Hagel: Israel did not tell him of intel on Syria

CAIRO (AP) ? U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel indicated on Wednesday that he was caught by surprise when Israeli officials publicly revealed their assessment that Syria has used chemical weapons in its civil war.

Hagel told reporters that his Israeli counterpart, Moshe Yaalon, did not alert him to the assessment when they met in Tel Aviv on Monday. The assessment was announced publicly on Tuesday by a senior official with Israel's military intelligence office.

"They did not give me that assessment; I guess it was not complete," Hagel said after several hours of meetings with senior Egyptian officials on the fourth stop of a week-long Mideast tour. "So I have not seen the specifics of it" or discussed it with Israeli officials.

He said he and Yaalon discussed the issue of Syria's chemical weapons, but Hagel would not elaborate further.

The Obama administration has said Syrian government use of chemical weapons would be a "game changer," implying that it might, if confirmed, compel the U.S. to get more directly involved in the civil conflict.

Hagel said that Washington is looking for "real intelligence" on the issue of Syrian chemical weapon use.

"Suspicions are one thing. Evidence is another," he said. "I think we have to be very careful here before we make any conclusions, draw any conclusions, based on real intelligence." He said his comments should not be interpreting as questioning the validity of other counties' intelligence on Syria. The important point, he said, is that "the United States relies on its own intelligence ? and must."

After his meetings in Cairo, which included talks with President Mohammed Morsi and the Egyptian defense minister, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Hagel flew to Abu Dhabi on the Persian Gulf.

Hagel said his Cairo stop was important for reinforcing U.S. support for the Egyptian government's transition to democracy and its efforts at economic reform.

By including Cairo on his first Mideast tour as defense secretary, Hagel was highlighting the Obama administration's hope of preserving influence with the Egyptian military as the country struggles with its transition to democracy.

Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel. The U.S. is deeply concerned, however, that continued instability in Egypt will have broader consequences in a region already rocked by unrest, including in the increasingly lawless Sinai Peninsula.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hagel-israel-did-not-tell-him-intel-syria-184631082--politics.html

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Traffic pollution, noise linked to heart diseases | Eco News

According to a German study, which for the first time explored the links between the two, exposure to traffic pollution and noise can in the long run lead to heart disease or atherosclerosis.

The study, which was based on data from the German Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study, calculated the long-term exposure to particle pollutants of 4814 participants who live near roads with high traffic volume.

The results were presented at a European Society for Cardiology event in the Italian capital, Rome.

For the first time, the cardiological study also took account of road traffic noise and its effect on cardiovascular diseases, as recorded by validated tests.

The test group?s level of atherosclerosis was then evaluated by measurement of vascular vessel calcification in the thoracic aorta by computed imaging.

Results showed that in 4238 subjects small particulate matter and proximity to major roads were both associated with an increasing level of aortic calcification.

For every increase in particle volume up to 2.4 micrometres, the degree of calcification increased by 20.7 per cent and went up an extra 10 per cent for every 100 metre of proximity to heavy traffic.

The study also found a increase in atherosclerosis associated with night time noise.

Dr Hagen K?lsch from the West-German Heart Centre in Essen said that long-term exposure to fine particle matter air pollution and to road traffic noise are both independently associated with subclinical atherosclerosis.

?These two major types of traffic emissions help explain the observed associations between living close to high traffic and subclinical atherosclerosis.

?The considerable size of the associations underscores the importance of long-term exposure to air pollution and road traffic noise as risk factors for atherosclerosis,? Dr K?lsch said.

The association between road traffic and heart disease has been suggested in previous studies.

In 2012 a study from Denmark showed that traffic noise was significantly associated with risk of heart attack.

For every 10-decibel increase in noise exposure, there was a 12 per cent increased risk, the study found.

Fine particle matter and traffic noise are believed to act through similar biologic pathways, thereby increasing cardiovascular risk.

They both cause an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system, which feeds into the complex mechanisms regulating blood pressure, blood lipids, and glucose level.

Source: http://econews.com.au/news-to-sustain-our-world/traffic-pollution-noise-linked-to-heart-diseases/

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Warmer Days are Here! - Portland Food and Drink

I do my best to keep the outdoor dining guide updated, and as it looks like warmer weather is headed towards Portland, I wanted to remind everyone that the list is here!

As always, corrections/deletions are welcome. If you have a patio that you?d like listed, fill out the simple form here.

"I have a wide-range of food experience - working in the restaurant industry on both sides of the house, later in the wine industry, and finally traveling/tasting my way around the world. Whether you agree or disagree, you can always count on my unbiased opinion. I don't take free meals, and the restaurants don't know when, or if, I am coming."

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Source: http://portlandfoodanddrink.com/warmer-days-are-here-dont-forget-the-newly-updated-outdoor-dining-guide/

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Ancient DNA reveals Europe's dynamic genetic history

Apr. 23, 2013 ? Ancient DNA recovered from a series of skeletons in central Germany up to 7,500 years old has been used to reconstruct the first detailed genetic history of modern Europe.

The study, published today in Nature Communications, reveals a dramatic series of events including major migrations from both Western Europe and Eurasia, and signs of an unexplained genetic turnover about 4,000 to 5,000 years ago.

The research was performed at the University of Adelaide's Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD). Researchers used DNA extracted from bone and teeth samples from prehistoric human skeletons to sequence a group of maternal genetic lineages that are now carried by up to 45% of Europeans.

The international team also included the University of Mainz in Germany and the National Geographic Society's Genographic Project.

"This is the first high-resolution genetic record of these lineages through time, and it is fascinating that we can directly observe both human DNA evolving in 'real-time', and the dramatic population changes that have taken place in Europe," says joint lead author Dr Wolfgang Haak of ACAD.

"We can follow over 4,000 years of prehistory, from the earliest farmers through the early Bronze Age to modern times."

"The record of this maternally inherited genetic group, called Haplogroup H, shows that the first farmers in Central Europe resulted from a wholesale cultural and genetic input via migration, beginning in Turkey and the Near East where farming originated and arriving in Germany around 7,500 years ago," says joint lead author Dr Paul Brotherton, formerly at ACAD and now at the University of Huddersfield, UK.

ACAD Director Professor Alan Cooper says: "What is intriguing is that the genetic markers of this first pan-European culture, which was clearly very successful, were then suddenly replaced around 4,500 years ago, and we don't know why. Something major happened, and the hunt is now on to find out what that was."

The team developed new advances in molecular biology to sequence entire mitochondrial genomes from the ancient skeletons. This is the first ancient population study using a large number of mitochondrial genomes.

"We have established that the genetic foundations for modern Europe were only established in the Mid-Neolithic, after this major genetic transition around 4,000 years ago," says Dr Haak. "This genetic diversity was then modified further by a series of incoming and expanding cultures from Iberia and Eastern Europe through the Late Neolithic."

"The expansion of the Bell Beaker culture (named after their pots) appears to have been a key event, emerging in Iberia around 2800 BC and arriving in Germany several centuries later," says Dr Brotherton. "This is a very interesting group as they have been linked to the expansion of Celtic languages along the Atlantic coast and into central Europe."

"These well-dated ancient genetic sequences provide a unique opportunity to investigate the demographic history of Europe," says Professor Cooper.

"We can not only estimate population sizes but also accurately determine the evolutionary rate of the sequences, providing a far more accurate timescale of significant events in recent human evolution."

The team has been working closely on the genetic prehistory of Europeans for the past 7-8 years.

Professor Kurt Alt (University of Mainz) says: "This work shows the power of archaeology and ancient DNA working together to reconstruct human evolutionary history through time. We are currently expanding this approach to other transects across Europe."

Genographic Project director Spencer Wells says: "Studies such as this on ancient remains serve as a valuable adjunct to the work we are doing with modern populations in the Genographic Project. While the DNA of people alive today can reveal the end result of their ancestors' ancient movements, to really understand the dynamics of how modern genetic patterns were created we need to study ancient material as well."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Adelaide.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Paul Brotherton, Wolfgang Haak, Jennifer Templeton, Guido Brandt, Julien Soubrier, Christina Jane Adler, Stephen M. Richards, Clio Der Sarkissian, Robert Ganslmeier, Susanne Friederich, Veit Dresely, Mannis van Oven, Rosalie Kenyon, Mark B. Van der Hoek, Jonas Korlach, Khai Luong, Simon Y.W. Ho, Lluis Quintana-Murci, Doron M. Behar, Harald Meller, Kurt W. Alt, Alan Cooper, Syama Adhikarla, Arun Kumar Ganesh Prasad, Ramasamy Pitchappan, Arun Varatharajan Santhakumari, Elena Balanovska, Oleg Balanovsky, Jaume Bertranpetit, David Comas, Bego?a Mart?nez-Cruz, Marta Mel?, Andrew C. Clarke, Elizabeth A. Matisoo-Smith, Matthew C. Dulik, Jill B. Gaieski, Amanda C. Owings, Theodore G. Schurr, Miguel G. Vilar, Angela Hobbs, Himla Soodyall, Asif Javed, Laxmi Parida, Daniel E. Platt, Ajay K. Royyuru, Li Jin, Shilin Li, Matthew E. Kaplan, Nirav C. Merchant, R John Mitchell, Colin Renfrew, Daniela R. Lacerda, Fabr?cio R Santos, David F. Soria Hernanz, R Spencer Wells, Pandikumar Swamikrishnan, Chris Tyler-Smith, Pedro Paulo Vieira, Janet S. Ziegle. Neolithic mitochondrial haplogroup H genomes and the genetic origins of Europeans. Nature Communications, 2013; 4: 1764 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2656

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/w9mrM1bOOEA/130423134037.htm

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Jupiter's atmosphere still contains water supplied by the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet impact

Apr. 23, 2013 ? Astronomy & Astrophysics is publishing Herschel observations of water in Jupiter's stratosphere. It is a clear remnant of the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet impact on Jupiter nearly 20 years ago.

In July 1994, the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 (SL9) hit Jupiter and left visible scars on the Jovian disk for weeks. This spectacular event was the first direct observation of an extraterrestrial collision in the solar system, and it was followed worldwide by professional and amateur astronomers.

SL9 was discovered orbiting Jupiter by astronomers David Levy and Carolyn and Eugene M. Shoemaker on March 24, 1993. It was the first comet observed orbiting a planet rather than the Sun. SL9 was found to be composed of 21 fragments. Soon after that, orbital studies showed that the comet had passed within Jupiter's Roche limit in July 1992. Inside this limit, the planet's tidal forces are strong enough to disintegrate a body held together by its own gravity, thus explaining SL9's fragmentation. Even more interestingly, the studies showed that SL9's orbit would pass within Jupiter in July 1994 and that the comet would then collide with the planet, with impacts in the southern hemisphere near 44?S latitude.

The SL9 impact and its subsequent scars on Jupiter were observed for weeks, but its chemical impact on Jupiter's atmosphere lasted even longer. Emission from water vapor was observed during the fireball phase of the SL9 impacts, but from that observation, it was difficult to assess how this would modify Jupiter's composition on the long term. In 1997, the ESA Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) detected water vapor in the stratosphere of Jupiter. At that time, astronomers suspected that it might be a consequence of the SL9 impact because comets are known to be water-rich bodies. However, there were other possible sources of water: interplanetary dust particles produced by cometary activity and asteroid collisions, icy rings, or one of the 60 Jovian satellites.

Nearly twenty years after this major impact, astronomers are still observing its consequences on Jupiter. T. Cavali? and his colleagues [1] observed Jupiter with the ESA Herschel Space Observatory, which is sensitive enough to map the abundance of water vs. latitude and altitude in the Jovian stratosphere. These observations, which have now been published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, show a clear north-south asymmetry in the distribution of water, with more water in the south. They indicate that 95% of the water currently observed on Jupiter comes from the comet.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Astronomy & Astrophysics.

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Journal Reference:

1. T. Cavali?, H. Feuchtgruber, E. Lellouch, M. de Val-Borro, C. Jarchow, R. Moreno, P. Hartogh, G. Orton, T. K. Greathouse, F. Billebaud, M. Dobrijevic, L. M. Lara, A. Gonz?lez, H. Sagawa. Spatial distribution of water in the stratosphere of Jupiter fromHerschelHIFI and PACS observations. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2013; 553: A21 DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201220797

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/CXcnp-4LL4M/130423102335.htm

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China says new North Korea nuclear test possible

BEIJING (AP) ? China's top general said a fourth North Korean nuclear weapons test is a possibility that underscores the need for fresh talks between Pyongyang and other regional parties.

Chief of the General Staff Gen. Fang Fenghui said Beijing firmly opposes the North's nuclear weapons program and wants to work with others on negotiations to end it. He said Beijing's preference is for a return to long-stalled disarmament talks involving the two Koreas, China, Russia, Japan and the U.S.

"We ask all sides to work actively to work on the North Koreans to stop nuclear tests and stop producing nuclear weapons," Fang told reporters. "We believe that dialogue should be the right solution."

Fang offered no indication as to when Beijing thought a test might happen or give other details.

His comments Monday followed a meeting with Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, whose first visit to China in that position comes amid heightened tensions between Pyongyang, South Korea and the U.S.

North Korea has been threatening to attack the U.S. and South Korea over recent military drills and sanctions imposed as punishment for its third nuclear test in February. Pyongyang calls the annual drills a rehearsal for invasion. South Korean officials have said the North is poised to test-fire a medium-range missile capable of reaching the American territory of Guam.

China is North Korea's most important diplomatic ally, main trading partner, and a key source of food and fuel aid. Yet while Beijing signed on to tougher U.N. sanctions following the February test, it says it has limited influence with Pyongyang and Fang declined to say whether Beijing would adopt tougher measures to pressure the North into reducing tensions.

In other remarks, Fang also sought to reassure Dempsey over recent reports of Chinese military-sponsored hacking attacks on U.S. targets, saying China opposed all such activity. The new spotlight on a long-festering problem has prompted calls for Washington to get tough on Beijing, and the administration is reportedly considering measures ranging from trade sanctions to diplomatic pressure and electronic countermeasures.

Fang repeated China's portrayal of itself as a major victim of hacking, saying China is heavily reliant on the Internet and has a strong vested interest in ensuring cybersecurity, Fang said.

"If control is lost over security in cyberspace, the effects can be, and I don't exaggerate, at times no less than a nuclear bomb," Fang said.

For his part, Dempsey sought to allay Chinese unease about the U.S. military's renewed focus on Asia. That has reawakened Chinese fears of being encircled by U.S. bases and alliances and brought strong criticism from the military.

"One of the things I talked about today with the general, is we seek to be a stabilizing influence in the region. And in fact, we believe, that it would be our absence that would be destabilizing, not our presence," Dempsey said.

However, while Washington is committed to building a "better, deeper, more enduring" relationship with China, its traditional alliances in Asia ? including with Japan and other Chinese rivals ? could at times create friction, he said.

While distrust lingers on both sides, efforts to expand cooperation between the Chinese and U.S. militaries have gained friction in recent months, and new anti-piracy and humanitarian relief drills are planned.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-says-north-korea-nuclear-test-possible-132839458.html

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Why "The Gap" Is the Personal Finance Number That Matters the Most

Personal finance is a numbers game. As much as I like to vouch for the ?personal? part of personal finance, it?s only half of the story??finance? is part of the phrase, too. In the end, you?re still looking at the dollars and cents on your paycheck, on your income tax forms, on your investments, in your retirement accounts, and so on.

This is a guest post from The Simple Dollar.

A long time ago, I wrote a post called Everything You Ever Really Needed to Know About Personal Finance on the Back of Five Business Cards. Since this post went up more than five years ago, I?m sure many of you don?t remember it, so here are those five cards.

The first four cards really just focus on one specific thing: the gap. I consider the size of that gap to be the most important number in personal finance.

In more straightforward terms, the ?gap? refers to the percentage of your income that you save for the future.

Here?s a quick way to figure out your ?gap,? and it?s pretty timely since most of us have this information sitting in front of us thanks to tax season.

First, figure out exactly how much your family earned in 2012. You can use either net (after taxes) or gross (before taxes), whatever makes you feel more comfortable, as long as you?re consistent about it. If you use gross for this calculation, always use gross. I usually suggest excluding any big one-time income streams from this calculation?for example, a big one-year bonus can really mess up this calculation.

Second, figure out exactly how much your family saved in 2012. How much of the income that was brought in by your family is now sitting in a savings or investment somewhere? For this info, you might have to look at bank statements and investment account statements.

Then, merely divide the amount saved by the amount earned using your calculator or a spreadsheet, then multiply that by 100 if you prefer to work with percentages. This will tell you the percentage of your income that you?re saving for the future. The bigger that number is, the better you?re doing financially. I haven?t found a single number that so accurately reflects how powerfully a person is working to improve their finances than this single number.

It works for any income level. A person that earns $18,000 a year and saves $1,800 is doing just as well as a person who saves $10,000 on an income of $100,000. Why? They?re both saving 10% of their income, and that 10% is going to have a similar profound life effect on each of them, though it will show up in different ways. It also leads toward self-sufficiency at exactly the same pace for each of them.

You can cause improvement in the number via both frugality and increased earnings. If you earn more without increasing your spending, the amount you save will go up. If you spend less without a change in income, the amount you save will go up. You can tackle this number from both sides if you wish, or focus on just one side or another. It?s also an incredible motivator. Want to push yourself to improve your finances? Focus on finding ways to beat your savings percentage from the previous year.

For us, our percentage has remained almost exactly the same for the last four years?about 35%. Over certain stretches of months, it?s been as high as 50%, but during other stretches, it?s been lower (thanks to vacations and so forth). My focus is mostly on maintaining this number. Another tip?debt repayment accelerates the growth of this number. Paying off a debt early makes it much easier to start saving a higher percentage of your income sooner rather than later.

Where should you be saving? The answer to that question depends heavily on your lifestyle and your goals. A single twentysomething who wants to be ?set for life? at the first possible second is going to save in different ways than a family in their thirties with lifetime career goals. If you?re not sure how you should be saving, sock money away in a savings account for now and start studying up, then use that saved money to set things up as you see fit.

Your ?gap? (or savings percentage) is a vital number. The bigger you make it, the better off you?ll be.

The Personal Finance Number That Matters Most | The Simple Dollar

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The Simple Dollar is a blog for those of us who need both cents and sense: people fighting debt and bad spending habits while building a financially secure future and still affording a latte or two. Our busy lives are crazy enough without having to compare five hundred mutual funds ? we just want simple ways to manage our finances and save a little money.

Image remixed from Galyna Andrushko (Shutterstock).

Want to see your work on Lifehacker? Email Tessa.

Source: http://lifehacker.com/why-the-gap-is-the-personal-finance-number-that-matte-476815605

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