A 1-2 knockout: McIlroy, Woods lose in Match Play

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy lines up his tee shot off the 11th hole in the first round against Shane Lowry, of Ireland, during the Match Play Championship golf tournament, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013, in Marana, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy lines up his tee shot off the 11th hole in the first round against Shane Lowry, of Ireland, during the Match Play Championship golf tournament, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013, in Marana, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Tiger Woods looks down from the 12th tee box at his lie on the fairway in the first round against Charles Howell III during the Match Play Championship golf tournament, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013, in Marana, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Snow covers a fairway in the morning hours before before play resumes for the first round of the Match Play Championship golf tournament, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013, in Marana, Ariz. A snow storm blanketed the course on Wednesday suspending the first round of play and postponing it until later in the day on Thursday. (AP Photo/Arizona Daily Star, Mike Christy) ALL LOCAL TV OUT; PAC-12 OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT, MAGS OUT, NO SALES

Practice balls sit in frozen snow on the practice range before play resumes for the first round of the Match Play Championship golf tournament, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013, in Marana, Ariz. A snow storm blanketed the course on Wednesday suspending the first round of play and postponing it until late Thursday morning. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

A grounds keeper walks along a snow-covered fairway before the start of the first round of the Match Play Championship golf tournament, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013, in Marana, Ariz. A snow storm blanketed the course on Tuesday suspending the first round of play and postponing it until late Thursday morning. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

MARANA, Ariz. (AP) ? The snow is gone from the Match Play Championship, and so are Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods.

In a stunning conclusion to what already is a bizarre week on Dove Mountain, Shane Lowry of Ireland made a 4-foot par putt on the 18th hole to eliminate Rory McIlroy in the opening round Thursday of golf's most unpredictable tournament.

"It's definitely a day I'm going to remember," said Lowry, the third player in the last four years to beat the No. 1 seed in the opening round.

Moments later, Charles Howell III finished off a fabulous round in cold conditions by defeating Woods on the 17th hole. Howell, who had not faced Woods in match play since losing to him in the third round of the 1996 U.S. Amateur, played bogey-free on a course that still had patches of snow and ice after being cleared Thursday morning.

The match was all square when Howell hit a wedge that stopped inches from the cup on the 15th hole for a conceded birdie. Then, he holed a 25-foot birdie putt on the 16th and went 2 up when Woods badly missed a 12-foot birdie putt.

"I had nothing to lose," said Howell, who started the year outside the top 100 in the world and hasn't qualified for this World Golf Championship in five years. "In this format, match play is crazy. He's Tiger Woods. I was lucky to hang in there."

The final matches were played in near darkness, and they could have stopped after 15 holes. Woods wanted to play on, even though Howell had the momentum. Woods was 2 under for the day, and neither of them made a bogey.

"We both played well," Woods said. "He made a couple of more birdies than I did. He played well, and he's advancing."

McIlroy, the No. 1 player in the world, built a 2-up lead early in the match until Lowry rallied and grabbed the moment by chipping in for birdie on the par-3 12th and then ripping a fairway metal to within a few feet for a conceded eagle on the 13th.

Lowry missed a short par putt on the 14th, only for McIlroy to give away the next hole with a tee shot into the desert and a bunker shot that flew over the 15th green and into a cactus. But the two-time major champion hung tough, coming up with a clutch birdie on the 16th to stay in the game.

McIlroy nearly holed his bunker on the 18th, and Lowry followed with a steady shot out to 4 feet and calmly sank the putt.

"Deep down, I knew I could beat him," Lowry said. "There's a reason I'm here, and this is match play."

For McIlroy, more questions are sure to follow him to Florida for his road to the Masters. He now has played only 54 holes in the first two months of the season, missing the cut in Abu Dhabi and losing in the first round at Dove Mountain.

"You want to try and get as far as you can, but I guess that's match play," McIlroy said. "I probably would have lost by more if I had played someone else in the field. It wasn't a great quality match. But it would have been nice to get through and just get another day here and another competitive round under my belt."

Just like that, the Match Play Championship lost its two biggest stars in one day. The only other time the top two seeds lost in the opening round was in 2002, when Woods and Phil Mickelson lost at La Costa.

Luke Donald nearly made it the top three seeds except for a clutch performance. He holed a 10-foot birdie putt to halve the 17th hole and stay tied with Marcel Siem of Germany. Donald then birdied the 18th from 7 feet to win the match.

Louis Oosthuizen, the No. 4 seed, rallied to get past Richie Ramsay of Scotland.

The opening round was halted Wednesday after 3? hours because of a freak snowstorm that covered Dove Mountain with nearly 2 inches. It continued to snow at times overnight, and it took nearly five hours to clear snow from the golf course for the tournament to resume.

Turns out snow wasn't the only surprise.

Howell said he has never beaten Woods ? not as an amateur, not even in dozens of games at Isleworth before Woods moved away to south Florida. What a time to change that losing streak.

"I had to play extremely well to have a chance, and I still kept waiting for that Tiger moment," Howell said.

It never came.

Woods missed short birdie chances at the 10th and 11th, but the real damage came on the 15th when he went long of the green with a wedge in hand. Howell also missed a pair of short putts on the back nine, but he came up big with the putt on the 16th.

"Really, I didn't even realize I was 2 up with two to go until I got right to the tee on 17, and it actually threw me for a bit because I never maybe was really in the moment and didn't quite realize how things were," Howell said. "And as far as beating Tiger Woods, it shows you that match play is crazy. I did have to play a good round. But yeah, it's a bit hard to believe I'm sitting here today."

Howell and Lowry will have to wait until Friday to find out their opponents.

Carl Pettersson was 1 up on Rickie Fowler through 17 holes when they stopped because of darkness. The winner gets Lowry, who will be fighting some history. Of the previous three players to beat the No. 1 seed in the opening round, all of them lost in the second round.

Howell gets either Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano or Francesco Molinari, who were all square through 15 holes.

In other matches:

? Ernie Els lost in the opening round for the sixth time. He missed a 3-foot par putt on the 16th hole that would have given him the lead, and he missed a 5-foot par putt on the 18th hole to lose to Fredrik Jacobson.

? Russell Henley, two months into his rookie season, defeated the hottest player in the field when he took down Charl Schwartzel, who had won twice and finished no worse than fifth in his last six tournaments worldwide.

? Rafael Cabrera Bello beat Lee Westwood in 19 holes after Westwood missed a 6-foot par putt on the last hole.

The opening round of the Match Play is typically the best day in golf. This one took two days, and it was unlike any other.

Nearly 2 inches of snow covered Dove Mountain on Wednesday, and with more snow overnight, nothing had changed when players began arriving Thursday morning. There already was a two-hour delay when they arrived.

"There was a guy building a snowman this morning at 8, and they said they were going off at 10:30," Henley said. "I figured it was going to be awhile"

No one had an easier day than Bo Van Pelt.

Having won six straight holes to go 5 up before snow suspended play on Wednesday, Van Pelt finally got back on the golf course and struck all of two shots ? an 8-iron and a 45-foot putt. He won the 13th hole with a par to complete a 6-and-5 win over John Senden of Australia.

And then there was Sergio Garcia. He was one putt away from winning when play stopped Wednesday. He three-putted from 12 feet to lose the hole, and on the 18th hole, Thongchai Jaidee made a 6-foot birdie to send the match into overtime.

On the first extra hole, Garcia removed his cap and was putting his golf ball and tees in the bag as Jaidee settled over a 10-foot birdie. The putt ran around the back edge of the cup, giving Garcia life. He made birdie on the par-5 second hole to win in 20 holes.

So instead of hitting one shot Thursday, he had to play 19 of them. Garcia's was the first match of the tournament. It took him about 30 hours to finish.

"It's weirdness, I guess," Garcia said. "I guess at the end of the day, I was pleased to get through."

That's one thing McIlroy and Woods can't say.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-02-21-GLF-Match-Play/id-c97fc0d0c7274dd9afec22d2db80ddce

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How To Overcome Your Fear Of Commitment [EXPERT] | Moushumi ...

Are you afraid of commitment?

Four steps for even the most stubborn commitment-phobes.

I have a good friend who hasn't had a girlfriend in the ten years that I've known him.

More from YourTango: 6 Steps To A Conscious Single Hood [EXPERT]

He and I talk a lot about sex and relationships, and half of the time, he cannot keep a straight face, almost like a teenager, embarrassed by our honest, mature conversations. Other times, we have these very insightful conversations about love, life and relationships. We talk about the breakdown of monogamy in modern society and the fallacy of marriage ? things I love to discuss.

Recently he admitted that he's afraid of letting his guard down, afraid of rejection, afraid of getting his heart broken into pieces, of liking someone more than she likes him. We always talk about the downsides of relationships, but the bottom line is that while I have been in relationships for the last 20 years, he has been single for at least 12.

He is afraid of relationships for very different reasons than I've ever been. Historically, I've been afraid of losing my independence or yielding to someone who takes the relationship and me for granted too soon. He is afraid of rejection. I guess it's the same difference, though. I guess we have all been reluctant to trust others at some time in our lives.

But then, more was revealed. I surmised that he went for the less attractive girls to boost his self esteem so he wouldn't get rejected. He agreed. He admitted he would give girls his number despite having no intention of ever following up, except perhaps for sex.?His fear of commitment is actually a fear of rejection. Deep down he would love to be loved, appreciated and understood, but he fears rejection from the girls he is most attracted to.

So instead, he throws little bits out there to the ones he is really attracted to but then runs away, thereby avoiding rejection. He flirts and gives his phone numbers to girls he has no intention of calling, unless its just for sex. He says he is happy being single, and for the most part he really truly is. Because single is safe. Single is free. Single is fun. And, in his case, single has the upper hand.

He has also said that when he falls for someone, he falls really hard, and he doesn't want to be the one who falls harder than the other. He's afraid of losing himself, afraid of losing control, afraid of losing the upper hand, afraid of rejection and, in return, he gets his needs met by having one-night stands and "f*ck buddies," no-strings-attached and "friends with benefits" scenarios.?

I call this a fear of commitment ... and he is not alone. Fear of commitment is just a self-protective mechanism, a tough exterior, a mask made for the manliest of men (and lotsa ladies too) to hide from and ? in some case? ? bury the sensitive, vulnerable side which ultimately must reveal itself in order to fully give and receive love in a way that truly matters.

More from YourTango: Start Your New Years Resolutions Early

Fear of commitment also happens within relationships where one or both partners hold back, refuse to give themselves fully, always wearing their protective shields. What an uncomfortable place to be, I think. What a lonely, empty space. Sure, being vulnerable is scary but there is relief in finally letting your guard down.?Keep reading ...

More commitment phobia advice from YourTango:

Source: http://www.yourtango.com/experts/moushumi-ghose/3-steps-get-over-your-fear-commitment

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Details of 'dangerous' gun threat at school withheld from parents

By M. Alex Johnson, staff writer, NBC News

Students and parents are only now learning the details of what sheriff's officials in Florida called a "credible" and "dangerous" threat by two classmates who planned to steal an arsenal of weapons and shoot classmates ? some of them at random and others on a hit list ? more than a month ago.

The two boys ? who, at ages 15 and 16, weren't identified because they're juveniles ? have been involuntarily committed even though Orange County sheriff's detectives recommended that they be charged with conspiracy to commit murder at Timber Creek High School in Orlando, NBC station WESH reported.

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The sheriff's office said the threat was posted on Facebook and that authorities learned the specifics from one of the conspirators, who apparently lost his nerve. It said weapons were found in both boys' homes.

Until the heavily edited investigative report was released over the weekend, all that parents had heard of the plot was a recorded message Jan. 14 from the school's principal that said a student had made threats online and that the threat had been foiled by another student, WESH reported.

School officials couldn't immediately be reached for comment Monday because the system was observing the Presidents Day holiday.

According to the sheriff's report, the suspects confided in each other that they both heard voices, cut themselves and shared an interest in the violent video game "Call of Duty."

Authorities said one of the boys planned to steal his father's semiautomatic rifle and pistol, The Orlando Sentinel reported. With his accomplice, they planned to open fire on a specific group of students and then on other students at random.

Flashpoint: Guns in America

Watch US News crime videos on NBCNews.com

Orange County School Board Chairman Bill Sublette told the Sentinel that the case was "very, very serious," saying it was rare for mentally ill students to go so far as to draw up a hit list.?

Amanda K. Janner, a clinical psychologist in winter Park, Fla., who has successfully treated violent teenagers, agreed that the students' hallucinations, specific date and established access to weapons required an immediate response.

When more than one child is involved, "it certainly does build on itself," she said. "It almost reinforces their beliefs, their thoughts, when somebody else shares that. It normalizes it."

Classes resume Tuesday at Timber Creek. The school district told WESH it plans no special security measures.

Follow M. Alex Johnson on Twitter and Facebook.

Related:

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/18/17007197-details-of-dangerous-gun-threat-at-florida-school-withheld-from-parents-for-a-month?lite

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Current stars celebrate Jordan at 50

HOUSTON (AP) ? Michael Jordan turned 50 on Sunday, giving this year's All-Stars a chance to reflect on his illustrious career and how much he still means to the sport.

In a weekend filled with the NBA's greatest players, Jordan was the topic no one could stop talking about. Though he hasn't played since the 2002-03 season, Jordan's influence still permeates the league and its players.

Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade says, "everything he did was groundbreaking."

Jordan won six titles and picked up five MVP awards during a career spent mostly with the Bulls that began in 1984.

Jordan was in Houston this weekend, and celebrated his birthday early with a private bash on Friday at the Museum of Fine Arts with guests including LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-02-17-BKN-Jordan-at-50/id-c9f498494e3946c895a4abc2eaee81b7

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Five-Star Match of the Week: The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar ? Undisputed WWE Championship Match, SummerSlam 2002

SummerSlam 2002: The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar - 8/25/2002Brock Lesnar vs. Batista: OVW, Sept. 28, 2001The Minnesota Stretching Crew vs. John Cena & Rico - OVW Tag Team Championship Match: OVW, Nov. 10, 2001After Paul Heyman appears on "Miz TV," Brock Lesnar attacks The Miz: Raw, Feb. 4, 2013A look at the history between Mr. McMahon, Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman: Raw, Feb. 4, 2013WWE.com Countdown: Feats of StrengthBrock Lesnar Entrance Video

This week, WWE Classics and Greatest Matches present the final installment of Five-Star Match of the Week. For four months, we?ve asked Superstars in the WWE locker room to select one of the greatest wrestling matches of all time, and WWE.com brings you that full-length match, uncut.

Two men seem to dominate the modern-day landscape of WWE: The Rock and Brock Lesnar. The current WWE Champion shocked fans when he re-emerged as the WrestleMania host in 2011, and Lesnar elicited a similar reaction upon his return 10 months ago. Over the past year, they have both clashed with John Cena in equally epic encounters. But it was more than 10 years ago that Lesnar and The Brahma Bull first faced off with each other. (MORE ROCK)

SummerSlam 2002 marked the final step in Brock?s stunning ascent to the top of the squared circle?s ranks. But when WWEClassics.com attempted to speak with Paul Heyman about the classic main event, he was none too pleased with how we phrased our question.

?First of all, I disagree with the designation that it?s The Rock vs. Brock,? Lesnar?s longtime agent asserted. ?It is Brock Lesnar vs. The Rock. Brock deserves top billing. And he deserves top billing because he won the match.?

Indeed he did. And not by virtue of cheating, Heyman was quick to remind us.

?[Brock] did not win the match with outside interference,? the mad scientist of sports-entertainment said. ?In fact, The Rock hit me with a Rock Bottom through a table. I was not an equation.? (MORE HEYMAN)

After debuting in WWE on the night after WrestleMania X8, Lesnar ran roughshod over the entire roster, annihilating the competition and cementing his status as a legitimate threat to any competitor. Three months later, the massive rookie won the King of the Ring Tournament to earn an opportunity to challenge for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam. (MORE BROCK)

The People?s Champion defeated Hulk Hogan on the night prior to Lesnar?s debut, but did not compete much over the next several months. One month before SummerSlam, at Vengeance, however, The Rock won his seventh WWE Championship, setting up the inevitable confrontation with the newly minted King Lesnar.

?Brock Lesnar defeated The Rock cleanly to become the Undisputed WWE Champion,? Heyman reminded us. ?And in doing so, he put his boot on the neck of The Attitude Era and anointed himself the new reigning monarch of the WWE Universe.?

Today, the landscape is much different, but Brock and Rock have maintained their dominance. Each warrior can lay claim to being revered by foes and friends alike, but only one scenario can determine who the better man is: a rematch.

(WWE CLASSICS | WWE GREATEST MATCHES)

PREVIOUS FIVE-STAR MATCHES:
Oct. 3, 2012: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels, WrestleMania XII
Oct. 10, 2012: Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero, Halloween Havoc 1997
Oct. 17, 2012: Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk, Clash of the Champions IX: New York Knockout
Oct. 24, 2012: CM Punk vs. John Cena, Money in the Bank 2011
Oct. 31, 2012: Randy Savage vs. Ted DiBiase, WrestleMania IV
Nov. 7, 2012: Bret Hart vs. The British Bulldog, SummerSlam 1992
Nov. 14, 2012: Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels, WrestleMania X
Nov. 21, 2012: The Hart Foundation vs. The British Bulldogs, Madison Square Garden
Nov. 28, 2012: Eddie Guerrero vs. Brock Lesnar, No Way Out 2004
Dec. 5, 2012: Ric Flair vs. Big Van Vader, Starrcade 1993
Dec. 12, 2012: Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect, SummerSlam 1991
Dec. 19, 2012: Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage, WrestleMania III
Dec. 26, 2012: Eddie Guerrero vs. Dean Malenko, ECW, Aug. 26, 1995
Jan. 2, 2013: Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho, WrestleMania XIX
Jan. 9, 2013: Kerry Von Erich vs. Ric Flair, David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions
Jan. 16, 2013: The Rock 'n' Roll Express vs. The Midnight Express, WrestleWar 1990
Jan. 23, 2013: Rey Mysterio & Billy Kidman vs. The World's Greatest Tag Team, Vengeance 2003
Jan. 30, 2013: Daniel Bryan vs. William Regal, ?WWE Superstars,? Nov. 10, 2011
Feb. 6, 2013: Rey Mysterio vs. Dean Malenko, The Great American Bash 1996

View Comments

Source: http://www.wwe.com/classics/five-star-the-rock-brock-lesnar

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G7 meant to signal concern about excess yen moves: official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A statement from the Group of Seven rich nations on Tuesday was meant to signal concern about excessive movement in the value of Japan's currency and statements from Tokyo about yen levels, a G7 official said.

"The G7 statement was misinterpreted. The G7 statement signaled concern about excess moves in the yen," the official said on Tuesday. "The G7 is concerned about unilateral guidance on the yen. Japan will be in the spotlight at the G20 in Moscow this weekend."

The official was referring to a meeting of the Group of 20 finance ministers in Moscow this Friday and Saturday.

The yen surged against the U.S. dollar and the euro after the statement from the G7 official, which ran counter to the way markets had been interpreting the position of the G7 nations.

Earlier on Tuesday, the G7 said it remained committed to market-determined exchange rates and that fiscal and monetary policies must not be directed at devaluing currencies.

Japan interpreted the G7 currency statement as giving it a green light to continue efforts to reflate its economy, and the yen initially fell following the currency statement.

(Reporting by Anna Yukhananov; Editing by James Dalgleish)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/g7-meant-signal-concern-excess-yen-moves-official-140859574.html

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New details on the molecular machinery of cancer

Public release date: 11-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Lynn Yarris
lcyarris@lbl.gov
510-486-5375
DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Berkeley Lab researchers resolve EGFR activation mystery

Researchers with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC) Berkeley have provided important new details into the activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a cell surface protein that has been strongly linked to a large number of cancers and is a major target of cancer therapies.

"The more we understand about EGFR and the complex molecular machinery involved in the growth and proliferation of cells, the closer we will be to developing new and more effective ways to cure and treat the many different forms of cancer," says chemist Jay Groves, one of the leaders of this research. "Through a tour-de-force of quantitative biology techniques that included cutting edge time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy in living cells, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, and computational modeling, we've determined definitively how EGFR becomes activated through to its epidermal growth factor (EGF) ligand."

Groves, who holds joint appointments with Berkeley Lab's Physical Biosciences Division and UC Berkeley's Chemistry Department, and is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator is one of two corresponding authors of a paper in the journal Cell that describes this research. The paper is titled "Conformational Coupling across the Plasma Membrane in Activation of the EGF Receptor." The other corresponding author is John Kuriyan, who also holds joint appointments with Berkeley Lab, UC Berkeley and HHMI.

In high school biology classes we learn that genes contain coded instructions that are translated into the assembly of specific proteins. Many proteins, however, must be activated by post-translational processes such as autophosphorylation, the addition of phosphate. Protein activation can impact many important cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation and migration. Cancer is essentially a case of these cellular functions gone wild, often the result of problems with the EGFR. However, despite its well-established links to cancer, EGFR activation has only been partially understood.

"As a member of the large class of cell surface receptors known as receptor tyrosine kinases, EGFR features a ligand-binding domain on its extracellular side and a kinase domain on its intracellular side," Groves says. "The text-book explanation for EGFR activation is that the binding of EGFR's ligand, EGF, to its extracellular side induces dimerization of the receptor, which in turn brings together the kinase domains on the intracellular sides of the dimer, allowing them to phosphorylate one another."

Groves says while the picture is accurate, it is an oversimplification of the mechanics behind the process because isolated intracellular kinase domains in solution can be active on their own at relatively low concentration without EGF ligand-induced dimerization. Dimerization is the combining of two identical molecules into a single compound molecule.

Measuring autophosphorylation as a function of EGFR surface density in cells, Groves, Kuriyan and their colleagues found that structural coupling between the EGFR transmembrane helix and extracellular juxtamembrane modules in addition to EGF ligand-engagement is required for EGFR activation. This structural coupling permits dimerization to take place in the presence of the EGF ligand.

"The un-ligated EGFR sits in a structural configuration that prevents the intracellular kinase domains from being able to reach each other," Groves says. "When the EGF ligand binds, this restraint is removed, dimerization occurs, and one kinase phosphorylates the other."

The inclusion by Groves and his colleagues of time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy on living cells is another new advance in bringing a quantitative approach to the biological sciences. By combining picosecond light pulses from two different colors of lasers into a single beam, then genetically modifying EGFRs to carry either a red or green fluorescent protein, the researchers were able to monitor in real time how EGFRs move and assemble into dimers during activation by the EGF ligands.

"Focusing on the cell membrane and monitoring each fluorescent photon emitted, then determining both its color and precise time of arrival at the detector, allows unambiguous assignment of which photon was triggered by which color light pulse," Groves says. "All of this can be done in real time and in living cells."

With the mechanics behind the activation of EGFR now fully explained, Groves and his colleagues are now applying their quantitative biology techniques to another group of receptor tyrosine kinases, the Eph receptors, as well as T cell receptors that are so important to the immune system.

"Our broader goal with these quantitative biology techniques is to transform biology into a hard physical science," Groves says. "The idea is to move from simply describing a collage of observations to being able to understand how biological systems work based on fundamental physics."

###

In addition to Groves and Kuriyan, other authors of this Cell were Nicholas Endres, Rahul Das, Adam Smith, Anton Arkhipov, Erika Kovacs, Yongjian Huang, Jeffrey Pelton, Yibing Shan, David Shaw and David Wemmer.

This research was primarily support by a grant from the National Cancer Institute.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. For more, visit www.lbl.gov.

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Public release date: 11-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Lynn Yarris
lcyarris@lbl.gov
510-486-5375
DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Berkeley Lab researchers resolve EGFR activation mystery

Researchers with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC) Berkeley have provided important new details into the activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a cell surface protein that has been strongly linked to a large number of cancers and is a major target of cancer therapies.

"The more we understand about EGFR and the complex molecular machinery involved in the growth and proliferation of cells, the closer we will be to developing new and more effective ways to cure and treat the many different forms of cancer," says chemist Jay Groves, one of the leaders of this research. "Through a tour-de-force of quantitative biology techniques that included cutting edge time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy in living cells, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, and computational modeling, we've determined definitively how EGFR becomes activated through to its epidermal growth factor (EGF) ligand."

Groves, who holds joint appointments with Berkeley Lab's Physical Biosciences Division and UC Berkeley's Chemistry Department, and is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator is one of two corresponding authors of a paper in the journal Cell that describes this research. The paper is titled "Conformational Coupling across the Plasma Membrane in Activation of the EGF Receptor." The other corresponding author is John Kuriyan, who also holds joint appointments with Berkeley Lab, UC Berkeley and HHMI.

In high school biology classes we learn that genes contain coded instructions that are translated into the assembly of specific proteins. Many proteins, however, must be activated by post-translational processes such as autophosphorylation, the addition of phosphate. Protein activation can impact many important cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation and migration. Cancer is essentially a case of these cellular functions gone wild, often the result of problems with the EGFR. However, despite its well-established links to cancer, EGFR activation has only been partially understood.

"As a member of the large class of cell surface receptors known as receptor tyrosine kinases, EGFR features a ligand-binding domain on its extracellular side and a kinase domain on its intracellular side," Groves says. "The text-book explanation for EGFR activation is that the binding of EGFR's ligand, EGF, to its extracellular side induces dimerization of the receptor, which in turn brings together the kinase domains on the intracellular sides of the dimer, allowing them to phosphorylate one another."

Groves says while the picture is accurate, it is an oversimplification of the mechanics behind the process because isolated intracellular kinase domains in solution can be active on their own at relatively low concentration without EGF ligand-induced dimerization. Dimerization is the combining of two identical molecules into a single compound molecule.

Measuring autophosphorylation as a function of EGFR surface density in cells, Groves, Kuriyan and their colleagues found that structural coupling between the EGFR transmembrane helix and extracellular juxtamembrane modules in addition to EGF ligand-engagement is required for EGFR activation. This structural coupling permits dimerization to take place in the presence of the EGF ligand.

"The un-ligated EGFR sits in a structural configuration that prevents the intracellular kinase domains from being able to reach each other," Groves says. "When the EGF ligand binds, this restraint is removed, dimerization occurs, and one kinase phosphorylates the other."

The inclusion by Groves and his colleagues of time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy on living cells is another new advance in bringing a quantitative approach to the biological sciences. By combining picosecond light pulses from two different colors of lasers into a single beam, then genetically modifying EGFRs to carry either a red or green fluorescent protein, the researchers were able to monitor in real time how EGFRs move and assemble into dimers during activation by the EGF ligands.

"Focusing on the cell membrane and monitoring each fluorescent photon emitted, then determining both its color and precise time of arrival at the detector, allows unambiguous assignment of which photon was triggered by which color light pulse," Groves says. "All of this can be done in real time and in living cells."

With the mechanics behind the activation of EGFR now fully explained, Groves and his colleagues are now applying their quantitative biology techniques to another group of receptor tyrosine kinases, the Eph receptors, as well as T cell receptors that are so important to the immune system.

"Our broader goal with these quantitative biology techniques is to transform biology into a hard physical science," Groves says. "The idea is to move from simply describing a collage of observations to being able to understand how biological systems work based on fundamental physics."

###

In addition to Groves and Kuriyan, other authors of this Cell were Nicholas Endres, Rahul Das, Adam Smith, Anton Arkhipov, Erika Kovacs, Yongjian Huang, Jeffrey Pelton, Yibing Shan, David Shaw and David Wemmer.

This research was primarily support by a grant from the National Cancer Institute.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. For more, visit www.lbl.gov.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/dbnl-ndo021113.php

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Writer Antonio Molina awarded Jerusalem Prize

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Acclaimed Spanish writer Antonio Munoz Molina said Sunday he would accept a prestigious Israeli literary award despite calls from pro-Palestinian activists to boycott the Jewish state.

Molina said that he did not believe he was an "accomplice" in Israel's policies toward Palestinians for accepting the Jerusalem Prize, an award given every two years to authors who dwell on themes of human freedom in society.

"I have absolute respect for Israel and people in Israel who are critical of their own country," said Molina. "It doesn't mean I have become an accomplice of anything horrible that happens in this country."

International artists often come under pressure by pro-Palestinian activists not to come to Israel or accept prizes, arguing that the country should be censured for its military rule over Palestinians.

Molina, whose prose was shaped by a working class upbringing in a provincial village under the rule of the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, has resided in New York City for much of the past 13 years. He said he was honored to receive the award.

"The worth of a prize depends on the people who have received it before you," Molina told reporters. "I would like to be as good as many of them."

Molina, 57, said he felt an affinity for Israel, saying the country was often misunderstood like his homeland Spain. He also described his politics as reflective of those of award-winning Israeli author David Grossman, who frequently criticizes Israeli policies and its occupation of the West Bank, which began in 1967.

The Spanish writer said he had never visited areas where Israel maintains military control over Palestinians. He said he wouldn't have time on his four-day trip, but he intended to visit them in the future. "It's unfinished business," Molina said.

Molina said that he had come under pressure not to accept the prize, but that as far as he knew no Palestinians had tried to contact him.

The Spanish writer has three books translated into English: "Sepharad," ''In Her Absence" and "A Manuscript of Ashes." His latest novel, "Noche de los Tiempos" is currently being translated into English.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/writer-antonio-molina-awarded-jerusalem-prize-145617403.html

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Title favorites tough to find in men's basketball

Indiana climbed its way to No. 1 this week, back where it started the season.

Fitting with the way this season has gone, the Hoosiers aren't likely to be there long after losing on a buzzer beater to Illinois Thursday night.

So far in this season of parity, No. 1 is no fun. Get to the top ? or even close to it ? and chances are a letdown is coming.

Since Indiana and Duke dominated No. 1 the first 10 weeks of the season, it's been a jumble at the top with five different teams up there the past five weeks, a streak that will almost certainly stretch to six.

So as the regular season winds down into its final month, who are the title contenders? Well, good question. At this point, any team in the Top 25 or even just out of it might have a chance.

___

Indiana. The Hoosiers are the current No. 1, so might as well start there. Indiana is tough, talented and has one of the best players in the country in big man Cody Zeller. The Hoosiers (20-3) are 8-2 in the rugged Big Ten, but have had some tough losses. They lost to Butler in December when a 5-foot-11 walk-on hit a floater in the closing seconds of overtime and couldn't crack 60 points in a loss to unranked Wisconsin last month. Indiana had been on a roll beating then-No. 13 Michigan State and top-ranked Michigan last week, but took a big stumble by losing to the unranked Illini. The Hoosiers also face some tough games down the stretch, including two against No. 10 Ohio State both Michigan schools again.

___

Florida. The Gators are No. 2 this week, but also figure to fall a few spots after a looks-bad-on-the-resume loss to Arkansas on Tuesday. Florida has one of the nation's most dynamic backcourts in Kenny Boynton, Mike Rosario and Ervin Walker and a multidimensional front line anchored by powerful Patric Young. The Gators have dominated most games, but allowed Arizona to score seven points in the final 56 seconds in a one-point loss in December and struggled at both ends in a loss to Kansas State a week later. Florida got on a roll after that, winning 10 straight games, but had a huge letdown in the loss to the Razorbacks. Still, 18-2 and with a lineup like that, they figure to make a decent run in the NCAA tournament.

___

Michigan. The Wolverines might have the nation's best starting backcourt in Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr., and have arguably been college basketball's most consistent team. Michigan opened at the No. 5 in the preseason poll and have remained in the top-5, moving into the top spot the week of Jan. 28. The Wolverines only lasted a week at No. 1 thanks to a loss, but that was to Indiana, ranked No. 3 at the time. The Wolverines' only other loss was on the road to Ohio State, which they avenged with an overtime win at home on Tuesday in one of the season's best games. Still, the Big Ten is tough this season and Michigan still has to face Michigan State and Indiana, not to mention go through the grind of the conference tournament.

___

Duke: The Blue Devils have one of the nation's best players in Mason Plumlee and a guard in Seth Curry who can score in bunches. The problem for Duke has been injuries and occasional lapses on defense. A foot injury by big man Ryan Kelly was a big loss. The multidimensional power forward has been out since injuring his right foot in early January and the Blue Devils struggled the first few games without him. One of those struggles came after Duke climbed to No. 1 again on Jan. 21, a 90-63 loss to unranked Miami that was the third-worst by a No. 1 team ever. Still, the Blue Devils (19-2) spent four weeks at No. 1 before Kelly got hurt and will be a formidable team when he returns.

___

Kansas: The talent and depth are there for a big run, but do the Jayhawks have enough focus to go deep in the NCAA tournament? The first part of the season was great for Kansas. Led by fabulous freshman Ben McLemore, the Jayhawks raced through the first two months of the season, their only loss a tight one to Michigan State. The past couple of weeks have been a struggle. After scraping past West Virginia on the road on Jan. 28, Kansas lost to Oklahoma State, their first at home to the Cowboys since 1989. It got worse ? much, worse ? on Wednesday night, when Kansas scored 13 points in the first half against TCU for its first losing streak since 2006. After the loss to the Horned Frogs, coach Bill Self called his team the worst Kansas had put on the floor since Dr. James Naismith invented the game, so the Jayhawks (19-3) have a lot of work to do, no matter how talented they are.

___

Arizona. Coach Sean Miller finally has his own players in place and the Wildcats are loaded after a second straight stellar recruiting class. Arizona has a good mix of youth and veterans, with a strong backcourt and multidimensional frontcourt. What the Wildcats need is consistency. Arizona managed to pull out some close wins early in the season ? Florida and San Diego State were the big ones ? before it caught up to them on the road against Oregon. The Wildcats then lost at home to UCLA, a team that went on to lose to Arizona State and USC their next two games. Arizona has struggled with turnovers and perimeter defense at times, but has the talent to go deep into March ? if it can find more consistency.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/title-favorites-tough-mens-basketball-091416391--spt.html

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Getting The Word Out About You On The Internet - Empower Network

There is a chance that one?s business can skyrocket into a world of fame and fortune, but it is more likely for a business to remain small. Most do not become either and just fade away. New enterprises are known for an astonishing failure ratio, which is particularly the case when it comes to online entities. Study the following piece and discover the Web marketing ideas that can help prevent such an outcome.

Offer a free gift with purchase ? this is a great way of making your customers feel like they are valued. Taking good care of customers if often overlooked when people are doing Online marketing, but if you give some things away, even if it costs you a little, it will make your customers feel appreciated.

TIP! Provide incentives to those who refer others to your site. Offer a freebie for a certain number of referrals to turn that one sale into multiple sales.

Try and make all your banner advertisements look unique. If you can make your banner ads look different from the norm, you will find that more people will click on it.

One of the most promising ways to market your services and products is to identify a profitable niche. You wouldn?t be successful marketing your mint Star Wars action figures to collectors of baseball cards. Even if you do make a few sales, this approach is not likely to generate the levels of profit and business that you desire. So always use your marketing efforts wisely and gear it towards your target audience.

TIP! You can get lots of visitors to a website through viral videos. To come up with a video that goes viral, one must think outside the box.

One way to provide high-quality content and advance your Web marketing goals is to secure interviews with respected authorities in your website?s niche. You can jot down notes during the interview or record or videotape the interviews. The interview itself will build your reputation, just because of its existence. Plus, the right interviewees will bring visitors of their own and increase your traffic.

Creating a section for frequently asked questions will help your customers with common issues and make it easier for them to order. This will give your visitors immediate answers to their questions, which will make them more pleased with your site. The more your client will benefit, the greater the chances that they will complete a purchase for the things you offer.

TIP! Make sure your website?s tag defines the primary focus of your site. Located very prominently in the window of your browser, the website tag is one of the first things people see.

If you are trying to sell a product, make a video of it being used. This is often a much more direct and unambiguous way to convince potential customers of the product?s value. Use this platform to fully outline features and benefits of your product that can be missed in the advertising. Post your video on your blog, as well as other websites like Vimeo and Youtube.

Deciding how you want your website to progress can be a hard task. Try and narrow down your choices until you have the best one. You should pick a website niche that you are familiar with and that you also enjoy. Once you have a solid goal for the content of your website, it is easier to achieve marketing goals.

TIP! Try to place banners on your web site that do not have the appearance of being banners. Dress them up to resemble click-able links, leading to more valuable content.

Change your headlines often and see how it affects traffic. Once you understand how to incorporate your marketing message, stay with it and use it as your new image. Paying attention to your customers always pays off in the end.

Email is a very important tool for marketing via marketing. Ensure that your emails are protected! Don?t use free email services that lack functions that you need, such as the ability to store mail indefinitely. Pay for reputable companies to archive and maintain this sensitive information.

TIP! Read the various studies done on the psychology of Internet marketing and web design. Psychology can play a part in the way someone looks at your site, depending on a lot of different factors.

Keeping an eye on what your competitors are doing is very beneficial when you have an online business. Browse sites selling products similar to your own, and make note of what they are doing right and wrong. Try to stand out from your competitors by finding a niche that is unfilled.

Enthusiasm is key when it comes to properly marketing your company. Show your prospective customers that you love your product and also how great your business is. You don?t have to be 100% genuinely in love with your product, but you do have to convey that to others. They need to believe it. This should generate lots of sales and profits for you.

TIP! It is both a science and art to do internet marketing. Prior to starting an Internet marketing campaign, make sure you understand both parts.

Try offering different versions of your site to people all over the world. Try to create many variations of the same site in different languages. You would be surprised at how much viewer traffic this could add; not to mention, the global expansion that could be available to you. If customers can properly understand your site because the content is in their own language, it increases the chance that they will purchase items from you.

Failure in other businesses can be a catalyst to your success, so look for those open doors. Employ the tips and tactics that you found above and you can be the next Website marketing success story.

TIP! Consider marketing your website as a forum or social gathering spot instead of just another business website. Your site will get a lot of traffic when people come back to talk to other people.

To Get More Info About Online Marketing And Learn The Secrets Of How You Can Start Making 1k Per Day Online While Working Less Than 4 Hours A Week Click Here!

Source: http://www.empowernetwork.com/promo101/blog/getting-the-word-out-about-you-on-the-internet/

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Frugal Family Tree: Tsukihoshi Kids Shoes Review and Giveaway

Finding the right shoes for kids can be rough. Things are too tight, too loose, too big, too small, it feels weird or they just agree with what you say then when you get home it turns out the shoes don't fit at all. But?that's?normal when it comes to kids and shoes. For them its harder to know if a shoe fits right so us as parents have to start out by giving them good choices when it comes to the brands we have them select from.

Plus they need to look cool not only to me but to my kid. My son at 3 is staring to get an?opinion?on what he wants in the way of shoe and clothing color, I think its so cute! I have done a lot of?research?on kids shoes for fit,?durability, light weight and colors?available. One shoe company that is at the top of my list is Tsukihoshi.

Tsukihoshi is a Japanese brand that has been around 1873. These shoes have proper arch support, flex at the toes of the foot allowing for running and jumping in comfort, barefoot like comfort (great for little developing feet)
light weight, easy on and off, and two great?features?that I LOVE an anti bacterial removable insoles and the best of all they are MACHINE WASHABLE!!! How awesome is that!!

I really do love these shoes and so does my son. He picked out the orange ones, he loves orange. Even my husband who is picky about style loves them. I was impressed by that! They are so easy to put on my son can do it himself. It has a?Velcro?top and fake laces. So they look cool and not like a typical no lace shoe.

My son was running so fast all over the mall yelling "Super Cool" and showing people his shoes I had to put him back into his stroller! He has a several other pairs of shoes but since he got these he insists on wearing his orange shoes. I love how great they fit his feet! They are a true to size fit and sizes range from Baby to Toddler to Youth.

I even saw that many celebrities kids are wearing Tsukihoshi too. Tori Spelling, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sandra Bullock, Adam Sandler, Julie Roberts, Jack Black, John Stewart and so many more celeb parents buy these shoes for?their?kids. ?They come in several styles for boys and girls including a mary jane one that is so cute.

You can find Tsukihoshi (when you say it the T is silent) at Nordstrom, online and other high end kids shoes retailers. A great investment in the foot health of your little ones!

Here are some other fun?styles?I like:

For the Girls:




GIVEAWAY
For our Valentine's Day event we are hosting a giveaway for one pair of shoes from Tsukihoshi for the little Valentine in your life. Winner's Choice of style.

Enter in the Rafflecopter form:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

?*Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts Feb 6, ?2013 and ends on Feb 15, 2013 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent a product to review for this post.

Source: http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2013/02/tsukihoshi-kids-shoes-review-and.html

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Video: Can the Rally Last?

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50697694/

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JC Penney sues to block bondholders from declaring default

(Reuters) - J.C. Penney Co Inc filed a lawsuit on Monday asking a Delaware judge to declare that it is not in a default of its bond agreements, protecting nearly $3 billion of debt from being due in the coming months.

The lawsuit was filed after J.C. Penney received a letter earlier on Monday from the Brown Rudnick law, firm which said the retailer had breached a covenant of a bond indenture agreement by granting a lien on its inventory, according to the complaint filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery.

The indenture agreement related to $326 million of outstanding bonds that mature in 2037, although the letter said that J.C. Penney could be in default on all of its $2.9 billion bond debt, according to the lawsuit.

The letter also said bondholders believed that J.C. Penney's debt could be declared payable in less than three months, according to the lawsuit.

The letter said Brown Rudnick represented investors who hold more than half of the outstanding bonds due in 2037, according the complaint, which seeks to be heard on an expedited basis.

"We believe this notice of default is invalid, completely without merit and is intended to create self-interested trading opportunities in the market, and we will therefore vigorously defend the interests of J.C. Penney and all of our constituencies," J.C. Penney Chief Financial Officer Ken Hannah said in a statement.

In the complaint, J.C. Penney noted that the demand from Brown Rudnick came as the company is investing significantly to update its stores.

J.C. Penney has been struggling with plunging sales for almost a year as Chief Executive Ron Johnson has tried to eliminate most discounts while also transforming each of its 700 largest stores into a collection of 100 shops for brands like Levi's and PVH Corp's Izod band.

Customers balked at the new pricing and the retailer has backtracked on some of its pricing policy.

The stock was down more than 50 percent in the past 12 months.

The case is JC Penney Company Inc v U.S. Bank National Association, Delaware Court of Chancery, No. 8276.

(Reporting By Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Editing by Tim Dobbyn and M.D. Golan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/j-c-penney-sues-block-bondholders-declaring-default-224053854--finance.html

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54 countries aided CIA rendition program, report finds

By Matthew DeLuca, Staff Writer, NBC News

As many as 54 nations aided the United States in rendition and detention operations that swept up more than 130 people as part of the Central Intelligence Agency?s global counterterrorism efforts, according to a report released Tuesday by the Open Society Justice Initiative, a human rights advocacy group.

The report, titled ?Globalizing Torture: CIA Secret Detention and Extraordinary Rendition,? is the most complete account yet of the covert and extra-legal detention of suspects at undisclosed locations, or ?black sites,? in the post-9/11 era. Relying on information provided by human rights groups, public records and court cases, the report details the harsh treatment some suspects faced.

?The United States prides itself on being a leader in the field of human rights, and now we have courts around the world saying that the United States is a torturer,? Amrit Singh, who authored the report, told NBC News. ?Those kinds of findings really undermine the United States? ability to advocate for human rights around the world.?

Public debate over the use of torture as a counterterrorism tactic was reignited recently with the release of the movie ?Zero Dark Thirty." Critics of the film say it incorrectly portrays the use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics in the pursuit and killing of Osama bin Laden, but filmmakers say the torture scenes depict just one part of the decade-long hunt for the terrorist mastermind.

The use of renditions appears to have reached its apogee after the September 11 attacks, when President Bush expanded the program to include indefinite periods of detention in third-party countries, according to the report. While the Obama administration has taken measures to impose more oversight on the process, renditions appear to continue, according to the report.

President Obama issued an executive order 2009 that directed that the CIA close its secret detention facilities in order to ?promote the safe, lawful, and humane treatment of individuals? held by the United States. But the order specified that the closures did not apply to facilities used to hold terror suspects ?on a short-term, transitory basis.? A task force established by the order produced recommendations in 2009 that would allow rendition to continue, but with measures to prevent ?the transfer of individuals to face torture.?

Due to continued secrecy over the CIA?s extraction and detention of suspects, estimates on the total number of detainees have been imprecise. ?The catalog of 136 people identified in the new report as detained or transferred by the CIA is the largest such list to be compiled to date. The report notes that the total number of people subject to rendition, detention, or interrogation will not be known until the countries involved release that information.

Italian court convicts 3 Americans in CIA kidnapping

Countries assisting the United States included Afghanistan, Germany, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and the United Kingdom. Some of the countries hosted facilities used by the CIA on their soil, according to the report, while others provided intelligence or aided in the capture, transport, or detention of individuals.

?The 54 governments basically enabled these operations,? Singh said. ?Without the participation of these governments, the programs would not have been possible.?

The practice may have long-term ramifications for the United States, as foreign governments react to emerging information about the secretive practice, Singh said. On February 1, for example, an Italian court sentenced a former CIA chief and two other American officials in absentia to prison sentences for the kidnapping of a Muslim cleric in 2003.

The report also includes details on the brutal conditions faced by some suspects, including Maher Arar, a Canadian and Syrian citizen. Arar was held in Jordan and Syria between 2002 and 2003 after being detained at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport on information provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. In Syria, he was imprisoned in a cell three feet wide, threatened with electric shocks, and beaten with cables, according to the report.

In a telephone interview Tuesday, Singh also cited the case of Khalid El-Masri, 49, who said he had been detained by the CIA in Afghanistan after being extradited from Macedonia. His case is unique, Singh said, because his claims of mistreatment have been affirmed by a court. While a 2006 lawsuit El-Masri brought in federal court against the U.S. government was dismissed, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in December that El-Masri?s rights had been violated.

Europe court:German was victim of CIA extraordinary rendition program

A 6,000-page review of CIA detention practices was approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee in December. Initiated in 2009 by a 14-1 vote of the committee, the report is a ?comprehensive review? of the detention and interrogation of CIA prisoners, committee chairwoman Senator Dianne Feinstein said in a statement. The report, which remains classified, ?uncovers startling details about the CIA detention and interrogation program and raises critical questions about intelligence operations and oversight,? Feinstein said.

The committee is expected to vote again in February on whether or not to declassify portions of the report following comment from the White House and CIA.

Among those urging for the declassification of the report is Senator John McCain, who in December said it is his hope that "all Americans can see the record for themselves, which I believe will finally close this painful chapter for our country. ... Our enemies may act without conscience, but we do not.?

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/05/16853156-report-pulls-back-veil-on-cias-rendition-program?lite

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NASA's Curiosity Rover Hammers Into 1st Mars Rock

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has pounded into a Red Planet rock with its drill for the first time, bringing the 1-ton robot a big step closer to initiating its first full-bore drilling operations.

The Curiosity rover?hammered the rock using the arm-mounted drill's percussive action over the weekend, completing another test along the path toward spinning the bit and biting into rock for the first time.

"We tapped this rock on Mars with our drill. Keep it classy everyone," Curiosity flight director Bobak Ferdowsi ? who gained fame as "Mohawk Guy" during the rover's nail-biting landing on the night of Aug. 5, 2012 ? wrote in a Twitter post Sunday (Feb. 3), sharing a photo of the pounded rock.

Curiosity's drill can bore 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) into Martian rock, deeper than any rover has been able to go before. Using the drill and its associated systems is a complex operation, so the mission team has been building up slowly to the first drilling activity on the Red Planet.

Last week, Curiosity performed some "pre-load" tests, pressing down on a rock with its drill in several different places to see if the amount of force applied matches predictions.

The six-wheeled robot has also been carefully evaluating its target rock, which is part of an outcrop the mission team has named "John Klein," after a former Curiosity deputy project manager who died in 2011.

Curiosity's main goal is to determine if its Gale Crater landing site?could ever have supported microbial life. Along with the rover's 10 science instruments and 17 cameras, the drill is viewed as key in this quest, as it allows Curiosity to dig deep into Martian rocks for potential signs of past habitability.?

The mission team wants to test the drill out on a target with scientific value, and John Klein seems to qualify. The outcrop shows many signs of past exposure to liquid water, including light-colored mineral veins that were apparently deposited by flowing water long ago.

Follow SPACE.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall?or SPACE.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook?and?Google+.?

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

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nasas-curiosity-rover-hammers-1st-mars-rock-192003957.html

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