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শুক্রবার, ১২ এপ্রিল, ২০১৩

Ex-NFL player Hurd pleads guilty to drug charge

By NOMAAN MERCHANT

Associated Press

Associated Press Sports

updated 4:43 p.m. ET April 11, 2013

DALLAS (AP) - Former NFL wide receiver Sam Hurd pleaded guilty Thursday to trying to buy cocaine and marijuana to set up a drug-distribution network, leaving a once-promising career in tatters as he faces a prison sentence of at least 10 years.

Hurd, 27, pleaded guilty in federal court in Dallas to one count of possession of cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute. He pleaded guilty days before his trial was scheduled to begin, without any promise of a more lenient sentence.

He faces 10 years to life in prison when he is sentenced in July.

Standing in an orange jumpsuit, the tall, lanky Hurd leaned into a microphone and asked to address the court.

"I'm sorry for everything I've done," he said in a brief statement, adding that he intended to plead guilty for months and never expected the process to take as long as it did.

Hurd was playing for the Chicago Bears in December 2011 - months after signing a contract reportedly worth more than $5 million - when he attended a meeting at a Chicago-area steakhouse with an undercover officer and a confidential informant. Prosecutors have alleged in court documents that Hurd accepted a kilogram of cocaine from the officer and signaled that he'd be interested in buying large, weekly quantities of cocaine and marijuana.

Hurd was arrested outside the steakhouse and cut by the Bears shortly afterward.

He was released on bond, but was re-arrested in August after failing drug tests and being accused of trying to arrange another drug buy.

Jay Ethington, one of Hurd's attorneys, said after court Thursday that his client was "an extensive marijuana user," which may have contributed to his involvement in trafficking. Ethington also blamed "parasites," including two former co-defendants who have pleaded guilty, for drawing Hurd into criminal activity.

"Here's a young fellow that had his whole life ahead of him," Ethington said, adding that Hurd was active in charity work on his own. "Now that's all gone."

Hurd, a native of San Antonio, played college football at Northern Illinois and then five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys before signing a three-year contract with the Bears in 2011 that was reportedly worth up to $5.15 million. He had mostly played on special teams, playing in 77 games overall with six starts and two career touchdowns.

Teammates and coaches were shocked by his arrest. According to documents filed by prosecutors, Hurd agreed to purchase up to 10 kilograms of cocaine for $25,000 per kilogram and asked for up to 1,000 pounds of marijuana a week.

Ethington suggested to reporters that those figures were exaggerated. Asked if Hurd had customers lined up to buy drugs from him, Ethington responded, "I know he didn't."

Prosecutors and Hurd's attorneys worked for months on finalizing a guilty plea. One sticking point was what allegations Hurd would acknowledge in a plea agreement.

Hurd's relatives declined to comment after the hearing.

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/51509555/ns/sports-nfl/

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বৃহস্পতিবার, ১১ এপ্রিল, ২০১৩

Obama budget changes Social Security: Are Republicans on board?

President Obama proposed changes to entitlements including Social Security in his new budget, prompting hopes of a 'grand bargain.' Republicans mixed qualified approval with skepticism.

By David Grant,?Staff writer / April 10, 2013

President Obama and acting Budget Director Jeffrey Zients leave the White House Rose Garden in Washington Wednesday after the president discussed his proposed fiscal 2014 federal budget.

Charles Dharapak/AP

Enlarge

President Obama clearly hoped to stir Washington into action with his 2014 budget plan Wednesday, proposing changes to Social Security and Medicare that have angered liberal members of his party.

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But the Republicans who have urged the president to take such steps responded to the budget with a less-than-ringing endorsement.

While the budget shows a willingness to make changes to the nation?s entitlement programs and potentially jump-start negotiations, the distance that remains between the two sides is so large that the summer?s talks look more likely to produce a modest deal rather than a sweeping accord, some say.

?At least he put something here that shows a willingness to address entitlements,? said House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R) of Wisconsin. ?That shows me that there?s a glimmer of hope to getting to an agreement at the end of the day, but we?re a long way from getting there right now.?

There has been hope that the need to raise the debt ceiling this summer could provide the opportunity to knit together fiscal issues ranging from entitlement and tax reform to revising the "sequester" cuts in a long-sought "grand bargain" to fix to the nation?s finances.

Mr. Obama's budget "keeps alive the possibility of a bargain, grand or otherwise," said Robert Bixby, executive director of the Concord Coalition.

Primarily, Obama proposes changing the way Social Security calculates cost-of-living adjustments ? a revision that would save the program money but, critics say, put a greater burden on the poor and elderly. He also suggested some trims to Medicare.

Conservative lawmakers in both chambers offered measured praise for the president Wednesday.

?I am encouraged, however, by the president?s willingness to begin addressing Medicare and Social Security ? the primary drivers of our national debt,? said Sen. Deb Fischer (R) of Nebraska, a freshman lawmaker. ?I hope to work with the president to reform and save these critical programs.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/upC030iDaQA/Obama-budget-changes-Social-Security-Are-Republicans-on-board

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Researchers find heart disorder genetic variants in stillbirth cases

Apr. 9, 2013 ? In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers from the United States and Europe discovered genetic mutations associated with long QT syndrome (LQTS), a genetic abnormality in the heart's electrical system, in a small number of intrauterine fetal deaths, according to a study in the April 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers conducted a molecular genetic evaluation (referred to as a postmortem cardiac channel molecular autopsy) in 91 cases of unexplained fetal death (stillbirths) from 2006-2012. They discovered the prevalence of mutations in the three most common LQTS-susceptible genes, KCNQ1, KCNH2 and SCN5A. Two of the most common genes were discovered in three cases (KCNQ1 and KCNH2); and five of the cases exhibited SCN5A rare non-synonymous genetic variants.

Intrauterine fetal death or still birth happens in approximately one out of every 160 pregnancies and accounts for 50 percent of all perinatal deaths. "We know that the post-mortem evaluation often has not been able to explain these deaths," says Michael J. Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., pediatric cardiologist at Mayo Clinic and co-study senior author along with Peter J. Schwartz, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Pavia, Italy. "Those of us who study LQTS and treat LQTS patients have often wondered whether LQTS may be the cause of some of these deaths."

In the study, more than 1,300 ostensibly healthy individuals served as controls. In addition, publicly available exome (the entire portion of the genome consisting of protein-coding sequences) databases were assessed for the general population frequency of identified genetic variances.

"Our preliminary evidence suggests that LQTS may be the cause for approximately 5 percent of otherwise unexplained stillbirths and points to the need for further large-scale studies," says Dr. Ackerman, director of Mayo's LQTS Clinic and Windland Smith Rice Cardiovascular Genomics Research Professor. "With LQTS, when we know of its presence, it is a very treatable condition but still more work needs to be done to prevent the family's first tragedy from occurring."

In LQTS, which affects one in 2,000 people, the rapid heartbeats can trigger a sudden fainting spell, seizure, or sudden death. Life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias can occur unexpectedly, mainly during childhood or adolescence. Treatment can involve medication, medical devices, or surgery.

Other study authors are: Lia Crotti, M.D., Ph.D., University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; David Tester, Wendy White, M.D., Melissa Will, Jennifer Blair, Daniel Van Dyke, Ph.D., Myra Wick, M.D., Ph.D., Brian Brost, M.D., all of Mayo Clinic; Daniel Bartos, Ellyn Velasco, Brian Delisle, Ph.D., all of University of Kentucky, Lexington; Robert Insolia, Ph.D., and Alice Ghidoni, both University of Pavia; Alessandra Besana, Ph.D., IRCCS Instituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy; Jennifer Kunic and Alfred L. George Jr., M.D., Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.; Irene Cetin, M.D., University of Milan, Italy; and Fabio Facchinetti, M.D., University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Mayo Clinic.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:

Crotti L, Tester DJ, White WM, et al. Long QT Syndrome?Associated Mutations in Intrauterine Fetal Death. JAMA, 2013; 309 (14): 1473-1482 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2013.3219

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/genes/~3/9FPfRc2CA80/130409173258.htm

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রবিবার, ৭ এপ্রিল, ২০১৩

'Trance' tries to fit into too many genres

'Trance' tries to appeal to every audience member, but the effect is more alienating than enjoyable.

Danny Boyle's "Trance" is one of those psychological thrillers, like Steven Soderbergh's "Side Effects," that tries to be all things to all audiences. It starts out as a heist picture, then morphs into a love story, a hate story, a mad scientist movie, an existential is-it-real-or-is-it-a-dream fantasia ? you name it. It's like watching a Hitchcock movie that's been run at top speed through a cin?aste's render. The effect for me was more alienating than enjoyable.
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James McAvoy's Simon has lifted a valuable Goya painting from his posh London auction house employer. Vincent Cassel's Frank is the hoodlum boss he betrayed in the heist, and Rosario Dawson's Elizabeth is the hypnotherapist who's supposed to retrieve the location of the stashed canvas from Simon's memory. You're never quite sure, at least until the end, who the film's central player is.
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Boyle loads his movie with so many snazzy effects that we lose sight of what it all means ? if anything. His showoffiness confuses. Thrillers should be a lot more fun to piece together than this. Grade: B- (Rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity, violence, some grisly images, and language.)

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শনিবার, ৬ এপ্রিল, ২০১৩

This US Supersonic Fighter Has Never Seen Real Combat

The US Air Force's armada are among the most advanced aircraft on the planet. As such, the USAF isn't going to let just any schmuck fresh out of basic training take to the skies in an F-35. Instead wanna-be Top Guns must first prove their mettle in a less expensive plane that's trained more than 50,000 pilots since the Eisenhower administration. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/DEuNguCw1N4/this-us-supersonic-fighter-has-never-seen-real-combat

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শুক্রবার, ৫ এপ্রিল, ২০১৩

Letter: Invest in early childhood education to close achievement gap ...

To the Editor:

Minnesota currently has one of the most daunting achievement gaps in the nation. Unfortunately, this unacceptable achievement gap starts well before kindergarten.

Today, nearly half of all 5-year-olds in Minnesota arrive at kindergarten not prepared to learn. And research proves that when children are behind at age 5, they are less likely to ever catch up.

Right now, our legislators have the opportunity to close that gap by providing access to quality early learning programs for all children, regardless of family income or geographic location.

Access to quality early learning programs is proven to improve school readiness outcomes for all kids. And when kids enter school ready to succeed, they reap the benefits for the rest of their lives. And so does our state.

In order to work towards closing the achievement gap, we must make significant investments in our state?s youngest kids. Investing in quality early learning programs has one of the highest returns. Contrasted against the huge cost to all of us when kids aren?t prepared, it?s clear that ensuring every child has the opportunity to attend a quality early learning program is the best place for Minnesota to start closing the achievement gap.

Katrina Kozak

Kozak is director of child care center New Horizon Academy in Fridley.

Source: http://focus.mnsun.com/2013/04/04/letter-invest-in-early-childhood-education-to-close-achievement-gap/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=letter-invest-in-early-childhood-education-to-close-achievement-gap

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