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Friday, Jul 30, 2010 |
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Weather Forecast |
| Cities / State |
°C |
°F |
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Atlanta
(Georgia) |
24.6 |
76.2 |
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Charleston
(South Carolina) |
27.6 |
81.6 |
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Charlotte
(North Carolina) |
24.5 |
76.1 |
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Columbia
(South Carolina) |
26.6 |
79.8 |
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Dallas
(Texas) |
26.1 |
79.0 |
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Miami
(Florida) |
27.4 |
81.3 |
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Nashville
(Tennessee) |
24.1 |
75.4 |
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News » Home
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| Frogs Surprisingly Like Humans, Genetically Speaking |
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Date: 01-05-2010
African clawed frogs have more in common with humans than you might think, according to their newly sequenced genome, which shows a surprising number of commonalities with the human genome.
The frog in question is a slimy, rotund type scientifically named Xenopus tropicalis. This is the first time an amphibian genome has been sequenced, and scientists say it represents a big hop forward in understanding not just frogs but Earth's whole tree of life.
"A lot of furry animals have been sequenced, but far fewer other vertebrates," said study co-leader Richard Harland, a biologist at the University of California, Berkeley. "Having a complete catalog of the genes in Xenopus, along with those of humans, rats, mice and chickens, will help us reassemble the full complement of ancestral vertebrate genes."
Currently, more than 175 organisms have had their genetic information nearly completely sequenced. That's just a drop in the bucket of the world's plethora of life.
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| Heart group: Cut back — way back — on extra sugar |
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Date: 25-08-2009
A spoonful of sugar? Americans are swallowing 22 teaspoons of sugar each day, and it's time to cut way back, the American Heart Association says.
Most of that added sugar comes from soft drinks and candy — a whopping 355 calories and the equivalent of guzzling two cans of soda and eating a chocolate bar.
By comparison, most women should be getting no more than 6 teaspoons a day, or 100 calories, of added sugar — the sweeteners and syrups that are added to foods during processing, preparation or at the table. For most men, the recommended limit is 9 teaspoons, or 150 calories, the heart group says.
The guidelines do not apply to naturally occurring sugars like those found in fruit, vegetables or dairy products.
Rachel K. Johnson, lead author of the statement published online Monday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, said it was time to give specific advice on how much added sugar Americans should be getting, not just advising moderation.
"Take a good hard look at your diet," said Johnson, professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont in Burlington. "Figure out where the sources of added sugars are and think about how to cut back on that."
She said about 8 ounces of fruit-flavored yogurt has about 6 teaspoons of added sugar; 8 ounces of low-fat chocolate milk has about 4 teaspoons; a cup of frosted whole grain cereal has about 3 teaspoons.
The biggest culprits for the glut of sugar? Soft drinks by far, followed by candy, cakes, cookies and pies.
With about 8 teaspoons of added sugar, a regular 12-ounce soft drink will put most women over the recommended daily limit.
Cutting back on sugar likely won't be easy for many people, said Lona Sandon, a dietitian at Dallas' University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
"I think it's probably going to be a struggle for quite a few people," Sandon said.
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| U.S. Business Schools: Why Foreign MBAs Are Disappearing |
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Date: 07-08-2009
Over the past five years, admissions officers at business schools across the country watched gleefully as the number of international applicants applying to MBA programs grew exponentially, fueled largely by rapid growth from India and China.
This year that trend has collapsed. International applications were down at business schools across the country, challenging admissions officers to meet diversity goals and posing questions for the future.
"I'm wondering if we've hit the peak of international applications," says Brenda Knebel, director of admissions at Purdue University's Krannert School of Management (Krannert Full-Time MBA Profile). Krannert's international applications were down 30% this year, although enrollment is still on a par with last year. "I expect the fall to be the same or down, but I don't expect it to go back to the good old glory days."
Indeed, the last application cycle presented a mixed bag for admissions officers, who saw a jump in applications from domestic applicants but a sharp decline in international interest. At many schools, applications are down and enrollment has been curtailed, Even at schools where foreign applications are holding steady, successful applicants are facing delays getting visas, and admissions directors are worried that many may not make it to class in the coming weeks.
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| Toilet breaks down on crowded International Space Station |
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Date: 20-07-2009
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station used a pair of robot arms to install a pallet of equipment on Sunday, but when break-time came they may have found long lines at the bathrooms.
With a record 13 people aboard the station, the main toilet broke down, sending astronauts scrambling to the use backup commodes on the Russian side of the station and aboard the visiting U.S. shuttle Endeavour.
"Put an 'Out-of-Service' note on the WHC (waste and hygiene compartment)," Mission Control's Hal Getselman told a crewmember after a fruitless attempt at repairs.
The commode, which is connected to the station's wastewater-recycling system, had been the crew's main bathroom. NASA was limiting shuttle toilet use because it cannot dump the wastewater overboard, as is customary during flight.
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| Taller People Earn More Money |
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Date: 12-07-2009
There's a growing body of research that finds taller people make more money.
The latest study, in Australia, found that being 6-foot tall brings raises annual income nearly $1,000 compared to men two inches shorter.
"Taller people are perceived to be more intelligent and powerful," according to the study, published recently in the Economic Record.
"Our estimates suggest that if the average man of about 178 centimeters [5 feet 10 inches] gains an additional five centimeters [2 inches] in height, he would be able to earn an extra $950 per year - which is approximately equal to the wage gain from one extra year of labor market experience," said study co-author Andrew Leigh, an economist at the Australian National University.
Other studies in the United States and Britain put the extra earnings at nearly that much per inch.
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| Allman Bros Band's 'Big House' to open as museum |
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Date: 11-07-2009
It's the place where the Allman Brothers Band founded their Southern rock sound, the place where the song "Ramblin' Man" was penned and the last place Duane Allman visited before dying in a motorcycle crash in 1971.
The Big House in Macon, where the band lived when its fame took flight in the early 1970s, has been the place music lovers flocked during pilgrimages to the South over the last few decades looking to experience a small piece of the Allman Brothers Band. Now, the three-story Tudor house where the band got its start is set to become a museum with the help of dedicated fans who have spent years collecting memorabilia and doing renovations.
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| Charleston: Most polite place - for a pittance |
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Date: 08-07-2009
In Colonial times, Charleston, S.C., was America's wealthiest city. Three centuries later, it still has an upscale cachet with houses on its historic Battery fetching eight figures, and shopping and restaurants rivaling much larger cities.
But you don't need deep pockets to enjoy this town of pastel buildings, narrow alleys and quaint, secluded gardens. Indeed, you can experience much of Charleston, which has a reputation for being the nation's most polite city, for a pittance.
Where to start
It's hard to see Charleston from your car because you'll likely get confused in a tangle of one-way streets.
Most folks arrive by car, and your first stop should be the Visitor Center on Meeting Street, which is built in an old railroad warehouse and open daily (charlestoncity.info).
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| Statue of Liberty Facts: July 4th Reopening and More |
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Date: 04-07-2009
This Fourth of July visitors will once again be free to visit the Statue of Liberty's crown for the first time since 9/11.
The New York City landmark's upper reaches are set to reopen after being closed for safety reasons after the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The move follows the reopening of Liberty Island in late 2001 and of the statue in 2004.
Officials were concerned that, among other things, the double-helix staircase extending to the Statue of Liberty's neck was too difficult to evacuate, didnt meet fire codes, and frightened visitors.
Among the Statue of Liberty's changes since closing: improved, higher handrails on the main staircase; an enhanced the public address system; and starting this Fourth of July, stricter limits on visitors.
The National Park Service expects between 10,000 and 15,000 people to visit the 12-acre (5-hectare) Liberty Island on July 4.
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