The Daily Beast on the second life of landfills?Miranda Green observes a new trend among communities hoping to conceal unsightly landfills and garbage dumps: covering the sites with solar panels. "Many states and cities have long been turning trash into treasure by burning garbage to create heat and electricity, or by harvesting the methane gas that is released as junk decomposes," Green writes. "But in a new twist on this theme, several cities and municipalities are transforming capped landfills?the ultimate waste of space?into solar-power plants. ... Benefits come in the form of renewable electricity. Instead of letting landfills sit for years as the land settles and compacts, towns can place solar panels on the wide-open space and continue to make money from the energy collected."
RELATED: The Future of Oil; Canada's Keystone Power Play
Ars Technica on??climigration??John Timmer discusses a recent paper that takes note of a phenomenon called "climigration" ? where communities and even entire towns threatened by climate change decide to uproot and move to a less volatile area. "As climate change and sea level rise are permanently altering the landscape, it may not make sense to rebuild in precisely the same location," he writes. "That reality has already arrived for many communities in northern Alaska, where the vanishing sea ice and permafrost have left entire towns at risk of being washed away. If the experience of those residents is anything to go by, we're woefully unprepared for the new reality."
RELATED: Is Energy Independence a Myth?
The Washington Post on the left's reaction to Obama's energy deliberations "If you want to get a sense of how impatient some of President Obama?s most loyal supporters are getting when it comes to climate change," begins Juliet Eilperin,?"consider this: They?re planning to conduct protests at meetings of the grassroots advocacy organization run by his former top campaign aides." Eilperin explains the dilemma facing activists trying to influence the President: "Obama may very well address environmentalists? concerns this year by rejecting TransCanada?s application to build the Keystone across the U.S.-Canada border, and by regulating greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants. But the longer he takes to act, the more likely his primary organizing group will face an organized rebellion of its own."
RELATED: How Electric Cars Make Money; Fear of a Carbon Trading Planet
Reuters on how fracking caused a battle over water?Ernest Scheyder begins with a saying common in the parts of North Dakota affected by a recent oil boom: "In towns across North Dakota, the wellhead of the North American energy boom, the locals have taken to quoting the adage: 'Whiskey is for drinking, and water is for fighting.'" The maxim hints at what is in fact an ongoing battle to secure usable water in the area. "It's not that they lack water, like Texas and California," the author says. "They are swimming in it, and it is free for the taking. Yet as the state's Bakken shale fields have grown, so has the fight over who has the right to tap into the multimillion-dollar market to supply water to the energy sector."
RELATED: North Carolina Wants to Ban Tesla Cars
The New Yorker?on the Keystone XL pipeline's impact?What does the decision about the Keystone XL pipeline boil down to? In the midst of a heavy lobbying campaign in Washington, D.C., Elizabeth Kolbert weighs the principle arguments driving the debate. First, the pro side: "The arguments in favor of Keystone run more or less like this: Americans use a lot of oil?more than eighteen million barrels per day. It has to come from somewhere, and Canada is a more reliable trading partner than, say, Iraq." And the con: "?If we take the future at all seriously, which is to say as a time period that someone is going to have to live in, then we need to leave a big percentage of the planet?s coal and oil and natural gas in the ground."
20 May 2013Last updated at 19:08 ETBy Helen BriggsBBC News
A vaccine to protect sheep and cattle from a virus spread by midges has been approved by government vets.
The virus, which emerged in the Netherlands and Germany in 2011, can lead to sheep and cattle having stillborn or deformed offspring.
The disease has spread to every county in England and Wales, and was recently reported in Scotland.
Schmallenberg virus (SBV) causes fever, diarrhoea and loss of milk production in adult cattle.
The first SBV vaccine, developed by the animal health company Merck MSD, is expected to be available to UK farmers in the summer.
Continue reading the main story
?Start Quote
It is welcome news for British farmers to have the choice to vaccinate their animals. ?
End QuoteAlick Simmons Deputy chief veterinary officer, Defra
The vaccine is of most use before sheep and cattle become pregnant, as exposure to the virus during pregnancy can cause birth defects in the unborn animal.
Alick Simmons, deputy chief veterinary officer at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said in a statement:
"It is welcome news for British farmers to have the choice to vaccinate their animals.
"The vaccine will give extra assurance against this disease on top of the natural immunity we expect sheep and cattle to develop after initial exposure."
Continue reading the main story
Schmallenberg virus
Discovered in the German town of Schmallenberg in November 2011
Spread rapidly to many European countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium, France and the UK
Thought to be spread by infected midges
SBV causes relatively mild illness in adult cattle and sheep, but where infection takes place during the early stages of pregnancy it can result in congenital disorders of lambs and calves, and stillbirths
One of a class of emerging viruses spread by insects (arboviruses)
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control suggests that there is a low likelihood of any risk to public health
NFU livestock board chairman and sheep farmer, Charles Sercombe, lost 40% of his early lambing flock to the virus.
He said the vaccine would give added reassurance to farmers who were concerned about losing lambs to the disease.
"Everybody in farming who wants to use it will welcome it as soon as possible," he told BBC News.
"Some flocks need it in the next few weeks to fit in with their breeding programmes."
Reports from farmers suggest that at least 1,700 farms throughout the UK have now tested positive for the SBV virus.
UK farmers will be the first in the EU with access to the vaccine, according to Defra.
Phil Stocker, chief executive of the National Sheep Association, said farmers should speak to their vet about the timing of vaccination.
"The decision about whether to vaccinate or not will be down to each individual farmer, their business model, infection history, lambing pattern and location," he said.
LONDON ? The first British astronaut ever to visit the International Space Station will launch in 2015 for a six-month mission that may involve spacewalks, wrangling visiting robotic spacecraft and space experiments, the UK Space Agency announced today (May 20).
European Space Agency astronaut Timothy Peake, 41, will be the first British astronaut to fly in space in 20 years when he launches aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in November 2015. His mission was unveiled at London's Science Museum today.
Peake said he is ?"delighted and honored" to be selected for the mission. He will serve as a flight engineer during the space station's Expedition 46 and 47 crews. The mission will be the eighth long-duration mission for an ESA astronaut. [7 Notable Space Shuttle Astronauts]
"This is another important mission for Europe and in particular a wonderful opportunity for European science, industry and education to benefit from microgravity research," Peake said in a statement. He will also represent the UK Space Agency on the mission in addition to the ESA.
In training for the mission, Peake will learn how to use the European Columbus module, U.S. Destiny and Japanese Kibo laboratories on the International Space Station. His research work could include experiments in biomedicine, human physiology and the space environment. An experiment selection process is under way, officials said.
Big mission ahead
No final decisions have been made about exactly what science and other activities, such as spacewalks, he may perform on his mission. Peake's two fellow Soyuz crewmates and the rest of his six-person crew for the expeditions also have yet to be announced. [Life in Space: An Astronaut's Video Guide]
However, space station astronauts have had to perform emergency spacewalks for unscheduled repairs and maintenance, and Peake has had the necessary training for those tasks.
?I am qualified on both the Russian Orlan spacesuit and American Extra vehicular and Mobility Unit, the EMU," Peak said in response to a question from SPACE.com. "I completed that training last year in Houston. My training will continue on the American spacesuit up until launch, so I will be eligible for a spacewalk.?
Peake may also have to grapple with visiting spacecraft using the space station's Canadian-built robotic arm, Canadarm2.
"There are three vehicles planned to visit the station, two SpaceX and one Japanese HTV, and all three will require berthing and grappling," Peake said. "It's too early to tell if I will be undertaking that, but I will be qualified for those tasks."
The UK in space
Peake's selection to join a space station crew is a giant leap forward for British space science.
"This is a momentous day, not just for Tim Peake but for Great Britain," British Prime Minister David Cameron said of Peake. "I am sure he will do us proud and I hope that he will inspire the next generation to pursue exciting careers in science and engineering."
Peake's mission selection follows a 2012 announcement of an increase of 240 million British pounds (US $365 million) in the UK's funding to ESA over the next five years. This increase included 12.4 million pounds ($18.8 million) for microgravity research and 16 million pounds ($24 million) for communication and propulsion technologies for the ESA contribution to NASA's Orion crew exploration vehicle. That ESA contribution, a service module for Orion, means a European astronaut could potentially fly on NASA's Orion spacecraft or even the U.S. agency's planned asteroid mission in the 2020s.
In June 2012, Peake spent 12 days practicing an asteroid mission at the bottom of the ocean under NASA's Extreme Environment Mission Operations program. Known as NEEMO, the project sends teams to the Aquarius laboratory 60 feet (18 meters) below the ocean surface off ?Florida. It is used to test technologies and research crew behavior for long-duration missions. With his NEEMO crew mates, Peake had to deal with 50-second communication delays, replicate the 9 million mile-distance from Earth an asteroid mission may involve, and learn how to anchor to a surface to re-create what is needed to clamber over a near-Earth object.
From pilot to space man
A former British Army Apache helicopter test pilot, Peake in May 2009 became the first UK citizen to be selected for astronaut training by the European Space Agency. From Chichester, England, Peake is married with two children. He spent 18 years in British Army aviation, rising to the rank of major, before becoming a test pilot for helicopter company AgustaWestland.
Peake was selected as an ESA astronaut in 2009 and will be the fourth member of his six-person astronaut class to go into space. Peake already participates in an outreach program for schools, called Mission X, and the UK government has appointed him an ambassador for science and space-based careers.
After the selection, Peake and his classmates completed 18 months of basic astronaut training in November 2010, which included learning Russian and how to operate the Soyuz spacecraft. Earlier that year, Peake and his classmates underwent two weeks of survival training on the Italian island of Sardinia. In 2011, Peake and his fellow astronauts returned to Sardinia for a week-long isolation training underground in caves.
European space travelers
Peake?s ESA astronaut class includes Italy's Luca Parmitano, who flies to the ISS in eight days, on May 28, and Samantha Cristoforetti, who flies in 2014; Germany's Alexander Gerst, who also flies in 2014; and Frenchman Thomas Pesquet and Denmark's Andreas Mogensen, who are yet to be assigned missions.
Pesquet may also become a candidate for a joint ESA-China space mission. Pesquet is learning Chinese as part of ongoing astronaut training cooperation between ESA and China's space program.
Pesquet will still visit before 2017, but later in the decade he will be a candidate to fly on China's Shenzou spacecraft and for a Tiangong space laboratory flight or to the larger space station China plans to build by 2020.
Parmitano, NASA?s Karen Nyberg and Russia?s Fyodor Yurchikhin are to launch on May 28 aboard Soyuz TMA-09M for Expedition 36 and Parmitano will remain for Expedition 37. Each expedition lasts three months and astronauts typically do two. Gerst will go in May 2014 for Expeditions 40 and 41, returning to Earth in the November. Cristoforetti will be on Expedition 42, which will probably launch in November 2014.
Peake is the sixth British-born person bound for space. The first was Helen Sharman in 1991.
Sharman flew to Russia's space station Mir after 18 months of cosmonaut training for the Project Juno mission. The other British-born spaceflyers include NASA astronaut Michael Foale, who has dual U.S.-British citizenship, and flew for U.S space shuttle, Mir and International Space Station missions; Richard Garriott, the American son of NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, who paid for a private trip to the space station in 2008. Garriott is a U.S. citizen but was born in the UK; NASA astronauts Piers Sellers and Nicholas Patrick, who both obtained U.S. citizenship and visited the space station during shuttle missions.
Follow us?@Spacedotcom,?Facebook?and?Google+. Original article on SPACE.com.
Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's government upgraded its assessment of the economy in May for the first time in two months, in a sign growth is accelerating as exports and factory output pick up.
The economy is gradually recovering, according to the government's monthly economic report released on Monday. That was an upgrade from last month, when the government said the economy was showing signs of recovery but still had some weak spots.
Japan's gross domestic product expanded in January-March at its quickest pace in a year, data showed last week, as gains in consumer spending and a rebound in exports helped the economy recover from a slump last year.
The upgrade highlights the success of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's policies, which combine stimulus spending with aggressive monetary easing to pump-prime the economy and are resulting in a sharp weakening of the yen.
"We expect the economy to continue to recover as exports improve and as economic stimulus and monetary policy steps bolster sentiment," the Cabinet Office said in the report.
Abe, who is preparing to lead his Liberal Democratic Party in an upper house election in July, has put in place aggressive monetary easing and heavy fiscal spending with the aim of beating 15 years of nagging deflation.
The policy mix, dubbed "Abenomics", has pushed the yen to a 4 1/2-year low and sparked about a 75 percent rally in Japanese shares since November.
The government said exports are showing signs of recovery, which was in an upgrade from last month as the weak yen pushes up export volumes of cars, steel and chemicals, according to the Cabinet Office. That marked the second consecutive month of upgrades.
The report said factory output is gradually recovering, which was the first upgrade in two months. In April, the Cabinet Office said output was only showing signs of recovery.
Private consumption is recovering and capital expenditure is bottoming out, the Cabinet Office said, which was unchanged from last month's report.
The Bank of Japan stunned global financial markets last month by agreeing to double the amount of government debt it holds over the next two years to end deflation and achieve its 2 percent inflation target.
The overhaul of monetary policy has helped shares rally and pushed down the yen, but it caused yields to rise temporarily, leading the BOJ to boost money market operations to reduce volatility and push yields lower.
(Reporting by Stanley White; Editing by Kim Coghill)
Being beautiful is a perennial wish women have in their minds.? Proper skin care and hair care clubbed rightly with body care gives one beauty and good looks.? Try these tips shared by Dr. Sandeep Suttar, a surgeon at Hairrevive, Mumbai, and fall in love with your reflection in the mirror? all over again.
Google (and especially the Google+ team) are keeping very busy. While I/O 2013 may have wrapped up last week, the company's just unveiled a new update for its social network on Android devices. Packing some familiar new photo features (like auto-backup and auto-highlights), the refresh includes even more Snapseed filters and tools. Location sharing can now tap into your circle arrangements, and you'll be able to share geo-locations with specific sets of people. Related hashtags will now function within the app, like we've already seen on the web-based version, while (perhaps predictably) there's now one-tap access to Mountain View's Hangouts app too. Gotta keep 'em all connected, right?
Update: As some trying to downloading the app may have noticed, the update is currently incompatible with recent versions of Android. Google has quickly chimed in that this is simply the result of a slip-up, however, and should be corrected shortly.
Allana Maiden and her mother, Debbie Barrett, of Virginia.
Allana Maiden wanted her mother to feel beautiful again after she?d undergone ?a radical mastectomy. But Victoria?s Secret, the company she hoped would design sexy lingerie for women who?ve ?had breast cancer surgery, has rejected her appeal for a ?survivor line? of bras.
The Richmond, Va., 28-year-old was 6 years old when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and had her surgery. But she was always aware of her mother?s struggle to feel good about herself ? and to find a bra that not only fit but was reasonably priced.
Maiden was particularly disappointed in Victoria?s Secret?s decision after actress Angelina Jolie announced that she?d had a preventive mastectomy after learning she had the BRCA ?gene, which predisposes a woman to breast cancer.
?She put the news out there that you can still be attractive after having breast cancer and mastectomy,? Maiden said of Jolie. ?But a beautiful bra would have been a great thing to have, and now these bras are very limited.
?My mom and I have always said how much we appreciate Victoria?s Secret research efforts,? ?said Maiden, who works at an animal shelter. ?But cancer research doesn?t help survivors feel beautiful after the battle is over ? mastectomy bras do. ?This is a company that prides itself in innovation that helps women feel beautiful. I don?t think cancer survivors like my mom should be the exception to the rule.?
A representative from Victoria?s Secret called Maiden two weeks ago to tell her that the company would not be creating a new line of ?survivor? bras.
?Through our research, we have learned that fitting and selling mastectomy bras ? in the right way ? a way that is beneficial to women is complicated and truly a science,? said Victoria?s Secret Tammy Roberts Myers in a prepared statement today. ??As a result, we believe that the best way for us to make an impact for our customers is to continue funding cancer research.
?I was disappointed, obviously,? Maiden told ABCNews.com. ?I understand her decision, that there is a science that goes [with these] bras, and it?s more complicated than a regular bra would be. But I felt that if anyone could do it, they could. They have everything in place.?
According to the?Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, and it estimates that more than 1.6 million new cases occurred among women worldwide in 2010.
Maiden?s mother, 57-year-old Debbie Barrett, works in the admissions office at Virginia Highlands Community College. She was 36 when she found a lump during a self-examination and soon learned it was malignant.
Barrett wears a prosthetic because at the time of her mastectomy, insurance did not cover the cost of breast reconstruction. Because she lives in a rural part of Virginia, she has to drive 1? hours to find a store that sells bras that hold prosthetic breasts.
?It?s a huge ordeal,? her daughter told ABCNews.com earlier this year after she filed a petition on change.org, asking Victoria?s Secret to consider her proposal for a ?survivor? line of bras. To date, the petition has garnered 120,000 signatures.
The bras that ?Barrett wears have little pockets to hold the prosthetic breasts. ?They can be bought online, but it?s hard to get a good fit without being measured in person, say both mother and daughter.
Maiden and Barrett met with Victoria?s Secret representatives twice ? once when they delivered petition signatures to the company?s New York office and again when they were flown by the parent company to Columbus, Ohio, to meet with additional team members and cancer researchers.
Victoria?s Secret parent company, Limited Brands, has donated more than $1.6 million to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the American Cancer Society to fund breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment. Additionally, in the past two years, it has raised nearly $10 million for cancer research at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, according to the company.
Limited Brands just?participated in the local Komen Race for the Cure?with the largest team in the world.
People survey damage from a tornado that hit Edmond, Okla., on Sunday, May 19, 2013. A powerful storm system rumbled through the Plains and upper Midwest on Sunday, spawning tornadoes that damaged roofs and structures near Oklahoma City and kicked up debris in Wichita, Kan. (AP Photo/Sean Murphy)
People survey damage from a tornado that hit Edmond, Okla., on Sunday, May 19, 2013. A powerful storm system rumbled through the Plains and upper Midwest on Sunday, spawning tornadoes that damaged roofs and structures near Oklahoma City and kicked up debris in Wichita, Kan. (AP Photo/Sean Murphy)
Residents of Edmond, Okla., survey storm damage from a tornado that hit their neighborhood Sunday, May 19, 2013. Forecasters had warned that the middle of the country would see severe weather throughout the weekend. (AP Photo/Sean Murphy)
A tornado touches down southwest of Wichita, Kan. near the town of Viola on Sunday, May 19, 2013. The tornado was part of a line of storms that past through the central plains on Sunday. (AP Photo/The Wichita Eagle, Travis Heying)
June McFarland reacts to the first sight of storm damage in rural Osage, Iowa on Sunday, May 19, 2013. A powerful weather system moved through the area on Sunday afternoon triggering tornado warnings, high winds and hail. (AP Photo/The Globe Gazette, Arian Schuessler)
Jerry Dirks, at right, hugs her friend Earlene Langley after a tornado hit Driks' home just south of Carney Okla., on Sunday, May 19, 2013. Dirks was in her cellar at the time the tornado hit. (AP Photo/The Oklahoman, Bryan Terry)
SHAWNEE, Okla. (AP) ? One of several tornadoes that touched down Sunday in Oklahoma turned homes in a trailer park near Oklahoma City into splinters and rubble and sent frightened residents along a 100-mile corridor scurrying for shelter.
The tornadoes, high winds and hail across Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa were part of a massive, northeastward-moving storm system that stretched from Texas to Minnesota.
At least four separate twisters touched down in central Oklahoma late Sunday afternoon, including one near the town of Shawnee, 35 miles southeast of Oklahoma City, that laid waste to much of a mobile home park.
Across the state, 21 people were injured, not including those who suffered bumps and bruises and chose not to visit a hospital, said Keli Cain, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.
Following the twisters, local emergency officials went from home site to home site in an effort to account for everyone. Cain said that, many times in such situations, people who are not found immediately are discovered later to have left the area ahead of the storm.
Forecasters had been warning of a general storm outbreak since Wednesday, and for Sunday's storms some residents had more than a half-hour's notice that a twister was on the way. Tornado watches and warnings were in effect through late Sunday in much of the nation's midsection.
The trailer park west of Shawnee was among the hardest-hit areas, and among the hardest to reach, as tractor-trailers that forced the closure of a section of Interstate 40 north of the site and power lines draped across roads to the south.
James Hoke lives with his wife and two children in Steelman Estates Mobile Home Park. He said the family went into their storm cellar as the storm approached. When they came out, their mobile home had vanished.
"It took a dead hit," Hoke said.
A storm spotter told the National Weather Service that the tornado left the earth "scoured" at the mobile home park.
"It seemed like it went on forever. It was a big rumbling for a long time," said Shawn Savory, standing outside his damaged remodeling business in Shawnee. "It was close enough that you could feel like you could reach out and touch it."
Gov. Mary Fallin declared an emergency for 16 Oklahoma counties that suffered from severe storms and flooding during the weekend. The declaration lets local governments acquire goods quickly to respond to their residents' needs and puts the state in line for federal help if it becomes necessary.
Heavy rains and straight-line winds hit much of western Oklahoma on Saturday. Tornadoes were also reported Sunday at Edmond, Arcadia and near Wellston to the north and northeast of Oklahoma City. The supercell that generated the twisters weakened as it approached Tulsa, 90 miles to the northeast.
"I knew it was coming," said Randy Grau, who huddled with his wife and two young sons in their Edmond home's safe room when the tornado hit. He said he peered out his window as the weather worsened and believed he saw a flock of birds heading down the street.
"Then I realized it was swirling debris. That's when we shut the door of the safe room," said Grau, adding that they remained in the room for 10 minutes.
In Wichita, Kan., a tornado touched down near Mid-Content Airport on the city's southwest side shortly before 4 p.m., knocking out power to thousands of homes and businesses but bypassing the most populated areas of Kansas' biggest city. The Wichita tornado was an EF1 on the enhanced Fujita scale, with winds of 110 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
Sedgwick County Emergency Management Director Randy Duncan said there were no reports of fatalities or injuries in Kansas.
There were also two reports of tornadoes touching down in Iowa on Sunday night, including one near Huxley, about 20 miles north of Des Moines, and one in Grundy County, which is northeast of Des Moines, according to the Des Moines Register. There were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries.
In Oklahoma, aerial television news footage showed homes with significant damage northeast of Oklahoma City. Some outbuildings appeared to have been leveled, and some homes' roofs or walls had been knocked down.
"When I first drove into the neighborhood, I didn't see any major damage until I pulled into the front of my house," said Csaba Mathe, of Edmond, who found a part of his neighbor's fence in his swimming pool. "My reaction was: I hope insurance pays for the cleaning."
"I typically have two trash cans, and now I have five in my driveway."
The Storm Prediction Center had been warning about severe weather in the region since Wednesday, and on Friday, it zeroed in on Sunday as the day the storm system would likely pass through.
"They've been calling for this all day," Edmond resident Anita Wright said after riding out the twister in an underground shelter. She and her husband, Ed, emerged from their hiding place to find uprooted trees, downed limbs and damaged gutters in their home.
In Katie Leathers' backyard, the family's trampoline was tossed through a section of fence and a giant tree uprooted.
"I saw all the trees waving, and that's when I grabbed everyone and got into two closets," Leathers said. "All these trees just snapped."
___
Associated Press writers Ken Miller in Shawnee, Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Mo., and Kelly P. Kissel in Little Rock, Ark., contributed to this report.
CLEVELAND (AP) ? Justin Masterson struck out a season-high 11 in seven shutout innings and Michael Brantley homered and drove in four runs off Felix Hernandez as the Cleveland Indians toppled yet another former Cy Young Award winner on Sunday with a 6-0 win over the Seattle Mariners.
Brantley hit a three-run homer in the second inning off Hernandez (5-3), who failed to go at least six innings for the first time this season.
Staked to an early lead, Masterson (7-2) was dominant for the second straight start. He allowed three singles, easily outdueled Hernandez and ran his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 19. He shut out the New York Yankees 1-0 on four hits in his previous outing.
The Indians improved to 7-1 against Cy Young recipients, knocking off Hernandez, R.A. Dickey, David Price, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Bartolo Colon and Justin Verlander.
The AL Central-leading Indians have won 17 of 21 and are a baseball-best 20-7 since April 20.
Following walkoff wins in the first two games of the series, Cleveland took the drama out of this one early, building a 5-0 lead after two innings against Hernandez.
The 2010 Cy Young winner, who left his previous start after six innings with back stiffness, came in with the league's lowest ERA (1.53) but it rose to 2.07 after he gave up six runs and eight hits in five innings. Hernandez struck out eight, including the final three batters, but he was wasn't on his game ? and neither were the Mariners.
Seattle was only charged with one error, but the Mariners made several mental mistakes that helped the Indians.
Not that Masterson needed any.
The big right-hander overpowered the Mariners, who couldn't catch up to his 97 mph fastball and only had two runners reach second base against him. The Indians were hoping Masterson could develop into their ace, and so far this season he's been the dependable front-of-the-rotation starter they desperately needed.
Pitching with a six-run lead, he got stronger as the game progressed, striking out five of the last six and seven in the last three innings.
Brantley's three-run homer with two outs in the second gave the Indians a 5-0 lead over Hernandez.
The right-hander, who needed 35 pitches to get through the first, retired the first two hitters on groundouts before Michael Bourn singled and went to third on Jason Kipnis' base hit to center. Brantley then drove an 0-1 pitch into the Indians' bullpen in center for just his second homer.
It was a stunning development against Hernandez, who came in having allowed just four earned runs in 44 innings over his past six starts.
A fundamental gaffe by Hernandez allowed the Indians to add a run in the fourth. With Mike Aviles at second after a double, Drew Stubbs topped a ball into the dirt that catcher Jesus Montero fielded in front of the plate and threw to first for the out. Aviles never slowed coming around third and scored easily because Montero got caught up the line and Hernandez failed to cover home.
The Indians jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first off Hernandez, who didn't get much help from his defense.
Bourn led off with a single that he alertly turned into a double when right fielder Michael Morse casually charged the slow roller into right-center. One out later, Brantley hit an RBI single and took second when Morse overthrew his cutoff man while trying to get the speedy Bourn at home.
Nick Swisher then hit a grounder that went through first baseman Justin Smoak's legs, giving Cleveland a 2-0 lead.
NOTES: Cleveland's starters are 13-4 in the past 21 games. ... White Sox RHP Jake Peavy is the only former Cy Young winner to beat the Indians this season. ... Masterson is the fifth starter to record double-digit strikeouts against the Mariners in 2013. ... The Indians will try to complete the four-game sweep on Monday as the teams conclude their wrap-around series with a matinee. ... Smoak has reached safely in 13 consecutive games. ... The Indians are 9-1 against the AL West. ... The Mariners failed to homer for the first time in 10 games.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) ? The Los Angeles Kings are now the team bemoaning a late penalty while the San Jose Sharks celebrate a dramatic win.
With the script being flipped from Game 2 in Los Angeles, the Sharks have played their way back into this second-round series against their Southern California rivals.
Logan Couture returned from a second-period injury to score a power-play goal 1:29 into overtime that helped the Sharks bounce back from two losses in Los Angeles to beat the Kings 2-1 in Game 3 on Saturday night.
The second loss was particularly crushing as San Jose led 3-2 late in regulation before a pair of penalties ? including a questionable delay-of-game call ? led to two power-play goals that gave Los Angeles a 2-0 series lead. Instead of moping around, the Sharks responded with a big win.
"I thought the transition from being down to, 'Let's get ready to go,' was exceptional," coach Todd McLellan said. "The leaders did a great job. But you always have to take that test. You find out a lot about your team. We obviously showed up to play tonight."
This time, the Sharks were the beneficiaries of some late game calls.
Tommy Wingels drew a hooking penalty on Robyn Regehr with 41.7 seconds left in regulation. But the call that really had the Kings steaming came when Trevor Lewis was called for goaltender interference when he crashed into Antti Niemi with 4.5 seconds remaining.
Los Angeles argued that Patrick Marleau pushed Lewis, and goalie Jonathan Quick got a game misconduct for arguing with the officials after the game.
"I find it very tough to believe that a player as intelligent as Trevor Lewis, that he'd run the goalie," Kings forward Dustin Penner said. "I asked him and he said he got pushed from behind. I believe him. I'm disappointed that the refs had enough confidence to make a gutsy call like that in the last 30 seconds of the period.
"It's pretty impressive when you have enough gall to guess because I'm going to look at the tape and I'm going to see if he got pushed because I know what it's like to drive the net."
That gave San Jose a 5-on-3 advantage for the first 1:19 of overtime. The Sharks couldn't convert with two extra men, but got the winner after Regehr came back when Marleau set up Couture in front, who beat Quick for the game-winner.
"They said we got a break last game, so now they got a break," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said.
Dan Boyle scored a power-play goal early in the first period, and Niemi made 26 saves for the Sharks, who have dominated on home ice all season.
Rookie Tyler Toffoli scored the lone goal for the defending Stanley Cup champion Kings, who had won six straight games since dropping the first two in the opening round in St. Louis. Quick made 38 saves.
Game 4 is Tuesday night in San Jose.
Couture's first career playoff overtime goal came after he missed most of the second period when he limped off the ice favoring his left leg. He returned to an ovation in the final minute of the second and then got the Sharks back into the series in overtime.
"When you see someone leave after stepping on a puck like that, you don't know if he's going to come back or not," Marleau said. "And now he has his stick back in the game. And he scores the overtime winner. It's huge. It's to see him be able to push through that kind of pain."
The Sharks survived a scoreless second period in which they played with a short bench for much of it. Marty Havlat, back for the first time since being knocked out of Game 1 in the first round because of a lower-body injury, left after the first period and didn't return.
Defenseman Scott Hannan missed time early in the period after sliding face first into the boards, and Couture was also out.
Despite having just 10 forwards for most of the period, the Sharks got the better chances with only a sterling pad save by Quick against Andrew Desjardins keeping the game tied at 1 heading into the third.
"Guys really stepped up," Pavelski said. "The fourth line played a lot. Guys stepped up with short shifts. We had good game management. We did a good job."
The sold-out crowd was in a frenzy from the start, hoping to help the Sharks rebound from the late-game collapse in Game 2 in Los Angeles that put them in the 0-2 hole.
This time, the Sharks were on the positive end of a puck being played into the seats, getting a power play 90 seconds into the game when Jake Muzzin's clearing attempt went over the glass for a delay of game. It took just 4 seconds for San Jose to get its first power-play goal of the series as Joe Pavelski won the faceoff against Anze Kopitar back to Marleau, who fed Boyle for the blast from inside the blue line.
The Kings withstood that early storm, getting the equalizer shortly after killing a second power play midway through the period. Brad Stuart turned the puck over, trying to come out of the defensive zone, right to Toffoli, who skated in and beat Niemi with a backhand to make it 1-1.
NOTES: The Kings made a couple of lineup switches with F Tanner Pearson playing in place of Jordan Nolan, and Keaton Ellerby replacing Alec Martinez, who was on the ice for all three San Jose goals in Game 2. Pearson is the third Kings player ever to make his NHL debut in the postseason. ... The Sharks were fined $100,000 before the game for general manager Doug Wilson's comments Friday criticizing the suspension of F Raffi Torres for the rest of the series for his Game 1 hit that knocked out Jarret Stoll.
Sources close to to acquisition talks between Yahoo and Tumblr say the blogging platform feels that Yahoo's $1.1 billion offer as "too low" and view it as "only a first offer". Yahoo may have to significantly increase the offer to close the deal. An acquisition by some tech giant is likely in the cards for Tumblr, though, as sources say the company only has a couple of months of cash runway left.
New colonoscope provides ground-breaking view of colonPublic release date: 18-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Aimee Frank newsroom@gastro.org 301-941-2620 Digestive Disease Week
Colonoscopy withdrawal time, polyp removal technique also examined at DDW 2013
Orlando, FL (May 18, 2013) A ground-breaking advance in colonoscopy technology signals the future of colorectal care, according to research presented today at Digestive Disease Week (DDW). Additional research focuses on optimizing the minimal withdrawal time for colonoscopies and exploring safer methods for removing polyps.
During colonoscopy, doctors use a device called a colonoscope to examine the colon. This screening test for colorectal cancer allows a doctor to look for precancerous polyps called adenomas in the colon and rectum. A study featuring a new colonoscope that allows doctors to see more of the colon shows promise that could revolutionize colorectal cancer screening.
Researchers compared both the adenoma miss rate using the new colonoscope with the miss rate of a traditional colonoscope. The miss rate for the new colonoscope was only 7.6 percent as compared to 41.7 percent for the traditional colonoscope, in this study.
"It's always our goal to minimize miss rates in colonoscopy," said Professor Ian M. Gralnek of the Bruce and Ruth Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and senior physician at the department of gastroenterology, Rambam Health Care Campus and Elisha Hospital in Haifa, Israel. "These results show us a way to achieve that and improve the efficacy of colorectal cancer screening and surveillance colonoscopy."
Developed by EndoChoice, the Full Spectrum Endoscopy (FUSE) colonoscope maintains the identical technical features of the standard colonoscope, but allows the endoscopist to view 330 degrees, compared to the 170 degree viewing angle of the traditional colonoscope.
The study randomly assigned 197 patients for tandem colonoscopies using either the standard or the FUSE colonoscope first. In addition to a significantly lower adenoma miss rate, results showed a significantly higher adenoma detection rate favoring FUSE. Professor Gralnek credits FUSE's improved imaging technology with these findings as adenomas can be difficult to detect with only forward-viewing capabilities.
"Adenomas often hide behind folds in the colon and can be very difficult to find with a forward-viewing scope," Professor Gralnek said.
"Lower adenoma miss rates have important implications for patient surveillance," he added. The additional information FUSE provides to doctors may allow them to adjust patients' surveillance intervals according to risk level, ultimately helping to prevent incremental colorectal cancers. The FUSE scope could be available as early as this summer.
Colonoscopy withdrawal time makes a big difference for diagnosis
DDW also features other advances in colonoscopy relating not to what doctors see, but to how long they look. Researchers at Stanford University compared a three-minute versus six-minute withdrawal time during colonoscopy. The polyp miss rate was almost twice as high during the shorter procedure.
"The de facto standard of care for colonoscopy withdrawal time, which is six minutes, was based on a single observational study," said Sheila Kumar, research fellow in Stanford's division of gastroenterology and hepatology. "More data were needed to ensure that we are providing the best care possible. Our findings provide evidence-based support that prolonging withdrawal time significantly decreases polyp miss rates at colonoscopy."
Dr. Kumar's research represents the first randomized controlled trial examining the effect of colonoscopy withdrawal times on polyp miss rates. The study was conducted with patients undergoing colonoscopies at Stanford and the Palo Alto Veterans Administration Hospital. Patients were randomized to an initial three-minute or six-minute colonoscopy withdrawal time. Patients then underwent a "second look" six-minute withdrawal to determine if polyps were missed with the first look.
"The study design also allowed for data collection for screenings up to 12 minutes long, by combining data for the first and second withdrawal," Dr. Kumar said. "Future comparisons could help to confirm the optimal time parameters of a colonoscopy."
A safer polypectomy option for high-risk patients
In another study, researchers at Showa Inan General Hospital in Komagane, Japan, found that a particular method of polypectomy called a "cold snare" technique is safer for patients on anticoagulants.
When a colon or rectal polyp is detected during colonoscopy, a polypectomy is often recommended to remove the growth. But for patients who use anticoagulants, or blood thinners, polypectomies carry higher risk because of bleeding that occurs during excision of the polyp and recovery.
"The results of our study represent an important opportunity for patients whose options have been severely limited up to this point," said Akira Horiuchi, chief of the hospital's Digestive Disease Center.
The study compared the bleeding associated with the conventional polypectomy technique and the cold snare technique. With the first, the polyp is snared with a wire and then cut using electrocautery. The cold snare technique mechanically cuts off the polyp without electrocautery.
With the latter method, bleeding was seen in only about 5 percent of cases compared to 23 percent of cases using the conventional technique. No delayed bleeding was associated with the cold snare technique, whereas 14 percent of the conventional patients required hemostasis afterward. Polyp removal rates were identical for both approaches.
"These differences are exciting and encouraging," Dr. Horiuchi said. "We think the study paves the way for future research to validate a safer option for many patients."
Professor Gralnek will present data from the study "Comparing traditional forward-viewing colonoscopy with 'full spectrum endoscopy': a randomized, multicenter tandem colonoscopy study - the Fuse study," abstract 9a, on Saturday, May 18, at 9:44 a.m. ET in Room 415 Valencia of the Orange County Convention Center.
Dr. Kumar will present data from the study "Evaluating the optimal time for colonoscopy withdrawal: a prospective randomized comparison of three minute versus six minute withdrawal," abstract Mo1559, on Monday, May 20, at 8 a.m. ET in Hall West A1of the Orange County Convention Center.
Dr. Horiuchi will present data from the study "Prospective randomized comparison of cold snare polypectomy and conventional polypectomy for small colorectal polys in patients receiving anticoagulation therapy," abstract 852, on Monday, May 20, at 4 p.m. ET in Room 314B of the Orange County Convention Center.
###
Digestive Disease Week (DDW) is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW takes place May 18 to 21, 2013, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL. The meeting showcases more than 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. More information can be found at http://www.ddw.org.
Follow us on Twitter @DDWMeeting; hashtag #DDW13. Become a fan of DDW on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DDWMeeting?fref=ts).
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
New colonoscope provides ground-breaking view of colonPublic release date: 18-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Aimee Frank newsroom@gastro.org 301-941-2620 Digestive Disease Week
Colonoscopy withdrawal time, polyp removal technique also examined at DDW 2013
Orlando, FL (May 18, 2013) A ground-breaking advance in colonoscopy technology signals the future of colorectal care, according to research presented today at Digestive Disease Week (DDW). Additional research focuses on optimizing the minimal withdrawal time for colonoscopies and exploring safer methods for removing polyps.
During colonoscopy, doctors use a device called a colonoscope to examine the colon. This screening test for colorectal cancer allows a doctor to look for precancerous polyps called adenomas in the colon and rectum. A study featuring a new colonoscope that allows doctors to see more of the colon shows promise that could revolutionize colorectal cancer screening.
Researchers compared both the adenoma miss rate using the new colonoscope with the miss rate of a traditional colonoscope. The miss rate for the new colonoscope was only 7.6 percent as compared to 41.7 percent for the traditional colonoscope, in this study.
"It's always our goal to minimize miss rates in colonoscopy," said Professor Ian M. Gralnek of the Bruce and Ruth Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and senior physician at the department of gastroenterology, Rambam Health Care Campus and Elisha Hospital in Haifa, Israel. "These results show us a way to achieve that and improve the efficacy of colorectal cancer screening and surveillance colonoscopy."
Developed by EndoChoice, the Full Spectrum Endoscopy (FUSE) colonoscope maintains the identical technical features of the standard colonoscope, but allows the endoscopist to view 330 degrees, compared to the 170 degree viewing angle of the traditional colonoscope.
The study randomly assigned 197 patients for tandem colonoscopies using either the standard or the FUSE colonoscope first. In addition to a significantly lower adenoma miss rate, results showed a significantly higher adenoma detection rate favoring FUSE. Professor Gralnek credits FUSE's improved imaging technology with these findings as adenomas can be difficult to detect with only forward-viewing capabilities.
"Adenomas often hide behind folds in the colon and can be very difficult to find with a forward-viewing scope," Professor Gralnek said.
"Lower adenoma miss rates have important implications for patient surveillance," he added. The additional information FUSE provides to doctors may allow them to adjust patients' surveillance intervals according to risk level, ultimately helping to prevent incremental colorectal cancers. The FUSE scope could be available as early as this summer.
Colonoscopy withdrawal time makes a big difference for diagnosis
DDW also features other advances in colonoscopy relating not to what doctors see, but to how long they look. Researchers at Stanford University compared a three-minute versus six-minute withdrawal time during colonoscopy. The polyp miss rate was almost twice as high during the shorter procedure.
"The de facto standard of care for colonoscopy withdrawal time, which is six minutes, was based on a single observational study," said Sheila Kumar, research fellow in Stanford's division of gastroenterology and hepatology. "More data were needed to ensure that we are providing the best care possible. Our findings provide evidence-based support that prolonging withdrawal time significantly decreases polyp miss rates at colonoscopy."
Dr. Kumar's research represents the first randomized controlled trial examining the effect of colonoscopy withdrawal times on polyp miss rates. The study was conducted with patients undergoing colonoscopies at Stanford and the Palo Alto Veterans Administration Hospital. Patients were randomized to an initial three-minute or six-minute colonoscopy withdrawal time. Patients then underwent a "second look" six-minute withdrawal to determine if polyps were missed with the first look.
"The study design also allowed for data collection for screenings up to 12 minutes long, by combining data for the first and second withdrawal," Dr. Kumar said. "Future comparisons could help to confirm the optimal time parameters of a colonoscopy."
A safer polypectomy option for high-risk patients
In another study, researchers at Showa Inan General Hospital in Komagane, Japan, found that a particular method of polypectomy called a "cold snare" technique is safer for patients on anticoagulants.
When a colon or rectal polyp is detected during colonoscopy, a polypectomy is often recommended to remove the growth. But for patients who use anticoagulants, or blood thinners, polypectomies carry higher risk because of bleeding that occurs during excision of the polyp and recovery.
"The results of our study represent an important opportunity for patients whose options have been severely limited up to this point," said Akira Horiuchi, chief of the hospital's Digestive Disease Center.
The study compared the bleeding associated with the conventional polypectomy technique and the cold snare technique. With the first, the polyp is snared with a wire and then cut using electrocautery. The cold snare technique mechanically cuts off the polyp without electrocautery.
With the latter method, bleeding was seen in only about 5 percent of cases compared to 23 percent of cases using the conventional technique. No delayed bleeding was associated with the cold snare technique, whereas 14 percent of the conventional patients required hemostasis afterward. Polyp removal rates were identical for both approaches.
"These differences are exciting and encouraging," Dr. Horiuchi said. "We think the study paves the way for future research to validate a safer option for many patients."
Professor Gralnek will present data from the study "Comparing traditional forward-viewing colonoscopy with 'full spectrum endoscopy': a randomized, multicenter tandem colonoscopy study - the Fuse study," abstract 9a, on Saturday, May 18, at 9:44 a.m. ET in Room 415 Valencia of the Orange County Convention Center.
Dr. Kumar will present data from the study "Evaluating the optimal time for colonoscopy withdrawal: a prospective randomized comparison of three minute versus six minute withdrawal," abstract Mo1559, on Monday, May 20, at 8 a.m. ET in Hall West A1of the Orange County Convention Center.
Dr. Horiuchi will present data from the study "Prospective randomized comparison of cold snare polypectomy and conventional polypectomy for small colorectal polys in patients receiving anticoagulation therapy," abstract 852, on Monday, May 20, at 4 p.m. ET in Room 314B of the Orange County Convention Center.
###
Digestive Disease Week (DDW) is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW takes place May 18 to 21, 2013, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL. The meeting showcases more than 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. More information can be found at http://www.ddw.org.
Follow us on Twitter @DDWMeeting; hashtag #DDW13. Become a fan of DDW on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DDWMeeting?fref=ts).
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks at Ellicott Dredges in Baltimore, Froday, May 17, 2013, during his second "Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Tour". (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks at Ellicott Dredges in Baltimore, Froday, May 17, 2013, during his second "Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Tour". (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Despite Democratic fears, predictions of the demise of President Barack Obama's agenda appear exaggerated after a week of cascading controversies, political triage by the administration and party leaders in Congress and lack of evidence to date of wrongdoing close to the Oval Office.
"Absolutely not," Steven Miller, the recently resigned acting head of the Internal Revenue Service, responded Friday when asked if he had any contact with the White House about targeting conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status for special treatment.
The president's re-election campaign?" persisted Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif.
"No," said Miller.
The hearing took place at the end of a week in which Republicans repeatedly assailed Obama and were attacked by Democrats in turn ? yet sweeping immigration legislation advanced methodically toward bipartisan approval in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The measure "has strong support of its own in the Senate," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., a member of the panel.
Across the Capitol, a bipartisan House group reported agreement in principle toward a compromise on the issue, which looms as Obama's best chance for a signature second-term domestic achievement. "I continue to believe that the House needs to deal with this," said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, who is not directly involved in the talks.
The president's nominee to become energy secretary, Ernest Moniz, won Senate confirmation, 97-0. And there were signs that Republicans might allow confirmation of Sri Srinivasan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, sometimes a stepping stone to the Supreme Court.
Separately, a House committee approved legislation to prevent a spike in interest rates on student loans on July 1. It moves in the direction of a White House-backed proposal for future rate changes to be based on private markets.
Even so, Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, said, "It's been a bad week for the administration."
Several Democratic lawmakers and aides agreed, and expressed concern about the impact on Obama's agenda ? even though much of it has been stymied by Republicans for months already.
At the same time, Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., voiced optimism that the IRS controversy would boost the push for an overhaul of the tax code, rather than derail it. "It may make a case for a simpler tax code, where the IRS has less discretion," he said.
Long-term budget issues, the main flash point of divided government since 2011, have receded as projected deficits fall in the wake of an improving economy and recently enacted spending cuts and tax increases.
Even before Obama began grappling with the IRS, the fallout from last year's deadly attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, and from the Justice Department's secret seizure of Associated Press phone records, the two parties were at odds over steps to replace $85 billion in across-the-board spending cuts. In particular, Obama's call for higher taxes is a nonstarter with Republicans.
Other high-profile legislation and presidential appointees face difficulties that predate the current controversies.
Months ago, Obama scaled back requested gun safety legislation to center on expanded background checks for firearms purchasers. That was derailed in the Senate, has even less chance in the House and is unlikely to reach the president's desk.
Republicans oppose other recommendations from the president's State of the Union address, including automatic increases in the minimum wage, a pre-kindergarten program funded by higher cigarette taxes and more federal money for highways and bridge repair.
In a clash that long predates the IRS controversy, Senate Republicans seem intent on blocking Obama's nomination of Tom Perez as labor secretary. Gina McCarthy's nomination to head the Environmental Protection Agency is also on hold, at least temporarily, and Democrats expect Republican opposition awaits Penny Pritzger, Obama's choice for commerce secretary.
Rhetorically, the two parties fell into two camps when it came to the White House troubles. Democrats tended to describe them as controversies, Republicans often used less flattering terms.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., accused the administration of fostering a "culture of intimidation." He referred to the IRS, the handling of the Benghazi attack and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius' "fundraising among the industry people she regulates on behalf of the president's health care law."
Two days later, Camp, a 23-year veteran lawmaker, opened the IRS hearing by calling the agency's actions part of a "culture of cover-ups and intimidation in this administration." He offered no other examples.
Rep. Trey Radel, a first-term Florida Republican, said in an interview, "What we're looking at now is a breach of trust" from the White House.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California offered a scathing response when asked if the controversies would hamper Obama's ability to win legislation from the Republican-controlled House. "Well, the last two years there was nothing that went through this Congress, and it was no AP, IRS or any other (thing) that we were dealing with."
"They just want to do nothing. And their timetable is never," she said of GOP lawmakers.
Similarly, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid gave no ground on Benghazi, a dispute that increasingly centered on talking points written for administration officials to use on television after the attack last September in which U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed.
"It's obvious it's an attempt to embarrass President Obama and embarrass Hillary Clinton," he said of Republican criticism that first flared during last year's election campaign.
On a third front, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., resurrected legislation that would requiring a judge to approve subpoenas for news media communications records when investigating news leaks said to threaten the national security. It was a response to the FBI's secret, successful pursuit of Associated Press phone records in a current probe.
While Democrats counterattacked on Benghazi and parried on leaks, they bashed the IRS' treatment of conservative groups as improper if not illegal ? and warned Republicans not to overplay their hand.
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Sources close to to acquisition talks between Yahoo and Tumblr say the blogging platform feels that Yahoo's $1.1 billion offer as "too low" and view it as "only a first offer". Yahoo may have to significantly increase the offer to close the deal. An acquisition by some tech giant is likely in the cards for Tumblr, though, as sources say the company only has a couple of months of cash runway left.![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 18-May-2013
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