Rough economy is just crushing millennials

By Heesun Wee, cnbc.com

While the continued economic slump hobbles many Americans, the downturn is crushing young people.

Almost half of millennials?those between 18 and 34?think they'll be worse off than their parents, according to research from Demos, a non-partisan policy and research center.?

And voters under age 30 in Tuesday's presidential election identified unemployment (49 percent) and rising prices (37 percent) as the most pressing economic issues they face, according to the Pew Research Center .

All this is forcing some young people to skip one of their favorite past times?eating out.

(Read more: Why More Millennials Go Part Time for Full Time Pay)?

Among the heaviest restaurant users, new research shows in the year ending July 2012, millennials ate out 203 times annually ? 49 times or 19 percent less than they did in the year ending July 2007, according to the NPD Group, a consumer market research firm.

?"I've been doing this for 35 years and that has always been the case (millennials eating out). But not the last few years," said Harry Balzer, NPD's chief industry analyst. "This is all about how the economic downturn is affecting this group more than anybody else," he said.

?(NPD defines dining out as everything from a Starbucks latte to a full sit-down meal at a restaurant.) Dining out costs roughly three times more than packing a sandwich or eating at home.

?"I always bring my own lunch to save money," said Andrew Welsch, 28, of Long Island, N.Y. "My friends do the same thing. I still have to pay back my student loans," he said.

?A generation defined by debt
Young people are cutting back on daily expenses such as dining out because personal debt levels are rising. Among college graduates, two-thirds owe an average of $28,500 in student loans, according to the Census Bureau and the Institute of Education Science. Average.

Related: Hey Gen X, tell us how you are feeling about the economy

Many millennials are accumulating personal debt that spans unpaid student loans, credit card bills and medical expenses, according to the Demos report released last year.

With money tight, millennials voted this week with the economy on their minds. Voters under 30 also cited taxes and housing as important issues they face, said Scott Keeter, director of survey research for the Pew Research Center. He's also an exit-poll consultant for NBC News.

Weak job prospects
Weak job prospects are also hurting millennials. The unemployment rate for 18- to 34-year-olds for October was 10.8 percent, higher than the national unemployment rate of 7.9 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Underemployment and low wages are problems too. More than half (57 percent) of young people would like to be working and earning more, and just half (53 percent) are working in their chosen fields, according to Demos research. Among millennials, more than half (56 percent) reported annual pretax incomes below $30,000.

With small incomes and little to no personal savings, many young people have delayed big life decisions.

Almost half (46 percent) have delayed buying a home, and nearly one third of millennials (33 percent) have postponed moving out on their own, according to Demos research. Welsch is holding off on getting an apartment with his girlfriend until after he completes his masters degree at the City University of New York.

Millennials have put off starting a family (30 percent), and a quarter has pushed back getting married.

Real happy hours
Welsch and others like him are riding out the economic downturn by reducing expenses such as dining out to celebrate birthdays. The gang used to gather at "a nice, mid-range restaurant ? not McDonald's," he said.

But with the group unemployed or hours cut back, that tradition has been scrapped too. "We have to skip out on nonessentials like eating out, which is fun," he said.

With so many young people struggling, there could be a ripple effect for the restaurant industry. Younger diners traditionally have helped define eating trends as early adopters. "This group has been influential in their choices," said NPD analyst Balzer.

As a comparison, those aged 50 and older are eating out more since the depths of the 2008 financial crisis ? 209 times annually this year compared to 197 outings for the year ending July 2007, according to the NPD Group's research.

So while older Americans fill sit-down restaurants, you'll likely find young people at bars, and enjoying a cheaper beer and snack.

"We?re a big fan of happy hour," said Welsch. "If we?re going out for drinks, it has to be happy hour ? or we wouldn't do it."

With additional reporting by Erin Horan.

Source: http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2012/11/12/15056552-economy-stinks-for-many-but-its-crushing-millennials?lite

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Links to this post - www.prekandksharing.blogspot.com

A salute to all the VETERANS for what they have given to this great country.? A special thanks to my own Jar Head who spent 8 years serving his country.? I learned a lot in those early years and my heart and thanks goes out to every VETERAN and their family.

?
Pre-K Hand & Foot Print Flag
Thanks Connie Sanders @ Austin Peay Child Learning Center
Clarksville, Tennessee
2012

I visited a school in Arkansas where the pictures of children and their family members, who were serving in the military or someone in the family who was a veteran, were displayed on the entrance walls. ?It was extremely touching.

TURKEY TIME

5 FAT TURKEYS

5 Fat turkeys are we
We slept all night in the tree
When the cook came around
We couldn?t be found

So, that?s why we are here you see!

Easy-to-do TURKEY PUPPET
This is a great puppet to send home with the children and add a turkey poem or song.? This is what you need:

1 craft stick
1 brown coffee filter
Markers & hole punch
1 orange pipe cleaner cut in half
brown construction paper square
for child to design a head

The children will use the markers to design feathers on the coffee filter.? Fold the filter in half and glue.? Glue the craft stick to back all the way to the top of the filter.? Add head and pipe cleaners through the holes made with the hole punch.? Add the child?s name ??example (Jason Turkey)??.a kid friendly project.

NAEYC

As this time of the year approaches there is always a buzz about the annual NAEYC conference.? This year it was in Atlanta and the conference was filled with the best of the best.? The VERY BEST is seeing old friends from around the world.? Spending a full day in the exhibit hall is always a top priority. I had the privilege to present a PUPPET PLAY workshop with over 300 in attendance and we jived.? I left with a great feeling in my heart.

?Let me introduce you to some of my favorite people.

MEM FOX

Thousands gathered to hear Mem Fox read some of her favorite stories and to explain to the massive audience how important WORDS are to children and their development.? You should own her books and have them available for yourself and for the children.

HUGH HANLEY

This gentle man sings for all children and has produced a 30 minute show filled with songs and it can be viewed at http://acmi.tv and select the Video-On-Demand feature.? On the next page type Songs from the Circle.

PETE the CAT
I LOVE MY WHITE SHOES
by Eric Litwin

??????????????

This is Eric Litwin signing my copy of Pete the Cat to Grandma Dodie?..and I will cherish this book.? I rode on the elevator and said ?Are you Pete the Cat Eric?? and we both laughed.? He is an educator, musician, author and true entertainer.?

?

Books you gotta have to read, sing, and play with children.

I am glad there is no word count on this great site because I had so much to share this time.? I will check in again on Dec. 11, 2012 and today on Nov. 11 I want to say a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my grandson Liam???..who is 7 on this great 11/11 day.? This did not get posted until late today because I was traveling home from Atlanta.? I am thankful for each and every one of you connected to Early Childhood education.

Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin

Source: http://prekandksharing.blogspot.com/2012/11/v-behaviorurldefaultvmlo.html

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'Star Wars 7' Round-Up: Michael Arndt Confirmed, More Directors Comment

FROM MTV News Let's see what is new in a galaxy far away. Last week, we reported that Michael Arndt had supposedly been brought on to outline the three movies of the trilogy. Then on Friday night, StarWars.com confirmed that the "Toy Story 3" writer would pen the screenplay for "Episode VII." While we eagerly [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2012/11/12/star-wars-7-michael-arndt-directors/

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Resolve Issues by Asking Great Questions | RI Small Business Journal

Ronald G. Shapiro, Ph. D. | Nov 11, 2012 | Comments 0

Asking the right questions at the right time may help resolve customer or employee complaints while building relationships.? Three useful questions include:

Who is they?? A customer or an employee says ?They said your products are overpriced.?? Another individual says ?They said you expect them to do too much work.?? Both of these statements use the vague ?they? as the complaint?s source.? What should you do?? First, pause for a few seconds.? Second, thank the individual for the information.? Third and perhaps most importantly, use the ?Who is they?? technique.? Ask the person complaining ?Who are they?? If the customer or employee does not know ask them to find out.?? Without knowing a complaint?s source, it is very difficult to address it.?? Also, the complaint?s source may be a rumor with no basis at all.?? I learned this technique from Bill Matson (Human Resources Vice President at Analog, Inc.) when he was a Human Resources Vice President at IBM.

Why do you stay/do business here?? One or more employees or customers begin to make negative comments about your business or its products.? You cannot readily change the business to address these comments.? What do you do?? First, listen to the comments.? Be sure that you understand what is being said and that the discussion participants know that you understand.? Second, if your discussion is with employees ask ?Why do you stay here????? If your discussion is with customers ask ?Why do you do business with us??? Experience has shown that people will then go into a rather lengthy discussion of all of the good things about your company.? They will leave the discussion with an overall positive feeling, knowing that you listened to them.? They will also remember all of the positive statements they made about the business.? You can turn possible resistance into cooperation by first aiming to understand, and second to be understood.? Later, think through what changes, if any, are possible.? Thanks to Lynn Minella (Group Human Resources Director for BAE Systems in London, UK) for sharing this technique when she was a Human Resources Director at IBM.

What would the opposition say? You need to make a critical business decision.? A very opinionated employee tells you there is only one reasonable outcome.? They provide you with numerous reasons to decide their way and why the alternative is inappropriate.?? What do you do?? Thank them for their recommendation. Ask them what someone supporting the opposite decision would say.? If they are not prepared answer, ask them to report back with the information.? Write both the data supporting the employee?s position and data supporting the opposing position side by side.? This exercise should help the employee to better understand and accept your decision.? It may also provide you with some insight to guide your decision making.

This exercise may also be useful if an employee complains about another employee.? After listening to the employee and showing that you understand all of their points ask them what the other employee would say about them.?? Once both you and the employee have the complete picture ask the employee what they would recommend that you and they do.? Develop action items as appropriate.

Remember, asking the right questions may be a very effective management technique for you.? Addressing what you observe or are asked about with the right questions will help you derive an agreeable solution and options for all parties.

¹ I would like to thank Industrial Consultant Dr. Margarita Posada for helpful comments.

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1. 1031 Exchanges: Still a Great Way to Save Taxes
2. Local Employers Association Expands Programs into Northeast
3. Use The Tuesday Technique To Help Get It Done!
4. Selecting New Employees for your Small Business: Do Your Applicants Resumes ROAR?
5. Washington Trust Announces Vice President of Human Resources

Filed Under: Featured Articles ? Small Business

Source: http://isupportsmallbusiness.com/blog/2012/11/11/resolve-issues-by-asking-great-questions/

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Dems, GOP fight brewing over curbing filibusters

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A brewing and potentially bitter fight over Democratic efforts to curb filibusters is threatening to inflame partisan tensions in the Senate, even as President Barack Obama and Republicans explore whether they can compromise on top tier issues such as debt reduction and taxes.

A potential showdown vote to limit Senate filibusters would not come until January. Democrats are threatening to resort to a seldom-used procedure that could let them change the rules without GOP support, all but inviting Republican retaliation.

That fight is looming as the newly re-elected Obama and GOP leaders prepare to use the lame-duck session of Congress that starts Tuesday to hunt for compromise on the "fiscal cliff" ? the nearly $700 billion worth of tax increases and spending cuts next year that automatically begin in January unless lawmakers head them off.

That effort will be contentious enough without added animosity over efforts to weaken the filibuster. Unless a filibuster compromise is reached, the dispute could produce sour partisan feelings that might hinder cooperation on legislation when the new Congress begins work in January.

Filibusters are a procedural tactic that lets the minority party block bills that lack the support of at least 60 senators. Democrats seem likely to command a 55-45 majority in the new Senate, making 60 a difficult hurdle.

Frustrated by the GOP's growing use of filibusters, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is considering a Senate vote in the new year to limit their use.

"I think that the rules have been abused and that we're going to work to change them," Reid, D-Nev., told reporters this past week. "We're not going to do away with the filibuster, but we're going to make the Senate a more meaningful place, we're going to make it so that we can get things done."

Democrats say that vote to change the rules would require a simple majority of senators, and they argue that the Constitution lets Senate majorities write new rules for the chamber. That, in effect, would mean Democrats could change the rules over GOP opposition, assuming 51 Democrats go along.

Republicans say they filibuster legislation because Reid blocks them from offering amendments. They also note that Senate rules require that the body's procedures can be changed only by a two-thirds majority.

Changing Senate rules by simple majority, rather than a two-thirds vote, is rarely done and referred to as "the nuclear option" because it is considered an extreme move that can trigger all-out partisan battling.

The Senate's arcane procedures require the consent of all senators to do almost anything. An embittered minority party can use the chamber's rules to force repeated votes and delays that can grind work to a virtual halt.

Don Stewart, spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., would not say what Republicans would do should Democrats try changing the rules by simple majority vote.

"We hope Democrats will work toward allowing members of both sides to be involved in the legislative process ? rather than poisoning the well on the very first day of the next Congress," Stewart said.

Republicans also note that in public remarks Reid made on the Senate floor in January 2011 during a discussion with McConnell, Reid agreed to oppose "any effort in this Congress or the next to change the Senate's rules other than through the regular order." That was a reference to Senate rules requiring two-thirds majorities for rules changes.

Democrats say it is Republicans who broke the January 2011 informal deal the two leaders discussed because McConnell said he would use procedural delays "with discretion."

Instead, Democrats say, Republicans frequently have used stalling tactics to prevent the Senate from even beginning to debate bills. They then bog down debate by insisting on votes on piles of amendments, including many on unrelated issues that are designed to score points in future election campaigns, Democrats say.

Reid wants to prevent filibusters on "motions to proceed," which let the Senate begin debating a bill, and aides say he might consider other restrictions as well. Reid plans to discuss it with fellow Democrats in the postelection session. Discussions with McConnell could occur as well, Democratic aides said.

Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon has proposed filibuster limits that include requiring senators delaying legislation to talk continually about it on the Senate floor, much like the senator portrayed by the actor James Stewart did in the 1939 movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

That type of filibuster has been extremely rare for decades.

The use of filibusters by senators, usually those in the minority, is one of the key ways the chamber differs from the House, where the rules usually let the majority prevail unimpeded. Senators in the majority often complain about the minority's excessive use of filibusters, but are usually cautious about limiting the procedure because they know their own party can fall back into the minority after any election.

According to the Senate Historian's Office, the number of "cloture petitions" ? a procedural step that sets up a vote to end a filibuster ? was 68 in the two-year session of Congress running from 2005 to 2006, the last time Democrats were in the minority.

But that number has exceeded 100 for each of the past three two-year sessions, all of which have seen Republicans in the minority, peaking at 139 in the 2007-2008 session. There have been 109 in the current 2011-2012 session, with several more weeks of lame duck meetings expected.

Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson said that while Democrats are open to compromise, McConnell "has got to know that the American people on Tuesday completely rejected his entire approach to governing, obstruction and gridlock at every turn."

McConnell spokesman Stewart said Republicans already compromised in the informal 2011 agreement that Democrats broke.

"Doing hyperpartisan actions doesn't lead to partisan compromise," he said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dems-gop-fight-brewing-over-curbing-filibusters-123939041.html

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Nature is not a Book ? Fancy a Lick?

Graphical and modelled representations have long been used to help teach anatomy and pathology and I suppose that in the spirit of continually improving standards, we should try every available medium ? including the unexpected. So, naturally, the art of cake decoration should be investigated and evaluated. Accordingly, Bart?s Pathology Museum invited some lovely people to put on an exhibition of fondant creations that, they hope, will be effective in gaining public engagement with the museum. You can see some of them here and here.
What you get is a selection of such yummy-looking repulsive treats as infected eyeball cupcakes, fungus toenail cookies, an STD cupcake gift set, urine cocktails, anal sphincter cupcakes, bloody ear cookies, suicide stomach contents cocktail, male and female reproductive system macarons. If your mouth?s watering, that may just be a prelude to throwing up.
What?s it all in aid of? Well, the statement from Bart?s Path Museum places a lot of emphasis on education and an aspiration ?to engage with those who would never normally entertain learning about pathology or medical science? and the event does include short lectures on sexually transmitted diseases, careers in pathology/medicine and cancer awareness.
The cakes are, of course, essentially a publicity stunt. They attract attention to themselves, not only by being unusual, but also by the juxtaposition of conflicting impulses in the onlooker?s response. The extra attention they bring to issues of education, health, science or career opportunities is a collateral benefit.
You might think such fundamental concerns shouldn?t really need help in attracting attention, yet a predicate of this exhibition is that they do. Is it that the distraction of glitzy, alluring publicity for more trivial concerns leads us to neglect some of life?s fundamentals? Ironically, an exhibition like this ends up encouraging the notion that, in the cultural sphere, education, health and science will only get attention to the extent that they are promoted by louder and edgier publicity than other things ? even as that publicity justifies itself by reference to the supposedly fundamental nature of these concerns. As the conclusion of the statement says:
?for those who don?t want to look at a photograph or a real potted specimen, an exact replica on top of a cupcake may save lives?.

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Source: http://incbizzmarketingtips.com/1142/cash-making-power-sites/

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Man with bionic leg to climb Chicago skyscraper

In this Oct. 25, 2012 photo, Zac Vawter, fitted with an experimental "bionic" leg, is silhouetted on the Ledge at the Willis Tower in Chicago. Vawter is training for the world's tallest stair-climbing event where he'll attempt to climb 103 flights to the top of theWillis Tower using the new prosthesis. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)

In this Oct. 25, 2012 photo, Zac Vawter, fitted with an experimental "bionic" leg, is silhouetted on the Ledge at the Willis Tower in Chicago. Vawter is training for the world's tallest stair-climbing event where he'll attempt to climb 103 flights to the top of theWillis Tower using the new prosthesis. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)

In this Oct. 25, 2012 photo, Dr. Levi Hargrove, lead researcher for the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago's Center for Bionic Medicine, holds an experimental "bionic" prosthetic leg at the institute. Zac Vawter, a 31-year-old software engineer who lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident, will help test the trailblazing prosthetic leg, that's controlled by his thoughts, when he attempts to climb 103 flights of stairs to the top of Chicago's Willis Tower on Sunday, Nov. 4. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)

In this Oct. 25, 2012 photo, biomedical engineer Annie Simon, left, and research prosthetist Elizabeth Halsne fit an experimental "bionic" prosthetic leg on Zac Vawter at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. After losing his right leg in a motorcycle accident, the 31-year-old software engineer signed up to become a research subject, helping test a trailblazing prosthetic leg that's controlled by his thoughts. He will put this leg to the ultimate test Sunday, Nov. 4 when he attempts to climb 103 flights of stairs to the top of Chicago's Willis Tower, one of the world?s tallest skyscrapers. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)

In this Oct. 25, 2012 photo, Suzanne Finucane, a physical therapist assistant, right, and prothetist Robert Lipschutz, top, attach electrodes to Zac Vawter's leg as he is fitted with an experimental "bionic" leg at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. After losing his right leg in a motorcycle accident, the 31-year-old software engineer signed up to become a research subject, helping test a trailblazing prosthetic leg that's controlled by his thoughts. He will put this leg to the ultimate test Sunday, Nov. 4 when he attempts to climb 103 flights of stairs to the top of Chicago's Willis Tower, one of the world?s tallest skyscrapers. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)

In this Oct. 25, 2012 photo, Zac Vawter practices walking with an experimental "bionic" leg at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. After losing his right leg in a motorcycle accident, the 31-year-old software engineer signed up to become a research subject, helping test a trailblazing prosthetic leg that's controlled by his thoughts. He will put this leg to the ultimate test Sunday, Nov. 4 when he attempts to climb 103 flights of stairs to the top of Chicago's Willis Tower, one of the world?s tallest skyscrapers. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)

CHICAGO (AP) ? Zac Vawter considers himself a test pilot. After losing his right leg in a motorcycle accident, the 31-year-old software engineer signed up to become a research subject, helping to test a trailblazing prosthetic leg that's controlled by his thoughts.

He will put this groundbreaking bionic leg to the ultimate test Sunday when he attempts to climb 103 flights of stairs to the top of Chicago's Willis Tower, one of the world's tallest skyscrapers.

If all goes well, he'll make history with the bionic leg's public debut. His whirring, robotic leg will respond to electrical impulses from muscles in his hamstring. Vawter will think, "Climb stairs," and the motors, belts and chains in his leg will synchronize the movements of its ankle and knee. Vawter hopes to make it to the top in an hour, longer than it would've taken before his amputation, less time than it would take with his normal prosthetic leg ? or, as he calls it, his "dumb" leg.

A team of researchers will be cheering him on and noting the smart leg's performance. When Vawter goes home to Yelm, Wash., where he lives with his wife and two children, the experimental leg will stay behind in Chicago. Researchers will continue to refine its steering. Taking it to the market is still years away.

"Somewhere down the road, it will benefit me and I hope it will benefit a lot of other people as well," Vawter said about the research at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

Bionic ? or thought-controlled ? prosthetic arms have been available for a few years, thanks to pioneering work done at the Rehabilitation Institute. With leg amputees outnumbering people who've lost arms and hands, the Chicago researchers are focusing more on lower limbs. Safety is important. If a bionic hand fails, a person drops a glass of water. If a bionic leg fails, a person falls down stairs.

The Willis Tower climb will be the bionic leg's first test in the public eye, said lead researcher Levi Hargrove of the institute's Center for Bionic Medicine. The climb, called "SkyRise Chicago," is a fundraiser for the institute with about 2,700 people climbing. This is the first time the climb has played a role in the facility's research.

To prepare, Vawter and the scientists have spent hours adjusting the leg's movements. On one recent day, 11 electrodes placed on the skin of Vawter's thigh fed data to the bionic leg's microcomputer. The researchers turned over the "steering" to Vawter.

He kicked a soccer ball, walked around the room and climbed stairs. The researchers beamed.

Vawter likes the bionic leg. Compared to his regular prosthetic, it's more responsive and more fluid. As an engineer, he enjoys learning how the leg works.

It started with surgery in 2009. When Vawter's leg was amputated, a surgeon repositioned the residual spaghetti-like nerves that normally would carry signals to the lower leg and sewed them to new spots on his hamstring. That would allow Vawter one day to be able to use a bionic leg, even though the technology was years away.

The surgery is called "targeted muscle reinnervation" and it's like "rewiring the patient," Hargrove said. "And now when he just thinks about moving his ankle, his hamstring moves and we're able to tell the prosthesis how to move appropriately."

To one generation it sounds like "The Six Million Dollar Man," a 1970s TV show featuring a rebuilt hero. A younger generation may think of Luke Skywalker's bionic hand.

But Hargrove's inspiration came not from fiction, but from his fellow Canadian Terry Fox, who attempted a cross-country run on a regular artificial leg to raise money for cancer research in 1980.

"I've run marathons, and when you're in pain, you just think about Terry Fox who did it with a wooden leg and made it halfway across Canada before cancer returned," Hargrove said.

Experts not involved in the project say the Chicago research is on the leading edge. Most artificial legs are passive. "They're basically fancy wooden legs," said Daniel Ferris of the University of Michigan. Others have motorized or mechanical components but don't respond to the electrical impulses caused by thought.

"This is a step beyond the state of the art," Ferris said. "If they can achieve it, it's very noteworthy and suggests in the next 10 years or so there will be good commercial devices out there."

The $8 million project is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and involves Vanderbilt University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Rhode Island and the University of New Brunswick.

Vawter and the Chicago researchers recently took the elevator to the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower to see the view after an afternoon of work in the lab. Hargrove and Vawter bantered in the elevator in anticipation of Sunday's event.

Hargrove: "Am I allowed to trash talk you?"

"It's fine," Vawter shot back. "I'll just defer it all to the leg that you built."

At the top, Vawter stood on a glass balcony overlooking the city. The next time he heads to the top, he and the bionic leg will take the stairs.

___

AP Medical Writer Carla K. Johnson can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/CarlaKJohnson.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-10-31-Bionic%20Stair-Climber/id-2433a8637fb54661baaa3289260c5f98

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Lady Gaga May Release Two 'Volumes' Of ARTPOP

Gaga says she's contemplating splitting the album into two, with one 'commercial' side and another 'experimental' side.
By James Montgomery

Lady Gaga
Photo: Dominique Charriau/ Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1696488/lady-gaga-artpop-volumes.jhtml

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Mass. firm tied to closed pharmacy issues recall

BOSTON (AP) ? A company with the same founders as the specialty pharmacy linked to deadly meningitis outbreak said Wednesday that it's recalling all its products after federal inspectors said it must improve its sterility testing process.

Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, said she could not be specific about the problem at Ameridose. She would only say: "We found there was not adequate assurance of sterility in their sterile products."

Woodcock stressed the agency knows of no infections linked to the recalled products. In a statement, Westborough-based Ameridose said it issued the recall "out of an abundance of caution."

"Ameridose and FDA agree that the use of injectible products that are not sterile can represent a serious hazard to health and could lead to life-threatening injuries and/or death," the company said. "We are undertaking this recall to assure customers that when Ameridose products are shipped, they are fully in conformance with all of the FDA's recommendations."

The company posted a lengthy list of the recalled products, including painkillers, anesthetics and blood thinners, on its website Wednesday.

Woodcock said the large recall could exacerbate some shortages for critically needed drugs and the agency is working to head off any supply problems.

An FDA spokeswoman said among the steps the agency can take is to ask manufacturers to increase production or help them solve quality problems that are stopping production. It can also look for viable overseas producers if no domestic manufacturers are available.

Ameridose makes an array of injectable drugs, which can be used in anesthesia or to correct acid imbalances in the body during critical care, among other ways.

Ameridose agreed to shut down for inspection in October after tainted steroids from the New England Compounding Center were linked to a fungal meningitis outbreak that's spread to 19 states, sickening 377, 29 of whom have died.

Ameridose and NECC were founded by brothers-in-law Barry Cadden and Greg Conigliaro. Ameridose says it is a separate entity with distinct management. Since the outbreak, Cadden, the lead pharmacist at NECC, has resigned from Ameridose.

In a related story, The Boston Globe reported Wednesday that NECC sent customers a report card touting the cleanliness of its labs, even though internal tests showed widespread contamination.

The Quality Assurance Report Card claimed that during the first half of 2012, there were no instances of contamination exceeding accepted standards on surfaces in "clean rooms," where the company produced sterile injectable medications.

But company records indicate that during that same period, the company's own internal testing showed that 33 surface samples from the clean rooms contained bacteria or mold at levels requiring corrective action. Those results were disclosed in a report released Friday by FDA investigators.

A company spokesman had no comment.

Three consultants who were shown the report card by the Globe described it as promotional material rather than a scientific report. For instance, they said, it lacked basic scientific data, such as how many tests were conducted to detect bacterial and mold contamination.

"Their marketing material is baloney. They are just saying what they want to say," said Stephen Runge, president of nanoCLEAN Decontamination Services, a Quincy company.

Two of the three lots of contaminated steroids were produced during the time covered in the company's report card.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mass-firm-tied-closed-pharmacy-issues-recall-173229843.html

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Testosterone regulates solo song of tropical birds

Public release date: 31-Oct-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Stefan Leitner
leitner@orn.mpg.de
49-815-793-2389
Max-Planck-Gesellschaft

Experiment in females uncovers male hormonal mechanism

This press release is available in German.

In male songbirds of the temperate zone, the concentration of sex hormones is rising in spring, which leads to an increase in song activity during the breeding season. In the tropics, there has been little evidence so far about such a clear relationship between hormonal action and behaviour, which is partly due to a lower degree of seasonal changes of the environment. Researchers of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen have now discovered that in duetting African white-browed sparrow weavers, the solo song of dominant males is linked to elevated levels of testosterone. What is more, the male-typical solo song could be activated via testosterone treatment in female birds. The study thus shows a complex relationship between song behaviour and hormone concentration also in a tropical bird species.

In species of the temperate zone, circannual rhythms are triggered by seasonal fluctuations in day length. The longer days in spring are accompanied by an increase of steroid hormone levels that lead to the onset of breeding activities. Consequently, there are changes in behaviour and at least in male songbirds, there is a relationship between the incidence and complexity of songs and circulating testosterone concentrations. In the tropics, however, the situation is different. Birds often vocalise year-round, and there are suitable conditions for breeding during a more extended period compared to the temperate zone. In addition, in many species testosterone concentrations are at a low level throughout the year. The underlying mechanism responsible for the song changes of tropical birds therefore remains elusive.

Cornelia Voigt and Stefan Leitner from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology now showed that testosterone plays a crucial role in the regulation of song behaviour in African white-browed sparrow weavers (Plocepasser mahali). These birds live in groups of two to ten individuals and are characterized by a status-dependent song, where only the dominant male sings a so-called "solo song", whereas females and subordinate males sing an alternating duet song. In a long-term study of sparrow weaver colonies in Southwestern Zimbabwe, the researchers found a relationship between hormone levels and solo song in males. Dominant males had higher testosterone values than subordinate birds, both in the early breeding season from October until December and in the late breeding season from January until March.

However, these hormone concentrations were much lower compared to those responsible for song changes in temperate zone species. It could well be that the slightly higher values of dominant males only reflect the hierarchical status itself and are not responsible for the activation of solo song. That testosterone indeed plays a role in solo singing could be proved in an experiment in females that were kept in aviaries next to their natural habitat. These females received a testosterone implant. Within a week they started to sing the male-typical solo song that was fully developed after one month and differed only in a few features from male song. "With this study, we could show that a special type of song, the solo song, can be activated by testosterone in both sexes. Moreover, females remain receptive for the male hormone testosterone", says Cornelia Voigt.

###

Original publication

Cornelia Voigt, Stefan Leitner

Testosterone-dependency of male solo song in a duetting songbird Evidence from females

Hormones and Behavior, advance online publication, Oct 16, 2012 pii: S0018-506X(12)00249-8. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.10.006.

---

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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.

Public release date: 31-Oct-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Stefan Leitner
leitner@orn.mpg.de
49-815-793-2389
Max-Planck-Gesellschaft

Experiment in females uncovers male hormonal mechanism

This press release is available in German.

In male songbirds of the temperate zone, the concentration of sex hormones is rising in spring, which leads to an increase in song activity during the breeding season. In the tropics, there has been little evidence so far about such a clear relationship between hormonal action and behaviour, which is partly due to a lower degree of seasonal changes of the environment. Researchers of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen have now discovered that in duetting African white-browed sparrow weavers, the solo song of dominant males is linked to elevated levels of testosterone. What is more, the male-typical solo song could be activated via testosterone treatment in female birds. The study thus shows a complex relationship between song behaviour and hormone concentration also in a tropical bird species.

In species of the temperate zone, circannual rhythms are triggered by seasonal fluctuations in day length. The longer days in spring are accompanied by an increase of steroid hormone levels that lead to the onset of breeding activities. Consequently, there are changes in behaviour and at least in male songbirds, there is a relationship between the incidence and complexity of songs and circulating testosterone concentrations. In the tropics, however, the situation is different. Birds often vocalise year-round, and there are suitable conditions for breeding during a more extended period compared to the temperate zone. In addition, in many species testosterone concentrations are at a low level throughout the year. The underlying mechanism responsible for the song changes of tropical birds therefore remains elusive.

Cornelia Voigt and Stefan Leitner from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology now showed that testosterone plays a crucial role in the regulation of song behaviour in African white-browed sparrow weavers (Plocepasser mahali). These birds live in groups of two to ten individuals and are characterized by a status-dependent song, where only the dominant male sings a so-called "solo song", whereas females and subordinate males sing an alternating duet song. In a long-term study of sparrow weaver colonies in Southwestern Zimbabwe, the researchers found a relationship between hormone levels and solo song in males. Dominant males had higher testosterone values than subordinate birds, both in the early breeding season from October until December and in the late breeding season from January until March.

However, these hormone concentrations were much lower compared to those responsible for song changes in temperate zone species. It could well be that the slightly higher values of dominant males only reflect the hierarchical status itself and are not responsible for the activation of solo song. That testosterone indeed plays a role in solo singing could be proved in an experiment in females that were kept in aviaries next to their natural habitat. These females received a testosterone implant. Within a week they started to sing the male-typical solo song that was fully developed after one month and differed only in a few features from male song. "With this study, we could show that a special type of song, the solo song, can be activated by testosterone in both sexes. Moreover, females remain receptive for the male hormone testosterone", says Cornelia Voigt.

###

Original publication

Cornelia Voigt, Stefan Leitner

Testosterone-dependency of male solo song in a duetting songbird Evidence from females

Hormones and Behavior, advance online publication, Oct 16, 2012 pii: S0018-506X(12)00249-8. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.10.006.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-10/m-trs103112.php

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