Mar. 7, 2013 ? Scientists at UC San Francisco have found a more precise way to turn off genes, a finding that will speed research discoveries and biotech advances and may eventually prove useful in reprogramming cells to regenerate organs and tissues.
The strategy borrows from the molecular toolbox of bacteria, using a protein employed by microbes to fight off viruses, according to the researchers, who describe the technique in the current issue of Cell.
Turning off genes is a major goal of treatments that target cancer and other diseases. In addition, the ability to turn genes off to learn more about how cells work is a key to unlocking the mysteries of biochemical pathways and interactions that drive normal development as well as disease progression.
"We've spent energy and effort to map the human genome, but we don't yet understand how the genetic blueprint leads to a human being, and how we can manipulate the genome to better understand and treat disease," said Wendell Lim, PhD, a senior author of the study. Lim is director of the UCSF Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, a Howard Hughes Medical Investigator and professor of cellular and molecular pharmacology.
The new technology developed by the team of UCSF and UC Berkeley researchers is called CRISPR interference -- not to be confused with RNA interference, an already popular strategy for turning off protein production.
"CRISPR interference is a simple approach for selectively perturbing gene expression on a genome-wide scale," said Lei Stanley Qi, PhD, a UCSF Systems Biology Fellow who was the lead author of the Cell study. "This technology is an elegant way to search for any short DNA sequence in the genome, and to then control the expression of the gene where that sequence is located."
The technique will allow researchers to more easily and accurately trace patterns of gene activation and biochemical chains of events that take place within cells, Qi said, and will help scientists identify key proteins that normally control these events and that may go awry in disease.
CRISPR Interference vs. RNA Interference
Unlike conventional RNA interference techniques, CRISPR interference allows any number of individual genes to be silenced at the same time, Qi said. In addition, it acts more crisply, if you will, by not turning off untargeted genes the way RNA interference techniques do.
Gene switching by RNA interference was identified more than a decade ago, launching a new research field that has spawned a Nobel Prize and billion-dollar biotech firms. In January, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced its first approval of an injectable disease therapy based on a similar interference strategy, a drug to treat a rare form of high cholesterol.
RNA interference blocks the messenger RNA that drives protein protection based on the blueprint contained within a gene's DNA sequence. By preventing protein production, RNA interference may be used to get around the problem of difficult-to-target proteins, a frequent challenge in drug development.
But CRISPR interference acts one step earlier in the cell's protein manufacturing process. "The horse has already left the barn with RNA interference, in the sense that the RNA message already has been transcribed from DNA," said Jonathan Weissman, PhD, a Howard Hughes Medical Investigator and professor of cellular and molecular pharmacology, who is another senior author on the work. "With CRISPR interference, we can prevent the message from being written."
Implications for Regenerative Medicine
CRISPR -- an acronym for "clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats" -- is a system that bacteria use to defend themselves against viruses. CRISPR acts like a vaccine, incorporating bits of genes from viruses. Bacteria can reference this library of virus genes to recognize and attack viral invaders.
Qi and colleagues used a protein from this system, called Cas9, as a chassis into which they can insert any specific RNA partner molecule. The selected RNA serves as an adaptor that determines the target anywhere within the genome. "Targeting the machinery to new sites is extremely flexible and quick," Qi said.
The research team was able to get the system to work in mammalian cells as well as bacterial cells, and is working to improve its efficiency in mammalian cells, including human cells. The team aims to couple the Cas9 chassis to an enzyme that will enable the technology to turn genes on as well as off.
Such a versatile tool could prove valuable in efforts to reprogram cells for regenerative medicine. Lim's own lab is working on reprogramming immune cells to treat cancer.
"The idea is to reprogram cells to do the things we want them to do," Lim said. "We are still unlocking the secrets of the genome to harness the power of cellular reprogramming."
Additional UCSF co-authors of the Feb. 28 Cell study are postdoctoral fellows Matthew Larson, PhD, and Luke Gilbert, PhD. UC Berkeley co-authors are Adam Arkin, PhD, professor of bioengineering; and Jennifer Doudna, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Investigator and professor of biochemistry. All the study authors are members of QB3, the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, which is headquartered at UCSF Mission Bay.
The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the National Science Foundation.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of California - San Francisco. The original article was written by Jeffrey Norris.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Lei?S. Qi, Matthew?H. Larson, Luke?A. Gilbert, Jennifer?A. Doudna, Jonathan?S. Weissman, Adam?P. Arkin, Wendell?A. Lim. Repurposing CRISPR as an RNA-Guided Platform for Sequence-Specific Control of Gene Expression. Cell, 2013; 152 (5): 1173 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.02.022
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
This undated photo provided by Paul Hanson shows his sister, Dianna Hanson. Dianna Hanson, a 24-year-old intern at the Cat Haven in Dunlap, Calif., was mauled to death by a lion at the exotic animal park on Wednesday, March 6, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Hanson)
This undated photo provided by Paul Hanson shows his sister, Dianna Hanson. Dianna Hanson, a 24-year-old intern at the Cat Haven in Dunlap, Calif., was mauled to death by a lion at the exotic animal park on Wednesday, March 6, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Hanson)
This Oct. 12, 2012 photo released by JP Marketing shows a 4-year-old male African lion named Couscous at Cat Haven, a private wild animal park in Dunlap, Calif. Authorities say the lion killed a female intern-volunteer on Wednesday, March 6, 2013, at Cat Haven, where the cat had been raised since it was a cub. The intern was attacked and fatally injured after getting into an enclosure with the lion, Fresno County sheriff's Sgt. Greg Collins said. (AP Photo/JP Marketing, Vicken Massoyan)
This 2012 photo provided by the KFSN-TV shows a 4-year-old male African lion named Couscous at Cat Haven, a private wild animal park in Dunlap, Calif. Authorities say the lion killed a female intern-volunteer on Wednesday, March 6, 2013, at Cat Haven, where the cat had been raised since it was a cub. The intern was attacked and fatally injured after getting into an enclosure with the lion, Fresno County sheriff's Sgt. Greg Collins said. (AP Photo/KFSN-TV) OUT KGPE, KSEE, KMPH, KFTV; FRESNO BEE OUT, VISALIA TIMES-DELTA OUT
This 2012 photo provided by KFSN-TV shows a 4-year-old male African lion named Couscous at Cat Haven, a private wild animal park in Dunlap, Calif. Authorities say the lion killed a female intern-volunteer on Wednesday, March 6, 2013, at Cat Haven, where the cat had been raised since it was a cub. The intern was attacked and fatally injured after getting into an enclosure with the lion, Fresno County sheriff's Sgt. Greg Collins said. (AP Photo/KFSN-TV) OUT KGPE, KSEE, KMPH, KFTV; FRESNO BEE OUT, VISALIA TIMES-DELTA OUT
An officer guards the gate near at the entrance of Cat Haven, the exotic animal park in central California where a 26-year old female volunteer intern was killed by a lion, Wednesday, March 6, 2013 in Dunlap, Calif. (AP Photo/Gosia Wozniacka)
DUNLAP, Calif. (AP) ? A 24-year-old intern who was described by her father as a "fearless" lover of big cats ventured into a lion enclosure at a privately owned zoo and was mauled to death, prompting investigations by several government agencies that want to know how the accident happened.
Dianna Hanson, whose Facebook page is plastered with photos of her petting tigers and other big cats, was frustrated that the exotic cat zoo in California where she had worked since January did not allow direct contact with animals, her father told The Associated Press.
"She was disappointed because she said they wouldn't let her into the cages with the lion and tiger there," Paul Hanson, a Seattle-area attorney, said about Cat Haven, the site of the deadly mauling on Wednesday.
Friends of Dianna Hanson recalled her passion for cat conservation.
"She was lovely. Energetic, athletic. She did everything she could to help our conservation efforts," said Kat Combes of the Soysambu Conservancy in Kenya, where Hanson recently had volunteered to work in the Cheetah Research Center.
For reasons still being investigated, Dianna Hanson entered the enclosure of a male African lion named Cous Cous on a day that Cat Haven, 45 miles east of Fresno, was closed to the public.
The 4-year-old lion, which had lived at the park since it was a cub, attacked Hanson and was later shot by Fresno County sheriff's deputies who were trying to reach her body.
Autopsy results revealed the reddish-haired young woman died quickly of a broken neck, possibly from a paw swipe from the 550-pound lion, and the numerous bites and scratches she sustained were inflicted after she died.
"Which means the young lady ... wasn't alive when the lion was tossing the body about," said Fresno County Coroner David Hadden. "We think the lion hit her with his paw and that's what fractured her neck."
On Wednesday, deputies found the mortally injured Hanson lying inside the enclosure, with Cous Cous nearby, said Fresno County sheriff's Lt. Bob Miller.
Another park worker had failed to lure the lion into another pen, so deputies shot and killed it to reach the wounded woman, but she died at the scene, he said.
Whether Hanson ignored orders or was performing a function that placed her in danger is being investigated by Cal-OSHA, which also is trying to determine if employees were properly instructed about potential danger, as required.
"There should have been procedures that very clearly stated what the employees were required to do in order to not get killed," said agency spokesman Peter Melton, who added that documentation about the warning had not yet been provided by Cat Haven.
In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which enforces the federal Animal Welfare Act, is also looking to understand why the lion turned on the intern.
"We're looking at whether the animal was acting in a manner leading up to that situation that maybe the staff should have been aware of," spokesman Dave Sacks said. "Was it being fed properly? Was it under undue stress?"
USDA inspectors conduct multiple unannounced inspections of Cat Haven every year and never had found a violation, Sacks said. Federal regulations pertain only to animal treatment, and do not "cover every single instance of what a facility can and cannot do," he said.
A necropsy on the lion is being performed at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Lab in Tulare.
Dale Anderson, founder of the 100-acre facility in the Sierra Nevada foothills on the road to Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park, said he also is investigating whether the facility's procedures were followed.
"We want to assure the community that we have followed all safety protocols," Anderson said. "We have been incident-free since 1998 when we opened."
He declined to comment on the facility's specific safety protocols, saying the details are part of the investigation by law enforcement.
Cat Haven breeds and keeps lions, tigers, jaguars, lynx and other exotic cats and takes them out for public appearances. It does not hold voluntary accreditation from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums or by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, which set standards for members.
"There are very clear standards for care," said Adam Roberts of Born Free USA, part of the federation. "Standards should not allow close contact with humans. Frankly, facilities that don't comply with the federation's standards are ripe for potential abuse and these kinds of problems."
By all accounts, Hanson loved contact with cats. Her Facebook page holds dozens of photos of her petting many exotics.
In one photo, a leopard is lying next to her leg.
Late last year, she traveled to a preserve where she had volunteered in Bellingham, Wash., and posted a photo of herself standing in a tiger enclosure holding a stick as she was preparing to scratch the animal's back.
"I was bending over to scratch her back with my hand," she wrote under the photo. "You only touch them with your hands ... one doesn't poke a tiger with a stick."
On the same post she expressed excitement about going to Cat Haven to "start an internship with more kittes(sic); so be prepared for more kitty pictures with new cats!"
Hanson's family was taking some solace in that she died doing what she loved.
"She was living her dream and pursuing her life's work to the fullest," Paul R. Hanson, her brother, told the AP. "Upon completion of college she set off to pursue her life's work of bringing awareness of the plight of these magnificent animals through education and outreach."
In a letter posted to family and friends, the woman who had graduated in 2011 from Western Washington University with a bachelor's degree in ecology, evolution and biology talked about falling in love with exotic cats. After meeting a Washington couple with four tigers, she was hooked.
"For the last two and a half years I have been learning how to care for these animals and come next February, my father has given me a plane ticket" to Kenya, she enthusiastically wrote, adding later: "As my mother can tell you, I have had the goals of working with big cats since she adopted a tiger in my name when I was 7. I'm getting there."
___
Cone reported from Sacramento. Kathy McCarthy in Seattle, Garance Burke in San Francisco, and Sue Manning in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Sony Corp (6758.T) aims to triple sales of its mobile phones in India to 35 billion rupees in the year to March 2014, Kenichiro Hibi, managing director of its India unit, said, at the launch of the company's Xperia Z high-end smartphone.
The smartphone, which is priced at 38,990 rupees in India, went on sale in Japan last month and is now available in 60 countries. It is part of the Japanese electronics group's push for a greater market presence in mobile devices.
In India, Sony had a 9 percent share of the smartphone market last quarter making it a distant No.2 behind market leader Samsung's 40 percent share, according to research firm Canalys.
(Reporting By Devidutta Tripathy; Editing by Matt Driskill)
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) ? Managers at dozens of small airports have expressed outrage at federal officials for hauling new full-body scanners away from their facilities and sending them to large hubs that haven't yet upgraded older machines criticized for showing too much anatomy.
U.S. Transportation Security Administration contractors were threatened with arrest after officials at a Montana airport said they received no notice before the workers arrived. In North Dakota, the scanners are set to be yanked from a terminal remodeled last year with $40,000 in local funds just to fit the new machines.
"We think it's silly to have installed the thing and then come back nine months later and take it out," Bismarck airport manager Greg Haug said.
The L3 Millimeter Wave body scanners, which are about the size of a minivan on end and produce cartoonlike outlines of travelers, are being removed from 49 smaller airports across the country to help replace 174 full-body scanners used at larger airports. After controversy erupted over the bare images of a person's body the full-body scanners produce, Congress set a June deadline for them to be removed or updated.
But officials at smaller airports said removing their machines will produce longer lines, increased pat-downs, decreased security and a waste of taxpayer money.
North Dakota officials are especially critical of the swap because the state's airline boardings are skyrocketing with booming oil development. TSA is slated to remove the newly installed scanners this week at airports in Bismarck, Grand Forks and Minot.
"It does seem like a waste of time and energy, but the biggest issue is security concerns," state Aeronautics Commissioner Larry Taborsky said of removing the machines. "We are feeding a lot of traffic into the national system."
"Smaller airports are being treated as less important as bigger airports in the system," said Dave Ruppel, manager of the Yampa Valley Regional Airport in Steamboat Springs, Colo. "Any airport you go through is an entrance into the whole system."
Ruppel's airport lost its scanner late last month. He said the move to replace machines at big airports with scanners from smaller airports is "a political solution to a security problem."
TSA said in a statement that it will cost about $2.5 million to remove the machines from the 49 smaller airports and reinstall them at bigger facilities. The agency would not identify the specific airports where the scanners are slated to be removed. Airport directors said the machines cost about $150,000 each.
"TSA's deployment strategy is designed to ensure advanced imaging technology units are in place at checkpoints where they will be used a significant portion of operating hours, increasing overall use across the system," the agency's statement said. "TSA will continue to evaluate airport needs and will reassess its deployment strategy when additional units are procured."
That's little comfort for airport officials who point out the scanners were touted by TSA for being more secure, less intrusive and quicker.
At the Grand Forks airport, a bank of windows at the terminal had to be removed to place the machine, said Patrick Dame, airport director. The airport authority board in Grand Forks passed a resolution last week that prohibits the TSA from altering the terminal to remove the machine that has been in place less than a year.
"They're free to take the equipment, but they can't take the building apart to do so," Dame said.
Minot's scanning machine has been in place for only about 10 months, airport director Andy Solsvig said.
"With ours, they can disassemble it and wheel it out the door," Solsvig said.
That's what happened Tuesday night at the Meadows Field Airport in Bakersfield, Calif., said Jack Gotcher, airport director. The airport had its new scanner for about a year but it's now going to Los Angeles International Airport, he said.
"We're back to the metal detector, where we were before," Gotcher said.
Many of the 140,000 boardings at the Bakersfield airport are oil workers heading to North Dakota's rich oil patch in the western part of the state, he said.
The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission said 2012 was a record year at the state's eight commercial airports with more than 1 million boardings, bolstered by big gains in the western part of the state, where booming oil development has spurred huge increases in airline activity.
Haug, Bismarck's airport manager, said to keep the machines, an airport must have had more than 250,000 boardings annually for three consecutive years. Bismarck had 236,000 boardings last year and is projected to surpass that soon.
"It's just a matter of time that they'll have to come back in under mandate and reinstall them because we'll quality as a bigger airport," Haug said. "This is not one of TSA's finest hours."
Airport officials in Helena, Mont., have been more drastic in attempts to keep the machines. Airport manager Ronald Mercer said workers under contract with TSA attempted to pull the machine at the airport last week but were told to leave the property or be arrested.
"We told them we weren't going to allow them to do it," Mercer said.
TSA's decision to remove the machine was a surprise to airport officials, Mercer said.
"We never heard they were coming to get it in the first place and we haven't heard anything since," he said. "We have heard rumors that they are sending federal marshals to come get it."
Taborsky, who has had a hip replacement, said the new machines allowed him to pass through security checkpoints without setting off an alarm. He said he'll likely have to go back to being a subject of pat-downs once the machines are gone.
"I'm going to set off the old metal detector now so it is really personal," Taborsky said. "It's going to impact the elderly, who have had hip or knee replacements, in particular."
As Pennsylvanians tackle the annual task of preparing to file tax returns, Insurance Commissioner Michael Consedine encouraged consumers to go the extra step this year and review their insurance policies.
?Facing higher tax rates this year, consumers are looking carefully at how they spend their money,? Consedine said. ?Typically, insurance costs are among the top five household expenses, so it?s important to review your policies to save money where you can without being underinsured.?
Consedine offers these tips for consumers:
Tell your agent/company about any updates from the previous year. Things change and so do your insurance needs. Your car is another year older, so re-evaluate coverage limits and deductibles.
Home renovations or high-ticket purchases like electronics and jewelry should be accounted for.
Life-changing events, like the birth of a child or quitting smoking should be reported.
Ask for discounts. Some auto insurance companies offer discounts for completed driving courses, students with good grades or for clean driving records.
Bundle your policies. Your auto insurance company may also be licensed to sell you a homeowner?s policy. Bundling could also mean a discounted rate.
Compare prices. A good rule of thumb is to ask for quotes from at least three insurance companies.? Be sure the quotes you are comparing are identical, down to the limits and the deductibles. Also make sure the company is financially sound, provides good customer service and offers the policy that is right for you.
Read your insurance policy. It is a contract and is very specific about what is, and is not, included.
For more consumer tips and information, visit www.insurance.pa.gov.
WWBIC fills early stage capital gap for Pumpkin Teeth
For Keith Ksobiech, creator of Pumpkin Teeth, LLC, designing and selling a family-friendly Halloween product has been a fun business venture, one grounded by a strong business development network.
?Am I having fun? Are you kidding me?? Ksobiech said. ?It?s been rewarding to create a fun product for families. This is something that makes carving and decorating pumpkins super easy. And the kids feel like they decorated an amazing creation.?
Pumpkin Teeth are reusable plastic teeth that pumpkin carvers embed into their jack-o-lanterns, no longer requiring them to cut out teeth. This involves kids more in the carving process. Pumpkin Teeth come in three sizes, including glow-in-the-dark teeth, with new versions to be introduced later in 2013.
Ksobiech runs Pumpkin Teeth out of his family?s home in Windsor, Wis., just north of Madison. The concept for Pumpkin Teeth arose five years ago from an employee at Windsor Breads, which Ksobiech and his wife Cheryl Ksobiech operated at the time. With experience starting and running a business, Ksobiech worked with the employee on product development and business vision.
?I always wanted to bring a product to market?especially a simple and fun one. Something different and preferably something small and affordable,? Ksobiech said.
Ksobiech said he?s had several important partners and mentors in this business venture, mainly his wife, who had the inspiration to start the bakery in 2004 and supported selling it in 2012 to dedicate full attention to Pumpkin Teeth.
Working with a family member who had expertise in toy design and contacts in toy manufacturing, Ksobiech patented the Pumpkin Teeth product. He then called upon friend Brad Kolp to attend trade shows to secure some initial sales and be a business confidant.
?I still needed a partner?someone to hold me up when I was down, and he did that. Since then, he has become the vice president of sales [the only employee] and a part owner in the company,? Ksobiech said.
He credits Rogette Koby at US Bank in Sun Prairie, Wis., for directing him to the Wisconsin Women?s Business Initiative Corporation to provide the startup capital Pumpkin Teeth needed.
?I just know that every year that goes by you learn a lot of lessons, meet a lot of fantastic people, and learn about more resources, WWBIC being one of them,? Ksobiech said.
WWBIC initially provided Ksobiech a loan for startup. He said WWBIC ?got it? when he showed the business plan with purchase orders in hand. Ksobiech has paid off that loan and has secured a line of credit from WWBIC for additional capital.
?They?ve been amazing. They?ve stepped in when private investors could not anymore, when friends and family were tapped out. I cannot speak highly enough of them,? Ksobiech said.
Ksobiech also connected with other Halloween product developers including Dennis Zsable of Funkins (foam pumpkins that Ksobiech uses to demo his Pumpkin Teeth) and Jonah White, developer of Billy Bob Teeth. White saw Pumpkin Teeth at a trade show and told Ksobiech he had the idea for the same thing but never acted on it. White now sells a different style of pumpkin teeth, paying Ksobiech a royalty for the use of his patented product.
Spencer?s Gifts was Pumpkin Teeth?s first large customer, but Ksobiech said to make Pumpkin Teeth a success, he needs to get his product sold through more big retailers. He quickly learned that distribution at that scale was not something he could do on his own.
?Large companies do not want to deal with one-product companies. Distributors take on so much, in warehousing, shipping and taking care of clients,? Ksobiech said. ?I can make our product and get it to distributors to add to their product streams to retailers.?
Ksobiech found two distributors that will place his product with Wal-Mart and CVS. He said 2013 will be a significant test year, mainly to measure the success and feedback he receives from the product?s distributors and retailers.
He estimates that 70 percent of his business will come through this channel, more than 20 percent through mid-level channels like private grocery and hardware stores, and the rest from sales to agro-tourism businesses and Halloween haunted houses.
For more information, contact Keith Ksobiech at pumpkinteethllc@gmail.com
Moving is a pain for everyone, but Moveline can make it a little easier. The service already reaches out to movers on your behalf, gathers estimates, and then presents them to you for comparison, but now Moveline assigns you a personal "Move Captain" that streamlines the process from beginning to end.
The last time we mentioned Moveline the service was just getting off the ground. Now the service has expanded to over a dozen major metro areas in the US, has more moving companies under their belt, and makes the moving process even easier. When you sign up, the service gives you a dedicated analyst to help streamline your move. Just tell the service where you are, where you're going, and provide some information about your move to get started. If you want, you can take a short video tour of your apartment or Facetime your analyst to provide them with more information about your move. This way movers don't have to visit to provide an estimate.
Moveline will then reach out to movers in your area that are all licensed, insured, and approved by the company, get competitive estimates for you to review, and then share them with you?along with ratings and reviews of each company from other users who have moved with them in the past. From there you can pick the one you want to handle your move.
Moveline's analysts even offer helpful tips to make the moving process itself easier, like estimating the number of boxes you'll need to buy, whether you should get a storage container. They'll help you add services you didn't know you needed, or just offer ways you can beat back the stress that comes with moving across town or across the country.
Mar. 4, 2013 ? A distant world gleaming in sunlight, Earth's twin planet, Venus, shines like a bright beacon in images taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft in orbit around Saturn.
One special image of Venus and Saturn was taken last November when Cassini was placed in the shadow of Saturn. This allowed Cassini to look in the direction of the sun and Venus, and take a backlit image of Saturn and its rings in a particular viewing geometry called "high solar phase." This observing position reveals details about the rings and Saturn's atmosphere that cannot be seen in lower solar phase.
One of the Venus and Saturn images being released today is a combination of separate red, green and blue images covering the planet and main rings and processed to produce true color. Last December, a false-color version of the mosaic was released.
Another image, taken in January, captures Venus just beyond the limb of Saturn and in close proximity to Saturn's G ring, a thin ring just beyond the main Saturnian rings. The diffuse E ring, which is outside the G ring and created by the spray of the moon Enceladus, also is visible.
These images can be found at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimedia/pia14935.html and http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimedia/pia14936.html.
Venus is, along with Mercury, Earth and Mars, one of the rocky "terrestrial" planets in the solar system that orbit relatively close to the sun. Though Venus has an atmosphere of carbon dioxide that reaches nearly 900 degrees Fahrenheit (500 degrees Celsius) and a surface pressure 100 times that of Earth's, it is considered a twin to our planet because of their similar sizes, masses, rocky compositions and close orbits. It is covered in thick sulfuric acid clouds, making it very bright.
The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Cassini-Huygens mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. The Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras were designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The imaging team consists of scientists from the U.S., England, France and Germany. The imaging operations center is based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo.
For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/cassini and http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov .
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NEW YORK (Reuters) - A newborn baby who was delivered by emergency C-section after his parents were killed in a hit-and-run car accident on their way to the hospital has died, a New York police spokesman said on Monday.
The baby boy died from injuries overnight at New York's Bellevue Hospital, the spokesman said.
His parents, Raizy and Nachman Glauber, were 21-year-old Orthodox Jews from a close-knit enclave in Williamsburg, in the borough of Brooklyn. They were going to the hospital to have their first child.
A spokeswoman for Bellevue said she could not comment on the case.
Police were searching for the hit-and-run driver, a man, and a female passenger who fled the midnight accident that killed the boy's parents.
Police say their vehicle, a gray BMW sedan, struck the side of the taxi that was taking the couple to the hospital. The pair fled on foot, leaving the car behind.
Witnesses reported the BMW traveling at a high rate of speed, and the taxi was at a stop sign, police said.
A funeral for the baby's parents was held on Sunday in Brooklyn, where Orthodox Jews overflowed the synagogue and poured onto the surrounding streets. Pallbearers carried the pair of caskets, draped in black velvet.
The taxi driver was treated at a local hospital and released.
(Reporting by Chris Francescani; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
>>>the weather now and here we go again, yet another
winter storm
is making its
way across
the country. let's get the latest from
weather channel
meteorologist kim cunningham. hello, kim.
>>hey, lester this is the 19th major storm,
winter storm
we have seen move across the country. this one though, a little farther north than we have seen. let's go ahead and show you how this is starting to take shape now. this will begin to move east, bringing snow to
minneapolis
tonight, even
chicago
by tonight. tomorrow, heavier snow expected in
chicago
,
minneapolis
. we could see a foot of snow in some areas. rain for the mid-atlantic, at least early on tuesday. but the jury's out in some areas. washington, d.c., we think, will change over to snow, but once this
area of low pressure
gets into the atlantic, it's possible we could see a storm in boston. folks in boston,
keep an eye
on this going to see maybe a foot in
minneapolis
,
chicago
. this could rival rocky.
keep an eye
on this snowstorm, lester. looks like this could hit new england. we will keep you up to
Morocco has been under the scrutiny of Amnesty International over the last decade. The non-governmental human rights organization released a number of reports and issued a number of statements criticizing human rights abuses in the country and calling on the authorities for fundamental reforms that align with the universal values of human rights.
An article published on Amnesty?s website Friday, March 1st, accuses the Moroccan Penal Code of bias against women and girls. Many articles in the Moroccan Penal Code are said to be pro-men and against women. The article 475 for example is said to be allowing rapists to escape prosecution if they marry ?the victim?. Hence, Amnesty International calls on the Moroccan authorities to ?modifiy such articles to protect women from violence and discrimination.
Among the articles that Amnesty International finds inappropriate and biased are articles 486 and 488 under the section dealing with decency offences. These two articles define rape and set its punishment according to the way it is perpetrated and according to the age of the victim, whether she is married or single, whether she lost virginity or not etc. Amnesty activists see that these articles should be changed and rape redefined to be gender-neutral. Also, they stress that other cases which do not necessarily include physical violence should be taken into account.
Hassiba Haj Sahraoui, Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director at Amnesty International, comments on the issue of rape in the Moroccan Penal Code saying: ?the fact that rape is dealt with under the ?decency? offences section places the emphasis on morality and marital status rather than on the attack against the victim?s integrity.?
?We are worried that the proposed amendment to Article 475 still maintains the distinction between women who are virgins and women who are not, which is discriminatory and degrading,? she added.
Hassiba Haj Sahraoui directs harsh criticism on a number of other articles in the Moroccan Penal Code such as article 496 which, according to her, criminalizes and subjects women victims of domestic violence to punishment if they escape their marital homes. Article 490 which criminalizes consensual sex between unmarried adults is also criticized on the grounds that it ?violates the right to privacy and to free expression.?
Amnesty International activists believe that despite the legal provisions accompanying Morocco?s 2011 constitution, other legislative reforms are needed to ?bring Moroccan law in line with international human rights standards,? the fact which many commentators find threatening to Morocco?s cultural and religious specifities.
Emergency personnel work at the scene of a multi-vehicle wreck on Interstate 65 near the 82 mile marker, Saturday, March 2, 2013 north of Sonora, Ky. Kentucky State Police say six people are dead in two crashes that happened near the same location in central Kentucky on Interstate 65. (AP Photo/The News Enterprise, Neal Cardin)
Emergency personnel work at the scene of a multi-vehicle wreck on Interstate 65 near the 82 mile marker, Saturday, March 2, 2013 north of Sonora, Ky. Kentucky State Police say six people are dead in two crashes that happened near the same location in central Kentucky on Interstate 65. (AP Photo/The News Enterprise, Neal Cardin)
A burned vehicle involved in a fatal wreck sits on a rollback ready to be moved from the scene in the northbound lanes of Interstate 65 around the 82-mile marker Saturday, March 2, 2013, near Sonora, Ky. Kentucky State Police say six people are dead in two crashes that happened near the same location in central Kentucky on Interstate 65. (AP Photo/The News Enterprise, Jill Pickett)
ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (AP) ? Kentucky State Police were investigating whether distracted driving caused a tractor-trailer to plow into an SUV carrying eight people on Saturday, killing six and possibly triggering a serious crash on the opposite side of the highway.
The truck driver is "telling us that he saw the vehicle that was in front of him and he hit the brakes and he didn't hit them in time," Master Trooper Norman Chaffins said. " ... There was a reason for that and we're trying to figure out what the reason was."
The late-morning crash was followed 15 minutes later by a multi-vehicle crash on the opposite side of Interstate 65 that injured three people. The site was just 15 miles from where 11 people died in 2010 when a tractor-trailer crossed the median and hit a van carrying a Mennonite family. Ten people in the van were killed along with the truck driver and the National Transportation Safety Board determined the truck driver was distracted by his cell phone.
Chaffins said despite snow flurries, weather was not a factor in Saturday's crashes. The driver was identified as 47-year-old Ibrahim Fetic of Troy, Mich. Police were looking at his driving logs and collected a blood sample.
The six killed were identified as members of an extended family from Marion, Wis.
They were identified as driver James Gollnow, 62, and his wife, Barbara Gollnow, 62; Marion Champnoise, 92, a friend; Sarina Gollnow, 18, relationship unknown; and foster children Gabriel Zumig, 10, and Soledad Smith, 8.
The two survivors were also foster children. Police identified them as Hope Hoth, 15, who was transported to a hospital in Lexington with burns and a broken spine; and Aidian Ejnik, 12, who was taken to Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville with cuts to the back of his head.
Chaffins described both of the children's injuries as non-life-threatening.
The two crashes shut down the busy stretch of highway for about five hours. The first happened at 11:13 a.m. EST on northbound I-65 south of Elizabethtown. In the second crash, four vehicles collided at the same location on the southbound side.
Chaffins said in the first crash, a 1999 Ford Expedition was hit from behind and then hit the car in front of it, but the driver of that vehicle had only minor injuries. The Expedition was returning to Wisconsin after a trip to Orlando, Fla.
The Expedition was "totally engulfed in flames. It was totally destroyed by the fire," he said, adding, "It's just a charred mess."
He said one eyewitness told police two people emerged from the blaze and one appeared to be on fire.
The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured and was cooperating with police, Chaffins said. "He's obviously pretty torn up about everything."
The southbound crash involved a tractor-trailor and three other vehicles. Police were investigating whether rubbernecking was the cause.
"That's what we're suspecting, that people were looking at the crash that happened on the other side and became distracted and caused a chain-reaction crash," he said.
Those injured in the second crash were taken to hospitals but were not identified.
A door-to-door salesman selling home fire alarms noticed smoke coming from a Texas home, heard a woman screaming and broke a window to rescue her.
Kaeriel Evans, 18, who has Down syndrome, was inside by herself when the blaze started in the 1600 block of Homestead Place, Garland, near Dallas, at about 6 p.m.
"I heard this lady yelling, 'Help, help,'" said Corey Anderson, of Rowlett. "I looked down and saw the smoke so I took off running, and -- reaction -- I just started kicking in the windows."
He tried to find her but couldn't at first.
"As far as I went in, I couldn't see nothing," Anderson said. "It was just smoke."
Then, he heard her voice again.
"I heard somebody say, 'Help me, help me,' so I pushed over an entertainment center and kind of went in there and saw the girl and I told her, 'Drop down and come to me.' And she did. And I got her out."
'He's a hero' Anderson sells home security systems that include fire alarms, he said. He hadn't yet made it to her house when he saw the smoke and flames.
Evans was transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital with smoke inhalation and minor burns but was expected to recover.
Soon, Evans' brother arrived home. "When I saw the house burned up, that's the first thing I asked about -- where is my sister?" Kavaucey Lewis said.
Read more from NBCDFW.com
Lewis, 20, said he lives in the house with five siblings and their mother.
He quickly learned about her rescue and thanked Anderson.
"I just told him how much I appreciate it because my sister is my heart," he said.
Anderson was humble about what he had done.
"I'm glad I was here and could help," he said. "I really do wish if that was my family, somebody would do the same thing."
Evans said he couldn't thank Anderson enough.
"He went in there and, you know, he's a hero," Evans said. "He went above and beyond."
Anderson said the word "hero" doesn't fit.
"I don't feel like a hero," he said. "I just feel like, I mean, it was reaction. At the time, I just went with my instincts."
Firefighters are investigating how the fire started.
FILE - This 2009 file photo, shows Bobby Rogers, a founding member of the Miracles, in Detroit. Rogers, a collaborator with Smokey Robinson, has died. Motown Museum board member Allen Rawls said Rogers died Sunday, March 3, 2013, at his home. He was 73. Rogers and The Miracles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. (AP Photo/The Detroit News, Todd McInturf) DETROIT FREE PRESS OUT; HUFFINGTON POST OUT.
FILE - This 2009 file photo, shows Bobby Rogers, a founding member of the Miracles, in Detroit. Rogers, a collaborator with Smokey Robinson, has died. Motown Museum board member Allen Rawls said Rogers died Sunday, March 3, 2013, at his home. He was 73. Rogers and The Miracles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. (AP Photo/The Detroit News, Todd McInturf) DETROIT FREE PRESS OUT; HUFFINGTON POST OUT.
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (AP) ? Bobby Rogers, a founding member of Motown group The Miracles and a collaborator with Smokey Robinson, has died. He was 73.
Motown Museum board member Allen Rawls says Rogers died Sunday morning at his home.
Rogers had been ill for several years. He lived in the Detroit suburb of Southfield.
Rogers formed the group in 1956 with cousin Claudette Rogers, Pete Moore, Ronnie White and Robinson. Their hits included "I Second That Emotion" and "The Tears of a Clown." Rogers and The Miracles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
He shared songwriting credits with Robinson on The Temptations' "The Way You Do the Things You Do," The Contours' "First I Look at the Purse" and The Miracles' "Going to a Go-Go."
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - With Pope Benedict XVI now officially in retirement, Catholic cardinals from around the world begin on Friday the complex, cryptic and uncertain process of picking the next leader of the world's largest church.
Some details are still unclear, owing to Benedict's break with the tradition that papacies end with a pope's death, so these "princes of the Church" will first hold an informal session before traditional rounds of talks begin on Monday.
No front-runner stands out among the 115 cardinal electors - those aged under 80 - due to enter the Sistine Chapel for the conclave that picks the new pope, so discreetly sizing up potential candidates will be high on the cardinals' agenda.
They will also use the general congregations, the closed-door consultations preceding a conclave, to discuss future challenges such as better Vatican management, the need for improved communication and the continuing sexual abuse crisis.
Benedict ended his difficult eight-year reign on Thursday pledging unconditional obedience to whoever succeeds him to lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics at one of the most problematic periods in the Church's 2,000-year history.
"The discussion we have in the congregations will be most important for the intellectual preparation" for choosing a pope, said Boston's Cardinal Sean O'Malley, adding the electors were already preparing spiritually for the vote by intense prayer.
"I would imagine each of us has some kind of list of primary candidates, and others secondary," said Cardinal Francis George of Chicago at a media briefing with O'Malley and another American cardinal, Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston.
MOST SECRETIVE ELECTION
Conclaves are among the world's most secretive elections, with no declared candidates, no open campaigning and electors who often do not know more than a few dozen men in the room. Electors are sworn to secrecy about the actual voting itself.
George said cardinals consulted other electors before the conclave to learn more about possible choices, asking "what do you know about this candidate?" or "what kind of person is he?"
O'Malley, at his first conclave and already being mentioned in Italian media as a potential candidate, said he had been "using the Internet a lot" to read up on other cardinals.
Conclaves traditionally begin 15 days after the seat of St. Peter, as the papal office is called, becomes vacant. But that includes time for mourning and funeral ceremonies for a dead pope, so Benedict issued a decree allowing an earlier start.
From Monday, the cardinals will discuss how long they want to hold general congregations before going into the conclave; its name comes from the Latin term "cum clave" - with a key - to show they are locked away until a pope is chosen.
Cardinals over 80 cannot join them in the voting, but they are allowed to attend the general congregations and discuss the challenges to the Church with the electors.
Nothing is set yet, but the Vatican seems to be aiming for an election by mid-March so the new pope can be installed in office before Palm Sunday on March 24 and lead Holy Week services culminating in Easter the following Sunday.
HELICOPTER INTO HISTORY
The cardinals will not see a top secret report prepared for Pope Benedict on mismanagement and infighting in the Curia, the Church's bureaucracy. But its three cardinal authors will be in the general congregations to advise electors on its findings.
"Since we don't really know what's in the report, I think we'll depend on the cardinals in the congregations to share with us what they think will be valuable for us to know to make the right decision for the future," O'Malley said.
In an emotional farewell to cardinals on Thursday morning in the Vatican's frescoed Sala Clementina, Benedict appeared to send a strong message to the cardinals and the faithful to unite behind his successor, whoever he turns out to be.
The appeal was significant because for the first time in history, there will be a reigning pope in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace and his retired predecessor living in a small monastery in the Vatican Gardens not far away.
Benedict left the Vatican by helicopter for the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo south of Rome to be far from the conclave and not influence it. He will move into the monastery when refurbishing is finished in about two months.
Submitted by Chalres Hgh-Smith of OfTwoMinds blog,
A wide-ranging conversation on capital controls, gold and self-directed retirement accounts.
Recent news stories about Federal plans to "help" manage private retirement accounts renewed my interest in the topic of capital controls. One example of capital control is to limit the amount of money that can be transferred out of the country. Another is limiting the amount of cash that can be withdrawn from accounts.
The article linked above suggested a third example, in which the government mandates private capital must be invested in government bonds. The way this might work is this: an agency of the Federal government might announce that to "protect" households' $19 trillion in retirement funds from the vagaries of the market, 50% of all retirement accounts must be invested in "safe" Treasury bonds.
Though presented as "helping" households, the real purpose of the power grab would be to enable the Federal government to borrow the nation's retirement accounts at near-zero rates of return.
As things fall apart, Central States pursue all sorts of politically expedient measures to protect the State's power and the wealth of the political and financial Elites. Precedent won't matter; survival of the State and its Elites will trump every other consideration.
To explore alternatives to conventional retirement accounts (IRAs and employer-funded 401Ks), I asked Michael Reps to join me in an email conversation on capital controls, gold and self-directed retirement accounts. Michael and I have a long history of correspondence, and his great respect for the oftwominds.com audience led him to advertise his Expat Your Wallet service here.
I personally have what is known as a solo or self-directed 401k trust, an individually managed retirement account designed for sole proprietors. I am no tax expert, but self-directed 401ks have larger tax-deferred contribution limits than IRAs and at least some of them allow the owners to invest in real estate and other tangible assets, in stark contrast to IRAs and employer-managed 401Ks.
Very few people seem to have heard of self-directed retirement options, and so this conversation is an attempt to explore some of the issues related to capital controls and self-directed retirement accounts.
Please note that these accounts may not be for everyone, and not everyone may qualify to establish such an account. The following is not advice or a recommendation, it is an informal, broad-ranging discussion on a variety of topics. Please read the HUGE GIANT BIG FAT DISCLAIMER before reading on.
Here are Michael's Introductory comments:
Many if not most gold analysts will discuss at length and great detail the catalysts or conditions that could lead to gold's further bull run. These reasons are too detailed and varied to go over here. The purpose of this Q&A is not to refute their claims but rather to acknowledge them and to ask one question: What would America look like with gold at $5000 an ounce?
Does it mean that the gold bugs win and the rest of the population loses? Can you walk into an appliance store an buy a refrigerator, dishwasher and washer/dryer with a few ounces of the ancient barbaric relic? Does it represent the onset of hyperinflation where buying power is diminishing? Or does it mean that speculators have caught wind of the next best momentum investment? In other words, is the rise in the price of gold "Value Driven", "Event Driven" or "Price Action Driven"?
Instead of attempting to forecast how gold "should" rise in value and price, would it not be better to consider the world we live in based on "Why" gold has risen?
Consider what these three economic events could do to your retirement: rising interest rates, a falling US Dollar or major bank failures. All three can send gold to parabolic levels and wreak havoc on your nest egg. They represent either a loss of spending power, a loss of borrowing power, or an outright loss of capital.
Current thinking dictates that one is to grow, grow, grow savings until they retire and then spend, spend, spend, down a life's worth of savings, overlooking the fact that at the time of retirement the account statement may read 6 figures in nominal value but have only 5 figures of buying power. Many will consider gold and silver as a hedge against such an event and I wouldn't argue. The ability to freeze in place stores of value that cannot be degraded by reckless monetary policy may be the only hope for Boomers.
All this raises an interesting question: what would America look like at $5000 an ounce gold?
CHS Just to be clear: do you think gold could go to $5000 an ounce over a relatively short period of time?
MR The Dow rose from 875 in 1981 to 14,000 just over three decades later. I can't see why gold could not do the same. I wouldn't rule out $10,000 either.
CHS Why would anything be different with gold appreciating to these levels when the Dow stocks rose from 875 to 14,000 in the past? The world didn't come to an end and the wealth generated has had many positive affects on the economy.
MR Correct, that is why I think it is important to consider the reasons behind its rise and what they mean for the overall society we llive in. I believe if it is just a speculative bubble (Price Action Driven) then it's a clear "buyer beware" situation. However, if there is an major awakening from the public that gold is money, more so than greenbacks, then I suspect we will be living in much more challenging times.
A January 2011 Moody's report noted that the ratio of national debt to national tax revenue in the United States is the worst of all the AAA-rated countries in the world. The U.S. fiscal condition has deteriorated to the point where its debt to revenue ratio is nearly three times higher than the AAA median, and more than twice that of Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands, Switzerland and Canada.
Even the German Bundesbank is getting wobbly, as they request the return of their 300 tons of gold held at the NY Federal Reserve Bank, which came just three months after the Federal Reserve refused to submit to an audit of its holdings on Germany's behalf. The end result is that faith is running thin regarding the safety of US domiciled assets. Now we hear of the Netherlands, and others making overtures about the safety of their assets. We should take a clue from this.
CHS Let?s say gold declines to $1,000 an ounce. Does that change anything we?re discussing?
MR This is a good question, and again it gets back to the reasons for the "deflation" or depreciation in gold's price. It could still maintain enormous value relative to other goods and services, or it could be deemed an albatross that is so highly regulated and taxed that it loses appeal. Its price could even be the result of government mandated "price controls" which again represents a picture of a much different America than the one at present. It really depends on "Why" it has declined in price.
A legitimate free market should always price things based on real supply and real demand and my contention is that there will always be a market somewhere that will recognize gold's real value. This goes for many other stores of value as well, but precious metals do have a very universal appeal. This may be one reason why there are services out there that help people store precious metals offshore.
CHS In the broader context, what do you see as the primary challenges we will face?
MR I think the first thing to go is "Trust"; trust in the existing fiat structure, in fractional reserve banking, in how to value your work, your compensation, your long term plans. When trust is broken, all bets are off and the government will have free rein to impose even greater controlling measures in order to shore up the economy. These measures of control will likely manifest themselves in a myriad of changes to include "price controls", "capital controls", "trade wars", "currency wars" and possibly civil unrest.
CHS In previous essays, you discussed opening up a foreign bank account to diversify sovereign and currency risk. In terms of holding funds outside of the existing system, what options are out there?
MR It seems that investing "outside" of the existing system has its merits. We have had some good success with this simple act of opening up a foreign bank account and since the start of that service some people have capitalised on the rising New Zealand Dollar as well as higher bond yields. What has also emerged from this has been a good deal of interest in getting an overseas incorporation. This incorporation has helped to establish business and trade accounts outside of the US and in compliance with US Tax laws.
It is when I started going down this path that I discovered something quite interesting that I think your readers may benefit from, and that is to not only self-direct their retirement accounts but to self-direct them overseas where they have a new set of opportunities not readily available at home.
CHS In an era of such low yields, many investors are seeking some form of return or absent that, at least a store of value.
MR This is my point. Especially when you are close to retirement you just dont want to take too many chances, so greater fixed income exposure usually becomes the default choice of most aging boomers. Your readers are well aware of the overall issues facing investments in this zero interest rate climate. It may be a good idea to consider a strategy that opens them up to a whole world of investment opportunities. And by whole world, I mean just about anywhere on the planet.
CHS Do individuals have to pay any penalties or take early distributions in these self-directed accounts?
MR No and No. There are no penalties for a self-directed retirement account that invests overseas and no distributions need to be taken.
For the increased number of boomers who are leaving the work force and considering an affordable retirement, living in another country may be their best option, at least for now, while the US Dollar is strong on a relative basis. Countless Americans don't just flock to the warm sands of Florida to escape cold winters and New York State's income tax, they retreat to Central and South America, the South Pacific, and other regions around the world where the cost of living may be more in line with their actual budget.
So ask yourself, "In US Dollar terms, do you believe you will be able to buy more or buy less in another country 10 years from now with your US Dollars?" For some answers to this it may be helpful to understand how the US Government views your individual retirement account or 401k in the first place.
In 1984, the Treasury Department proposed to eliminate Section 401(k) from the Internal Revenue Code. Although this proposal was never implemented, the Tax Reform Act of 1986 (TRA ?86) substantially tightened the rules governing 401(k) plans. Congress changed the rules because it thought that these plans did not provide adequately for rank-and-file employees and that these plans should be secondary, not primary, retirement plans.?
Retirement plans were intended to be a supplement, not a replacement for the role of the Social Security Administration. As a supplement, I believe if it came down to a choice between saving Social Security at the expense of individual retirement plans I'll side with the government winning this one. It is not a stretch to imagine a significant percentage of the $19 trillion in retirement savings pledged as a "fix it" for a "Social Security Crisis."
This is where self-directing your retirement plan into tangible assets such as real estate, agriculture, heavy equipment, or even a solid business, starts to shine. And don't think for a moment that these assets have to reside in the US. They don't.
Enter Treasury Regulation Sub-chapter A Sec.1.408-2 (b) This is simply the regulation that states that an individual retirement account must be a trust created or organized in the United States and that such trust must be maintained at all times as a domestic trust of the United States. It is not difficult to see that many will view this rule as also confining the assets invested in the retirement plan to inside the United States or US based financial institutions.
However, this is not so. Millions of Americans hold ownership stakes in foreign companies from BP to Sony inside their IRAs and while they may be traded as depository receipts or within international mutual funds, they are still foreign in origin.
Lost in the noise and confusion of the financial media is the important distinction between the "CUSTODIAN" of the retirement assets and the "INVESTOR" of those assets. These are two distinct and separate entities involved in your retirement plan, one dedicated to IRS Compliance while the other dedicated to investment opportunities. While you must adhere to the custodianship rules outlined in Sec. 1.408-2(b) in an IRA you can elect to be the "INVESTOR" of those assets, opening up a whole universe of choices outside of the US.
But don't expect the larger financial intermediaries to make you aware of this regulation. The more you believe that your investment choices are a privilege bestowed on you by the designated mutual fund company, the more you will avoid looking outside the NYSE or even US borders.
CHS So by law you must use a US Based custodian who reports to the IRS, but the investments can exist outside of the US?
MR Correct. Once you select a custodian the next thing is to select an experienced lawyer who specialises in Company Incorporation. You will have to establish a Limited Liability Company (LLC); this is where the foreign or domestic incorporation comes in. It is this company that invests your funds on behalf of you.
Think of it as starting your own Fidelity Investments but you are the only client and you are the only employee. This is the simplest way to explain it. Your company has rights and the ability to invest but there are restrictions to what your business can own.
CHS What are those restrictions?
MR There are restrictions such as you cannot live in any real estate you purchase, cannot buy antiques, and if you purchase a business, you cannot receive a salary from that business.
The following is a brief list of what you can invest in:
Real Estate Most currencies Stocks, bonds, mutual funds Trust Deeds and Mortgage Notes Limited Liability Corporations Private Stock Offerings Leases and Lease Options Joint Ventures U.S. Treasury Gold and Silver Coins Gold Bullion Heavy equipment Private Loans/Notes Collectibles and Life Insurance ARE PROHIBITED
And as I mentioned, if you incorporate outside of the US you then will have to pay corporate taxes in that country of incorporation. This may seem counter-productive, but paying 25% in taxes on 4% bond yields beats a tax free 1% CD yield any day, and many countries have low corporate or even no capital gains taxes.
Another thing you must be mindful of are "Prohibited Transactions." You need to be aware that any addition to the account in the form of labor must be viewed as a contribution. That is, everything, and to some degree, everyone who contributes to the accounts' existence and operation must be compensated by the plan and only the plan otherwise that contribution can be viewed as a deposit of funds for lack of a better description. Gaining compensation outside of the plan for the benefit of the plan can run you into trouble with the IRS.
For example, if you buy a rental and use a property manager, the property manager must be compensated by the plan and not by you. If the rental needs a roof, that roof must come from the plan and not outside of the plan as it would be deemed a contribution. This could also apply if you decide to put a coat of paint on the building or cut its lawn. Again, it is best to get acquainted with this program and the net is filled with people offering this service.
CHS Since not everyone has migration to another country on their radar, what suggestions would you give to readers that are interested in learning more about self-directed retirement plans at home?
MR My first piece of advice is to Google "Self Directed Retirement". I would also like to suggest that if one of your readers is a lawyer that specialises in incorporations and corporate law, that they contribute their insights to this discussion. US corporate law has some additional complexity via interstate commerce, but nothing monumental as far as I know.
Another thing they could do is speak with a financial/tax professional that recognizes self-directed accounts.
CHS Can you see other benefits to incorporating in another country?
MR An option that is gaining attention is to use the assets in your retirement account as proof of investment into another country thereby helping to qualify for residency in that country. Anyone who has considered emigrating from the US will see that many countries welcome Americans with open arms and free healthcare provided you invest and domicile your wealth locally. This could represent a very interesting form of capital flight as it is perfectly legal and at the end of the day, it is your money.
I'm currently liaising with Immigration NZ and a couple who plan to retire here and the process is very straightforward since the assets are treated as no different than a taxable account. As for other countries, it pays to get an answer direct from an official source to be certain.
In the end, if you have a long range plan for retirement that involves exposing yourself to as many options as possible, it may be best to start implementing that plan sooner rather than later.
Thank you, Michael, for a most interesting discussion.
For those interested in exploring options mentioned here, please consult a qualified financial/tax professional to learn more about your retirement account and retirement planning options.
Michael Reps resides in New Zealand and is Director of Expat Your Wallet. For more information email Mike at expat@yieldqwest.co.nz.
ScienceDaily: Living Well Newshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/news/living_well/ Stories about health and wellness, lifestyle issues and trends, family concerns and other topics about everyday life.en-usFri, 01 Mar 2013 11:06:06 ESTFri, 01 Mar 2013 11:06:06 EST60ScienceDaily: Living Well Newshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gifhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/news/living_well/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily.Gel manicures can be tough on nailshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130301084107.htm Dermatologist recommends moderation as gel polish linked to nail problems.Fri, 01 Mar 2013 08:41:41 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130301084107.htmCancer doesn't change young girls' desire to have children, study showshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130301034833.htm Researchers have found that healthy adolescent females have predetermined expectations for becoming parents in the future, but have concerns about fertility and childbearing should they develop a life-threatening illness, such as cancer.Fri, 01 Mar 2013 03:48:48 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130301034833.htmProblems with identifying meat? 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When those drivers are also talking on a hands-free cell phone, "that could be the most dangerous thing they ever do on the road," said an expert.Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:41:41 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228124142.htmAction video games boost reading skills, study of children with dyslexia suggestshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228124132.htm Much to the chagrin of parents who think their kids should spend less time playing video games and more time studying, time spent playing action video games can actually make dyslexic children read better, new research suggests. In fact, 12 hours of video game play did more for reading skills than is normally achieved with a year of spontaneous reading development or demanding traditional reading treatments.Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:41:41 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228124132.htm'Crazy-busy' Canadians under pressure on the jobhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228103458.htm Having more control in the workplace can have negative consequences for individuals, but it depends on the form of job control. Having control over one's work schedule and job autonomy are associated with lower levels of job pressure.Thu, 28 Feb 2013 10:34:34 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228103458.htmEating junk food while pregnant may make your child a junk food addicthttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228103443.htm A healthy diet during pregnancy is critical to the future health of your children. New research suggests that pregnant mothers who consume junk food cause developmental changes of the opioid signaling pathway in the brains of their unborn children. Consequently, these children are less sensitive to opioids released upon consumption of foods high in fat and sugar, and need to eat more to achieve a "feel good" response.Thu, 28 Feb 2013 10:34:34 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228103443.htmReading, writing, arithmetic, and aerobics: Evaluating the new 'R' in academic performancehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228080547.htm Although the long-term consequences of childhood obesity are well documented, some school districts have reduced physical education classes to devote more time to the three Rs in education -- reading, writing, and arithmetic. However, there is new evidence that leaving out an important fourth R -- aerobics -- could actually be counterproductive for increasing test scores. A new study studied the associations between aerobic fitness, body mass index, and passing scores on standardized math and reading tests.Thu, 28 Feb 2013 08:05:05 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228080547.htmWhy some people get zits and others don'thttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228080135.htm Researchers have discovered that acne bacteria contain "bad" strains associated with pimples and "good" strains that may protect the skin. The findings could lead to a myriad of new therapies to prevent and treat the disfiguring skin disorder.Thu, 28 Feb 2013 08:01:01 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228080135.htmCan your breath identify stress?http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227225636.htm The perennial stress-buster -- a deep breath -- could become stress-detector. According to a new pilot study, there are six markers in the breath that could be candidates for use as indicators of stress.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 22:56:56 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227225636.htmSitting less and moving about more could be more important than vigorous exercise to reduce risk of type 2 diabeteshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227183526.htm New research reveals that individuals at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes would benefit from being told to sit less and move around more often -- rather than simply exercising regularly. The experts suggest that reducing sitting time by 90 minutes in total per day could lead to important health benefits.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:35:35 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227183526.htmHeading a soccer ball may affect cognitive performancehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227183458.htm Sports-related head injuries are a growing concern, and new research suggests that even less forceful actions like 'heading' a soccer ball may cause changes in performance on certain cognitive tasks, according to new research.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:34:34 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227183458.htmHigher indoor humidity inactivates flu virus particleshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227183456.htm Higher humidity levels indoors can significantly reduce the infectivity of influenza virus particles released by coughing, according to new research.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:34:34 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227183456.htmPraising children for their personal qualities may backfirehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227183316.htm Praising children, especially those with low self-esteem, for their personal qualities rather than their efforts may make them feel more ashamed when they fail, according to new research.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:33:33 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227183316.htmResearch explores factors that impact adolescent mental healthhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227151258.htm Research indicates that half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14, well before adulthood. Three new studies investigate the cognitive, genetic and environmental factors that may contribute to mental health disorders in adolescence.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:12:12 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227151258.htmLipid researcher, 98, reports on the dietary causes of heart diseasehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227151254.htm A 98-year-old researcher argues that, contrary to decades of clinical assumptions and advice to patients, dietary cholesterol is good for your heart -- unless that cholesterol is unnaturally oxidized (by frying foods in reused oil, eating lots of polyunsaturated fats, or smoking).Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:12:12 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227151254.htmName your neighborhood, define your health?http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227134342.htm Does your neighborhood really define health? Most of us make a choice between suburbs, countryside, or city and settle down. But others, particularly those living in poverty, don?t always get to make that choice ?- the choice that could actually determine our quality and length of life. So how does this choice affect our health?Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:43:43 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227134342.htmContaminated diet contributes to exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals: Phthalates and BPAhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227121903.htm While water bottles may tout BPA-free labels and personal care products declare phthalates not among their ingredients, these assurances may not be enough. According to a new study, we may be exposed to these chemicals in our diet, even if our diet is organic and we prepare, cook, and store foods in non-plastic containers. Children may be most vulnerable.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:19:19 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227121903.htmTrust makes you delusional and that's not all bad: Trusting partners remember transgressions in ways that benefit the relationshiphttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227113100.htm New research is the first to systematically examine the role of trust in biasing memories of transgressions in romantic partnerships. People who are highly trusting tended to remember transgressions in a way that benefits the relationship, remembering partner transgressions as less severe than they originally reported. People low on trust demonstrated the opposite pattern, remembering partner transgressions as being more severe than how they originally reported.?Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:31:31 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227113100.htmDefining the new normal in aginghttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227113058.htm Researcher says terms such as "normal," "healthy" or "successful" aging can prejudice our views of seniors.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:30:30 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227113058.htmNew studies link gene to selfish behavior in kids, find other children natural givershttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227102940.htm Most parents would agree that raising a generous child is an admirable goal -- but how, exactly, is that accomplished? New results shed light on how generosity and related behaviors -- such as kindness, caring and empathy -- develop, or don't develop, in children from 2 years old through adolescence.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 10:29:29 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227102940.htmMarried opposite-sex couples have better overall health than same-sex couples who live togetherhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227102100.htm Same-sex couples who live together have worse health than married opposite-sex couples and similar health as opposite-sex couples who are living together (after adjusting for socioeconomic differences), according to a new study.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 10:21:21 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227102100.htmPessimism about the future may lead to longer, healthier lifehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227101929.htm Older people who have low expectations for a satisfying future may be more likely to live longer, healthier lives than those who see brighter days ahead, according to new research.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 10:19:19 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227101929.htmDo thin models and celebrities really help sell to women?http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227085840.htm Advertisers who put images of female celebrities and models next to their products spark scorn rather than shopping, according to new research.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 08:58:58 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227085840.htmToo much vitamin D during pregnancy can cause food allergies, research suggestshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227085838.htm Pregnant women should avoid taking vitamin D supplements, new research suggests. Substitution appears to raise the risk of children developing a food allergy after birth.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 08:58:58 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227085838.htmSame-sex cohabitors less healthy than those in heterosexual marriages, study suggestshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227085706.htm Same-sex cohabitors report worse health than people of the same socioeconomic status who are in heterosexual marriages, according to a new study, which may provide fuel for gay marriage proponents.Wed, 27 Feb 2013 08:57:57 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227085706.htmIncreased risk of sleep disorder narcolepsy in children who received swine flu vaccinehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130226194006.htm A study finds an increased risk of narcolepsy in children and adolescents who received the A/H1N1 2009 influenza vaccine (Pandemrix) during the pandemic in England.Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:40:40 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130226194006.htmTexting Gloves Dangerous in Winter, Says experthttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130226141235.htm Fingers are one of the first body parts to suffer from the cold and popular fingerless texting gloves can lead to frostbite and in worst cases, amputation, says an expert.Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:12:12 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130226141235.htmTexting becoming a pain in the neckhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130226101259.htm Orthopedic surgeon, spine specialist says excessive leaning head forward and down, while looking at a phone or other mobile device could result in what some people call ?text neck.?Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:12:12 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130226101259.htmSleep reinforces learning: Children?s brains transform subconsciously learned material into active knowledgehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130226081155.htm During sleep, our brains store what we have learned during the day a process even more effective in children than in adults, new research shows.Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:11:11 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130226081155.htmMediterranean diet helps cut risk of heart attack, stroke: Results of PREDIMED study presentedhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225181536.htm Results of a major study aimed at assessing the efficacy of the Mediterranean diet in the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases show that such a diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or tree nuts reduces by 30 percent the risk of suffering a cardiovascular death, a myocardial infarction or a stroke.Mon, 25 Feb 2013 18:15:15 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225181536.htmDoing good is good for you: Volunteer adolescents enjoy healthier heartshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225162229.htm Giving back through volunteering is good for your heart, even at a young age, according to researchers.Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:22:22 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225162229.htmTargeting CPR education in high-risk neighborhoods could save more liveshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225153046.htm Targeting CPR education in high-risk neighborhoods could increase the number of bystanders giving CPR and decrease deaths from cardiac arrest, according to a new statement.Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:30:30 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225153046.htmGender gap disappears in school math competitionshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225153029.htm The idea that boys are better at math and in competitions has persisted for a long time - primarily because of the competition format. A new study shows that competitions that extend beyond a single round result in parity between the sexes.Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:30:30 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225153029.htmGlobal surveys show environment ranks low among public concernshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225131541.htm A newly released international study reveals that the issue of climate change is not a priority for people in the United States and around the world. The surveys showed that when asked to rank priority worries, people were five times more likely to point to the economy over the environment.Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:15:15 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225131541.htmMoments of spirituality can induce liberal attitudes, researchers findhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225131532.htm People become more politically liberal immediately after practising a spiritual exercise such as meditation, researchers have found.Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:15:15 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225131532.htmMemory strategy may help depressed people remember the good timeshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225122047.htm New research highlights a memory strategy that may help people who suffer from depression in recalling positive day-to-day experiences.Mon, 25 Feb 2013 12:20:20 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225122047.htmA question of accountability: What happens when employees are left in the dark?http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225112320.htm All employees are accountable for something, but very few fully understand exactly what they are accountable for, according to a new study.Mon, 25 Feb 2013 11:23:23 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225112320.htmCatfight? Workplace conflicts between women get bad raphttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225092248.htm A new study suggests troubling perceptions exist when it comes to women involved in disputes at work.Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:22:22 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225092248.htmMost babies slow to grow catch up by early teenshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225092246.htm New research shows that most babies who are slow to put on weight in the first nine months of life have caught up to within the normal range by the age of 13, but remain lighter and shorter than many of their peers. There are significant differences in the pattern of "catchup," depending on the infant's age when the slow weight gain occurs.Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:22:22 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130225092246.htmParents talking about their own drug use to children could be detrimentalhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130222083127.htm Parents know that one day they will have to talk to their children about drug use. The hardest part is to decide whether or not talking about ones own drug use will be useful in communicating an antidrug message. Recent research found that children whose parents did not disclose drug use, but delivered a strong antidrug message, were more likely to exhibit antidrug attitudes.Fri, 22 Feb 2013 08:31:31 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130222083127.htmSmarter lunchrooms make lunch choices child's playhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130222083125.htm In Jan. 2012, the United States Department of Agriculture passed a series of regulations designed to make school lunches more nutritious, which included requiring schools to increase whole grain offerings and making students select either a fruit or vegetable with their purchased lunch. However, children cannot be forced to eat these healthier lunches. In a new study, researchers determined that small, inexpensive changes to school cafeterias influenced the choice and consumption of healthier foods.Fri, 22 Feb 2013 08:31:31 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130222083125.htmInfluenza study: Meet virus' new enemyhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221194241.htm Virologists have discovered a new class of molecular compounds capable of killing the influenza virus. Working on the premise that too much of a good thing can be a killer, the scientists have advanced previous researchers' methods of manipulating an enzyme that is key to how influenza replicates and spreads. The new compounds will lead to a new generation of anti-influenza drugs that the virus' strains can't adapt to, and resist, as easily as they do Tamiflu.Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:42:42 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221194241.htmScientists make older adults less forgetful in memory testshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221143946.htm Scientists have found compelling evidence that older adults can eliminate forgetfulness and perform as well as younger adults on memory tests. The cognitive boost comes from a surprising source -- a distraction learning strategy.Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:39:39 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221143946.htmShould grandma join Facebook? It may give her a cognitive boost, study findshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221143912.htm Preliminary research findings suggest learning to use Facebook may help give adults older than 65 a cognitive boost. The study shows that seniors who learned to use Facebook saw improvements in their ability to continuously monitor and quickly add or delete the contents of their working memory.Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:39:39 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221143912.htmHeavy backpacks may damage nerves, muscles and skeleton, study suggestshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221141604.htm Damage to muscles and the skeleton is the frequent consequence of carrying heavy backpacks and occupational gear on our backs. New research confirms that damage to the nerves that travel through the neck and shoulders is also a serious risk.Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:16:16 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221141604.htmWanted: A life outside the workplacehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221115801.htm New research suggests the growing number of workers who are single and without children have trouble finding the time or energy to participate in non-work interests, just like those with spouses and kids.Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:58:58 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221115801.htmIn rich and poor nations, giving makes people feel better than getting, research findshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221104357.htm Feeling good about spending money on someone else rather than for personal benefit may be a universal response among people in both impoverished countries and rich nations, according to new research.Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:43:43 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221104357.htmAccidental poisonings leading cause of deaths at home, study findshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221104157.htm An increasing number of people die from unintentional home injury, in large part due to accidental drug overdose, according to a new study.Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:41:41 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221104157.htmSocial capital -- the benefit of Facebook 'friends'http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221084618.htm Intense Facebook usage is found to have a positive effect on psychological well-being, according to a new study.?Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:46:46 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221084618.htmWhen children can hop on one leg: Motor development in children under 5 can now be tested reliablyhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221084602.htm Researchers have determined normative data for different exercises such as hopping or running. This enables parents and experts to gauge the motor skills of young children for the first time objectively and thus identify abnormalities at an early stage.Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:46:46 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221084602.htmTalking about being old is important indicator of body dissatisfactionhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220203711.htm Similar to talking about being fat, talking about being old is an important an indicator of body dissatisfaction, shows new research. Body dissatisfaction is known to be correlated with, and predictive of, physical and mental health problems including binge eating, emotional eating, stress, low self-esteem, depression, and use of unhealthy weight control behaviors. High levels of talking about weight and being fat, ?fat talk?, is known to be a good indicator of body dissatisfaction.Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:37:37 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220203711.htmScrap 'unwinnable' drugs war and divert funds into curbing global antibiotic misuse, experts sayhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220184955.htm Governments around the world should stop squandering resources fighting an "unwinnable war" against illegal drugs, such as cocaine and heroin. Instead, they should use the cash to curb antibiotic misuse, which poses a far more serious threat to human health, claims a leading ethicist.Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:49:49 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220184955.htmMosquitoes exposed to DEET once are less repelled by it a few hours later, study claimshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220184949.htm Mosquitoes are able to ignore the smell of the insect repellent DEET within a few hours of being exposed to it, according to new research.Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:49:49 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220184949.htmBackground checks, permanent records needed for all firearm transfers, not just gun sales by retailers, experts urgehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220163633.htm Gun violence in the United States can be substantially reduced if Congress expands requirements for background checks on retail gun sales to cover firearm transfers between private parties, a new report concludes.Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:36:36 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220163633.htmBullied children can suffer lasting psychological harm as adultshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220163629.htm Bullied children grow into adults who are at increased risk of developing anxiety disorders, depression and suicidal thoughts, according to a new study.Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:36:36 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220163629.htmEmployees shed pounds in worksite-based weight loss intervention with behavioral counselinghttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220163557.htm Workplace-based programs that include dietary advice coupled with behavioral counseling appear to be a promising approach for men and women with significant weight loss goals, based on the results of a pilot study. Employees enrolled in the intervention arm of a randomized controlled trial lost on average, 18 pounds over a six-month period compared to a two pound weight gain in a control group.Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:35:35 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220163557.htmSeparated bike lanes, slower vehicle speeds greatly reduce bicycle injurieshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220131744.htm Using your bicycle to commute to work has numerous health and environmental benefits. Yet, the largest Canadian study on cycling injuries suggests cyclists are at risk of injury due to the lack of cycling infrastructure in large urban centers.Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:17:17 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220131744.htmResveratrol shows promise to protect hearing, cognitionhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220131742.htm Resveratrol, a substance found in red grapes and red wine, may have the potential to protect against hearing and cognitive decline, according to a new study.Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:17:17 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220131742.htmCure for common hangover? 'Pill' mimics action of human liver in fighting alcohol intoxicationhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220114337.htm In a discovery that could promise a quick fix to the common hangover, a team of engineers has identified a method for speeding up the body's reaction to the consumption of alcohol.Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:43:43 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220114337.htm
WWBIC fills early stage capital gap for Pumpkin Teeth
Ksobiech runs Pumpkin Teeth out of his family?s home in Windsor, Wis., just north of Madison. The concept for Pumpkin Teeth arose five years ago from an employee at Windsor Breads, which Ksobiech and his wife Cheryl Ksobiech operated at the time. With experience starting and running a business, Ksobiech worked with the employee on product development and business vision.
Moving is a pain for everyone, but Moveline can make it a little easier. The service already reaches out to movers on your behalf, gathers estimates, and then presents them to you for comparison, but now Moveline assigns you a personal "Move Captain" that streamlines the process from beginning to end. 
Moveline will then reach out to movers in your area that are all licensed, insured, and approved by the company, get competitive estimates for you to review, and then share them with you?along with ratings and reviews of each company from other users who have moved with them in the past. From there you can pick the one you want to handle your move.