the Cavaliers selected LeBron James to start a draft that included future NBA championship teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in the top five, this one lacked star power and perhaps even the promise of stardom.

Bennett, Noel and Len are all coming off injuries and couldn't even work out for teams, but the Cavs decided Bennett's shoulder surgery wasn't enough cause for concern.

Len walked up to meet Stern and collect his orange Suns hat, then sat down near the stage to put on the walking boot he needs for the stress fracture of his left ankle that was discovered after Maryland's season.

Noel finally went to New Orleans with the next pick. He didn't seem upset at his fall down the draft board, hugging his mother and shaking hands with Kentucky coach John Calipari.

It was a good start to the night for the Hoosiers, with Cody Zeller going to the Charlotte Bobcats two places after Oladipo.

Kansas guard Ben McLemore, another player who was considered a potential top-three pick, also dropped, going seventh to Sacramento.

Headed by a lackluster class, the draft promised confusion and second-guessing, with no consensus No. 1 pick and little agreement among the order of the top five.

And with lesser-known names in the draft, veterans soaked up the spotlight in the hours leading up to it.

Yahoo Sports first reported that the Nets and Celtics were working on a trade that would complete the breakup of the Celtics' veteran core.

ESPN reported earlier Thursday that Dwight Howard was unlikely to return to the Los Angeles Lakers when he becomes a free agent next month.

The guys coming into the league were glad for the attention they did finally get once their names were called.

"It's like a weight vest you took off after running five miles," Oladipo said. "It's relaxing, man. But at the same time, you know it's just getting started."

National player of the year Trey Burke of Michigan also was traded, the Minnesota Timberwolves sending his rights to Utah for the rights to Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng, the Nos. 14 and 21 picks.

Lehigh's C.J. McCollum rounded out the top 10 by going to Portland.

Stern, retiring in February, seemed to play up the boos, which turned to cheers after every pick, fans perhaps as puzzled as some of the players at the names they were hearing.

"I was just kidding my agent because he didn't bail me out," Zeller said. "He didn't tell me. I didn't know until David Stern announced it. It's a crazy process not knowing, but I'm definitely excited that I ended up with the Bobcats."

Other players couldn't get too excited about their new addresses, because they changed quickly.

Stern was announcing deals by the middle of the first round and they promised to keep coming after he called it a night and turned things over to Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver for the final 30 picks.

The flurry of trades wasn't surprising with so much uncertainty surrounding this class and so much hope in other areas. Teams such as Houston, Dallas and Atlanta already have an eye on Howard's future, needing to have necessary salary cap space to offer a maximum contract that could lure him away from Los Angeles.

The 2014 class ? which could be topped by a second straight Canadian in incoming Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins ? will be higher regarded than this one, with James perhaps heading the available free agents to follow.

Local fans seemed pleased with their picks, cheering loudly when the Nets took Duke forward Mason Plumlee at No. 22 and the New York Knicks grabbed Michigan's Tim Hardaway Jr. two picks later.

Stern made his final pick to close the first round to cheers of "David! David!" before handing things off to Silver.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-06-28-BKN-NBA-Draft/id-0cb751baeec84ddb8f432a926629ba44

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Poor U.S. growth data eases fears of early end to Fed stimulus

By Marc Jones

LONDON (Reuters) - World shares and bonds steadied on Thursday while gold and the euro recovered slightly after disappointing data buoyed hopes the U.S. Federal Reserve may leave its stimulus program in place a bit longer previously expected.

The market tone improved overnight after a surprisingly sharp downward revision to first-quarter U.S. economic growth. While hardly bullish, this calmed immediate fears the Fed would soon wind down the huge bond-buying scheme that has underpinned investors' risk appetite.

Another deluge of U.S. data is due throughout Thursday and brighter-than-forecast jobless claims and consumer spending figures released ahead of what was expected to be a third day of gains on Wall Street left focus on the Fed's stimulus plans.

European shares <.fteu3> had seen their first session of relative quiet in a week, as they consolidated the 3.2 percent recovery they have enjoyed over the last two days having dropped 11 percent last week.

London's FTSE 100 <.ftse> outshone broadly flat markets in Paris <.fchi> and Frankfurt <.gdaxi> with a 0.3 percent rise adding to earlier gains in Asia to nudge MSCI's world share index <.miwd00000pus> to its highest level in a week.

"Whenever there is good news out of the U.S. it will cause selling because people see it as a confirmation for Fed tapering (off bond-buying), while if we have something more disappointing like yesterday people will say, 'Well OK, it won't happen yet'," said Tobias Blattner, an economist at Daiwa Securities.

"That, unfortunately, is the kind of volatility that is going to continue for the next couple of months."

YIELDS YIELD

With the rise in benchmark 10-year U.S. government debt appearing to have stabilized at around 2.5 percent, euro zone bonds from Germany to Greece were able to claw back some of the ground lost during the recent global selloff.

Reflecting the recent rise in yields generally over the last few weeks, Italy paid its highest rate since March at a 5 billion euro auction of 10- and 5- year debt, but healthy demand at the sale saw its bonds top the list of periphery performers.

A deal hammered out by European authorities overnight designed to shift the burden of paying for bank bailouts away from the taxpayer was also in focus although opinion on the deal was mixed among economists.

New figures from the ECB showed lending to euro zone firms continued to contract in May, Ireland slipped back into recession, while France's problems saw its consumer confidence hit an all time low.

But at the same time there was a small pick-up in this month's European Commission consumer and business confidence survey, Germany saw unemployment ease and a data revision meant euro zone neighbor Britain did not suffer a recent "double-dip" recession after all.

"The further marked fall in lending to euro zone businesses in May maintains pressure on the ECB to come up with concrete measures aimed at improving credit availability," said Howard Archer at Global Insight.

HAMMERED METALS

After the sharp moves of recent days, there was some respite for precious metals, although there were questions over if it would last.

Spot gold rose 1 percent to $1,235 an ounce, after a 4 percent fall on Wednesday that took the metal to $1,221.80, its lowest since August 2010. Silver, which sank 5.5 percent in the previous session, gained about 2 percent.

Analysts at ABN Amro lowered their end-of-year forecast for gold $200 to $1,100 and said this year's 25 percent drop in gold and near 40 percent plunge in silver prices showed "investors are losing faith in precious metals".

The easing concerns about a pullback in U.S. stimulus helped oil climb above $102 and saw the dollar <.dxy> dip which helped the euro pull up to $1.3035 having dropped to a three-week low on Wednesday.

Steadying Chinese markets, as fears of credit crunch there eased, also helped calm emerging market currencies and stocks.

The Indian rupee recovered from record lows as a lower-than-expected current account gap helped relieve some of the concerns about the battered currency.

(Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/asian-shares-rise-global-recovery-fed-fears-ease-004757445.html

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Friday, June 28, 2013

Specialized treatment helps cholesterol patients who suffer side effects from statins

June 28, 2013 ? Up to 15 percent of patients who take cholesterol-lowering statin medications experience muscle pain or other side effects, and many patients simply stop taking the drugs.

But a Loyola University Medical Center study has found that "statin-intolerant" patients still can significantly reduce their cholesterol by going to a lipid clinic staffed with physicians specially trained in treating cholesterol problems.

Among 22 statin-intolerant patients referred to Loyola's Lipid Clinic, total cholesterol dropped from 257 mg/dl to 198 mg/dl. LDL ("bad") cholesterol dropped from 172 mg/dl to 123 mg/dl, the study found.

By comparison, in a control group of 21 statin-intolerant patients who were not referred to a lipid clinic, total cholesterol dropped by only 3 points, and LDL cholesterol dropped by only 1 point.

"Stain intolerance can be a significant barrier to patients in meeting their cholesterol goals," said Binh An P. Phan, MD, senior author of the study. "Referring to a formal lipid clinic may be an effective strategy to help improve cholesterol treatment in this challenging population."

Findings were presented at the 2013 National Lipid Association Scientific Sessions by Taishi Hirai, MD, a co-author of the study.

Clinical trials of statins have reported low rates of side effects. But patient surveys conducted in real-world settings have found that as many as 15 percent of patients experience side effects.

The most common side effect is muscle soreness, fatigue or weakness.

At Loyola's Lipid Clinic, a cardiologist who has received advanced training in lipidology (cholesterol management) performs an in-depth evaluation of a patient's statin intolerance, and prepares an in-depth treatment regimen. Properly adjusting a patient's medication can enable the patient to continue taking statins. The physician adjusts medication by, for example, switching to a different statin or changing the dose or frequency of the drug, Phan said.

Phan is medical director of Loyola's Preventive Cardiology and Lipid Program. The program helps prevent heart attacks and other cardiac-related disorders and provides advanced treatment of cholesterol disorders.

Phan is an assistant professor in the Division of Cardiology of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/bNBxuroXl-U/130628113158.htm

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JumpToGamer- Game Reviewer - Video Game Journalism Jobs

JumpToGamer is a new Game Review, News and Preview website.

We are looking for someone who will be able to Review Games to a good standard and write News or Feature articles related to gaming.

We do not wish to overload you with tasks so it will be up to you how much or how little you do, however we would require at least 1 article a week. As well as the top titles and franchises, we are also very interested in following Indie Games. We feel that these games can often be some of the most enjoyable.

No previous experience is required, however having some examples of your work would be beneficial. This would be a great chance for anyone who is starting out in Game journalism and wishes to gain some experience. As long as you are what we are looking for, there is no age requirement.

The position is currently voluntary, however the opportunity of paid positions may arise depending on how we progress.

If you are interested, then please send us an email stating why we should pick you and what you are able to offer us.

Source: http://gamejournalismjobs.com/job/jumptogamer-game-reviewer-feature-writer-required-2/

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Texts, video cited in charges against Hernandez

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, left, stands with his attorney Michael Fee, right, during arraignment in Attleboro District Court Wednesday, June 26, in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez was charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, whose body was found June 17 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mike George, Pool)

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, left, stands with his attorney Michael Fee, right, during arraignment in Attleboro District Court Wednesday, June 26, in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez was charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, whose body was found June 17 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mike George, Pool)

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, left, stands with his attorney Michael Fee, right, during arraignment in Attleboro District Court Wednesday, June 26, in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez was charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, whose body was found June 17 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mike George, Pool)

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, left, stands with his attorney Michael Fee, right, during arraignment in Attleboro District Court Wednesday, June 26, in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez was charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, whose body was found June 17 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mike George, Pool)

FILE - This Dec. 25, 2012 file photo taken by a sister and provided by the Boston Bandits football team shows Odin Lloyd, 27, whose body was found Monday, June 17, 2013 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass. Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was arraigned Wednesday, June 26, 2013, on a charge of murdering Lloyd. (AP Photo/Lloyd family via the Boston Bandits, File)

Family of Odin Lloyd react during the arraignment of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez in Attleboro District Court Wednesday, June 26, in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez was charged with murdering Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, whose body was found June 17 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mike George, Pool)

(AP) ? In the final minutes of his life, Odin Lloyd sent a series of texts to his sister.

"Did you see who I was with?" said the first, at 3:07 a.m. June 17. "Who?" she finally replied.

"NFL," he texted back, then added: "Just so you know."

It was 3:23 a.m. Moments later, Lloyd would be dead in what a prosecutor called an execution-style shooting orchestrated by New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez because his friend talked to the wrong people at a nightclub. Hernandez was charged on Wednesday with murder.

Hernandez was cut from the NFL team less than two hours after he was arrested and led from his North Attleborough home in handcuffs, and nine days after Lloyd's body was discovered by a jogger in a remote area of an industrial park not far from Hernandez's home. The 2011 Pro Bowl selection had signed a five-year contract last summer with the Patriots worth $40 million.

His attorney, Michael Fee, called the case circumstantial during a Wednesday afternoon court hearing packed with news reporters, curiosity seekers and police officers. Fee said there was a "rather hysterical atmosphere" surrounding the case and urged the judge to disregard his client's celebrity status as he asked for Hernandez, 23, to be released on bail.

The judge, though, ordered Hernandez held without bail on the murder charge and five weapons counts. If convicted, Hernandez could get life in prison without parole.

Hernandez stood impassively with his hands cuffed in front of him as Bristol County Assistant District Attorney Bill McCauley laid out a detailed timeline of the events, cobbled together from sources including witnesses, surveillance video, text messages and data from cell phone towers.

Lloyd, 27, a semi-pro football player with the Boston Bandits, had known Hernandez about a year and was dating the sister of Hernandez's fianc?e, the mother of Hernandez's 8-month-old baby, McCauley said.

On June 14, Lloyd went with Hernandez to a Boston club, Rumor. McCauley said Hernandez was upset Lloyd had talked to people there with whom Hernandez had trouble. He did not elaborate.

Two days later, McCauley said, on June 16, Hernandez texted two unidentified friends. He asked them to hurry to Massachusetts from Connecticut. At 9:05 p.m., a few minutes after the first message to his friends, Hernandez texted Lloyd, telling him he wanted to get together, McCauley said.

Later, surveillance footage from Hernandez's home showed his friends arrive and go inside. Hernandez, holding a gun, then told someone in the house he was upset and couldn't trust anyone anymore, the prosecutor said.

At 1:12 a.m., the three left in Hernandez's rented silver Nissan Altima, McCauley said. Cell towers tracked their movements to a gas station off the highway. There, he said, Hernandez bought blue Bubblicious cotton candy gum.

At 2:32 a.m., they arrived outside Lloyd's home in Boston and texted him that they were there. McCauley said Lloyd's sister saw him get into Hernandez's car.

From there, surveillance cameras captured images of what the prosecutor said was Hernandez driving the silver Altima through the city of Boston. As they drove back toward North Attleborough, Hernandez told Lloyd he was upset about what happened at the club and didn't trust him, McCauley said. That was when Lloyd began sending texts to his sister.

Surveillance video showed the car entering the industrial park and at 3:23 a.m. driving down a gravel road near where Lloyd's body was found. Four minutes later, McCauley said, the car emerges. During that period, employees working an overnight shift nearby heard several gunshots, McCauley said.

McCauley said Lloyd was shot multiple times, including twice from above as he was lying on the ground. He said five .45 caliber casings were found at the scene.

Authorities did not say who fired the shots or identify the two others with Hernandez.

At 3:29 a.m., surveillance at Hernandez's house shows him arriving, McCauley said.

"The defendant was walking through the house with a gun in his hand. That's captured on video," he said.

His friend is also seen holding a gun, and neither weapon has been found, McCauley said.

Then, the surveillance system stopped recording, and footage was missing from the six to eight hours after the slaying, he said.

The afternoon of June 17, the prosecutor said, Hernandez returned the rental car, offering the attendant a piece of blue Bubblicious gum when he dropped it off. While cleaning the car, the attendant found a piece of blue Bubblicious gum and a shell casing, which he threw away. Police later searched the trash bin and found the gum and the casing. The prosecutor said it was tested and matched the casings found where Lloyd was killed.

As McCauley outlined the killing, Lloyd's family members cried and held each other, and two were so overcome that they had to leave the courtroom.

The Patriots said in a written statement after Hernandez's arrest but before the murder charge was announced that cutting Hernandez was "the right thing to do."

"Words cannot express the disappointment we feel knowing that one of our players was arrested as a result of this investigation," it said.

Hernandez, originally from Bristol, Conn., was drafted by the Patriots in 2010 out of the University of Florida, where he was an All-American.

During the draft, one team said it wouldn't take him under any circumstances, and he was passed over by one club after another before New England picked him in the fourth round. Afterward, Hernandez said he had failed a drug test in college ? reportedly for marijuana ? and was up front with teams about it.

A Florida man filed a lawsuit last week claiming Hernandez shot him in the face after they argued at a strip club in February.

Hernandez became a father on Nov. 6 and said he intended to change his ways: "Now, another one is looking up to me. I can't just be young and reckless Aaron no more. I'm going to try to do the right things."

___

Associated Press writers Bridget Murphy in Boston and Howard Ulman in North Attleborough contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-06-27-Hernandez-Police/id-c7abfb8130324e6582063afca1b68535

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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Ruins of big Maya city discovered in remote jungle

National Institute of Anthropology and History

Archaeologist Ivan Sprajc led an international team of experts to study the Maya site.

By Megan Gannon
LiveScience

An entire Maya city full of pyramids and palatial complexes has been discovered in a remote jungle in southeastern Mexico, archaeologists report.

Covered in thick vegetation, the ruins were found in Campeche, a province in the western Yucat?n peninsula that's littered with Maya complexes and artifacts. The newfound site is dubbed Chact?n, and it stretches over roughly 54 acres (22 hectares). Researchers think the city was occupied during the Late Classic Maya period, from roughly A.D. 600 until A.D. 900, when the civilization mysteriously collapsed.

"It is one of the largest sites in the Central Lowlands, comparable in its extent and the magnitude of its buildings with Becan, Nadzcaan and El Palmar in Campeche," archaeologist Ivan Sprajc said in a statement from Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

In the sprawling Maya city, Sprajc and his team found three monumental complexes with the remains of pyramids ? one 75 feet (23 meters) high ? as well as ball courts, plazas, homes, altars, bits of painted stucco and stone slabs known as stele. Epigraphers are still poring over inscriptions at Chact?n, but one stele refers to an apparent ruler named K'inich B'ahlam, the researchers say.

National Institute of Anthropology and History

This image is from the southeast complex at the newfound Maya city being called Chact?n.

Traces of the lost city were first spotted in aerial images of a vast forested area, which previously had only been explored by loggers and rubber-tappers and was considered "a total blank" in the map of Maya sites, Sprajc said.

"With aerial photographs examined stereoscopically, we found many features that were obviously architectural remains," Sprajc explained in a statement from INAH. "From there we took the coordinates and the next step was to locate the ancient alleys used by tappers and loggers to reach the area."

Sprajc and his team could only get to the site by traveling through the jungle in a truck with four-wheel drive, stopping every now and then to hack vegetation blocking their path with a machete.

Archaeologists hope studying Chact?n will shed light on its connection to other nearby Maya cities, according to INAH.

Follow Megan Gannon on Twitter?and Google+.Follow us @livescience, Facebook?and Google+. Original article on LiveScience.com.

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

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Zombies roam the animal kingdom ? and some of them might be after us

David Hughes / Penn State

One fungus took over the brain of this zombified ant, but the first fungus was sabotaged by a different type of parasitic fungus.

By Alan Boyle, Science Editor, NBC News

The zombies in "World War Z" are just actors ??but in the animal world, zombies are a fact of life. Evolution can come up with some fiendish twists: For example, there are some species that bend other creatures to their will to keep their bizarre life cycles going. Or just to feast on their delicious braaaains.

To celebrate the premiere of "World War Z," here's a top-ten list of zombies from the animal kingdom, finishing up with a particularly pernicious parasite that can pose a risk to humans:


Zombie ants: There are special kinds of?zombifying fungi that infect carpenter ants?in Thailand and Brazil. The fungus?grows into the ant's brain and compels it to climb down and clamp onto to the low leaves that provide the fungus with its favored breeding ground. After the ant dies, the fungus sprouts from its head and shoots out spores to infect other ants. But this zombie isn't invincible: Scientists recently discovered a different kind of fungus that can?castrate the zombifying fungus before it spreads.

Zombie bees: A parasitic fly known as Apocephalus borealis can inject its eggs into a honeybee's abdomen, where the fly larvae mature. The parasitized bees abandon their hives and walk in circles ? but eventually they fall over. "It really painted a picture of something like a zombie," says San Francisco State University's Andrew Core. About seven days after infection, the mature larvae burst out from the dead bees' bodies, renewing the gruesome circle of life. It gets worse: The zombie bees are spreading.

Zombie birds: Great tits look so cute when they're perched on a branch. You'd never know that they have a taste for bat brains. In Hungary, the birds listen for the calls sent out by the cave-dwelling pipistrelle bats when they rouse themselves from hibernation. Then they track down the groggy bats, crack their skulls open and eat their brains. Researchers found that the trick is passed down from one generation of great tits to the next, providing an example of cultural transmission in avian species. The great tits helped inspire the title of Becky Crew's book about bizarre biology, "Zombie Birds, Astronaut Fish and Other Weird Animals." ??

Zombie caterpillars: You don't want to be around when a zombified caterpillar turns to goo. There's a species of baculovirus that infects gypsy moth caterpillars and sends them up into the treetops to die. When the caterpillar's body liquefies, the ooze drips down onto other caterpillars?? creating more zombies. Scientists say a single gene in the virus interferes with the caterpillar's hormones, apparently triggering the uncharacteristic urge to climb during the day.?

Zombie crabs: A tiny barnacle called Sacculina?can latch onto male crabs?and blast them with so much estrogen that they dig empty nests, made to order?for the barnacle to lay its eggs inside. If the crab host happens to be a female, no problem: The barnacle merely wipes out the host's reproductive system, and then sets her digging.

A zombie cricket jumps into a pool and dies, which gives the mind-controlling parasitic worm inside the cricket its opportunity to swim away.

Zombie crickets: Parasitic hairworms have been known to invade crickets, take over their nervous system and then force their?buggy hosts?to drown themselves?so that the grown worm can swim out and look for a mate. Scientists aren't exactly sure how crickets pick up the parasite,?but it may involve ingesting water or bugs that contain hairworm larvae.

Zombie fish: What could be ickier than having a zombie crustacean eat out your tongue?? and then take its place in your mouth?That's what the beastie known as Cymothoa exigua does to spotted rose snappers. C. exigua latches onto the fish's tongue and sucks the blood out of it until it falls off. Then it attaches itself to the stub that's left behind, and changes its diet from blood to fish mucus. The fish and the parasite carry on that way for the rest of their lives. If you're freaked out by the "Alien" movies, do not look at this picture.

Zombie ladybugs:?Dinocampus coccinellae, a species of parasitic wasp, lays a single egg inside the abdomen of a ladybug. The wasp larva eats its way through the ladybug's insides, then pops out and spins a cocoon. End of story for the ladybug, right? Not necessarily. The ladybug often lives on as one of the undead, partially paralyzed on top of the cocoon. There's evidence that the wasp larva provides resources to keep the ladybug alive, while the ladybug provides an extra layer of protection from bugs that might otherwise eat the larva.?

Zombie spiders: Another kind of zombifying wasp targets the orb spider known as Plesiometa argyra. The wasp temporarily paralyzes the spider, lays an egg on the tip of its abdomen, and leaves it to mature. The orb spider goes about its business, weaving its usual circular webs ? until, one night, the wasp larva sends a chemical signal to the spider's brain. The spider spins a weird-looking web, seemingly designed to provide shelter from rain, wind and predators. The next day, the larva kills the spider ??and moves into the home it programmed the spider to build. ??

Zombie rats ... and humans??The most insidious zombie of the animal world may well be the tiny parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, or Toxo for short. This parasite can reproduce sexually only in cat intestines, which poses a challenge when the little critters wind up in cat poop. Here's how Toxo gets back inside the cat: When mice or rats nibble on the poop, they also gobble up some of the Toxo parasites. The parasites migrate to the brain, where they release chemicals that make the rodents lower their guard when they're around cats. Scientists think that Toxo-infected mice start to regard the smell of cat pee as something sexy rather than a cause for alarm. The cats eat the smitten rats, and the Toxo life cycle begins again.

The scary part is that Toxo can find its way into the human nervous system as well. About 30 percent of the world's population is thought to be infected. Pregnant women should be careful about avoiding infection, because the parasite can pose a risk to the unborn baby. There's also some evidence of a connection between Toxo and changes in mood or personality, and perhaps even conditions such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. The linkage isn't rock-solid, and most of those who are infected suffer no apparent effects. But if you need a plot device for your next zombie-movie script, Toxo is a good place to start.

More science of zombies:


Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the NBC News Science Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with NBCNews.com's stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.

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Saturday, June 22, 2013

When green algae run out of air

When green algae run out of air [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 21-Jun-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Dr. Thomas Happe
thomas.happe@rub.de
49-234-322-7026
Ruhr-University Bochum

Single cell organisms need haemoglobin to survive in an oxygen-free environment

When green algae "can't breathe", they get rid of excess energy through the production of hydrogen. Biologists at the Ruhr-Universitt Bochum have found out how the cells notice the absence of oxygen. For this, they need the messenger molecule nitric oxide and the protein haemoglobin, which is commonly known from red blood cells of humans. With colleagues at the UC Los Angeles, the Bochum team reported in the journal "PNAS".

Haemoglobin an old protein in a new look

In the human body, haemoglobin transports oxygen from the lungs to the organs and brings carbon dioxide, which is produced there, back to the lungs. "However, scientists have known for years that there is not just the one haemoglobin", says Prof. Thomas Happe from the Work Group Photobiotechnology. Nature has produced a large number of related proteins which fulfil different functions. The green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has what is known as a "truncated" haemoglobin, the function of which was previously unknown. Happe's team has deciphered its role in surviving in an oxygen-free environment.

In an oxygen-free environment, the green alga activates specific genes

When Chlamydomonas has no oxygen available, the algae transfer excess electrons to protons, creating hydrogen (H2). "For this to work, the green alga activates a certain gene programme and creates many new proteins", Happe explains. "But how exactly the cells even notice that oxygen is missing is something we did not know." The research team looked for genes that are particularly active when green algae have to live without oxygen and found a gene that forms the blueprint for a haemoglobin. In an oxygen-rich environment, however, this gene was completely idle.

A haemoglobin and nitric oxide help green algae to survive

The scientists studied the haemoglobin protein and its genetic blueprint in more detail using molecular biological and biochemical analyses. "One thing became clear very quickly", says Dr. Anja Hemschemeier from the Work Group Photobiotechnology. "Algae in which we switched this gene off could hardly grow without oxygen." From previous studies it is known that in many organisms, haemoglobin detoxifies nitric oxide, because an overdose of this gas poisons the cells. The biologists therefore tested whether green algae which are no longer able to form haemoglobin after genetic manipulation die of nitric oxide poisoning. Their expectations: the green algae should fare better if the gas is removed using a chemical scavenger. "Surprisingly, then the algae were not able to grow at all", says Hemschemeier. The researchers concluded that, under oxygen-free conditions, haemoglobin and nitric oxide are in cahoots.

Nitric oxide signals: "no oxygen!"

Nitric oxide acts in many living organisms as a signalling molecule apparently also in green algae. Experiments in vitro have shown that the green algal haemoglobin interacts with nitric oxide. When the researchers artificially introduced the gas to the single cell organisms, certain genes became active that are otherwise only "turned on" in the absence of oxygen. "From all this data we can conclude that Chlamydomonas uses nitric oxide to pass on the 'no oxygen!' signal within the cell, and that our haemoglobin is involved in this process", Happe sums up. His team wants to go on exploring the role of this protein in green algae, as the biologists have discovered another eleven haemoglobin genes in the organism. "Now things are really getting going", says the Bochum scientist. "The map of haemoglobin research has many blank spots that we want to fill with content. The fact that a single cell requires twelve haemoglobin proteins indicates that these fulfil finely tuned functions in the cell."

###

Bibliographic record

A. Hemschemeier, M. Dner, D. Casero, S.S. Merchant, M. Winkler, T. Happe (2013): Hypoxic survival requires a 2-on-2 hemoglobin in a process involving nitric oxide, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1302592110

Figures online

Three images related to this press release can be found online at: http://aktuell.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/pm2013/pm00181.html.en

Further information

Prof. Dr. Thomas Happe, Work Group Photobiotechnology, Department of Plant Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology at the Ruhr-Universitt, 44780 Bochum, Germany, Tel. +49/234/32-27026, E-mail: thomas.happe@rub.de

Dr. Anja Hemschemeier, Work Group Photobiotechnology, Department of Plant Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology at the Ruhr-Universitt, 44780 Bochum, Germany, Tel. +49/234/32-24282, E-mail: anja.hemschemeier@rub.de

Editor: Dr. Julia Weiler


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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.


When green algae run out of air [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 21-Jun-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Dr. Thomas Happe
thomas.happe@rub.de
49-234-322-7026
Ruhr-University Bochum

Single cell organisms need haemoglobin to survive in an oxygen-free environment

When green algae "can't breathe", they get rid of excess energy through the production of hydrogen. Biologists at the Ruhr-Universitt Bochum have found out how the cells notice the absence of oxygen. For this, they need the messenger molecule nitric oxide and the protein haemoglobin, which is commonly known from red blood cells of humans. With colleagues at the UC Los Angeles, the Bochum team reported in the journal "PNAS".

Haemoglobin an old protein in a new look

In the human body, haemoglobin transports oxygen from the lungs to the organs and brings carbon dioxide, which is produced there, back to the lungs. "However, scientists have known for years that there is not just the one haemoglobin", says Prof. Thomas Happe from the Work Group Photobiotechnology. Nature has produced a large number of related proteins which fulfil different functions. The green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has what is known as a "truncated" haemoglobin, the function of which was previously unknown. Happe's team has deciphered its role in surviving in an oxygen-free environment.

In an oxygen-free environment, the green alga activates specific genes

When Chlamydomonas has no oxygen available, the algae transfer excess electrons to protons, creating hydrogen (H2). "For this to work, the green alga activates a certain gene programme and creates many new proteins", Happe explains. "But how exactly the cells even notice that oxygen is missing is something we did not know." The research team looked for genes that are particularly active when green algae have to live without oxygen and found a gene that forms the blueprint for a haemoglobin. In an oxygen-rich environment, however, this gene was completely idle.

A haemoglobin and nitric oxide help green algae to survive

The scientists studied the haemoglobin protein and its genetic blueprint in more detail using molecular biological and biochemical analyses. "One thing became clear very quickly", says Dr. Anja Hemschemeier from the Work Group Photobiotechnology. "Algae in which we switched this gene off could hardly grow without oxygen." From previous studies it is known that in many organisms, haemoglobin detoxifies nitric oxide, because an overdose of this gas poisons the cells. The biologists therefore tested whether green algae which are no longer able to form haemoglobin after genetic manipulation die of nitric oxide poisoning. Their expectations: the green algae should fare better if the gas is removed using a chemical scavenger. "Surprisingly, then the algae were not able to grow at all", says Hemschemeier. The researchers concluded that, under oxygen-free conditions, haemoglobin and nitric oxide are in cahoots.

Nitric oxide signals: "no oxygen!"

Nitric oxide acts in many living organisms as a signalling molecule apparently also in green algae. Experiments in vitro have shown that the green algal haemoglobin interacts with nitric oxide. When the researchers artificially introduced the gas to the single cell organisms, certain genes became active that are otherwise only "turned on" in the absence of oxygen. "From all this data we can conclude that Chlamydomonas uses nitric oxide to pass on the 'no oxygen!' signal within the cell, and that our haemoglobin is involved in this process", Happe sums up. His team wants to go on exploring the role of this protein in green algae, as the biologists have discovered another eleven haemoglobin genes in the organism. "Now things are really getting going", says the Bochum scientist. "The map of haemoglobin research has many blank spots that we want to fill with content. The fact that a single cell requires twelve haemoglobin proteins indicates that these fulfil finely tuned functions in the cell."

###

Bibliographic record

A. Hemschemeier, M. Dner, D. Casero, S.S. Merchant, M. Winkler, T. Happe (2013): Hypoxic survival requires a 2-on-2 hemoglobin in a process involving nitric oxide, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1302592110

Figures online

Three images related to this press release can be found online at: http://aktuell.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/pm2013/pm00181.html.en

Further information

Prof. Dr. Thomas Happe, Work Group Photobiotechnology, Department of Plant Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology at the Ruhr-Universitt, 44780 Bochum, Germany, Tel. +49/234/32-27026, E-mail: thomas.happe@rub.de

Dr. Anja Hemschemeier, Work Group Photobiotechnology, Department of Plant Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology at the Ruhr-Universitt, 44780 Bochum, Germany, Tel. +49/234/32-24282, E-mail: anja.hemschemeier@rub.de

Editor: Dr. Julia Weiler


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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/2013-06/rb-wga062113.php

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Friday, June 21, 2013

Daniels: 'Dumb and Dumber To' is 'painfully funny'

(AP) ? Nearly 20 years after "Dumb and Dumber" was released, Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are reuniting for "Dumb and Dumber To."

Daniels said Carrey approached directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly two years ago about doing a sequel.

"Jim has been against all sequels, and you know, understandably so. ... But he turned 50 and that will mellow you out, and suddenly he's going, 'Let's have some fun. ... Come on,' and we're going, 'Great,' and so the Farrellys said, 'This isn't a money grab. Let's really write a great second movie that takes the original and then blows it up even further, and so I think they did that," Daniels said in an interview Wednesday.

Universal Pictures, which acquired the domestic distribution rights after Warner Bros. dropped out, confirmed the sequel.

"It's taken two years to get the studios and all that stuff worked out," Daniels said. "The easiest thing to say in Hollywood is 'no.' You keep your job if you say 'no.' If you say 'yes' and you're not right, you lose your job. There's a lot of 'no.' And we had a lot of 'no' for two years and finally 'yes,' it's comin' around, and I think it's got a chance to be I hope better than the first one."

Daniels said he's read the script and calls it "painfully funny."

The original premise wasn't that deep. It followed two well-meaning but moronic friends, Lloyd Christmas (Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Daniels), as they traveled cross-country to find the owner of a briefcase filled with money.

"We're middle-aged and still that stupid. Our IQ has not gone up one point combined," he said. "So it's a frightening thing. You're gonna see the two of us standing there trying to put thoughts together and you want to put underneath, 'Kids don't do this at home.' It's that stupid."

Daniels, 58, is known for his critically acclaimed roles in "The Squid and the Whale" and "The Purple Rose of Cairo."

He stars as a cable news anchor in the HBO series "The Newsroom," which returns for its second season on July 14.

Daniels said he's always surprised by the people who approach him about his "Dumb" role.

"To have what you would think (would) be very smart, intelligent people come up to you (and say), 'Can I talk to you for a second? Don't tell anybody but 'Dumb and Dumber' (is) unbelievable.' I get that a lot."

___

Online:

http://www.hbo.com/the-newsroom/index.html

___

Alicia Rancilio covers entertainment for The Associated Press. Follow her online at http://www.twitter.com/aliciar

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-06-20-US-People-Jeff-Daniels/id-f7789419a5bd4088bf2e6e6158c98110

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Sizing Up Big Data, Broadening Beyond the Internet - NYTimes.com

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Internet companies were just the start. Virtually every field, from ... Yet after two and a half years, Mr. Hammerbacher decided it was time to move on, beyond social networks and Internet advertising. He became a founder of ...

Source: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/19/sizing-up-big-data-broadening-beyond-the-internet/

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Obama nominating Comey as FBI director Friday

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama on Friday plans to nominate President George W. Bush's former No. 2 at the Justice Department, James Comey, to lead the FBI as the agency grapples with privacy debates over a host of recently exposed investigative tactics.

Comey is perhaps best known for a remarkable 2004 standoff over a no-warrant wiretapping program at the hospital bed of Attorney General John Ashcroft. Comey rushed to the side of his bedridden boss to physically stop White House officials in their attempt to get an ailing Ashcroft to reauthorize the program.

If confirmed by the Senate, Comey would serve a 10-year tenure and replace Robert Mueller, who has held the job since the week before the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Mueller is set to resign on Sept. 4 after overseeing the bureau's transformation into one the country's chief weapons against terrorism.

The White House said in a statement that Obama would announce his choice of Comey on Friday afternoon.

Comey was a federal prosecutor who served for several years as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York before coming to Washington after the Sept. 11 attacks as deputy attorney general. In recent years he's been an executive at defense company Lockheed Martin, general counsel to a hedge fund, board member at HSBC Holdings and lecturer on national security law at Columbia Law School.

The White House may hope that Comey's Republican background and strong credentials will help him through Senate confirmation at a time when some of Obama's nominees have been facing tough battles. Republicans have said they see no major obstacles to his confirmation, although he is certain to face tough questions about his hedge fund work, his ties to Wall Street as well as how he would handle current, high-profile FBI investigations.

The FBI is responsible for both intelligence and law enforcement with more than 36,000 employees. It has faced questions in recent weeks over media leak probes involving The Associated Press and Fox News; the Boston Marathon bombings; the attack at Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans; and two vast government surveillance programs into phone records and online communications.

The leaker of those National Security Agency programs, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, also is the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation. And just this week Mueller revealed the FBI uses drones for surveillance of stationary subjects and said the privacy implications of such operations are worthy of debate.

Comey played a central role in holding up Bush's warrantless wiretapping program, one of the administration's great controversies and an episode that focused attention on the administration's controversial tactics in the war on terror.

In dramatic testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2007, Comey said he thought the no-warrant wiretapping program was so questionable that he refused to reauthorize it while serving as acting attorney general during Ashcroft's hospitalization. Comey said when he learned that the White House chief of staff and counsel were heading to Ashcroft's room despite his wife's instructions that there be no visitors, Comey beat them there and watched as Ashcroft turned them away.

"That night was probably the most difficult night of my professional life," Comey testified. He said he and Ashcroft had reservations about the program's legality, but he would not discuss details since the program was classified.

Senior government officials had expressed concerns about whether the NSA, which administered the warrantless eavesdropping program, had the proper oversight in place. Other concerns included whether any president possessed the legal and constitutional authority to authorize the program as it was carried out at the time.

Comey was deputy attorney general in 2005 when he unsuccessfully tried to limit tough interrogation tactics against suspected terrorists. He told then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales that some of the practices were wrong and would damage the department's reputation.

Some Democrats denounced those methods as torture, particularly the use of waterboarding, which produces the sensation of drowning.

Comey's defiance won him praise from Democrats. In a statement, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who will oversee Comey's confirmation hearing, said, "Mr. Comey showed the kind of independence needed to lead the FBI when he stood up to those in the last administration who sought to violate the rule of law." Leahy called for senators to give Comey "the swift and respectful confirmation he deserves."

Sen. Chuck Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Comey's experience on national security would benefit the FBI. "He's previously dealt with these matters with integrity and shown a willingness to stand his ground if necessary," Grassley said in a statement. He added that he wants to question Comey on his work in the hedge fund industry and wondered whether he could improve the Obama administration's efforts to prosecute Wall Street for its role in the economic downturn.

Concerns over Comey were raised by the American Civil Liberties Union, which doesn't take positions on nominees but is interested in civil liberties issues. ACLU senior policy counsel Mike German said while Comey stood up to some surveillance, he eventually approved the NSA program along with interrogation techniques that included waterboarding, as well as defended the indefinite detention of Jose Padilla, an American terrorism suspect.

"We want to make sure whoever sits in that chair has a determined interest in protecting the rule of law, particularly since they will be there 10 years, outlasting this president and potentially the next president," German said.

German said these issues are particularly relevant given the new revelations about surveillance programs.

As U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, Comey headed one of the nation's most prominent prosecutorial offices and one at the front lines in the fight against terrorism, corporate malfeasance, organized crime and the war on drugs.

As an assistant U.S. attorney in Virginia, Comey handled the investigation of the 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers housing complex near Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, which killed 19 U.S. military personnel.

He led the Justice Department's corporate fraud task force and spurred the creation of violent crime impact teams in 20 cities, focusing on crimes committed with guns.

After leaving government in 2005, Comey was senior vice president and general counsel at Lockheed Martin. In 2010, he went to the Westport, Conn.-based hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, before leaving in February.

The White House also said Comey has developed improvements in the military justice system's performance regarding crimes committed in Iraq and Afghanistan as a member of the Defense Legal Policy Board, which provides independent advice to the defense secretary.

Comey also has taught at the University of Richmond Law School and worked for law firm McGuireWoods LLP, also in Richmond. He has a bachelor's degree from the College of William & Mary, a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School and clerked for former District Court Judge John M. Walker, Jr. in the Southern District of New York.

___

Follow Nedra Pickler on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nedrapickler

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-nominating-comey-fbi-director-friday-202300449.html

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