Victor Rasuk will play Ana's college friend Jose in E.L. James adaptation.
By Amy Wilkinson
TORONTO (AP) — Toronto police said Thursday they have obtained a video that appears to show Mayor Rob Ford smoking from a crack pipe — a video that Ford had claimed didn't exist and has been at the core of a scandal that has embarrassed and gripped Canada for months.
Police Chief Bill Blair said the video, recovered from after being deleted from a computer hard drive, did not provide grounds to press charges. But it is bound to renew calls for the resignation of Ford, a populist politician who has repeatedly made headlines for his bizarre behavior.
There was no immediate comment from Ford, who giving tours of his office's Halloween decorations Thursday. Before the disclosure, Ford angrily screamed at reporters to get off his property as he left his house in the morning. He didn't respond to questions shouted at him.
Blair said he was "disappointed" after viewing the video which he said "depicts images that are consistent with those previously reported in the press."
Ford faced allegations in May that he had been caught on video puffing from a glass crack pipe. Two reporters with the Toronto Star said they saw the video, but it has not been released publicly. Ford maintains he does not smoke crack and that the video does not exist.
Blair said the video will come out when Ford's friend and sometimes driver, Alexander Lisi, goes to trial on previous drug charges. Blair did not say who the computer belonged to but police later said Lisi has now been charged with extortion for trying to retrieve the recording from an unidentified person.
"As a citizen of Toronto I'm disappointed. This is a traumatic issue for citizens of this city and the reputation of this city," Blair said.
The scandal has been the fodder of jokes on U.S. late night television that has cast Canada's financial capital in an unflattering light.
Ford was elected mayor of Canada's largest city three years ago on a wave of discontent simmering in the city's outlying suburbs. Since then Ford has repeatedly appeared in the news for his increasingly bizarre behavior. He has refused to resign.
The prosecutor in the Lisi case police released documents Thursday showing they had rummaged through Ford's garbage in search of evidence of drug use. They show that they conducted a massive surveillance operation monitoring the mayor and Lisi following drug use allegations.
The documents show that friends and former staffers of Ford were concerned that Lisi was "fuelling" the Toronto mayor's alleged drug use.
The documents also detail evidence that led to Lisi's arrest on drug and extortion charges.
The police documents, ordered released by a judge, show Ford receiving suspicious packages from Lisi on several occasions.
"Lisi approached the driver's side of the Mayor's vehicle with a small white gift bag in hand; he then walked around to the passenger side and got on board," reads one document dated July 30, 2013. "After a few minutes Lisi exited the Escalade empty handed and walked back to his Range Rover."
Another dated July 28 says Lisi "constantly used counter surveillance techniques" when he met with Ford that day.
On August 13 documents say Lisi and Ford met and "made their way into a secluded area of the adjacent woods where they were obscured from surveillance efforts and stayed for approximately one hour." Police later recovered a vodka and juice bottle from where they met. "So as not to reveal that the original bottles were seized replacement ones were left behind," the document says.
Ford recently vouched for Lisi in a separate criminal case, praising his leadership skills and hard work in a letter filed with the court. The letter was part of a report prepared by a probation officer after Lisi was convicted of threatening to kill a woman.
Ford said previously that he was shocked when Lisi was arrested earlier this month, calling him a "good guy" and saying he doesn't abandon his friends.
The documents also say that Payman Aboodowleh, a volunteer football coach at Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School, where Ford coached the team, told police that Lisi met Ford through him. He told police he was "mad at Lisi because he was fuelling the mayor's drug abuse," the document says.
Ford former staffer, Chris Fickel, told police he didn't know where Ford got marijuana from, but "has heard that 'Sandro', Lisi's nickname, may be the person who provides the mayor with marijuana and possibly cocaine," the document alleges. However, Fickel added, he has never seen Lisi provide the mayor with drugs. The mayor would call Fickel and tell him to tell "Sandro" that "I need to see him," Fickle told police.
Toronto councilor Paula Fletcher said Ford needs to act in the best interests of the city. She said all citizens of Toronto are disappointed.
"The mayor has said there wasn't a video," Fletcher said. "He has said there is a conspiracy against him. With Chief's Blair's press conference I think that's put to rest."
Councilor Joe Mihevc said he continues to be shocked by the "depth and revelations that are coming out"
"The mayor has to come clean and do it as soon as possible. He needs to talk honestly about his use of illicit drugs," Mihevc said.
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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 31-Oct-2013
ShareContact: Dave Falcone
Dfalcone@denterlein.com
617-482-0042
University of Massachusetts Medical School
BOSTON Contrary to popular myth, it is not the aging Baby Boomer or weekend warrior that is causing the unprecedented increase in knee replacement surgeries. Data gathered by more than 125 orthopedic surgeons from 22 states across the U.S. show a more mundane culprit: rising rates of obesity among those under the age of 65.
A first-of-its-kind database for knee and hip replacements and patient reported outcomes FORCE-TJR is beginning to yield information that may have significance for one of the most expensive, most used surgical procedures in the U.S. total joint replacement.
"What was once thought of as a procedure for older people or those with sporting injuries is changing," said David Ayers, MD, Chair of the Department of Orthopedics and Physical Rehabilitation and director of the Musculoskeletal Center of Excellence at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. "Our study shows that younger patients are more obese and experience the same amount of pain and functional disability as older patients and in some cases even more."
In the first 9,000 patients whose outcomes were tracked in FORCE-TJR, the national research program led by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 percent of patients under age 65 were considered technically obese compared to 43 percent age 65 and older. Even more striking was that twice as many younger patients were in the morbidly obese category (body mass index greater than 40) 11 percent of those under age 65 versus 5 percent age 65 and older. The younger patients also had higher rates of smoking and lower mental health scores.
"What we're seeing is that the rise in obesity rates in younger people is having a dramatic influence on the number of total joint replacement surgeries," Ayers said. "These are not premature or unnecessary procedures."
Knee replacement surgeries are already one of the most common procedures in the U.S. Approximately 600,000 are performed each year at a cost of $9.9 billion, and the demand is expected to grow to 3.48 million procedures a year by 2030.
"Unless we see a significant reduction in obesity, we will continue to see the necessity for more and more of these procedures," Ayers said. "This is an example of the type of information this database will yield that could directly influence clinical best practices, health care policy and the overall health and quality of life for people with arthritis."
Obesity is not only a major predictor of knee replacement surgery, it also puts patients at a post-operative disadvantage compared to healthier patients. For example, regardless of age, those who are obese don't experience the same level of functional gain after joint replacement as other patients. Obese patients are also more likely to get an infection or other complications that require readmission or revision surgery.
These factors drive up costs. Researchers also say that post-operative support programs should target improved physical activity and diet with the overall goal being a healthier lifestyle. Currently there are no standards for physical therapy or health management after joint replacement surgery.
"Figuring out the best practices for rehabilitation and how to lose weight should be a priority," said Patricia Franklin, MD, principal investigator of FORCE-TJR. "There needs to be a wellness incentive. Health insurers have done that around other diseases like diabetes and heart disease, but not joint replacement. We can't just say we fixed the knee or the hip and then walk away."
Franklin will present findings from the FORCE-TJR study at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology and the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals in San Diego, Oct. 25-30.
###
FORCE-TJR Function and Outcomes Research for Comparative Effectiveness in Total Joint Replacement is federally funded by a $12 million grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The research program is developing a national database of surgical results and patient-reported outcomes that will include at least 30,000 TJR patients. Find us at http://www.force-tjr.org/.
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.
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 31-Oct-2013
ShareContact: Dave Falcone
Dfalcone@denterlein.com
617-482-0042
University of Massachusetts Medical School
BOSTON Contrary to popular myth, it is not the aging Baby Boomer or weekend warrior that is causing the unprecedented increase in knee replacement surgeries. Data gathered by more than 125 orthopedic surgeons from 22 states across the U.S. show a more mundane culprit: rising rates of obesity among those under the age of 65.
A first-of-its-kind database for knee and hip replacements and patient reported outcomes FORCE-TJR is beginning to yield information that may have significance for one of the most expensive, most used surgical procedures in the U.S. total joint replacement.
"What was once thought of as a procedure for older people or those with sporting injuries is changing," said David Ayers, MD, Chair of the Department of Orthopedics and Physical Rehabilitation and director of the Musculoskeletal Center of Excellence at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. "Our study shows that younger patients are more obese and experience the same amount of pain and functional disability as older patients and in some cases even more."
In the first 9,000 patients whose outcomes were tracked in FORCE-TJR, the national research program led by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 percent of patients under age 65 were considered technically obese compared to 43 percent age 65 and older. Even more striking was that twice as many younger patients were in the morbidly obese category (body mass index greater than 40) 11 percent of those under age 65 versus 5 percent age 65 and older. The younger patients also had higher rates of smoking and lower mental health scores.
"What we're seeing is that the rise in obesity rates in younger people is having a dramatic influence on the number of total joint replacement surgeries," Ayers said. "These are not premature or unnecessary procedures."
Knee replacement surgeries are already one of the most common procedures in the U.S. Approximately 600,000 are performed each year at a cost of $9.9 billion, and the demand is expected to grow to 3.48 million procedures a year by 2030.
"Unless we see a significant reduction in obesity, we will continue to see the necessity for more and more of these procedures," Ayers said. "This is an example of the type of information this database will yield that could directly influence clinical best practices, health care policy and the overall health and quality of life for people with arthritis."
Obesity is not only a major predictor of knee replacement surgery, it also puts patients at a post-operative disadvantage compared to healthier patients. For example, regardless of age, those who are obese don't experience the same level of functional gain after joint replacement as other patients. Obese patients are also more likely to get an infection or other complications that require readmission or revision surgery.
These factors drive up costs. Researchers also say that post-operative support programs should target improved physical activity and diet with the overall goal being a healthier lifestyle. Currently there are no standards for physical therapy or health management after joint replacement surgery.
"Figuring out the best practices for rehabilitation and how to lose weight should be a priority," said Patricia Franklin, MD, principal investigator of FORCE-TJR. "There needs to be a wellness incentive. Health insurers have done that around other diseases like diabetes and heart disease, but not joint replacement. We can't just say we fixed the knee or the hip and then walk away."
Franklin will present findings from the FORCE-TJR study at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology and the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals in San Diego, Oct. 25-30.
###
FORCE-TJR Function and Outcomes Research for Comparative Effectiveness in Total Joint Replacement is federally funded by a $12 million grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The research program is developing a national database of surgical results and patient-reported outcomes that will include at least 30,000 TJR patients. Find us at http://www.force-tjr.org/.
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.
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 31-Oct-2013
ShareContact: Karen N. Peart
karen.peart@yale.edu
203-432-1326
Yale University
Being left-handed has been linked to many mental disorders, but Yale researcher Jadon Webb and his colleagues have found that among those with mental illnesses, people with psychotic disorders like schizophrenia are much more likely to be left-handed than those with mood disorders like depression or bipolar syndrome.
The new study is published in the October-December 2013 issue of the journal SAGE Open.
About 10% of the U.S. population is left-handed. When comparing all patients with mental disorders, the research team found that 11% of those diagnosed with mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder are left-handed, which is similar to the rate in the general population. But according to Webb, a child and adolescent psychiatry fellow at the Yale Child Study Center with a particular interest in biomarkers of psychosis, "a striking of 40% of those with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder are left-handed."
"In general, people with psychosis are those who have lost touch with reality in some way, through hallucinations, delusions, or false beliefs, and it is notable that this symptom constellation seems to correlate with being left-handed," said Webb. "Finding biomarkers such as this can hopefully enable us to identify and differentiate mental disorders earlier, and perhaps one day tailor treatment in more effective ways."
Webb and his colleagues studied 107 individuals from a public outpatient psychiatric clinic seeking treatment in an urban, low-income community. The research team determined the frequency of left-handedness within the group of patients identified with different types of mental disorders.
The study showed that white patients with psychotic illness were more likely to be left-handed than black patients. "Even after controlling for this, however, a large difference between psychotic and mood disorder patients remained," said Webb.
What sets this study apart from other handedness research is the simplicity of the questionnaire and analysis, said Webb. Patients who were attending their usual check-ups at the mental health facility were simply asked "What hand do you write with?"
"This told us much of what we needed to know in a very simple, practical way," said Webb. "Doing a simple analysis meant that there were no obstacles to participating and we had a very high participation rate of 97%. Patients dealing with serious symptoms of psychosis might have had a harder time participating in a more complicated set of questions or tests. By keeping the survey simple, we were able to get an accurate snapshot of a hard-to-study subgroup of mentally ill people those who are often poverty-stricken with very poor family and community support."
###
Other authors on the study include Mary I. Schroeder, Christopher Chee, Deanna Dial, Rebecca Hana, Hussam Jefee, Jacob Mays, and Patrick Molitor.
Citation: Sage Open vol. 3 no. 4 2158244013503166 (October-December 2013)
http://sgo.sagepub.com/content/3/4/2158244013503166.full.pdf+html
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.
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 31-Oct-2013
ShareContact: Karen N. Peart
karen.peart@yale.edu
203-432-1326
Yale University
Being left-handed has been linked to many mental disorders, but Yale researcher Jadon Webb and his colleagues have found that among those with mental illnesses, people with psychotic disorders like schizophrenia are much more likely to be left-handed than those with mood disorders like depression or bipolar syndrome.
The new study is published in the October-December 2013 issue of the journal SAGE Open.
About 10% of the U.S. population is left-handed. When comparing all patients with mental disorders, the research team found that 11% of those diagnosed with mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder are left-handed, which is similar to the rate in the general population. But according to Webb, a child and adolescent psychiatry fellow at the Yale Child Study Center with a particular interest in biomarkers of psychosis, "a striking of 40% of those with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder are left-handed."
"In general, people with psychosis are those who have lost touch with reality in some way, through hallucinations, delusions, or false beliefs, and it is notable that this symptom constellation seems to correlate with being left-handed," said Webb. "Finding biomarkers such as this can hopefully enable us to identify and differentiate mental disorders earlier, and perhaps one day tailor treatment in more effective ways."
Webb and his colleagues studied 107 individuals from a public outpatient psychiatric clinic seeking treatment in an urban, low-income community. The research team determined the frequency of left-handedness within the group of patients identified with different types of mental disorders.
The study showed that white patients with psychotic illness were more likely to be left-handed than black patients. "Even after controlling for this, however, a large difference between psychotic and mood disorder patients remained," said Webb.
What sets this study apart from other handedness research is the simplicity of the questionnaire and analysis, said Webb. Patients who were attending their usual check-ups at the mental health facility were simply asked "What hand do you write with?"
"This told us much of what we needed to know in a very simple, practical way," said Webb. "Doing a simple analysis meant that there were no obstacles to participating and we had a very high participation rate of 97%. Patients dealing with serious symptoms of psychosis might have had a harder time participating in a more complicated set of questions or tests. By keeping the survey simple, we were able to get an accurate snapshot of a hard-to-study subgroup of mentally ill people those who are often poverty-stricken with very poor family and community support."
###
Other authors on the study include Mary I. Schroeder, Christopher Chee, Deanna Dial, Rebecca Hana, Hussam Jefee, Jacob Mays, and Patrick Molitor.
Citation: Sage Open vol. 3 no. 4 2158244013503166 (October-December 2013)
http://sgo.sagepub.com/content/3/4/2158244013503166.full.pdf+html
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.
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 31-Oct-2013
ShareContact: KC Gonzalez
kc.gonzalez@utsa.edu
210-458-7555
University of Texas at San Antonio
In football, kicking is a fundamental and vital part of the game. The few points a kicker scores can make a critical difference in the outcome of a game. To help improve a football kicker's performance, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) mechanical and bioengineering professor Yusheng Feng and seven students have developed the prototype components for a football kicking simulator designed to be a real-time training tool.
Sponsored by the UTSA Center for Simulation, Visualization and Real-Time Prediction (SiViRT) with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Football Kicking Simulation & Human Performance Assessment is a virtual training system that uses real-time wireless feedback and computer sensing to measure football kicking mechanics data. It gives a kicker the ability to practice either on or off the field and receive the same kind of attention to detail he would experience at a training camp. Moreover, the quantitative data collected from the football dynamics and kicker's body motion can not only be used to predict the accuracy of a kick, but also give feedback to maximize the kicking power while mitigating the risk of injury.
In particular, the prototype provides quantifiable measures to improve a football kicker's consistency and reliability by:
UTSA mechanical engineering undergraduate students Alyssa Schaefbauer, Cole Meyers, Jacob Kantor and Michael Lasch, kinesiology undergraduate student Ekow Acquaah, along with electrical and computer engineering graduate student Aaron Stout and computer science graduate student Ehren Biglari, have been developing and testing the virtual training system under the mentorship of Feng since February 2012.
"What sets our product apart from other kicking simulations is that we are using computer sensing and mathematical models to predict the football trajectory along with various training tools. It was designed specifically to be used for training rather than a form of entertainment, and it will be affordable," said Schaefbauer, the student team leader.
The group has been working with UTSA Football place-kicker Sean Ianno and assistant coach Perry Eliano to test the simulator and make necessary adjustments for ideal training. In order to consider the human factors in training and coaching, they are also incorporating feedback from faculty members in the UTSA Department of Health and Kinesiology.
"The simulator is an awesome idea. Although it is not a finished product yet, it has the potential to be on the cutting edge of technology and quite possibly could revolutionize how kickers train," said Ianno.
"The kicking simulator is an incredible project and something I believe can be very beneficial not only for our kickers, but for kickers across the country," stated Eliano. "I'm really humbled and thankful that the College of Engineering and their students who worked their tails off on this project chose us to be a part of it."
The research team has published two papers that were presented at the International Workshop on Computer Science in Sports and the Society for Modeling and Simulation International conference this summer.
"The football kicking simulator is a perfect example of how engineering and science can make improvements beyond the scientific arena, such as football, that are of interest to the greater community," said Feng. "It has been exciting to see these students develop into fine researchers who are determined to make a difference in society."
The research team has filed a patent application for the technology through the UTSA Office of Commercialization and Innovation and the team hopes to make the simulator commercially available for coaches and football teams to use as a training tool.
###
Established in August 2009 as a result of a $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the UTSA Center for Simulation, Visualization and Real-Time Prediction is a computation and visualization center that integrates high-performance computing into its activities which include imaging, visualization, modeling and simulation to help faculty and student researchers investigate structural reliability, particle flow, nanotechnology, biomechanics, computational neuroscience and cancer treatment simulation.
The SiViRT Center aims to shape UTSA's research environment by creating and supporting first-hand collaborative research and design experiences for both undergraduate and graduate students year-round. It is an interdisciplinary research center where students can apply their knowledge through teamwork. Learn more about the SiViRT Center at http://www.sivirt.utsa.edu.
For further information regarding the licensing of this or any UTSA technology, contact the UTSA Office of Commercialization and Innovation at oci@utsa.edu or call (210) 458-6963.
Connect online with UTSA at http://www.utsa.edu, http://www.facebook.com/utsa, http://www.twitter.com/utsa or http://www.youtube.com/utsa.
About UTSA
The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is an emerging Tier One research institution specializing in health, energy, security, sustainability, and human and social development. With nearly 29,000 students, it is the largest university in the San Antonio metropolitan region. UTSA advances knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. The university embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property for Texas, the nation and the world.
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.
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 31-Oct-2013
ShareContact: KC Gonzalez
kc.gonzalez@utsa.edu
210-458-7555
University of Texas at San Antonio
In football, kicking is a fundamental and vital part of the game. The few points a kicker scores can make a critical difference in the outcome of a game. To help improve a football kicker's performance, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) mechanical and bioengineering professor Yusheng Feng and seven students have developed the prototype components for a football kicking simulator designed to be a real-time training tool.
Sponsored by the UTSA Center for Simulation, Visualization and Real-Time Prediction (SiViRT) with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Football Kicking Simulation & Human Performance Assessment is a virtual training system that uses real-time wireless feedback and computer sensing to measure football kicking mechanics data. It gives a kicker the ability to practice either on or off the field and receive the same kind of attention to detail he would experience at a training camp. Moreover, the quantitative data collected from the football dynamics and kicker's body motion can not only be used to predict the accuracy of a kick, but also give feedback to maximize the kicking power while mitigating the risk of injury.
In particular, the prototype provides quantifiable measures to improve a football kicker's consistency and reliability by:
UTSA mechanical engineering undergraduate students Alyssa Schaefbauer, Cole Meyers, Jacob Kantor and Michael Lasch, kinesiology undergraduate student Ekow Acquaah, along with electrical and computer engineering graduate student Aaron Stout and computer science graduate student Ehren Biglari, have been developing and testing the virtual training system under the mentorship of Feng since February 2012.
"What sets our product apart from other kicking simulations is that we are using computer sensing and mathematical models to predict the football trajectory along with various training tools. It was designed specifically to be used for training rather than a form of entertainment, and it will be affordable," said Schaefbauer, the student team leader.
The group has been working with UTSA Football place-kicker Sean Ianno and assistant coach Perry Eliano to test the simulator and make necessary adjustments for ideal training. In order to consider the human factors in training and coaching, they are also incorporating feedback from faculty members in the UTSA Department of Health and Kinesiology.
"The simulator is an awesome idea. Although it is not a finished product yet, it has the potential to be on the cutting edge of technology and quite possibly could revolutionize how kickers train," said Ianno.
"The kicking simulator is an incredible project and something I believe can be very beneficial not only for our kickers, but for kickers across the country," stated Eliano. "I'm really humbled and thankful that the College of Engineering and their students who worked their tails off on this project chose us to be a part of it."
The research team has published two papers that were presented at the International Workshop on Computer Science in Sports and the Society for Modeling and Simulation International conference this summer.
"The football kicking simulator is a perfect example of how engineering and science can make improvements beyond the scientific arena, such as football, that are of interest to the greater community," said Feng. "It has been exciting to see these students develop into fine researchers who are determined to make a difference in society."
The research team has filed a patent application for the technology through the UTSA Office of Commercialization and Innovation and the team hopes to make the simulator commercially available for coaches and football teams to use as a training tool.
###
Established in August 2009 as a result of a $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the UTSA Center for Simulation, Visualization and Real-Time Prediction is a computation and visualization center that integrates high-performance computing into its activities which include imaging, visualization, modeling and simulation to help faculty and student researchers investigate structural reliability, particle flow, nanotechnology, biomechanics, computational neuroscience and cancer treatment simulation.
The SiViRT Center aims to shape UTSA's research environment by creating and supporting first-hand collaborative research and design experiences for both undergraduate and graduate students year-round. It is an interdisciplinary research center where students can apply their knowledge through teamwork. Learn more about the SiViRT Center at http://www.sivirt.utsa.edu.
For further information regarding the licensing of this or any UTSA technology, contact the UTSA Office of Commercialization and Innovation at oci@utsa.edu or call (210) 458-6963.
Connect online with UTSA at http://www.utsa.edu, http://www.facebook.com/utsa, http://www.twitter.com/utsa or http://www.youtube.com/utsa.
About UTSA
The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is an emerging Tier One research institution specializing in health, energy, security, sustainability, and human and social development. With nearly 29,000 students, it is the largest university in the San Antonio metropolitan region. UTSA advances knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. The university embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property for Texas, the nation and the world.
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.
Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell holds up the championship trophy after Game 6 of baseball's World Series Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, in Boston. The Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 to win the series. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell holds up the championship trophy after Game 6 of baseball's World Series Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, in Boston. The Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 to win the series. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Boston Red Sox David Ortiz, left, waves with his son Kaz after being named the game MVP by Commissioner of Major League Baseball Bud Selig after Game 6 of baseball's World Series Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, in Boston. The Red Sox won 6-1 to win the series. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Boston Red Sox's David Ortiz lifts Koji Uehara after Game 6 of baseball's World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, in Boston. The Red Sox won 6-1 to win the series. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Koji Uehara, left, holds the championship trophy with teammate Junichi Tazawa after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6 of baseball's World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, in Boston. The Red Sox won 6-1 to win the series. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Koji Uehara, left, holds the championship trophy with teammate Junichi Tazawa after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6 of baseball's World Series Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, in Boston. The Red Sox won 6-1 to win the series. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
BOSTON (AP) — More than an hour after the final out, players lingered on the field and fans stood by their seats, cheering, singing and applauding.
A celebration nearly a century in the making was unfolding at the old ballpark, a long-awaited moment generations of New Englanders had never been able to witness.
Turmoil to triumph. Worst to first. A clincher at Fenway Park.
David Ortiz and the Boston Red Sox, baseball's bearded wonders, capped their remarkable turnaround by beating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 in Game 6 on Wednesday night to win their third World Series championship in 10 seasons.
When it was over, Ortiz took a microphone on the field and addressed the city, just as he did a week after the marathon bombings last April.
"This is for you, Boston. You guys deserve it," the Series MVP said. "We've been through a lot this year and this is for all of you and all those families who struggled."
And the Red Sox didn't even have to fly the trophy home. For the first time since Babe Ruth's team back in 1918, Boston won the title at Fenway. The 101-year-old stadium, oldest in the majors, was jammed with 38,447 singing, shouting fans anticipating a party that had been building for more than nine decades.
"Maybe they won't have to go another 95 years," said John Farrell, a champion in his first season as Boston's manager.
Shane Victorino, symbolic of these resilient Sox, returned from a stiff back and got Boston rolling with a three-run double off the Green Monster against rookie sensation Michael Wacha. Pumped with emotion, Victorino pounded his chest with both fists three times.
John Lackey became the first pitcher to start and win a Series clincher for two different teams, allowing one run over 6 2-3 innings 11 years after his Game 7 victory as an Angels rookie in 2002.
With fans roaring on every pitch and cameras flashing, Koji Uehara struck out Matt Carpenter for the final out. The Japanese pitcher jumped into the arms of catcher David Ross while Red Sox players rushed from the dugout and bullpen as the Boston theme "Dirty Water" played on the public-address system.
There wasn't the "Cowboy Up!" comeback charm of "The Idiots" from 2004, who swept St. Louis to end an 86-year title drought. There wasn't that cool efficiency of the 2007 team that swept Colorado.
This time, they were Boston Strong — playing for a city shaken by tragedy.
"I don't think we put Boston on our back. I think we jumped on their back," Jonny Gomes said. "They wouldn't let us quit."
After a late-season collapse in 2011, the embarrassing revelations of a fried chicken-and-beer clubhouse culture that contributed to the ouster of manager Terry Francona, and the daily tumult of Bobby Valentine's one-year flop, these Red Sox grew on fans.
Just like the long whiskers on the players' faces, starting with Gomes' scruffy spring training beard.
"As soon as we went to Fort Myers, the movie's already been written," Gomes said. "All we had to do was press play, and this is what happened."
The only player remaining from the 2004 champs, Ortiz had himself a Ruthian World Series. He batted .688 (11 for 16) with two homers, six RBIs and eight walks — including four in the finale — for a .760 on-base percentage in 25 plate appearances, the second-highest in Series history.
"We have a lot of players with heart. We probably don't have the talent that we had in '07 and '04, but we have guys that are capable (of staying) focused and do the little things," Ortiz said.
Even slumping Stephen Drew delivered a big hit in Game 6, sending Wacha's first pitch of the fourth into the right-center bullpen for a 4-0 lead. By the time the inning was over, RBI singles by Mike Napoli and Victorino had made it 6-0, and the Red Sox were on their way.
"Hey, I missed two games. It's time to shine," Victorino said.
All over New England, from Connecticut's Housatonic River up to the Aroostook in Maine, Boston's eighth championship can be remembered for the beard-yanking bonding.
Fans bid up the average ticket price to over $1,000 on the resale market and some prime locations went for more than $10,000 each. Nearly all the Red Sox rooters stood in place for 30 minutes after the final out to view the presentation of the trophy and MVP award. A few thousand remained when a beaming Ortiz came back on the field with his son 75 minutes after the final out.
"It's so electric in here," Napoli said.
The win capped an emotional season for the Red Sox, one heavy with the memory of the events that unfolded on Patriots Day, when three people were killed and more than 260 wounded in bombing attacks at the Boston Marathon. The Red Sox wore "Boston Strong" logos on their left sleeves, erected a large emblem on the Green Monster and moved the logo into the center-field grass as a constant reminder.
"It's hard for me to put sports over a tragedy like that," Lackey said, "but hopefully people that were affected by it can forget about it for a few hours at least."
Red, white and blue fireworks fired over the ballpark as Commissioner Bud Selig presented the World Series trophy to Red Sox owners John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino, leaving a haze over the field.
"When the fireworks went off at the presentation of the trophy out there, when the ballpark was filled with smoke, it was completely surreal," Farrell said. "To be in this position, given where we've come from, reflecting back a year ago at this time, there's been a lot that's happened in 13 months."
Among the players blamed for the indifferent culture at the end of the Francona years, Lackey took the mound two days shy of the second anniversary of his elbow surgery and got his first Series win since the 2002 clincher. He pitched shutout ball until Carlos Beltran's RBI single in the seventh.
St. Louis had been seeking its second title in three seasons, but the Cardinals sputtered after arriving in Boston late Tuesday following a seven-hour flight delay caused by mechanical problems. Symbolic of the team's struggles, reliever Trevor Rosenthal tripped while throwing a pitch to Ortiz in the eighth, balking Dustin Pedroia to second.
"They were some frustrated guys in there, but overall you can't ask us to go about any better than how our guys did," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "Not too many people expected us to do what we did."
Boston was a 30-1 underdog to win the World Series last winter, but joined the 1991 Minnesota Twins as the only teams to win titles one season after finishing in last place. Now, the Red Sox will raise another championship flag before their home opener next season April 4 against Milwaukee.
Gomes was looking forward to Saturday's parade.
"It's time," he said, "to queue the duck boats."
NOTES: Boston also won the Series at Fenway Park in 1912. The Red Sox won the first World Series in 1903 at the Huntington Avenue Grounds and in 1916 at Braves Field. ... Ortiz's Game 5 bat is going to the Hall of Fame along with Uehara's Series spikes, Ross' Series jacket and Farrell's Game 6 jacket. Gomes' Game 4 home-run bat arrived in Cooperstown, N.Y., on Wednesday.
Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-10-31-World%20Series/id-d786893a5ac940d5bbd4ad2f3d5eacd4He’s been romantically involved with fiancée Axelle Francine since 2011, and Tony Parker is about to become a father.
The ex-husband of Eva Longoria took to his Twitter account to share the great news earlier today (October 31).
Parker tweeted, “Hey just wanted to say that I’m very happy today…me and my future Wife going to have a Baby Boy!!!!”
There’s no word on a due date or wedding date, so stay linked to the GossipCenter for all the latest details!
The Obama administration is defending the Affordable Care Act over its faulty website, and reports that Americans are losing insurance coverage because of the law. To sort out the truth from the rumors, host Michel Martin speaks with Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health News and technology developer Clay Johnson.
(As UFC turns 20, we revisit each year from 2013 to 1993 with 20 articles in 20 days)
Since the advent of mustached strongmen, the circus has traveled around on the rails and pitched multicolored tents. Part of the attraction was that the attraction came to you. And part of the UFC’s model is similar -- the idea is to travel around to whatever sector of the globe is ready to embrace it. Instead of a tent, they pitch an Octagon. And unless you live in the Falklands or in upstate New York, chances are the UFC will end up in your general area sooner or later.
When the UFC decided to go to Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi in April of 2010, this felt by far like the craziest thing the promotion had attempted. It wasn’t that they sold off a minority portion of the company to Sheikh Tahnoon, or that it was headed to the Middle East, or that the event would be held alfresco under the wheeling constellations just like Tunney-Dempsey back in 1927 at Soldier Field…it was that there wasn’t a freaking venue in place.
It was that they were going to build a temporary arena to house UFC 112, and then tear it down a week later.
Therefore, "Concert Arena" was erected as nothing more than ephemera, just a glamorized squat house for the UFC’s visit. If that weren’t enough, it was built within something called "Ferrari World." You could practically see the Sheikh using $100 bills as kindling for his fireplace while swirling a glass of Henry IV cognac. Laughing. Laughing. (With the flames dancing in his eyes.)
The event in Abu Dhabi was a catalyst for a lot of things. It told everyone that the UFC meant business in taking the Octagon all over the world, not just ports in Europe and Canada. That night on April 10, 2010, the UFC rolled out two title fights like a lush red carpet, and yet neither of them came off even remotely close to what might be considered "reasonable expectation."
Frankie Edgar fought B.J. Penn in the co-main event, and Anderson Silva -- who was originally supposed to fight Vitor Belfort -- took on Demian Maia for the middleweight crown. Maia and Edgar were of course the sacrifices. I remember beforehand a very well known MMA journalist telling me, while emboldened by his Guinness, "Edgar might be the first fatality in the cage." He was of course exaggerating, but the sentiment was there; Edgar didn’t stand a chance.
Turns out Edgar did stand a chance, and in fact fairly dominated the scorecards en-route to taking Penn’s belt. That was the first "say what?" moment in a night full of eye rubbing. The Silva-Maia nightcap was one of the most bizarre main events to ever have pay-per-view customers screaming for rebates. In it Anderson Silva sort of flew off the handle. He mocked and preened and went into theatrics for much of the five rounds he wasn’t even supposed to need in putting Maia away. The performance was so remarkable for all the wrong reasons that Dana White put out a piece of caution on the Jim Rome Show afterwards that said this: He’d cut Anderson Silva if it happened again. Even the greatest living mixed martial artist in the world wouldn’t be suffered such shenanigans.
(This was the context for Silva and his rivalry with Chael Sonnen, who came along at just the right moment right after. Sonnen breathed life back into Silva, just like Silva became a sort of world stage for Sonnen to reinvent himself).
A month earlier, at WEC 47, on March 6 in Columbus, Dominick Cruz defeated Brian Bowles to become the promotion’s bantamweight champion. That night was brimming with the talent of today. Look at the names that appeared on this card before Cruz -- Joseph Benavidez, who fought Miguel Torres; Danny Castillo and Anthony Pettis; Scott Jorgensen, who fought Chad George; Chad Mendes and Erik Koch. The card was so stacked that Ricardo Lamas, who fights for the UFC featherweight crown against Jose Aldo at UFC 169, was the first fight on the prelims.
It was just another WEC card.
Zuffa owned the WEC, but at this point had kept the two organizations separate. The WEC had the smaller weight classes. The UFC had everything else. By October of 2010, with the UFC growing and holding more events and needing more star power to carry them, Dana White announced that the promotions would be merging. This was significant for two reasons. One, it meant existing undersized UFC lightweights could fight at 145 pounds without leaving the UFC. And two, it meant people like Cruz, Pettis, Demetrious Johnson, Benson Henderson, Benavidez, Mendes, Lamas and poster boy Urijah Faber would finally showcase their wares for those who avoided eye contact with the WEC’s blue cage.
The WEC would bring over a world of talent to the UFC.
"That was the goal -- it was always to find the best fighters," says Reed Harris, who was the general manager and face of the WEC. "We worked very hard at that. When I came into the office, I never would hear people say, ‘hey the lighting on that show was fantastic.’ Inherently I knew it was all about the fights, and that it’s all about the fighters. So we spent a lot of time looking at them, and went down to Brazil to find Jose Aldo. We did a lot of things that a lot of people didn’t do in trying to find the best people."
Jose Aldo. The man who made Americans figure out the correct order of the vowels in Nova Uniao.
"The first time I saw Jose, he jumped out of the cage, and I took him in back with his manager Andre Pederneiras -- and I’m a guy who rarely raises his voice, because that’s just not who I am -- but I was yelling at him," Harris says. "I read him the Riot Act. Little did I know he didn’t have any idea what I was saying, but he knew I was mad.
"The next show, I was in the cage after he won, and he looked at me, ran towards the door, stopped and then sat down," Harris says. "He looked up at me and smiled, kind of like a f--- you, and ever since then I’ve liked him. Now we’re very close. We spent a lot of time together."
Harris is now the Vice President of Community Relations with the UFC. Aldo is the long-tenured featherweight champion who is hovering the top three space of most pound-for-pound lists. At UFC 142, after Aldo knocked out Chad Mendes, Aldo disappeared into a sea of his countrymen once again. And once again, Harris was right there tapping his foot with his arms crossed.
"I yelled at him to get back in the cage," he says. "That’s his place, right? I wasn’t mad at him for doing it. It was crazy. I actually got punched in the crowd. Not on purpose. The guy who punched me looked at me like he was in shock because he was trying to grab Jose. It was just very chaotic, and I yelled at him to get back in for safety reasons."
That Harris is now scolding Aldo outside of the UFC Octagon instead of outside the WEC blue cage marks the evolution of the times. At some point along the way, Harris knew that the bantamweights and featherweights he’d helped along, not to mention his crop of high-powered lightweights, would all be migrating to the UFC. The thing was inevitable.
"I think at some point it was just decided, look, the UFC is going to be the dominant brand in this sport forever," he says. "Especially when all of us were watching these lighter-weight fights including Dana and Lorenzo and Frank [Fertitta], and they were seeing that they were entertaining and that people were interested. So why not add to the brand? Why not make the brand even stronger?"
On Feb. 1, 2014, at UFC 169 in Newark during Super Bowl weekend, the WEC’s elite will be on display. Renan Barao and Dominick Cruz will unify the bantamweight belts, and Aldo will defend his title against Ricardo Lamas.
October 31, 2013
By Mikael Ricknäs | IDG News Service
Microsoft's Windows Azure suffered from an issue on Wednesday that affected a management feature in the compute section of the public cloud, and remained unresolved Thursday morning.
Microsoft first updated the Windows Azure Service Dashboard at 2:35 AM UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) on Wednesday: "We are experiencing an issue with Compute in North Central US, South Central US, North Europe, Southeast Asia, West Europe, East Asia, East US and West US."
[ Also on InfoWorld: 3 tips for Microsoft's next CEO: How to handle Windows Azure. | Which freaking PaaS should you use? InfoWorld helps you decide. | Stay on top of the state of the cloud with the "Cloud Computing Deep Dive" special report. | For a quick, smart take on the news you'll be talking about, check out InfoWorld TechBrief -- subscribe today. ]
About 17 hours later the company posted a message saying that manual actions to perform so-called swap deployment operations may fail, and users should therefore delay them. Microsoft was still struggling to solve the issue on Thursday morning. But the company seemed to be on the right track saying that it "was continuing to validate and deploy mitigation for this issue."
The swap deployment operation is related to how services are deployed on Microsoft's cloud. Azure offers two deployment environments for cloud services: a staging environment in which users can test their system, and a production environment. The two are separated only by the VIP (virtual IP) addresses used to access them, and the swap deployment operations are used to switch them and turn the staging environment into the production environment.
The company hasn't elaborated on what caused the issue, but the fact that it affected all regions raises questions about how Microsoft has constructed the management portion of its cloud. The time it has taken Microsoft to fix the issue also puts the company in a less than favorable light. But fortunately for Microsoft and users, the issue hasn't affected the ability to run applications on Azure.
Microsoft has apologized for any inconvenience this has caused its customers.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Allen Craig is part of a revised St. Louis Cardinals lineup for Game 5 of the World Series and playing first base for the first time in the postseason.
Craig was inserted in place of Matt Adams and batting sixth in a straight switch against Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester about two hours before the first pitch Monday night.
Craig hasn't played defensively since Sept. 4 when he sprained a ligament in his left foot. He scored the winning run in Game 3 on an obstruction call.
Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-10-28-BBO-World-Series-Cardinals-Craig/id-ba7151a0bde64fc6bd40d583cb336792PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 30-Oct-2013
ShareContact: Anne-Marie Clarke
comms.officer@qub.ac.uk
44-289-097-5320
Queen's University Belfast
A new 2.49m research study, led by Queen's University Belfast, is to help uncover Malta's prehistoric past.
The five year programme will examine the environmental and cultural background of prehistoric Malta. It will also develop strategies to ensure long-term conservation of vulnerable heritage in all island settings.
Nineteen senior scholars from Queen's, Cambridge University, the University of Malta, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and Heritage Malta are involved in the project.
The project will allow researchers to reconstruct the changing ecology at different periods in Malta's history by using ancient pollens and extracted tiny invertebrates including snails and insects. The analysis of these and other environmental and archaeological materials will take place in Queen's specialist 14CHRONO lab.
Other archaeological studies within the project will focus on landscapes and the remains of the ancient population. Researchers will study sites and settlements of the early Maltese to assess how the prehistoric people developed the socio-cultural resilience that sustained them during hard times. They hope examination of the early economy may identify changes in farming systems, while analysis of human bones will reveal diet, disease and population structure of the ancient Maltese.
Dr Caroline Malone from Queen's School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology, and leader of the research, said: "This exciting project will explore the changing environmental and cultural background of Malta during prehistory from the first occupation of Neolithic farmers around 5,500BC until medieval times. It will also provide us with invaluable data on how we can best protect such priceless heritage sites in the future.
"Previous studies conducted by Queen's and the University of Malta have already shown that the climate and environment were unstable during the last few millennia BC and that instability would have impacted on the lives of prehistoric societies. Our new work on a series of pollen cores extracted from across Malta will build a detailed understanding of the changing flora/vegetation of the islands."
Head of School for Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology (GAP), Professor Keith Bennett said: "The FRAGSUS project is an excellent demonstration of the value of the close collaborative relationships between archaeologists and environmental scientists. We are delighted to be taking the lead role in this international research partnership."
The full title of the project is Fragility and Sustainability in restricted island environments: Adaptation, Culture Change and Collapse in prehistory (FRAGSUS). The Framework 7 European Research Council grant for the work is one of only 50 awarded this year for research in the humanities and social sciences. It is the first ERC grant to include Malta.
###
Further information on Queen's School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology, which is ranked in the world's Top 100, is available online http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/gap
Media inquiries to Queen's University Communications Office Tel: 028 9097 5320 or email: comms.officer@qub.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
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.
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 30-Oct-2013
ShareContact: Anne-Marie Clarke
comms.officer@qub.ac.uk
44-289-097-5320
Queen's University Belfast
A new 2.49m research study, led by Queen's University Belfast, is to help uncover Malta's prehistoric past.
The five year programme will examine the environmental and cultural background of prehistoric Malta. It will also develop strategies to ensure long-term conservation of vulnerable heritage in all island settings.
Nineteen senior scholars from Queen's, Cambridge University, the University of Malta, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and Heritage Malta are involved in the project.
The project will allow researchers to reconstruct the changing ecology at different periods in Malta's history by using ancient pollens and extracted tiny invertebrates including snails and insects. The analysis of these and other environmental and archaeological materials will take place in Queen's specialist 14CHRONO lab.
Other archaeological studies within the project will focus on landscapes and the remains of the ancient population. Researchers will study sites and settlements of the early Maltese to assess how the prehistoric people developed the socio-cultural resilience that sustained them during hard times. They hope examination of the early economy may identify changes in farming systems, while analysis of human bones will reveal diet, disease and population structure of the ancient Maltese.
Dr Caroline Malone from Queen's School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology, and leader of the research, said: "This exciting project will explore the changing environmental and cultural background of Malta during prehistory from the first occupation of Neolithic farmers around 5,500BC until medieval times. It will also provide us with invaluable data on how we can best protect such priceless heritage sites in the future.
"Previous studies conducted by Queen's and the University of Malta have already shown that the climate and environment were unstable during the last few millennia BC and that instability would have impacted on the lives of prehistoric societies. Our new work on a series of pollen cores extracted from across Malta will build a detailed understanding of the changing flora/vegetation of the islands."
Head of School for Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology (GAP), Professor Keith Bennett said: "The FRAGSUS project is an excellent demonstration of the value of the close collaborative relationships between archaeologists and environmental scientists. We are delighted to be taking the lead role in this international research partnership."
The full title of the project is Fragility and Sustainability in restricted island environments: Adaptation, Culture Change and Collapse in prehistory (FRAGSUS). The Framework 7 European Research Council grant for the work is one of only 50 awarded this year for research in the humanities and social sciences. It is the first ERC grant to include Malta.
###
Further information on Queen's School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology, which is ranked in the world's Top 100, is available online http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/gap
Media inquiries to Queen's University Communications Office Tel: 028 9097 5320 or email: comms.officer@qub.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
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.
