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The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. Enter and space open menus and escape closes them as well. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items.
For people with Down syndrome, family members, caregivers and professionals.
Duration: 15 ms, Number of Results: 27
We periodically get asked questions about "fake seizures." They have also been called "pseudo-seizures" but are now more accurately called non-epileptic seizure
Families trying to decide what level of support would work best for their adult family member with Down syndrome may want to look at options besides guardianship . Individuals with Down syndrome and t
Whether you decide to obtain guardianship for your child is an individual family decision that should be considered carefully. If your child is 18 years old and is unable to make decisions about finan
*This article was adapted from Mental Wellness in Adults with Down Syndrome: A Guide to Emotional and Behavioral Strengths and Challenges, 2nd Edition . What is attention-deficit/hyperactivi
While many solid tumor cancers are less common in people with Down syndrome compared to people without Down syndrome, testicular cancer is one type of solid tumor cancer that is&am
Breast cancer screening recommendations have varied over time and continue to vary. Organizations have different recommendations for when women should start being screened for breast cancer and how of
Gout is more common in people with Down syndrome (DS) (as indicated by the studies at this link and this link ). Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis caused by
Abstract Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have an increased risk for epilepsy during the whole lifespan, but especially after age 40 years. The increase in the number of individuals with DS living
The webinar below was hosted by the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles. The topic was "Stroke and Vascular Disease in Down Syndrome: How to Identify and Prevent." The presenter
We received a request for information on dysgerminomas in women with Down syndrome. Dysgerminomas are germ cell tumors that typically occur in the ovary. Testicular cancer is the comparable cancer in
In collaboration with Voya Cares, the National Down Syndrome Society published a guidebook on financial wellness. Topics include the basics of financial wellness, government benefits, workplace benefi
Tourette syndrome (TS) is a hereditary, chronic neuromuscular condition consisting of motor and vocal tics. Tics are sudden, involuntary, brief, repetitive movements and vocalizations.* Motor tics can
Should men with Down syndrome (DS) undergo prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood testing for prostate cancer screening? The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends the followi
Abstract Background : The specific distribution of cancers in Down syndrome (DS) calls into question the validity of screening policies for cancer surveillance as implemented for the general populatio
Abstract Objective: The goal is to expand our knowledge of catatonia occurring in adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome (DS) by describing the first prospective, consecutive, well-
Abstract Background: Women with Down syndrome have a lower breast cancer risk and significantly lower life expectancies than women without Down syndrome. Therefore, it is not clear whether m
The video below was narrated and presented by Joseph Pereira, a 4th year medical student at Harvard Medical School, as part of his work with the MGH Down Syndrome Program . He shares information about
We were sent a question about seizures in a person with Down syndrome who developed Alzheimer's disease. The individual continued to experience seizures despite being treated with l
Abstract The immune surveillance theory of cancer posits that the body's immune system detects and destroys randomly occurring malignant cells. This theory is based on the observation of the i
Is colon cancer screening recommended for people with Down syndrome? Please note that this handout discusses screening colonoscopies (i.e. colonoscopies performed to identify pre-symptomatic or unreco
Definition: Seizures are waves of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The brain has multiple nerve cells that create and receive electrical impulses which help the cells communicate with each o
Strokes occur when the blood supply to the brain is compromised, which deprives the brain of needed oxygen and glucose. Strokes can be caused by atherosclerotic disease (a disease in which the inside
We were asked a question about increased "startle reflex" in a 30-year-old. Please note: The information below is for educational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a su
What is a mammogram? A mammogram is a special type of x-ray that looks for breast cancer, which is the most common cancer among women. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recomme
Please note: The information on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for a medical, psychiatric, mental health, or behavioral evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment plan by a qualified professional. We recommend you review the educational material with your health providers regarding the specifics of your health care needs.
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For Immediate Release, August 12, 2008
Lisa Belenky, Center for Biological Diversity, (415) 385-5694
Paul McFarland, Friends of the Inyo, (760) 709-1093
Ted Zukoski, Earthjustice, (303) 996-9622
Judge Dismisses Inyo County Lawsuit to Open Roads in
Remote Death Valley Wilderness
County Waited Too Long to Press Its Claims
FRESNO, Calif.— A federal judge yesterday largely threw out a lawsuit by Inyo County, Calif., to open highways through remote roadless areas of Death Valley National Park.
Inyo County officials had hoped to take control of three routes — little-used paths and canyon bottoms — using a repealed, 19th-century right-of-way law known as R.S. 2477. The judge ruled that the county waited too long to assert its claims to the three roads within the national park because they were included in wilderness study areas by the federal Bureau of Land Management in 1979. The court agreed with arguments by conservation groups and the National Park Service that the county's claims were barred because it had failed to file suit within the 12-year statute of limitations. The court thus dismissed the county's claims to all of one route and most of the other two routes.
The ruling will protect desert tortoise, bighorn sheep, and remote archeological and cultural sites within Death Valley National Park, the largest national park in the lower 48 states.
Six conservation groups — Sierra Club, The Wilderness Society, California Wilderness Coalition, National Parks Conservation Association, Center for Biological Diversity and Friends of the Inyo, all represented by Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law firm — intervened to support the National Park Service and to ensure that these public lands in Death Valley are protected from off-road vehicle damage.
"This is a great day for Death Valley," said Ted Zukoski, an Earthjustice attorney representing the conservation groups. "When Congress made Death Valley a national park in 1994, it set aside these areas for all Americans to enjoy as quiet, natural, and free from damaging dirt bikes, ATVs, and other off-road vehicles. The court's ruling will help ensure that Congress's promise to the American people will be kept."
"This decision protects the unique biological resources in Death Valley National Park from off-road vehicle abuse," said Lisa Belenky, senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. "The court rightly found that the county sat back and waited too long before raising these issues. The county was well aware that the federal government intended to protect the resources of these areas in 1979, when the wilderness study areas were designated."
"I'll bet the horned lizards and chuckwallas are dancing in the desert washes right now," said Paul McFarland, executive director of Friends of the Inyo, a Bishop-based public lands conservation organization. "Hopefully, this sound decision will let us move beyond bogus road claims to focus on working together to better sustain one of our most valuable assets here in eastern California — our wild desert."
U.S. District Judge Anthony W. Ishii said the county was on notice in 1979 that the federal government intended to restrict activities in these areas and would not allow the claimed routes to be paved or upgraded in a way that would impair wilderness values. The county sought rights-of-way in hopes of tearing down Park Service barriers and initially asked for the right to build two-lane highways in roadless desert canyons and valleys. Those actions would permanently disrupt the desert stillness and threaten imperiled desert tortoise, as well as one of the park's most important petroglyph sites.
Areas that will be preserved
Greenwater Canyon, on the east side of the National Park, is rugged, narrow, and deep, carving a twisting course through volcanic rock. Forty-two prehistoric sites containing more than 300 important petroglyphs are found in the Canyon, which also provides habitat for desert bighorn sheep and desert tortoise.
Before the canyon was included in the park in 1994, land managers recognized its importance by naming it an "Area of Critical Environmental Concern" to protect "prehistoric occupation sites still important to Native Americans." One of Inyo County's claimed "highways" would have cut through the canyon for about 10 miles.
The court's decision threw out the county's claim to all of the routes inside the canyon.
Greenwater Valley, to the south of Greenwater Canyon, is covered with lush, dense vegetation, including creosote, sagebrush, bunch grasses, seasonal wildflowers, and cactus. The area includes important habitat for the Black Mountain bighorn sheep herd and desert tortoise.
When Inyo County illegally bulldozed a three-mile route across an abandoned jeep track in 2004, the Park Service revegetated both ends of the route to restore the area's natural values.
The court's decision threw out Inyo County's claim to all of the route.
Last Chance Canyon, at the northern end of Death Valley, is a remote and scenic area that is home to cougar, deer, coyote, and badger. Inyo County claims a 10-mile "highway" runs up the canyon, which narrows into a boulder-choked, tree-strewn gulch. At the head of this gully, the county claims their "highway" ascends a nearly vertical 50- to 200-foot ridge of unstable rock. Cutting a two-lane highway across this rugged terrain would permanently and significantly scar the landscape. The court's decision threw out Inyo County's claim to all but the northern half-mile of the route.
All three of these areas were inventoried and found to be "roadless" in 1979, and were designated as wilderness when Death Valley National Park was created in 1994.
Inyo County is one of many governmental agencies and private organizations that are laying claim to federal lands under a repealed Civil War-era law known as R.S. 2477.
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Carlotta Champagne (thecarlotta @ Patreon) is a Los Angeles-based model with MANY sexy pictures to share with you. Her photos have been published in various popular magazines, so she's legit.
Take a look at her newest nudies here! You know you love the NudoStar forum!
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The launch of the partnership between UNESCO's World Heritage Centre, Hewlett Packard and National Geographic Maps will take place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, at 11h00 in the 7th floor restaurant.
The event will also celebrate the publication of the first World Heritage Map produced by the partnership, featuring the 812 World Heritage sites.
Representatives of the three partners will speak, including: Francesco Bandarin, Director of the World Heritage Centre; Bernard Meric, Senior Vice President of External Affairs, Hewlett Packard; and Allen Carroll, Chief Cartographer and Executive Vice President of National Geographic Maps.
For more information about the partnership and the World Heritage Map, see the attached document.
Journalists who would like to participate should contact Gina Doubleday at email@example.com.


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N. Korea stipulates nuclear force-building policy in constitution
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Traffic jam expected to ease late Thursday, 1st day of Chuseok holiday
[Graphic News] 8 out of 10 expats 'satisfied' with life in S. Korea
Action-packed series lined up for Chuseok
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Exhibition 'Hanbok, Revisited' offers modern tastes on traditional Korean clothing
Yoon hosts luncheon meeting with Korean atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima on Chuseok
Same day, different holiday: Mid-autumn festivals across East Asia
[John M. Crisp] Capital punishment: 2 choices for America
[World Cup] Neymar: World Cup dream still aliveBy 정주원
Published : July 6, 2014 - 10:12
Brazil star Neymar says his World Cup may be over because of a fractured vertebra but his World Cup dream of celebrating the title with his teammates at the Maracana Stadium next Sunday is still alive.
In a video released by the Brazilian football confederation on Saturday, Neymar thanked fans and everyone else for the support in this "very difficult moment."
"I don't have words to describe what has been going through my head and my heart," said Neymar, trying to stay upbeat but still sporting a subdued look on his face. "I just want to say that I will be back as soon as possible. When you least expect I'll be back."
Wearing a black T-shirt and a black hat turned backward, he spoke in a low tone of voice, his eyes still heavy.
"My dream is not over yet," he said. "It was interrupted by one move, but it will continue and I'm certain that my teammates will do whatever possible so I can fulfill my dream of being a champion. I won't be able to fulfill the dream of playing in a World Cup final, but I'm sure they will win this one, they will become champions, and I will be there with them, and all of Brazil will be celebrating together."
It was the first time Neymar had spoken publicly since fracturing a vertebra late in Brazil's 2-1 win over Colombia in the quarterfinals on Friday.
The video was made just before the striker was airlifted from Brazil's training camp in a medical helicopter to be treated at home for the back injury that ruled him out of the last two games of the World Cup.
Brazil doctor Jose Luiz Runco guaranteed the injury will not have long-term effects on Neymar's career and said the player could even travel to Belo Horizonte to watch the semifinal against Germany on Tuesday if he is not feeling a lot of pain.
Runco said he believes Neymar can return to action in about 45 days, and that Barcelona doctors were informed of the player's conditions from the beginning.
"He was extremely moved when I gave him the news that he was out of the World Cup," Runco said. "He cried a lot, which was a natural reaction at that moment. But I told him that although his dream was being cut short, he was still a 22-year-old with a lot in front of him. It was still a `good' type of injury."
Neymar was on a stretcher when he was transferred from an ambulance into the helicopter that took off Saturday afternoon from one of Brazil's practice pitches in the city of Teresopolis, about an hour from Rio de Janeiro.
Sports channels broadcast live as Neymar _ who is a star on the field and a celebrity off of it _ waved briefly from his stretcher inside the helicopter before the doors were closed and the aircraft flew away.
Medical staff spent several minutes securing the Brazilian striker inside the helicopter as his father and the president of the Brazilian football confederation, Jose Maria Marin, watched closely.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff published a letter of support to "a great warrior."
"Your expression of pain on the field yesterday (Friday) hurt my heart and the hearts of every Brazilian," she said. "I know that as a Brazilian you never give up, and sooner than expected you will be back filling our souls with happiness and our history with success."
Several players and many Brazilian celebrities also showed their support to the Brazilian star through social media.
Neymar had flown back to Rio de Janeiro with the rest of his Brazil teammates after the match in Fortaleza, then rode in an ambulance the rest of the way to the team's training camp in Teresopolis.
When the plane arrived in Rio early Saturday, teammates came one by one to embrace him as he sat in a wheelchair waiting to be taken into the ambulance.
The 22-year-old Neymar broke his third vertebra after being kneed in the back by Colombian player Juan Camillo Zuniga in the 86th minute at the Arena Castelao.
Neymar was carried off the field in tears on a stretcher and "screamed in pain in the dressing room" before being taken to a hospital for tests, the Brazilian confederation said in a statement.
Neymar had been one of the standout players of the World Cup, scoring four goals in the team's first three games.
Fans attending both of Saturday's quarterfinals chanted Neymar's name several times. (AP)
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The 113th US Congress will have 20 women senators, the highest ever in the country's history. Put that in your binder and smoke it! (Or you could say all of their terms synced up, JUST LIKE PERIODS.) Here's a primer on who's new, who's sticking around, and who's making history.
The Freshmen:
Tammy Baldwin (Wisconsin; Democrat):
Baldwin's victory is a double whammy of groundbreaking delight: she's the first female senator from Wisconsin but also the first openly gay senator in the country. That's huge! Baldwin's voted against the invasion of Iraq, introduced the Paying a Fair Share Act in the House (aka the Buffet Rule) and has fought tirelessly to not only defend but promote women's rights. She's a hero. You can read more about her here.
Mazie Hirono (Hawaii; Democrat):
Hirono will be the first Asian American woman (and Buddhist) to serve in the Senate, as well as Hawaii's first female Senator. She's said that growing up an immigrant (she was born in Japan) and being raised by a single mother in hard financial times made her a "feisty and focused" lawmaker. Exactly what we need!
Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts; Democrat):
Most lefties first fell in love with the Harvard law professor when she was appointed to chair the Congressional Oversight Panel created to oversee TARP in 2008, thus cementing her reputation as an aggressive opponent of the banking industry/one of the only people who ever seemed like they knew what they were talking about during the financial crisis. Warren, who'll be the first female Senator to represent Massachusetts, also helped President Obama create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. We'll sleep better at night knowing the ultimate consumer advocate snagged a Senate seat.
Deb Fischer (Nebraska; Republican):
Fischer's the only new anti-choice (and Republican) Senator, so we're not the biggest fans. But even her opponents have nice things to say about Fischer, who will be the first woman to represent Nebraska in the Senate since 1954: "She's smart, she's tough. She can work, she'll work it hard," Bud Pettigrew, the chair of Democratic county chairmen in Nebraska, once said of her. "She gets her bills through, she's respected. She's tea party, but she won't say dumb things. I don't think she's always the nicest person, but she's tough. I respect her."
Heidi Heitkamp (North Dakota; Democrat):
High-ranking Team Rape member/Republican Rick Berg JUST conceded to Heitkamp this afternoon after a nail-bitingly close race, although she tweeted "I am confident I am going to be the next United States Senator from North Dakota" hours ago. She's the first North Dakota woman to represent the state in either the Senate or the House. According to the AP, even Romney fans voted for her because she'd rather work on local issues than pearl-clutch over lady parts and she "understands North Dakota" — that bodes well for her potential to make actual shit happen moving forward.
They're Back!
According to EMILY's List, every Democratic woman incumbent Senator was re-elected last night. NOT TOO SHABBY. These women aren't going anywhere:
Claire McCaskill (Missouri; Democrat):
Our ever-emotive uteri are crying tears of joy that Claire McCaskill beat Todd "Legitimate Rape" Akin last night in a long, hard race that didn't look so positive until Akin showed his true babbling rape apologist colors. Akin had expressed doubts that McCaskill was "ladylike" enough to win the race, but, as it turns out, voters seem to prefer her "aggressiveness" (ick) over a man who has no clue how ladies — and SCIENCE — actually operate. Here's to many, many more bitch faces to come.
Maria Cantwell (Washington; Democrat):
Washington's second-ever female senator, notorious for focusing on free trade and job creation, easily won a third term with 59 percent of the initial vote count and says she wants to do better this time around. "I'm not going back to the United States Senate to salute stalemate," she said. "I'm going back there to put in economic policies to get our people back to work."
Dianne Feinstein (California; Democrat):
All we have to say is: duh. Here's to Feinstein's fourth full term!
Kirsten Gillibrand (New York; Democrat):
This will be Gillibrand's first full six-year term since replacing Hillary Clinton. Will she keep following in Clinton's footsteps by running for President in 2016? Obviously, Gillibrand isn't talking that far into the future yet — but since she's supported the DREAM act, combated illegal gun trafficking, and fought to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, we expect more good things to come. She also recently said that, if both the House and Senate were more evenly proportioned, "We would not be debating contraception. We would be debating the economy, small business, jobs, national security - everything but." Sing it, sister.
Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota; Democrat):
Klobuchar is Minnesota's first elected female Senator. She's super popular — no one thought she would lose this year — and smart; she was named Minnesota's Attorney of the Year in 2001. Go, Klobuchar!
Debbie Stabenow (Michigan; Democrat):
Stabenow, who easily won a third term, said her re-election was evidence that Michigan is "coming back" — she's been a champion of auto industry rescue and a strong supporter of education reform. But we think her victory is also evidence that voters won't stand for ignorant lady-haters: her opponent, Pete Hoekstra, thought it was cool to call the Lilly Ledbetter Act a "a nuisance" and ran those horrible racist ads. Ah, when awesome women triumph over sexist blowhards, winning is just that much sweeter.
Other movers and shakers:
Republican senators Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas) and Olympia Snowe (Maine) are both retiring. Five Republican female candidates lost: Wendy Long against Gillibrand, Elizabeth Emken against Feinstein and Linda Lingle against Hirono. Linda McMahon in Connecticut and Heather Wilson in New Mexico also lost. All together, the next Senate will have 4 female Republicans and 16 female Democrats.
Women still only make up 17 percent of the House and the Senate. But in 1991 — which, really, wasn't all that long ago — there were just two women in the Senate. After the election of 1992, dubbed the "Year of the Woman" (a title that seems LOL-worthy now), there were a whopping seven women in the Senate. Now there are 20, up from the current 17, which was also a record number.
"When women are part of the negotiation and are part of decision-making, the outcomes are just better," Gillibrand told The Huffington Post last year. "When we have our dinners with the women in the Senate — the Democrats and Republicans — we have so much common ground. We agree on so many basic principles and values. I think if there were more women at the decision-making table, we would get more things done."
There won't only be more women around the table; there will be significantly fewer members of Team Rape. This election definitively proved that politicians can't just say whatever they want about rape and abortion and get away with it. That's powerful stuff. Maybe now we can actually have some productive conversations about pressing issues like, oh, offhand, the ECONOMY and women's health and education and all other sorts of political topics without having to pause every five seconds to explain that the vagina is not the Antichrist.
In other words:


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Adventures in Eating: Chicken with Zinfandel & Black Cherry Sauce
We have had some really fun wines the past few months, wines that lend themselves well to food. Many sales personnel use the term "this is a food wine" when trying to cover up some unusual characteristic. Most of them probably don't understand what a "food wine" really is. It is much more than a… read more »


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If you have one too many tonight, among the things you might be wondering tomorrow morning—along with "Where is the Advil?" and "Can everyone please just shhh?"—are a number of existential queries that hangovers, in all their guilt-inducing agony, tend to stir. Like, "Is that 'hair of the dog' thing true?" or "Why is it that hangovers always make me swear off drinking forever, yet I don't?"
This weekend in Seattle, an unusual group of scientists will gather to mull these and other questions at the meeting of the Alcohol Hangover Research Group. Their logo, fittingly, is a pint of beer next to a spilled glass of red wine.
Hangover research is a bit of a neglected field, not the highest priority in terms of health-research funding. But there's a lot hangovers can tell us about our brains, our guts, and the epidemiology of alcoholism. Tell me how you feel the morning after getting blitzed, in other words, and I'll tell you what you are.
Ahead of the meeting, I've interviewed Richard Stephens, a member of the group and a professor of psychology at Keele University in the UK, about some of the most surprising things scientists have learned recently about the "gallon distemper." Stephens has published several papers about hangovers, including whether their severity declines with age. (Answer: Yes. Hang in there, 21-year-olds.)
I also asked him for some scientific hangover-cure recommendations, for a friend.
What are you presenting at the conference?
We've got a quite good research grant from the EU for a two-year project on alcohol hangover, particularly looking at the cognitive effects of hangover. In other words, if you have a hangover, does your memory function normally? And also looking at the link between alcohol hangover and alcohol use disorder. I'm going to be presenting some of the preliminary data from the study on that latter question about hangover and alcohol use disorder. The interest there is that everyone tends to think that hangover is a good thing because it stops you from drinking too much, it's like the natural brake on drinking. And we all drink too much and that's a big problem so anything that stops people from drinking too much is a good thing. That's the kind of folk knowledge.
And yet, a number of studies have actually shown the opposite. If hangover is a natural brake on drinking, then alcoholics should get the least hangovers of anyone—that the reason they are alcoholic is that they don't have that natural brake on drinking. But actually a number of studies in the US have actually shown the opposite, that alcoholics get the most severe hangovers, even when you control for the amount of alcohol consumed. And so it seems like it's a more complex relationship between being at risk of alcoholism and hangovers.
Do you have any insights so far in how it affects cognitive functioning?
Yes, we do. The preliminary data are much clearer on the cognitive functioning side. We used a range of cognitive tests, and several of them showed deficits. Which is kind of in-keeping with the wider literature, there's been probably 20 or 30 studies now looking at the links between hangover and cognitive function.
One of the things that makes our study interesting is just a methodological detail. There are two ways of doing hangover research—one is to do very carefully controlled studies in a lab where you give people measured amounts of alcohol and look at the effects. But the problem with that approach is, apart from the fact that it's very expensive and resource intensive, that you can only give people fairly mild amounts of alcohol, ethically.
The other way of doing it is a naturalistic study—you get people into the lab the morning after a night when they've been out drinking anyway, and look for the natural symptoms of hangover following that episode. The good thing about the naturalistic approach is it's real drinking and it's much more ecologically valid, it's much more mimicking what happens in real life, and that you can get a greater range of alcohol consumption, with some people at the top end drinking much more significant amounts of alcohol than would be allowed in a carefully controlled lab study.
The problem with that approach though, is that people know they're in a hangover study, because they know that's why they've contacted you, so they probably feel a bit rough and know they don't have to try very hard because it's a hangover study anyway. So there are expectancy effects there. So what we've done in this study, which is completely novel, is we've recruited some people to come into the lab on a morning when they're likely to have been drinking the night before, but there's nothing in the information to suggest we're doing a study on hangover. But where, incidentally, they have been drinking, which in most cases they have, because we timed it that way, we can look at the effects without that expectancy element. Obviously people know they've been drinking but they don't know that we're interested in that, so in that sense they're going to be like anybody who turns up to work having been drinking. They're going to do the best they can with the hangover.
Do we know what causes hangovers?
Not completely, but there's definitely some fairly good evidence. One component is the way that alcohol is metabolized. When you drink alcohol, there's an enzyme in the body that breaks down the ethanol in alcohol into metabolites—after you've had a drink of alcohol and felt drunk, once you start to feel sober again, that's because your body has metabolized the ethanol. But once the ethanol has been metabolized, there are usually other alcohols in smaller quantities in alcoholic beverages. One such compound is methanol, and when the body metabolizes methanol, it metabolizes it into toxins—formaldehyde and formic acid. And those make you feel ill, sort of poison you a little bit.
So one part of a hangover is the production of formaldehyde and formic acid, which comes online about 10 or so hours after you've been drinking. And the interesting thing about that is that the enzymes in your body that break down alcohols would prefer to break down ethanol first and methanol second. And it means that when you're in a hangover phase, if you drink more alcohol you'll actually stop your body from breaking down methanol and the things that are making you feel ill, and instead go back to working on the ethanol and leave the methanol intact. So there is a biological basis for the hair of the dog. And that's one of the possible risk factors for why hangover might be a risk factor for alcoholism rather than a natural block for it.
But that's not the only mechanism, there are other mechanisms as well. Another mechanism for hangover is immunosuppression. So you know that puffy feeling you get after a night of drinking—that's due to an immune response.
How long have you been studying hangovers?
Probably about 10 years.
How has the science of hangovers changed since you first began working on this subject?
There are more people working on it now. When I started working on it, there were only a handful of papers. There was a lot of stuff in the 70s, and then it all petered out, and then it resurged in the late 90s and early 2000s.
How it's changed is that knowledge has advanced—when we started off, the cognitive effects were clear. We did a big review in 2008 of all the cognitive effects studies of hangover that existed and concluded from that that there was some evidence of long-term memory and attention deficits. But it was very muddy. Say there were six or seven studies that had looked at attention, five or so showed something and the other two didn't. Science is never as clear cut as you think it's going to be. But since then, there have been more studies done and there is now a clearer picture of attention and memory being affected. And one thing we're trying to do in our study is to look in a bit more detail at what particular aspects of attention and memory are affected.
Another development is there's a psychological function known as executive function—that's our ability to think laterally and plan. It's almost like the mind taking control of itself and saying "okay, where are we, what do we want to do next," and deliberately planning actions known as executive functions. And that's been very largely neglected in hangover research, even though there's evidence that alcohol use affects executive function. So one thing we're doing that is novel is to look in quite a lot of detail at hangover affects executive functioning.
Why are we still missing some knowledge about hangovers? Why do we still not know a lot about how they work?
Well, it's still not a mainstream research topic, really. Most alcohol researchers are looking at the acute effects of alcohol or more direct questions around what leads to alcohol use disorder.
And the funding is still going towards more direct questions. One of the reasons we still don't know much is because the research effort in this area is much less in this area than in other areas, and maybe rightly so. Maybe there are more pressing questions around alcohol that are being funded, but one thing about science is that you can never discount where the next big discovery is going to come from.
Do ever find that other scientists look down on you or judge you because you study something that's related to a vice?
I think that's probably one reason why hangover hasn't been studied so much. I just think it's been neglected for whatever reason. But some of us think it's interesting, and we're pursuing it.
What, to you, have been some of the most exciting breakthroughs in hangover science recently?
I think one of the best papers on hangover was one of Joris Verster's papers on the causes of hangover. It really is a document of what we know about it. [Ed: Verster's paper systematically reviewed common hangover "cures" and found only a few to be supported by one or two studies. Still, Verster concluded that "the best way to avoid hangovers is practicing abstinence or moderate alcohol consumption."]
I suppose that one breakthrough is when we founded the Alcohol Hangover Research group—that made us much more organized. We had our first hangover research meeting in 2010 in San Antonio, Texas. That was a really good moment, because personally for me I met all these people who I'd only ever read. I suppose that was more of a personal thing than a breakthrough.
Do you think we will ever find a cure for hangovers?
There is research looking at hangover cures. A few things were tried and found to heal hangover symptoms—one of them was anti-inflammatory drugs that you might take when you have a headache, and that ties in with the idea of hangover being an inflammatory response due to immunosuppression. But then again, given that headache is one of the top symptoms of hangover it's not very surprising that headache pills will reduce hangover symptoms.
There are a few other things that have been tried—one was [migraine drug] Tolfenamic acid, which was found to show benefits, and the herb borage was found to ease hangover symptoms. At the current moment there have been a number of studies looking at different treatments. You need replication to have more confidence that they actually are effective.
What about people who claim to have folk cures for hangover, like burnt toast or pickle juice? Do you believe them?
Not usually. But the interesting thing is that one of the most effective hangover cures are ones that administer glucose. One of the other mechanisms of the hangover is to do with glucose metabolism and not having enough blood sugar. In Britain one of the most prevalent hangover cures is a big fried breakfast—fried eggs, sausages, baked beans, and all the rest—that's well-renowned as a hangover cure in Britain, and it probably does work because there are lot of carbohydrates in that meal. And that will restore depleted sugar levels.
Do you yourself drink?
Yes, I do.
Does any of your research affect how cautious you are when you drink?
Probably not, but then again, I'm not researching the liver damage and circulatory disease problems, so directly, no, I don't think my research does influence the amount I drink. What influences the amount I drink more is not wanting to get drunk and make a fool of myself. As a scientist, I like my brain to be working fairly well and be able to think clearly. The biggest thing that stops me from drinking is the feeling of my thinking is getting foggy—that's what makes me drink less.
And do you get hangovers?
It's interesting, because there is a review study that concluded that about 22 to 23% of people don't get hangovers. I'm mostly in that category, although I get an occasional hangover, but mostly not.
On the occasions that you did have a hangover, what did you do?
Have a fried breakfast. That works wonders.
This post originally appeared at The Atlantic. More from our sister site:
Why free play is the best summer school
Good job, America: A map of maternity leave policies around the world
Hillary Clinton doesn't think paid family leave is possible—yet


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NEW YORK (AP) - For the first time in seven years, most U.S. homebuilders are optimistic about home sales, a sign that construction could help drive stronger economic growth in coming months.
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index released Monday leaped to 52 this month from 44 in May. It was the largest monthly increase since 2002.
A reading above 50 indicates more builders view sales conditions as good, rather than poor. The index hasn't been that high since April 2006, just before the housing market collapsed.
Measures of customer traffic, current sales conditions and builders' outlook for single-family home sales over the next six months also soared to their highest levels in seven years.
The housing recovery is looking more sustainable and should continue to boost economic growth this year, offsetting some of the drag from higher taxes and federal spending cuts.
Steady hiring and low mortgage rates have encouraged more people to buy homes. The increased demand, along with a tight supply of homes for sale, has pushed home prices higher. That's made builders more optimistic about the market for newly built homes, leading to more construction and jobs.
In April, applications for new home construction reached a five-year peak. And sales of new homes rose to a seasonally adjusted rate of 454,000, nearly matching the fastest pace since July 2008. Sales are still below the 700,000 pace considered healthy by most economists. But they have risen 29 percent in the past year.
Single-family home construction slowed in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 610,000 homes, but that's expected to grow sharply in coming months.
"We are forecasting a considerable acceleration," said Greg Bird, associate economist with Moody's Analytics, which projects that housing starts on single-family homes will reach an annual rate of 1.6 million by the end of 2014.
In recent weeks, many of the major large homebuilders have reported strong annual growth in sales during the spring home-selling season. The increased demand has paved the way for builders to raise prices and ramp up construction of more homes, despite lingering concerns over rising costs for land, building materials and labor.
"Builders are experiencing some relief in the headwinds that are holding back a more robust recovery," said David Crowe, the NAHB's chief economist.
Homebuilder Mitchell & Best, which builds homes in Maryland and Virginia, expects to deliver between 30 percent and 40 percent more completed homes this year than in 2012, said vice-CEO Marty Mitchell.
"As a small local builder who has been through trials and tribulations the last seven years, we're definitely seeing an improvement in the market," Mitchell said.
Still, the company, which sells homes ranging from $700,000 to $1.5 million, is struggling to find enough land to build more homes.
Land in the Washington metro area remains scarce. And the price has risen sharply in the past year as demand for new homes has increased.
Mitchell said he hopes to boost construction next year ahead of this year's levels, so long as the company can tie down a few more tracts of land.
Though new homes represent only a fraction of the housing market, they have an outsize impact on the economy. Each home built creates an average of three jobs for a year and generates about $90,000 in tax revenue, according to NAHB statistics.
The latest builder confidence index was based on responses from 255 builders.
A gauge of current sales conditions for single-family homes jumped eight points to 56, the highest level since March 2006, while a measure of traffic by prospective buyers improved seven points to 40.
Builders' outlook for single-family home sales over the next six months increased nine points to 61, the highest reading since March 2006.
On a regional basis, confidence grew strongest among builders in the South, while firms in the Northeast and Midwest also posted a gain. An index of confidence among builders in the West declined by one point.


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One of the first things you need to do to prepare for your move is to decide on a mover. When selecting a mover, always obtain a written cost estimate from each moving company. Fees for local moves, 50 miles or less, are usually determined on a hourly basis. Long distance moves generally are priced by load weight and mileage. For long distance moves, purchase protection at full value for each item being moved.
Thirty Days Before
- Determine what you're going to move and start getting rid of everything else.
- Decide what you are going to pack yourself and what the movers will pack. The mover is not responsible for breakage of items you pack. Obtain packing cartons from the mover.
- Notify the post office of your new address. Fill out change of address cards.
- Gather medical and dental records for all family members.
- Notify schools and arrange to have transcripts and records forwarded to the new schools.
- Close local charge accounts.
- Arrange for transportation of pets if they do not tolerate long car trips well.
Two Weeks Before
- Start packing. Do a little at a time. Don't try to do it all in a day or two.
- Return borrowed items and reclaim items borrowed from you.
- Arrange disconnect/connect dates with local utilities.
- Develop a floor plan to show the movers where you want your belongings placed in your new home.
One Week Before
- Dispose of all flammable materials. They shouldn't be moved.
- Dismantle outdoor play or gym equipment and other items that go with you.
- Transfer bank accounts and contents of safe deposit box.
- Pack items you want to move yourself and mark "DO NOT MOVE."
One Day Before
- Empty and defrost your refrigerator and freezer; let the appliance air out for 24 hours.
- Finish packing personal items.
- Get a good night's sleep.
Moving Day
- Strip beds, but leave fitted bottom sheets on mattresses.
- Be present to answer mover's questions.
- Accompany movers through the house for an inventory of things to be moved.
- Keep children and pets out of the movers' way.
- Confirm destination address with van operator.
- Also confirm date of delivery.
- Close all windows and turn off lights.
- Lock all doors.
- Look forward to enjoying your new home.


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NJ Transit sets sights on more EMUsWritten by Douglas John Bowen
After investing heavily in Bombardier multilevel cars to augment its fleet, New Jersey Transit now says it's ready to acquire electric multiple-unit (EMU) equipment to supplement its existing fleet of Arrow III cars, and eventually retire those cars.
NJT has issues requests for proposals, according to Executive Director Richard Sarles, who observed, "Certain areas [of the NJT rail network] need quick acceleration" provided by EMU equipment, such as on stretches of right-of-way with short intervals between stations. NJT's 230 Arrow III cars were last rebuilt beginning in the late 1980s.
Sarles said any EMU order would be funded through the state Transportation Trust Fund.
Not clear at this point is whether the order will include diesel units, with the "D" units allowing train consists to travel in both electrified and diesel rail territory; two major NJT routes, the North Jersey Coast Line and Boonton/Montclair Line, are electrified in part.


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Christian Food Pantry Refuses to Give Up Jesus, Loses Government Food Contributions
A Christian food pantry that provides meals to low-income Lake City residents has refused to give up Jesus, and will continue to show Christian images as it distributes food while carrying out its charity work, and will continue to ask if people would like to be prayed for.
The decision was made by the Christian Service Center (CSC), despite a Florida Department of Agriculture official telling the agency that it could no longer tie faith components to its food programming if it wanted to continue to remain eligible for government food.
The CSC has served food to low-income Lake City residents for the past 31 years. As part of its food service, CSC prays with its clients and asks them if they would like to learn more about Christ. According to CSC Executive Director Kay Daly, clients do not have to accept this offer to receive services.
"When we meet with them to get an understanding of the crisis or need, we ask them if they know Jesus Christ and if we may share with them. If they decline, we don't. If they do want to, we share the Gospel with them," Daly told The Christian Post. "Sometimes we lead them to the Lord and sometimes we don't."
But under a new contract with the government, CSC was asked to halt the religious aspects of their programming. It was also asked to take down pictures of Jesus and 10 Commandments signs currently on center walls.
"This program is a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)-funded program and the requirements were outlined by the USDA," Amanda Bevis, a spokesperson for Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services told Fox News. "This agency administers the program on the state level. Our staff did provide a briefing to CSC following turnover in leadership at CSC and did review the USDA requirements."
A USDA spokesperson explained that "under current law, organizations that receive USDA nutrition assistance can still engage in religious activities so long as the activity is not used to create a barrier to eligible individuals receiving food."
Although CSC invited, rather than mandated, clients to pray with them and learn more about Christianity, the potential discomfort that these individuals could feel was seen as a barrier.
It is currently unclear why the CSC was asked to take their signs down as an Executive Order allows faith-based organizations the right to provide assistance without "removing or altering religious art, icons, scriptures or other symbols from these facilities."
CSC has refused to comply with the new regulations, even though the loss of the government food will severely cut into the food it has available, as the government currently contributes 30 to 40 percent of its total supply.
It hopes to make up for the anticipated food shortage through the support of its many relationships with area churches and individual donations and prayers.
"We also will trust God," said Daly. "I don't say that lightly. We will trust Him day to day to meet our needs."
Daly said because CSC's mission is so closely tied to faith, the organization could not compromise their beliefs.
"How do you comprise? We would deny what we stand for, which is Jesus Christ, which is why we are," said Daly. "The USDA has drawn the line in the sand. If they are going to put stipulations on the use and distribution of the food, we make a choice and our choice is to stand with Christ."
Daly said she is unfamiliar with any other Florida organizations that have faced similar restrictions.
The USDA works with state agencies to implement federal policies.
Anyone who wishes to remotely assist the CSC may make a check out to The Christian Service Center and send it to P.O. Box 2285, Lake City, FL 32056.


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Miscellaneous thoughts about miscellaneous matters
Recently, I have experienced people complaining in ineffective ways. They had real, legitimate complaints to make, but they presented the complaints in ways that would insure that they would be ignored. In my youth I learned to expressing unhappiness and persuading people to change something to make it more acceptable to me are two different things.
Expressing unhappiness by screaming at someone may give some personal satisfaction, but it is unlikely to get the target of the rant
Simply complaining well is not enough, especially if one is dealing with government bureaucrats. Continued application of gentle pressure will eventually wear down even the hardest and firmest bureaucrat. It appears that my attempts to get the regional transit authority to train and supervise bus drivers might be going somewhere; either that, or theyre legal action against me. I got a phone call from one of the higher ups who just wanted me to repeat what I had already put into writing. After
We know that it is our responsibility to engage in Civil Disobedience to force government to perform as it should, but there are NGO's, government authorities and government corporations that are used to carry out the functions that the government wants to put at arm's length. How should we deal with those? The answer is simple; they deserve the same treatment as any business corporation, and most of them should be spun off as private business. Like businesses, government owned enterprises have


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Environment change threatens indigenous traditional knowledge
The way indigenous cultures around the globe use traditional medicines and pass on knowledge developed over centuries is directly linked to the natural environment, new research has found.
This makes indigenous cultures susceptible to environmental change, a threat that comes on top of the challenges posed by globalisation.
"Traditional medicine provides health care for more than half the world's population, with 80 per cent of people in developing countries relying on these practices to maintain their livelihood. It is a very important part of traditional knowledge," says Dr Haris Saslis-Lagoudakis, from The Australian National University's (ANU) Research School of Biology.
"This knowledge is typically passed down from generation to generation, or it is 'borrowed' from neighbours. Because of this borrowing, globalisation can homogenise medicinal practices of different communities, leading to loss of medicinal remedies."
But this is not the only challenge that indigenous cultures face.
"Imminent changes in the environment also pose a threat to traditional knowledge," explains Dr Saslis-Lagoudakis.
"Traditional medicine utilises plants and animals to make natural remedies. Despite a lot of these species being under threat due to ongoing climatic changes and other human effects on the environment, the effect that these changes can have on traditional medicine is not thoroughly understood."
Dr Saslis-Lagoudakis and a team of international researchers led by the University of Reading (UK) investigated how the environment shapes medicinal plant use in indigenous cultures, specifically Nepal, a country in the Himalayans that has outstanding cultural, environmental and biological diversity.
"By understanding the relationship between environment and traditional knowledge, we can then understand how cultures have responded to changes in the environment in the past," he says.
The team studied 12 ethnic groups from Nepal and recorded what plants different cultures use in traditional medicine. They calculated similarities in their medicinal floras and also calculated similarities in the floras these cultures are exposed to, how closely related they are, and their geographic separation.
"We found that Nepalese cultures that are exposed to similar floras use similar plant medicines.
"Although shared cultural history and borrowing of traditional knowledge among neighbouring cultures can lead to similarities in the plants used medicinally, we found that plant availability in the local environment has a stronger influence on the make-up of a culture's medicinal floras.
"Essentially, this means that the environment plays a huge role in shaping traditional knowledge. This is very important, especially when you think of the risks that these cultures are already facing.
"Due to ongoing environmental changes we are observing across the globe, we might lose certain plant species which will lead to changed ecosystems, and an overall poorer natural environment. This will then affect what plants people can use around them.
"We should be concerned about the fate of the traditional knowledge of these cultures. However, understanding the factors that shape traditional knowledge can provide the underpinnings to preserve this body of knowledge and predict its future."
This research was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B
Provided by Australian National University


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text:
In a trial that included about 35,000 men, those who were randomized to receive daily supplementation with vitamin E had a significantly increased risk of prostate cancer, according to a study in the October 12 issue of JAMA.
"Lifetime risk of prostate cancer in the United States is currently estimated to be 16 percent. Although most cases are found at an early, curable stage, treatment is costly and urinary, sexual, and bowel-related adverse effects are common," according to background information in the article. There has been considerable preclinical and epidemiological evidence that selenium and vitamin E may reduce prostate cancer risk. "The initial report [published December 2008] of the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) found no reduction in risk of prostate cancer with either selenium or vitamin E supplements but a statistically nonsignificant increase in prostate cancer risk with vitamin E. Longer follow-up and more prostate cancer events provide further insight into the relationship of vitamin E and prostate cancer."
Eric A. Klein, M.D., of the Cleveland Clinic, and colleagues examined the long-term effect of vitamin E and selenium on risk of prostate cancer in relatively healthy men. SELECT included a total of 35,533 men from 427 study sites in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico who were randomized between August 2001 and June 2004. Eligibility criteria included a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) measure below a certain level, a digital rectal examination not suspicious for prostate cancer, and age 50 years or older for black men and 55 years or older for other men. The primary analysis included 34,887 men who were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups: 8,752 to receive selenium (200 micrograms/day); 8,737, vitamin E (400 IU/day); 8,702, both agents; and 8,696, placebo, with a planned follow-up of a minimum of 7 years and maximum of 12 years. Analysis reflect the final data collected by the study sites on their participants through July 5, 2011.
Since the initial report, a total of 521 additional prostate cancers have been diagnosed: 113 in the placebo group, 147 in the vitamin E group, 143 in the selenium group, and 118 in the combination group. The researchers found that the rate of prostate cancer detection was greater in all treatment groups when compared with placebo but was statistically significant only in the vitamin E alone group (a 17 percent increased rate of prostate cancer detection). Compared with the placebo group, in which 529 men developed prostate cancer, 620 men in the vitamin E group developed prostate cancer, as did 575 in the selenium group and 555 in the selenium plus vitamin E group. The difference in rates of prostate cancer between vitamin E and placebo became apparent during the participants' third year in the trial. The elevated risk estimate for vitamin E was consistent across both low- and high-grade disease.
"In this article, we report an observation of important public health concern that has emerged with continued follow-up of SELECT participants," the authors write. "Given that more than 50 percent of individuals 60 years or older are taking supplements containing vitamin E and that 23 percent of them are taking at least 400 IU/d despite a recommended daily dietary allowance of only 22.4 IU for adult men, the implications of our observations are substantial."
The researchers note that the fact that the increased risk of prostate cancer in the vitamin E group of this trial was only apparent after extended follow-up suggests that health effects from these agents may continue even after the intervention is stopped, emphasizing the need for long-term follow-up. They add that the findings of this and other studies illustrate the importance of large-scale, population-based, randomized trials in accurately assessing the benefits and harms of micronutrients as dietary supplements.
"The observed 17 percent increase in prostate cancer incidence demonstrates the potential for seemingly innocuous yet biologically active substances such as vitamins to cause harm. The lack of benefit from dietary supplementation with vitamin E or other agents with respect to preventing common health conditions and cancers or improving overall survival, and their potential harm, underscore the need for consumers to be skeptical of health claims for unregulated over-the-counter products in the absence of strong evidence of benefit demonstrated in clinical trials."
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
Kevin Ziegler
JAMA and Archives Journals


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The parents of a Hawaii man shot and killed during a 2011 confrontation with an off-duty federal agent at a Waikiki McDonald's restaurant publicly pleaded today for a new, more aggressive prosecutor to handle the agent's upcoming retrial.
Prosecutors charged State Department Special Agent Christopher Deedy with murder, but a jury in August wasn't able to reach a verdict. A retrial is scheduled for June.
Jenell Elderts and her husband Kendall Elderts told reporters they were abandoned and lied to by prosecutors who didn't ask the judge to allow the jury to consider a lesser manslaughter charge. They said they were promised manslaughter would be an option.
But Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro said in a statement today that no promises were ever made regarding charges.
Deedy was in Honolulu to help provide security for an economic summit in November 2011, and was off-duty when he went to the fast-food restaurant after a night of bar-hopping with friends.
He was charged with murder, with prosecutors claiming during trial that he was as an inexperienced agent who was intoxicated and defensive after being warned about the hostility of Hawaii locals toward outsiders.
Deedy testified that he was protecting himself and others by intervening when he saw Kollin Elderts harassing another customer. He said he fired his gun while Elderts was on top of him throwing punches.
Elderts, 23, died of a single gunshot wound to the chest. Deedy, 29, remains free on bail and has returned to the mainland.
"I think we need a different prosecutor," Jenell Elderts said today. "We just need a more aggressive approach to prosecuting this guy."
Kaneshiro said after the mistrial was declared that there was no evidence to support a manslaughter charge. He said the retrial will also be handled by the same prosecutor who tried the first trial: Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Janice Futa.
"We prosecute cases according to the evidence and the law and are not influenced by civil cases," Kaneshiro's statement on Friday said.
Elderts' parents have a civil suit pending against Deedy. Their attorney, Michael Green, said it was offensive prosecutors didn't at least ask for manslaughter.
"At least it's an issue to go up to the appellate court with," Green said. "I don't buy their reason for it. It makes no sense."
Green's comments could have an impact on the retrial and the civil case, said Brook Hart, who was Deedy's lead defense attorney.
"The judge, prosecutor and defense counsel all agreed there was no evidence to support any instruction on reckless manslaughter," he said. "It's not something the prosecutors did or failed to do. It's the facts of the case."


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Lawmakers meet Holder on Rosen e-mail search
Leaders of the House Judiciary Committee met with Attorney General Eric Holder Friday to discuss his testimony to that panel last month in which he said he'd never entertained or even "heard of" the idea of prosecuting a journalist for receiving classified information from a source.
Soon after Holder's testimony, the Washington Post disclosed that the Justice Department sought Fox News correspondent James Rosen 's e-mails by labeling him as a "co-conspirator" with "potential criminal liability" for soliciting classified information from State Department contractor Stephen Kim. Kim was eventually indicted; Rosen was not.
In a joint statement Friday, committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), ranking member John Conyers (D-Mich.), Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.) and ranking subcommittee member Bobby Scott (D-Va.) said they met with Holder "to discuss his sworn congressional testimony and the search warrant for James Rosen's emails.
"Today we had a frank discussion with Attorney General Holder about his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee and the search warrant for James Rosen's emails. The House Judiciary Committee intends to issue a report outlining its findings of its investigation into this matter," the lawmakers said. "We felt it was prudent to hold a private meeting with Attorney General Holder due to the pending prosecution of Mr. Kim. The private meeting afforded us the opportunity to ask Attorney General Holder substantive questions about the ongoing prosecution and the relationship between Mr. Kim and Mr. Rosen that he would not have been able to answer in a public setting."
Some Republicans accused Holder of misleading the committee with his categorical denials about knowledge of any discussions about prosecuting journalists. Holder has acknowledged he had access to the paperwork on the Rosen search warrant and was briefed about the basis for it. However, Justice Department officials said he spoke truthfully at the hearing because the labeling of Rosen as a potential criminal was simply a legal tactic to access his email for use in the investigation.
Holder aides said have said the designation did not mean there was any proposal to prosecute Rosen. However, they have not flatly denied that there was any discussion about prosecuting Rosen. The Justice Department has said the investigation has concluded and no more indictments are expected.


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This writer's parents, friends and various acquaintances have all told him on various occasions that he looks like a lot of different famous people, none of whom look alike and none of whom really look like him. Justin Timberlake, Jeff Tweedy, David Lynch, Jacques Villeneuve, Pete Doherty, Jarvis Cocker, Rivers Cuomo, New Zealand slow left arm bowler Daniel Vettori, a meerkat, and two fifths of Radiohead have all been mentioned by folks of varying sobriety. The one that comes up most often though is "Hey Dan, you ever been told you look a bit like Elvis Costello?"
Yeah, I have, and moreover I've always felt some kind of affinity with the guy. Perhaps he's not as revered as the likes of Dylan, Morrissey, or the bloke out of Bright Eyes, but the one from DiS who looks a bit like him will always belong to that small part of British society that considers Costello's acerbic songwriting to be the zenith of the craft. So heading down to a neat Soho hotel for a couple of beers and a playback of Wise Up Ghost – an intriguing sounding collaboration between Elvis and The Roots – and a brief Q&A with our hero, DiS was so excited he even managed to tear himself away from The Ashes, where Australia were nine down on the brink of an embarrassingly massive first innings deficit.
When the guy, looking every bit the elegant rock star clad in navy pinstripe suit, horn-rimmed glasses and Panama hat, shook DiS' hand and we spoke briefly at the end of the day, we might have gone into gushing fanboy mode. Fortunately, before that, I managed to write down a few initial track-by-track thoughts on the album. As Larry David would put it, it's prett-ay, prett-ay good.
1. 'Walk Us Uptown'
The Roots' scuzzy, lo-fi production is all over this. The music is noisy and discordant, whilst the keyboards sound a lot like The Specials. Elvis sounds angry and vitriolic, which is great. Huh, this took up a lot more space in my notebook.
2. 'Singer Won't Work'
This one's a lot smoother. The whole song is built around a very funky bass line, with the odd keyboard thrown in purely for colour. On the vocals, Elvis appears to be channeling Motown. Again, I thought my notes would fill more space than this. Could be a short blog.
3. 'Refuse to be Saved'
I know I used the word "funky" in the previous blurb, but I'm short on synonyms. This might be the funkiest Elvis has ever been, with chopped up drums, spiky industrial guitars and sporadic ascending and descending keyboard fills making this one a little bit disco. I'm liking the way the instruments get progressively busier, until it sounds like Chic-goes-new wave (as far as I remember).
You know what? This is the most ambitious he's been in years. Certainly it sounds like he's having a shitload of fun. Although weirdly these first few songs have all been joined up by this strange, Disney string interlude thing.
4. 'Wake Me Up'
Ahh this one's slowed down a bit. A low, bluesy number with Elvis adopting his deep and soulful voice for the first time on the album, this one has some very cool jagged guitars intersecting neatly with the horns. In fact with these gloriously dirty production values it has a Tom Waits feel to it.
5. 'Tripwire'
The key words for this album I reckon are "lo-fi", "scuzzy" and "dirty". Somehow even the mellow fairy chimes that sparkle on this track have that kind of feel to them. They kind of remind me of one of those mobile things you'd hang above a kid's cot at night, and are neatly backed up by a choir on the chorus. Sad sounding vocal is a little bit safe though, which is disappointing.
6. 'Stick Out Your Tongue'
Ahh this is 'Pills and Soap'! The combination of subdued, sawing guitars playing funky licks and keyboards that sound a bit like Brian Eno circa My Life in the Bush of Ghosts probably shouldn't work, but it's pretty neat actually. Elvis's voice has been lightly computerised too, and the multitracking is great.
7. 'Come the Meantimes'
A title that makes as little sense as my scrawled note: "Speaker-shredding guitar feedback then cuts into what sounds like a hip-hop take on a New Orleans funeral march."
8. 'She Might Be a Grenade'
Elvis is apparently very fond of chanting the odd line repeatedly; by my count this is the third song on the album where he does this. It's probably the most minimal track on the album, the keys and acoustic guitar struggle against choppy, cracking* drums. I'd guess this one is about 90% ?uestlove.
*Take either meaning of "cracking", both work
9. 'Cinco Minutos Con Vos'
Apparently this one is revisiting 'Shipbuilding', only from an Argentinean perspective. Despite this, it's perhaps the most "British" sounding thing on here: it could have been written in Bristol circa 1994. What with the whole trip-hop thing here, the Spanish vocals from La Marisoul do seem a little out of place, although they obviously fit the theme of the song.
10. 'Viceroy's Row'
Ooh this is nice, a kind of smooth, coked up, lounge jazz thing. In a way it's oddly reminiscent of Wilco's masterpiece 'Jesus Etc.' with the production preventing Elvis's vocal from dominating. I like the neat little ghostly, fluctuating sirens in the background of this one.
11. 'Wise Up Ghost'
There are some very theatrical, operatic strings that open this one, which I guess is kind of a nod back to those Disney string interludes I mentioned earlier (they've stopped now). Actually these string arrangements are taking on a very John Paul Jones quality now, added to pounding polyrhythms and bluesy guitars it almost sounds like Zeppelin. I like the way it builds a sense of dread but keeps the vocals grounded.
12. 'If I Could Believe'
Ah the hopeful yet sorrowful climax (shut up). I guess this is a quintessential Costello ballad: the emotional vocal, the sad cynicism in the lyrics. Oddly it's just a piano track, with no obvious input from ?uestlove (dear god I hate typing that out). Still, from a thematic perspective it's a great closer... and hey, that Disney motif thing is back!
All in all it's a lot of fun. The hip hop influence on the veteran rock star isn't anything like the disaster you might fear, and in fact helps him sound fresher than he has in years. It's a very politicised, angry record too, and the ramshackle production gives it a Tom Waits kind of sound on more than one track. It's certainly one to look out for later this year anyway.
Right now back to the crick... aw fuck.
Wise Up Ghost will be released on 16th September via Blue Note.


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Lamb of God's John Campbell Leaves Tour Due to Family Emergency, Fear Factory Bassist Fills In
Fans who attended the Lamb of God show Tuesday night (Nov. 12) in Vancouver, British Columbia were probably a little surprised to see Fear Factory's Matt DeVries playing bass for the band. According to reports, DeVries is the temporary replacement for John Campbell, who was recently sidelined by a family emergency.
Lamb of God are currently out on their co-headlining tour with Killswitch Engage, Testament and Huntress. DeVries will play with Lamb of God through a Nov. 16 gig in Saskatoon and then he will return to Fear Factory, who are headed out on the road with Megadeth. There's no word yet if Campbell will return after that date or if Lamb of God will recruit another replacement bassist for the remainder of the tour.
DeVries seemed more than happy to help out his comrades, sharing, "I am stoked and honored to be out on such an incredible tour with some great friends."
Lamb of God were forced to cancel their show on Nov. 11 in Kent. Wash., before DeVries could join them to fill in. Details of Campbell's emergency departure have been kept private at this time but Loudwire would like to extend our best wishes to the bassist and his family.
Lamb of God's tour continues on through the end of November and the band just released their 10 year anniversary edition of their 2003 release 'As The Palaces Burn.' See the band's remaining dates here.


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Detroit, MI – Mark Reynolds delivered a pinch-hit, two-out RBI single in the top of the 10th inning as the Cleveland Indians rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers Sunday in the finale of a three-game set at Comerica Park.
Facing Darin Downs (0-1) in the 10th, Asdrubal Cabrera poked a leadoff double and advanced to third on Nick Swisher's groundout to the pitcher. Carlos Santana was then intentionally walked and Michael Bourn followed with a slow chopper to short, but the Tigers' Jhonny Peralta fired home to throw out Cabrera for the second out of the frame.
Reynolds, however, made up for the missed opportunity with a single through the left side that plated Santana for the eventual game-winning run.
Rich Hill retired the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the 10th, while Cody Allen struck out Matt Tuiasosopo to secure his first save of the season.
Michael Brantley hit a game-tying RBI single in the ninth off Detroit reliever Jose Valverde, who absorbed the blown save that sent the contest into extras.
Cleveland's Joe Smith (1-0) worked a scoreless bottom of the ninth to earn the win, the Indians' sixth in their last seven tries.
"We left some runners out there early," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. "Against a team like Detroit, that's that game where you come in and say 'God we had chances' but there's something to be said about just keep on playing."
Brayan Pena had three hits, including a two-run homer for the Tigers, who have lost four of five. Starter Rick Porcello was charged with two runs on four hits and struck out six over six innings of work.
Bourn pinch-hit to leadoff the ninth with the Tribe down one run. Valverde issued a walk and then allowed the speedster Bourn to swipe second base. Valverde, though, looked to get out alive by retiring the next two batters, but again issued a walk, this time to Jason Giambi, before Brantley smacked a slicing liner into left field to tie the game at 3-3.
"It's one of those days where it's going to happen," Pena added of the blown save. "I mean, Valverde is our closer and we're very happy to have him. He's one of those guys that tomorrow he's going to be back on the mound ready to see what happens."
Cleveland's Zach McAllister, who lasted six frames and allowed three runs -- two earned -- on eight hits and three walks, ran into trouble in the fourth.
Peralta reached second on Lonnie Chisenhall's throwing error to start the inning and Pena followed with an infield single to put runners on first and third. Omar Infante then provided a sacrifice fly to right to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead.
In the fifth, Porcello walked consecutive batters to load the bases, but forced an inning-ending double play to Cabrera to end the threat.
Michael Brantley's single in the third advanced Yan Gomes to third base and the Indians tied the game at 2-2 one batter later with Jason Kipnis' two RBI double to left.
Pena put the Tigers on the board in the second. The lefty crushed McAllister's 2-2 breaking ball over the right-center wall for a two-run blast and a 2-0 Detroit lead.
Game Notes
Dating back to 2009, the Tigers have won 29 of 38 games versus Cleveland at home ... Porcello is one win away for No. 50 in his MLB career ... It was Allen's first career save ... Cleveland has not dropped any of its last seven series.


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March 29, 2016Noelle LaCharite
Editor's note: This tutorial is out of date. You can view the most recent tutorial here.
This tutorial has been updated to reflect the Alexa SDK for Node.js as well as some updates to AWS Lambda and our GitHub repositories.
This fact skill template that makes it easy for developers or non-developers to create a skill similar to "Fact of the Day", "Joke of the Day", "Daily Reading" etc. The template leverages AWS Lambda, the Alexa Skills Kit (ASK), and the ASK SDK, while providing the business logic, use cases, error handling and help functions for your skill. You just need to come up with a fact idea (like "Food Facts"), plug in your fact list and edit the sample provided (we walk you through how it's done). It's a valuable way to quickly learn the end-to-end process for building and publishing an Alexa skill.
Using the Alexa Skills Kit, you can build an application that can receive and respond to voice requests made on the Alexa platform. In this tutorial, you'll build a web service to handle notifications from Alexa and map this service to a Skill in the Amazon Developer Portal, making it available on your device and to all Alexa users after certification.
After completing this tutorial, you'll know how to do the following:
Skills are managed through the Amazon Developer Portal. You'll link the Lambda function you created above to a Skill defined in the Developer Portal.
Next, we need to define our skill's interaction model. Let's begin with the intent schema. In the context of Alexa, an intent represents an action that fulfills a user's spoken request. Intents can optionally have arguments called slots. We will not be using custom slots in this template, but they are very useful if you want to parameterize your intents.
Below you will see the intents for getting a new fact, and then a collection of built-in intents to simplify handling common user tasks. Help intent will handle any time the user asks for help, stop and cancel are built-in intents to make it easier for you to handle when a user wants to exit the application. For more on the use of built-in intents, go here.
JSON { "intents": [ { "intent": "GetNewFactIntent" }, { "intent": "AMAZON.HelpIntent" }, { "intent": "AMAZON.StopIntent" }, { "intent": "AMAZON.CancelIntent" } ] }
The next step is to build the utterance list.
Given the flexibility and variation of spoken language in the real world, there will often be many different ways to express the same request. Providing these different phrases in your sample utterances will help improve voice recognition for the abilities you add to Alexa. It is important to include as wide a range of representative samples as you can -– all the phrases that you can think of that are possible in use (though do not include samples that users will never speak). Alexa also attempts to generalize based on the samples you provide to interpret spoken phrases that differ in minor ways from the samples specified.
Now its time to add the Utterances. Copy/paste the sample utterances from GitHub. An example of utterances is listed below. Once they are copied, the screen should look similar to the following image:
GetNewFactIntent a fact GetNewFactIntent a space fact GetNewFactIntent tell me a fact GetNewFactIntent tell me a space fact GetNewFactIntent give me a fact GetNewFactIntent give me a space fact GetNewFactIntent tell me trivia GetNewFactIntent tell me a space trivia GetNewFactIntent give me trivia GetNewFactIntent give me a space trivia GetNewFactIntent give me some information GetNewFactIntent give me some space information GetNewFactIntent tell me something GetNewFactIntent give me something
Select Save. You should see the interaction model being built (this might a take a minute or 2). If you select next, your changes will be saved and you will go directly to the test screen. After selecting Save, it should now look like this:
Next we will configure the AWS Lambda function that will host the logic for our skill.
To make the development of skills easier, we have created the ASK SDK for Node.js.We will be using this module to deploy the sample. The alexa-sdk is immediately available on github here and can be deployed as a node package from within your Node.js environment.
To leverage the SDK for ASK you will need to install Node.js and update npm. To set this up on your machine, follow these steps.
Once you have the source downloaded, node installed and npm updated, you are ready to install the ASK-SDK. Install this in the same directory as your src/index.js file for your skill. Change the directory to the src directory of your skill, and then in the command line, type:
npm install --save alexa-sdk
Once this is installed you will need to include the node_modules directory with the source code for your skill when you compress the src for uploading to AWS Lambda. Let's do this with the example.
Navigate to where you downloaded the sample respository and installed the Alexa SDK in step 3. Select the src directory.
Compress the files inside the src directory into a zip file. Remember, do not compress the src directory itself, just the files within the directory, the index.js file and the node_modules folder. Your compressed file should show up in the src directory. You will use this file in a later step.
Open aws.amazon.com and then choose 'Create a Free Account'
Sign in to the AWS Console
AWS Lambda lets you run code without provisioning or managing servers. You pay only for the compute time you consume - there is no charge when your code is not running. With Lambda, you can run code for virtually any type of application or backend service - all with zero administration. Just upload your code and Lambda takes care of everything required to run and scale your code with high availability.
Note: If you are new to Lambda and would like more information, visit the Lambda Getting Started Guide.
Select "Create a Lambda Function" to begin the process of defining your Lambda function.
At the bottom of the 'Select Blueprint' page, select "Next"
Set your handler and role as follows:
In the Test area, we are going to enter a sample utterance in the service simulator section and see how Alexa will respond. In this example, we have called the skill 'Space Geek'. This is the 'Invocation Name' we set up on the Skill Information line in the "Skill Information" section.
Do you have the right ARN copied from your Lambda function into your Developer Portal / Skill? * Are you calling the right invocation name? * Are you saying launch, start or open? * Are you sure you have no other skills in your accounts with the same invocation name? * For this template specifically, you should have a minimum of 20 facts for a good customer experience.
In the Skill Information section in the Developer Console, edit the Skill Information Tab to reflect your new Fact Skill:
Create a fun icon. Be sure you have the rights to whatever icons you are uploading – you will need to provide both 108x108px and 512x512px images. Need help finding an image, see PixelBay as a possible source for royalty-free images. Use an image editor (such as Paint on Windows or Preview on Mac to change the size of the image.
Everything else can stay as-is for now in the Developer Portal
JSON var SKILL_NAME = 'Space Facts'
Edit the strings to contain what ever facts or information you would like to make randomly available when a user invokes your skill. A few suggestions:
You will also want to make sure to change the "Space Geek" references to the name of your skill. You don't have to edit them all, but the following reference changes are required for certification.
'AMAZON.HelpIntent': function () {
var speechOutput = "You can say tell me a space fact, or, you can say exit... What can I help you with?";
var reprompt = "What can I help you with?";
this.emit(':ask', speechOutput, reprompt);
In order to control who accesses your web service, we should validate the application id in requests made to your web service. Let's go back to your Alexa skill in your Developer Portal for a moment. Copy in your Application ID from the 'Skill Information' section in your developer portal / skill:
Copy the application id into the value of the APP_ID variable. Make sure to place the app id in quotation marks.
JSON var APP_ID = undefined; //OPTIONAL: replace with "amzn1.echo-sdk-ams.app.[your-unique-value-here]";
A minimum of 20 facts is needed to get started, about 100 is a good number to keep users engaged. The more the better.
Be sure to select SAVE when you are all done. Note: we test initially in the Developer Portal, not in our Lambda function (AWS).
Log back into your AWS console and upload the changes you have just made. First you will need to zip up the files into a new archive. You can do this by selecting the files that you need in the src directory (the node_modules directory and your updated index.js) into a new archive. Be sure that you compress the files in the folder, not the folder itself.
Select your Lambda function and on the Code tab, select "Upload" to add the archive you just created.
Once you have successfully added the file you will see it on the screen, then select "Save".
Repeat the tests you performed earlier to ensure your changes are functioning properly. See step 4 for a review of how to performs functional tests.
Now we need to go back to our Developer Portal to test and edit our skill and we will be ready for certification.
In your skills Test section, enter your Utterances into the Simulator to make sure everything is working with your new facts.
Optionally, you can test with your Alexa-enabled device to make sure everything is working correctly. You may find a few words that need to be changed for a better user experience.
Some things to think about:
Because we are randomizing our facts, this could take a while. Instead, you can use the Voice Simulator in the Test section to simulate Alexa's responses. In the Voice Simulator, type in each fact that you are using to test how Alexa will say it. Use additional punctuation or possibly SSML if you need to better control how Alexa responds. You can find out more about SSML here.
Once you have uploaded your icons, you should see a success message at the bottom of the screen.
IMPORTANT: Add the text "This is based on the Fact Skill Template" to the Testing Instructions section. This alerts the Certification team of your submission using this standardized template, smoothing the road to a faster publish. Finally, select Next.
Privacy and Compliance.
Select "Submit for Certification"
Finally, confirm your submission. Select "Yes" to submit your skill.
Congratulations! You have successfully sumbitted your skill for publication. You will receive progress e-mails and possibly other suggestions from the team on how you can make your skill even better. You can update your skills at any time.


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A 57-year-old man from Alberta, Georgia has become the first person in the U.S. to receive a double hand transplant. After undergoing a ten-hour surgery that ended Monday night, the patient, Jeff Kepner, is in critical but stable condition, according to Amy Dugas Rose, a spokesperson for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UMPC), where team of ten surgeons carried out the operation.
Kepner, who lost both hands and feet to a bacterial infection a decade ago, will need intense physical therapy before he is able to use his hands effectively, according to Rose.
Kepner is reportedly receiving a bone marrow transplant from the donor sometime in the next few days, which is part of a special protocol developed at UMPC that aims to minimize the amount of anti-rejection drugs transplant recipients need to take. These drugs, which suppress the immune system, help prevent the body from attacking the transplanted tissue, but they also increase susceptibility to infections and cancer and may eventually lead to kidney failure, says Kadiyala Ravindra, a transplant surgeon at the University of Louisville in Kentucky who has been involved in single hand transplants at Louisville's Jewish Hospital. The idea behind the bone marrow graft, which is not standard in these types of surgeries, is to reeducate the immune system to recognize the transplanted tissue as its own, he explains.
The double hand transplant performed yesterday is the first in the U.S. but the ninth worldwide, according to the Associated Press. There have also been six single hand transplants in the U.S. since 1999 – five at the Jewish hospital and one at UMPC.
The last recipient was a 24-year-old former marine who lost his right hand in a military exercise. His operation was at UPMC on March 14, according to Rose, and he has been doing several hours of therapy every day since his operation. He is now able to pick up objects with his new hand.
And speaking of transplants we now know the identity of the first face transplant recipient in the U.S.: It was 46-year-old Connie Culp of Ohio, who had the transplant last year and has just revealed her new face to the world, the Associated Press reports.
doortoriver via Flickr