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Thursday, February 28, 2013
Iran runs altered images of Michelle Obama gown
This screen grab taken from the website of Iran's semi-official Fars news agency shows an altered photo of U.S. first lady Michelle Obama presenting the best picture award at the Oscars ceremony via video link on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. The first lady wore a sleeveless, scoop neck gown for the occasion, but Fars ran this altered photo that covered her shoulders and neckline with added material. State TV showed images that blurred the parts of her body that were exposed. (AP Photo/Fars news agency)
This screen grab taken from the website of Iran's semi-official Fars news agency shows an altered photo of U.S. first lady Michelle Obama presenting the best picture award at the Oscars ceremony via video link on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. The first lady wore a sleeveless, scoop neck gown for the occasion, but Fars ran this altered photo that covered her shoulders and neckline with added material. State TV showed images that blurred the parts of her body that were exposed. (AP Photo/Fars news agency)
FILE - In this Feb. 24, 2013 file photo, first lady Michelle Obama, appearing via video link, and actor Jack Nicholson present the award for best picture during the Oscars ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. As seen in this photo, the first lady wore a sleeveless, scoop neck gown for the occasion. But Iran's semi-official Fars news agency ran an altered photo that covered her shoulders and neckline with added material to make her gown look less revealing. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - In this combination of photos made on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013, first lady Michelle Obama, appearing via video link, and actor Jack Nicholson present the award for best picture during the Oscars ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. As seen in the bottom photo, the first lady wore a sleeveless, scoop neck gown for the occasion. The photo on top is an altered version that Iran's semi-official Fars news agency ran on their website, with her shoulders and neckline covered with added material to make her gown look less revealing. (AP Photo/Invision (below), Fars (above))
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? Iranian state media has run altered images of first lady Michelle Obama's Oscars appearance, making her gown look less revealing.
The first lady wore a sleeveless, scoop neck gown. The semi-official Fars news agency ran an altered photo that covered her shoulders and neckline with added material. State TV showed images that blurred the parts of her body that were exposed.
Under Iran's Islamic dress code, women are required to cover their bodies in public. Films showing foreign women without a headscarf are considered acceptable, but revealing clothes are forbidden.
For the Oscars ceremony, Michelle Obama at the White House joined Jack Nicholson via video link to help present the best picture prize for "Argo," a film based on the escape of six American hostages from the besieged U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979.
Fars said the first lady's announcement suggested that the film was made with U.S. government support. Iranian officials have dismissed "Argo" as a CIA commercial.
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Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Morrissey: 'If More Men Were Homosexual, There Would Be No Wars'
Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway, who's been outspoken about her support for her gay brother, <a href="http://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/anne-hathaway-1" target="_hplink">told Chelsea Handler in <em>Interview</em></a>, "The other thing I want to say about Jersey is they need to get on the New York bandwagon and legalize gay marriage." She continued, "But I think everybody should do that. It's not a specifically Jersey thing."
Brad Pitt
Though it was revealed recently that Pitt and longtime partner Angelina Jolie <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/13/brad-pitt-angelina-jolie-engaged-jeweler_n_1424139.html" target="_hplink">are now engaged</a> (they previously said they would not get married until marriage was an option for all people), the actor has been a staunch supporter of the LGBT community. In 2009 he donated $100,000 to fighting Proposition 8, the California law which made same-sex marriage illegal in the state. Pitt said: <blockquote>"Because no one has the right to deny another their life, even though they disagree with it, because everyone has the right to live the life they so desire if it doesn't harm another and because discrimination has no place in America, <a href="http://www.eonline.com/news/spielberg_makes_like_pitt_supports/30446" target="_hplink">my vote will be for equality and against Proposition 8.</a>"</blockquote> Pitt also recently starred in a production of Dustin Lance Black's play "8," based on the Prop 8 trial.
Cyndi Lauper
Lauper launched her Give a Damn Campaign to raise awareness for the struggles of gay and transgender youth. "For far too long, dogma and fear have torn apart too many families,<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cyndi-lauper/give-a-damn_b_1000046.html" target="_hplink">" she wrote in The Huffington Post in 2011</a>. "It is a time when the heart must lead the way when your child shares this personal and life-changing moment with you."
Clint Eastwood
In a 2011 interview with <em>GQ</em> Eastwood said: "These people who are making a big deal out of gay marriage? I don't give a f*** about who wants to get married to anybody else! Why not?! We're making a big deal out of things we shouldn't be making a deal out of. They go on and on with all this bulls*** about "sanctity" -- don't give me that sanctity crap! <a href="http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201110/leonardo-dicaprio-clint-eastwood-gq-september-2011-cover-story-article#ixzz1dEBChGb4" target="_hplink">Just give everybody the chance to have the life they want."</a>
Drew Barrymore
Barrymore <a href="http://www.justjared.com/2009/05/27/drew-barrymore-gay-marriage-rally/" target="_hplink">stepped out to support gay marriage</a> after the California Supreme Court's ruling to uphold Proposition 8 in 2009, saying "I am who I am because of the people who influenced me growing up, and many of them were gay. No one has any right to tell anyone what makes a family."
Charles Barkley
During an interview on SiriusXM radio, Barkley was asked how he felt about gay players in the locker room. Barkley responded <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2011/05/media-watch-charles-barkley-on-gay-athletes----we-dont-care/1#.T4wuIZrLx1M" target="_hplink">that a gay player would only be judged based</a> on "whether he can play or not. If somebody is gay, that's their own business. But it bothers me how people try to say that jocks are not going to like a gay. ... I think gay people should be allowed to get married and God bless them, that's their own business. Listen, if a guy can't play that's the only time we don't want to play with him. We don't care about all that extracurricular stuff."
Kate Winslet
"I like the diversity that my children are exposed to every day," Kate Winslet <a href="http://www.vmagazine.com/2011/09/kate-winslet/?page=2" target="_hplink">told <em>V</em> magazine in 2011</a>. "I love the way their brains work. Joe [her son] turns to me the other day and says, 'One day, I will have a girlfriend. But I might have a boyfriend. If I'm gay.' He's 7! And I said, 'You might have a girlfriend or a boyfriend, darling.' And he said, 'Which would you prefer?' And I said, 'My love, that would be entirely up to you, and it doesn't make any difference to me.'"
Sean Avery
Not only has the New York Rangers hockey star come out in support of gay marriage (see the video above), when asked about <a href="http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/2011/02/03/17146546.html" target="_hplink">what he'd do if there were a gay player in the locker room</a> he said: <blockquote>"I'll stand beside him in the dressing room while he tells his teammates he is gay. Maybe if Sean Avery is there, they would have less of a problem with it."</blockquote>
Daniel Radcliffe
The "Harry Potter" star has long been an advocate for LGBT causes including <a href="http://www.thetrevorproject.org/" target="_hplink">The Trevor Project</a>, which helps LGBT youth who are dealing with suicidal thoughts. Radcliffe, who was <a href="http://www.out.com/entertainment/2010/08/08/daniel-radcliffe-and-our-lady-j-odd-couple" target="_hplink">featured on the cover of gay men's magazine <em>Out</em></a> with transgender musician and friend Our Lady J, will play gay poet Allen Ginsberg in an upcoming biopic.
Julianne Moore
"I think it's a very basic human rights issue," Moore, who played one half of a lesbian couple in 2010's "The Kids Are Alright,"<a href="http://www.wwd.com/eye/parties/calvin-klein-fetes-americans-for-marriage-equality-5400017" target="_hplink"> told <em>Women's Wear Daily.</em></a> "Everybody has the right to marry the person they love and be represented as a couple and family....It's something that people will look back on in years to come and say, 'I can't believe it took so long for us to recognize this.' It'll be like segregation and giving women the right to vote."
Steven Spielberg
Brad Pitt wasn't the only one to donate to the fight against Prop 8. In 2008 Steven Spielberg also plunked down $100,000 in hopes of defeating the anti-marriage equality bill. Spielberg, who made the donation with his wife Kate Capshaw, said: "By writing discrimination into our state constitution, Proposition 8 seeks to eliminate the right of each and every citizen in our state to marry regardless of sexual orientation. <a href="http://www.eonline.com/news/spielberg_makes_like_pitt_supports/30446#ixzz1sDFjEXxY" target="_hplink">Such discrimination has NO place in California's constitution, or any other.</a>"
Miley Cyrus
In August 2011, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/03/miley-cyrus-why-i-got-my-gay-marriage-tattoo_n_1253130.html" target="_hplink">Cyrus tattooed</a> a small "equals" sign on her middle finger, in support of same-sex marriage. She later told <em>Glamour</em> that the idea of not being able to marry the person you love more than anything in the world makes her "feel sick to her stomach."
Sean Penn
Penn played the role of slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk and was awarded an Oscar for his incredible portrayal. During his acceptance speech Penn said: <blockquote>"I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support. We've got to have equal rights for everyone."</blockquote>
Pink
Pink chose to set the video for her 2010 hit "Raise Your Glass" at a gay wedding. "I threw my best friend's wedding in my backyard -- [she] is gay and she married her wife, and it was absolutely beautiful," <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1649597/pinks-raise-your-glass-video-celebrates-gay-marriage.jhtml" target="_hplink">she told MTV News</a>. "At the end of it, her mom said, 'Why can't this be legal?' and started crying. It was just the most heartbreaking thing I've ever seen, so that's why I'm doing it in my video. "
Russell Simmons
The entertainment mogul has long been an ally to the LGBT community. In a 2009 Huffington Post blog written as an open letter to then NY Governor David Paterson, Simmons said: <blockquote>"You have recently done this in showing support for the legalization of gay marriage. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/russell-simmons/dear-governor-paterson-an_b_188307.html" target="_hplink">History will show you are right</a> and will we support you on this issue."</blockquote>
Natalie Portman
Portman and husband Benjamin Millepied <a href="http://www.eonline.com/news/natalie_portman_benjamin_millepied_say/245874" target="_hplink">were among the stars</a> who signed Freedom to Marry's "I Do" open letter, which called on President Obama to declare his support for marriage equality.
Zach Wahls
The son of two lesbians, Wahls gave an <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/01/zach-wahls-iowa-student-marriage-equality_n_1123020.html" target="_hplink">incredible pro-gay marriage, pro-gay parenting speech</a> in front of the Iowa House of Representatives in February of 2011. The speech was so inspiring that it went viral on the Internet not just in February of 2011 but then again nearly 11 months later in December of 2011. Up next, Wahls will serve as co-chair for "The Outspoken Generation," the Family Equality Council's national youth advocacy initiative <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/06/zach-wahls-outspoken-generation-ella-robinson-gay-parents_n_1408703.html" target="_hplink">involving the young adult children of LGBT parents.</a> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/06/zach-wahls-outspoken-generation-ella-robinson-gay-parents_n_1408703.html
Jennifer Aniston
Following New York's historic passage of a same-sex marriage bill in June 2011, Jennifer Aniston <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666491/jennifer-aniston-gay-marriage-vote.jhtml" target="_hplink">told MTV News:</a> "It's great! I thought it was unbelievable. So exciting in this time and that it happens to be Gay Pride weekend. What a great weekend."
George Clooney
In a recent interview with "the Advocate," the longtime LGBT ally, addressed rumors about his own sexuality and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/29/george-clooney-advocate-gay-rumors-marriage-brad-pitt_n_1310901.html" target="_hplink">affirmed his dedication to supporting his gay friends</a>: <blockquote>"I think it's funny, but the last thing you'll ever see me do is jump up and down, saying, 'These are lies!' That would be unfair and unkind to my good friends in the gay community," Clooney said. "I'm not going to let anyone make it seem like being gay is a bad thing. My private life is private, and I'm very happy in it. Who does it hurt if someone thinks I'm gay? I'll be long dead and there will still be people who say I was gay. I don't give a sh*t."</blockquote>
Hudson Taylor
The wrestling star and Division I wrestling coach recently launched Athlete Ally, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which aims to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hudson-taylor/gay-college-sports-coaches_b_1210651.html" target="_hplink">educate and empower straight allies in sports</a> to speak out against homophobia and transphobia.
Josh Hutcherson
Hutcherson is <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/16/josh-hutcherson-glaad-vanguard-award_n_1428460.html" target="_hplink">the youngest person to ever be honored by GLAAD with the Vanguard Award for his work with the LGBT community</a>, which includes the founding of Straight But Not Narrow, a campaign that "is primarily directed to the young, straight male by using comedy and their peers to positively influence their views on LGBT teens." The teen, who filmed a video for SBNN (see above) told SamaritanMag.com, "...[the campaign] hits close to home for me. I have a lot of gay friends in Los Angeles. My roommate's gay and I lost two uncles when I was young to AIDS, so it's an important cause in my family."
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/27/morrissey-homosexual-men-wars_n_2773989.html
Anti-gun Democrat shoo-in to replace Jackson Jr.
Robin Kelly celebrates her special primary election win for Illinois' 2nd Congressional District, once held by Jesse Jackson Jr., Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, in Matteson, Ill. After a primary campaign dominated by gun control and economic woes, voters chose Kelly over Debbie Halvorson and Anthony Beale, making her the likely replacement for Jesse Jackson Jr., three months after his legal troubles and battle with depression forced the son of the civil rights leader to resign from Congress. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Robin Kelly celebrates her special primary election win for Illinois' 2nd Congressional District, once held by Jesse Jackson Jr., Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, in Matteson, Ill. After a primary campaign dominated by gun control and economic woes, voters chose Kelly over Debbie Halvorson and Anthony Beale, making her the likely replacement for Jesse Jackson Jr., three months after his legal troubles and battle with depression forced the son of the civil rights leader to resign from Congress. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Robin Kelly celebrates her special primary election win for Illinois' 2nd Congressional District, once held by Jesse Jackson Jr., Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, in Matteson, Ill. After a primary campaign dominated by gun control and economic woes, voters chose Kelly over Debbie Halvorson and Anthony Beale, making her the likely replacement for Jesse Jackson Jr., three months after his legal troubles and battle with depression forced the son of the civil rights leader to resign from Congress. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale, a Democrat, speaks with election judge Nancy Karen as he casts his vote in Chicago, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, in the special primary election to replace former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson in Illinois' 2nd Congressional District. Beale is one of three front-runners in the primary. The others include former state Rep. Robin Kelly and former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson. They were among 14 Democrats and four Republicans in the special primary, but the Democratic winner is expected to sail through the April 9 general election because of the heavily Democratic region. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)
Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson casts her vote in Steger, Ill., Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, in the special primary election to replace former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson in Illinois' 2nd Congressional District. Halvorson is one of the front-runners in the primary.? The others include former state Rep. Robin Kelly and Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale. They were among 14 Democrats and four Republicans in the special primary, but the Democratic winner is expected to sail through the April 9 general election because of the heavily Democratic region. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)
Former Illinois state Rep. Robin Kelly, a Democrat, finds a supporter in Yolanda Stratton as she campaigns at an IHOP in Matteson, Ill., on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, on the final day of the special primary election to replace disgraced former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson in Illinois' 2nd Congressional District. Kelly is one of the three front-runners in the primary. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)
CHICAGO (AP) ? The newly elected Democratic nominee to replace disgraced former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. vowed to become a leader in the fight for federal gun control and directly challenged the National Rifle Association in her victory speech.
But it remains to be seen if Robin Kelly's primary win Tuesday night in the Chicago-area district, aided by a $2 million ad campaign funded by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's super PAC, would fuel the national debate.
Kelly, a former state representative, emerged early as a voice for gun control in the truncated primary season after Jackson resigned in November. She gained huge momentum as Bloomberg's super PAC poured money into anti-gun television ads in her favor that blasted one of her Democratic opponents, former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson, for receiving a previous high rating from the NRA. Kelly supports an assault weapons ban, while Halvorson does not.
"We were on the right side of the issue and our message resonated," Kelly told The Associated Press shortly after her win.
Kelly promised in her victory speech later Tuesday night to fight "until gun violence is no longer a nightly feature on the evening news" and directly addressed the NRA, saying "their days of holding our country hostage are coming to an end."
Bloomberg called Kelly's win an important victory for "common sense leadership" on gun violence, saying in a statement that voters nationwide are demanding change from their leaders.
But other Democratic front-runners accused Bloomberg of buying a race and interfering in the heavily urban district that also includes some Chicago suburbs and rural areas.
"It shows, unfortunately, you can't go up against that big money. ...That's the problem with super PACs," Halvorson, who unsuccessfully challenged Jackson in a primary last year, told the AP. "There is nothing I could have done differently."
Kelly's win all but assures she will sail through the April 9 general election and head to Washington, because the Chicago-area district is overwhelmingly Democratic. The Republican contest, featuring four lesser-known candidates, was too close to call as of Tuesday night, though no Republican has won the district in 50 years.
The race was the district's first wide-open primary since 1995, when Jackson was first elected to Congress in a special election. He resigned in November after a months-long medical leave for treatment of bipolar disorder and other issues, then pleaded guilty this month to misspending $750,000 in campaign money on lavish personal items.
Even with his legal saga playing out in the courts, talk of guns dominated the primary race, which featured 14 Democrats. The election came after Chicago saw its deadliest January in more than a decade, including the fatal shooting of a high-profile honors student just days after she performed at events in Washington to celebrate President Barack Obama's second inauguration.
Political experts and fellow candidates said the super PAC money made all the difference, particularly in an election with a short primary and low voter turnout.
"The money bought Kelly a tremendous among of attention," said Laura Washington, a political analyst in Chicago. "She tapped into a real hard nerve out there in the community. People are really concerned about gun control and violence. She was smart to focus like a laser on that issue."
Bloomberg's entrance into the race became controversial, at least with the candidates and some voters.
The Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent has long taken a vocal stance against guns. He launched his super PAC weeks before the November election and spent more than $12 million to back seven candidates nationwide, including for newly elected Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod, a California Democrat who ousted an incumbent during a race where guns were an issue.
On Tuesday, Kelly told supporters that she would work with Obama and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to get gun control legislation through Congress.
However, gun rights advocates dismissed the notion that Kelly's election and Bloomberg's attention would fuel the debate on gun control.
"This is an aberration," said Illinois State Rifle Association spokesman Richard Pearson. "This shows what you can do with $2 million in an offseason race. He bought the election is the way."
Another Democratic front-runner, Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale, also took issue with the ads, saying people were "extremely upset" that someone from New York was trying to tell people in Illinois how to vote.
"That's what money gets you," he told the AP after conceding late Tuesday. "We earned every vote."
Roughly 14 percent of registered voters came to the polls, an estimate Chicago officials called the lowest turnout in decades. Adding to the problem was a blast of wintry weather Tuesday that snarled traffic, cancelled hundreds of flights and could have kept some voters home.
But those who did make it out indicated that guns, ethics and economic woes were on their minds.
Mary Jo Higgins of Steger, a south Chicago suburb, said she voted for Halvorson because the former congresswoman was "the only Democrat who believes in the Second Amendment."
But Country Club Hills minister Rosemary Gage said she voted for Kelly because she was "standing with (Obama) and trying to get rid of guns."
"It's really bad in Chicago and across the country," Gage said. "Too many children have died."
___
Associated Press writer Sara Burnett contributed to this report.
___
Sophia Tareen can be reached at http://twitter.com/sophiatareen
Associated PressToxic mice air drop: Dead poisoned mice to target Guam tree snakes
Toxic mice air drop: The US government is about target invasive brown tree snakes in Guam by bombing the island with dead mice laced with?acetaminophen, which is toxic to the reptiles.
A Brown Tree Snake is held by a US Department of Agriculture wildlife specialist at Andersen Air Force Base on the island of Guam. The US government is planning to drop toxic mice from helicopters to battle the snakes, an invasive species that has decimated Guam's native bird population.
Eric Talmadge/AP
EnlargeAndersen Air Force Base, Guam
Dead mice laced with painkillers are about to rain down on?Guam's?jungle canopy. They are scientists' prescription for a headache that has caused the tiny U.S. territory misery for more than 60 years: the brown tree snake.
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Most of?Guam's?native bird species are extinct because of the snake, which reached the island's thick jungles by hitching rides from the South Pacific on U.S. military ships shortly after World War II. There may be 2 million of the reptiles on?Guam?now, decimating wildlife, biting residents and even knocking out electricity by slithering onto power lines.
More than 3,000 miles away, environmental officials in Hawaii have long feared a similar invasion ? which in their case likely would be a "snakes on a plane" scenario. That would cost the state many vulnerable species and billions of dollars, but the risk will fall if?Guam's?air-drop strategy succeeds.
"We are taking this to a new phase," said Daniel Vice, assistant state director of U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services in Hawaii,?Guam, and the Pacific Islands. "There really is no other place in the world with a snake problem like?Guam."
Brown tree snakes are generally a few feet (1 meter) long but can grow to be more than 10 feet (3 meters) in length. Most of?Guam's?native birds were defenseless against the nocturnal, tree-based predators, and within a few decades of the reptile's arrival, nearly all of them were wiped out.
The snakes can also climb power poles and wires, causing blackouts, or slither into homes and bite people, including babies; they use venom on their prey but it is not lethal to humans.
The infestation and the toll it has taken on native wildlife have tarnished?Guam'simage as a tourism haven, though the snakes are rarely seen outside their jungle habitat.
The solution to this headache, fittingly enough, is acetaminophen, the active ingredient in painkillers including Tylenol.
The strategy takes advantage of the snake's two big weaknesses. Unlike most snakes, brown tree snakes are happy to eat prey they didn't kill themselves, and they are highly vulnerable to acetaminophen, which is harmless to humans.
The upcoming mice drop is targeted to hit snakes near?Guam's?sprawling Andersen Air Force Base, which is surrounded by heavy foliage and if compromised would offer the snakes a potential ticket off the island. Using helicopters, the dead neonatal mice will be dropped by hand, one by one.
U.S. government scientists have been perfecting the mice-drop strategy for more than a decade with support from the Department of Defense and the Department of the Interior.
To keep the mice bait from dropping all the way to the ground, where it could be eaten by other animals or attract insects as they rot, researchers have developed a flotation device with streamers designed to catch in the branches of the forest foliage, where the snakes live and feed.
Experts say the impact on other species will be minimal, particularly since the snakes have themselves wiped out the birds that might have been most at risk.
"One concern was that crows may eat mice with the toxicant," said William Pitt, of the U.S. National Wildlife Research Center's Hawaii Field Station. "However, there are no longer wild crows on?Guam. We will continue to refine methods to increase efficiency and limit any potential non-target hazards."
The mouse drop is set to start in April or May.
Vice said the goal is not to eradicate the snakes, but to control and contain them. Just as the snakes found their way to?Guam, they could stow away on a ship, or more likely the cargo hold of an airplane, and begin breeding on other islands around the Pacific or even the U.S. West Coast.
That "snakes on a plane" scenario has officials in Hawaii on edge. The islands of Hawaii, like?Guam, lack the predators that could keep a brown tree snake population in check.
Native Hawaiian birds "literally don't know what to do when they see a snake coming," said Christy Martin, a spokeswoman for the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, a partnership of Hawaii government agencies and private organizations.
A 2010 study conducted by the National Wildlife Research Center found brown tree snakes would cause between $593 million and $2.14 billion in economic damage each year if they became established in Hawaii like they are on?Guam. Power outages would cause the most damage, followed by a projected decline in tourism. The cost of treating snake bites would account for a small share.
"Once we get snakes here, we're never going to be able to fix the situation," Martin said.
Though the snakes are native to Australia and Papua New Guinea,?Guam?is much closer to Hawaii and its snake population is much more dense, meaning it is the primary threat for snake stowaways.
So far,?Guam's?containment seems to be working. Only a few brown tree snakes have ever been found in Hawaii, and none over the past 17 years.
"If we continue doing what we are doing, the chance of success is very high," Vice said. "If what we are doing stops, I think the possibility of the snakes getting to Hawaii is inevitable."
___
AP writer Audrey McAvoy contributed to this report from Honolulu.
New Versita Open Access book title on history of diplomatic relations between the US and Hungary
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Public release date: 26-Feb-2013[ | E-mail |
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Zoltn Peterecz's 'Jeremiah Smith, Jr. and Hungary, 19241926: the United States, the League of Nations, and the Financial Reconstruction of Hungary' is available now open access
In his monograph, Zoltn Peterecz presents the personality and work of Jeremiah Smith, Jr. (1870), the League of Nations Commissioner-General for the 1924 loan to Hungary. He deals also in extenso with the economic and political problems associated with the financial reconstruction of Hungary both on the domestic and international scene. Created in 1919, shortly after World War I, the League of Nations was principally designed to put an end to war. New Versita Open Access title offers a great opportunity to revisit a pre-war Hungary and to examine how the Treaty of Trianon deprived Hungary of its natural resources and forced a significant portion of its population to live under alien jurisdiction, setting the political and sociological climate in Hungary for the years to come.
In his multidimensional presentation, Zoltn Peterecz gives a vivid insight into the official and unofficial trends in the foreign policy of the United States after World War I. The author skilfully interweaves the diplomatic and economic history against the background of international events, and supports the narrative with an impressive body of diverse sources, which include archival materials, contemporary newspaper citations from a number of countries, and an extensive range of secondary sources.
Recommending the book, Ivan T. Berend, distinguished Professor of History at UCLA Department of History, says: "Dr. Peterecz first book on the Hungarian financial stabilization after World War I is an extremely well-researched comparative analysis. This has a lot of relevance to later financial stabilizations. The Hungarian case is embedded into the tragically wrong international political situation as a positive episode. An exemplary, very promising start of a young scholar"
The final result is indeed a valuable, well-executed and well-written work that will be welcomed not only by students of the interwar period, but also among non-specialist readers. Peterecz has provided a well-crafted book that fills a major gap in scholarly literature. The text also serves as an effective educational tool for courses on U.S. foreign policy, recent U.S. history, or 20th Century U.S. history.
Zoltn Peterecz was awarded his PhD by the Etvs Lornd University, Budapest, Hungary, in 2010. He specializes in American foreign policy and American-Hungarian relations in the 20th century. He is an Assistant Professor at the Department of American Studies, Eszterhzy Kroly College, Eger, Hungary.
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Public release date: 26-Feb-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Maria Hrynkiewicz
maria@versita.com
48-660-476-421
Versita
Zoltn Peterecz's 'Jeremiah Smith, Jr. and Hungary, 19241926: the United States, the League of Nations, and the Financial Reconstruction of Hungary' is available now open access
In his monograph, Zoltn Peterecz presents the personality and work of Jeremiah Smith, Jr. (1870), the League of Nations Commissioner-General for the 1924 loan to Hungary. He deals also in extenso with the economic and political problems associated with the financial reconstruction of Hungary both on the domestic and international scene. Created in 1919, shortly after World War I, the League of Nations was principally designed to put an end to war. New Versita Open Access title offers a great opportunity to revisit a pre-war Hungary and to examine how the Treaty of Trianon deprived Hungary of its natural resources and forced a significant portion of its population to live under alien jurisdiction, setting the political and sociological climate in Hungary for the years to come.
In his multidimensional presentation, Zoltn Peterecz gives a vivid insight into the official and unofficial trends in the foreign policy of the United States after World War I. The author skilfully interweaves the diplomatic and economic history against the background of international events, and supports the narrative with an impressive body of diverse sources, which include archival materials, contemporary newspaper citations from a number of countries, and an extensive range of secondary sources.
Recommending the book, Ivan T. Berend, distinguished Professor of History at UCLA Department of History, says: "Dr. Peterecz first book on the Hungarian financial stabilization after World War I is an extremely well-researched comparative analysis. This has a lot of relevance to later financial stabilizations. The Hungarian case is embedded into the tragically wrong international political situation as a positive episode. An exemplary, very promising start of a young scholar"
The final result is indeed a valuable, well-executed and well-written work that will be welcomed not only by students of the interwar period, but also among non-specialist readers. Peterecz has provided a well-crafted book that fills a major gap in scholarly literature. The text also serves as an effective educational tool for courses on U.S. foreign policy, recent U.S. history, or 20th Century U.S. history.
Zoltn Peterecz was awarded his PhD by the Etvs Lornd University, Budapest, Hungary, in 2010. He specializes in American foreign policy and American-Hungarian relations in the 20th century. He is an Assistant Professor at the Department of American Studies, Eszterhzy Kroly College, Eger, Hungary.
###
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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.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/v-nvo022613.php
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Paula Deen Still Feels Fat, Still Eats Fried Chicken (Just Not As Much)
Celebrity chef Paula Deen poses for a portrait in New York. (AP Photo/Carlo Allegri, File)
Paula Deen was in Miami last week for the annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival, and the celebrity chef turned a few heads after her uninhibited Today Show appearance.
Deen took a break from partying to speak to The Miami Herald about her current diet plan. Deen has lost 40 pounds since announcing her diabetes diagnosis in early 2012.
?I still feel like a fat ass,? Deen told the Herald. "I need a chin lift so bad."
Deen's been preaching moderation for many months now. She's not eliminating many foods, just eating less of them, the star chef told the Herald.
"When she eats fried chicken, now it?s just a wing," the Herald reported.
The PaulaDeen.com website is now in line with Deen's new diet mission. The most prominent links on the site are about a contest around eating healthy with diabetes, an article about fennel seasonality, and recipes for energy bars and lighter eclairs. It's a far cry from fried butter balls.
Read the whole Miami Herald article here.
Also on HuffPost:
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Monday, February 25, 2013
Mozilla details apps for Firefox OS: Facebook, Cut the Rope, Nokia Here and Twitter confirmed
We've only just stepped into Mozilla's press arena but the Firefox creators handed a rich press kit as we did, detailing a fair chunk of what we're expecting to see over the next hour. One of the more noticeable announcements focused on Firefox Marketplace, detailing HTML5 apps you might have heard of before. Along the predictable likes of Facebook and Twitter, games like Cut The Rope will also make an appearance on the new mobile OS, as well as Where's My Water, Disney Mobile and EA game titles. There will be support for cloud file storage through Box too, as well as a mapping app from Nokia Here. Yes, the Finnish phone maker will be bringing its location clout to Firefox OS. SoundCloud, Pulse News, Time Out and Airbnb have also signed up for the new operating system.
Developing...
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/24/firefox-os-apps-facebook-twitter-cut-the-rope-box/
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Oscars 2013 Best Dressed: Jennifer Lawrence And More!
Pale colors, strapless silhouettes and a pair of crutches stand out on Hollywood's most glamorous night.
By Gaby Wilson
Jennifer Lawrence at the 2013 Oscars
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1702521/oscars-2013-best-dressed.jhtml
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Sunday, February 24, 2013
$30 for Family 4-Pack to Peter Pan and Wendy by Creative Cauldron at ArtSpace in Falls Church ($54 value)
The Details
Second to the right and then straight on till morning!
Rediscover J.M. Barrie's classic novel in this delightful adaptation brought to life with the magical large puppets of Margie Jervis and the original music of acclaimed composer Matt Conner.
When boy extraordinaire Peter Pan flies into the nursery of the Darling home, Wendy is captivated by his promise of adventure in Neverland. With the help of some of Peter's fairy dust Wendy and her brothers are on their way to the magical land that brings them face to face with mermaids, Indians and the notorious Captain Hook and his pirate crew.? With exciting adventures and fun like this, it's no wonder Peter refuses to grow up! Presented by Creative Cauldron's Learning Theater, an ensemble of student and professional performers.
Show times options include:
- Friday March 1 at 7:30 pm
- Saturday March 2 at 2pm
- Saturday March 2 at 7:30 pm
- Sunday March 3 at 2 pm
- Friday March 8 at 7:30 pm
- Saturday March 9 at 2:00 pm
- Saturday March 9 at 7:30 pm
- Sunday March 10 at 2pm
- Friday March 15 at 7:30 pm
- Saturday March 16 at 2:00 pm
- Saturday March 16 at 7:30 pm
- Sunday March 17 at 2:00 pm
Information & Restrictions
Great for all ages!
Voucher is valid for shows on March 1st through March 17th (Fridays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 2:00pm and 7:30pm, and Sunday at 2:00pm); must choose show time at checkout.
Select show upon purchase from CertifiKid; valid only for time and date on your voucher. PLEASE be careful when selecting the performance to make sure the one you want is not sold out. ? PLEASE check your voucher after purchase.
Additional tickets can be purchased online via brownpapertickets.com or by calling Creative Cauldron at (571) 239 - 5288. Tickets are $15 for Adults and $12 for Student/Seniors(62+).
Based on availability - ACT FAST!
Seating is first come first serve.
Expires March 18, 2013.
Bring printed voucher to Peter Pan performance on date of show.
Cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts.
This deal is redeemable for admission to a specific ticketed event and venue. It has no value once the event date and time has passed and CANNOT BE REFUNDED after the day of purchase.
This offer is only available for purchase through Certifikid (www.certifikid.com). If you experience any issues or difficulties with registering or purchasing, please email info@certifikid.com and we will get back to you shortly.
Source: http://www.certifikid.com/deal/5399/30-for-family-4-pack-to-peter-pan-and-wendy-by-cr
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Iran selects 16 sites for new nuclear plants
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? Iran has selected 16 locations for the construction of nuclear power plants as part of a plan to generate 20,000 megawatts of electricity at multiple sites over the next 15 years.
State TV says Saturday that experts at the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran have finished studies to select the best locations across the country. It added that sites were chosen in part for their resistance to earthquakes and military air strikes.
The Islamic republic says it needs 20 large-scale plants to meet its growing electricity needs over the next one-and-a-half decades.
State TV also says that Iran has discovered new uranium resources in the country that will put its reserves at 4,400 tons compared to 1,527 tons three decades ago.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iran-selects-16-sites-nuclear-plants-102727042.html
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Nikola Stepić: The Wright/Knightley Trilogy
Anna Karenina, one of last year's most talked-about productions, is a product of a longstanding friendship between a director and his muse.
There is plenty that works in the newest adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's oft-told tale of a woman caught between rigid social norms and a passionate love that fails to transcend them. Joe Wright, the seemingly infallible filmmaking sensation who burst onto the scene in 2005 with his fresh take on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, delivers a version of Anna Karenina that manages to sidestep that traditional (and dangerously reductive) martyr-whore dilemma. Conscious of the fact that most audiences know exactly where the story, and particularly the main character, is headed, he generously foreshadows Anna's demise by utilizing train imagery throughout the film, creating palpable tension that is so often absent in costume dramas based on literary classics. It also helps that Wright once again trusts his longtime muse Keira Knightley to embody Anna's fervor and petulance.
The relationship between Knightley and Wright harks back to that 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, the movie that cemented the young actress as a bona fide actress after Pirates of the Caribbean made her the rising movie star to look out for, and resulted in an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet. Much of that film's popularity was surely due to the refreshing physicality of the production -- Wright set much of the movie outside, his characters threading through mud and morning mist, conversing in drawing rooms as well as in pigsties. The spectacularly lush cinematography that would become a staple of Wright's, along with wonderful production design, never took away from the gravity and humanness of the characters. The directorial debut was a good indicator of what Wright's career -- particularly his artistic marriage with Knightley -- would become: a visceral, stripped-down vision of glamor and opulence that works in support of the characters and never merely for its own sake. Even at the tender age of 18, Knightley was up for the challenge -- her Elizabeth Bennet embodied both the playful, young spirit of Austen's beloved heroine and her untamed intelligence that breaks through the barriers of normative behavior whenever she is affronted by the sullen Mr. Darcy.
Then came 2007's Atonement, the adaptation of the acclaimed Ian McEwan novel, and the second Wright-Knightley collaboration. Here, three generations of great actresses (Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai and Vanessa Redgrave) playing the abominable Briony Tallis, one of today's great literary characters, utilized extraordinary tactility. In contrast, Knightley played the enigmatic heroine Cecilia in the most minimal, mythical way possible. All of the agency and quiet determination she had exhibited in Pride and Prejudice was now gone -- her character instead became the embodiment of a muse, the tragic, beautiful creature that Wright got to dress in the most fluid and delicately erotic of costumes, particularly the much-celebrated green dress that has since been called one of the greatest movie costumes of all time.
Which brings us to Anna Karenina, a film that could easily be considered the third part of a Wright-Knightley trilogy. Apart from the collaboration, the film marks the third time Wright is adapting a literary work of great celebrity and acclaim. It feels like a combination of the two movies preceding it. In a featurette released on the film's official YouTube channel, Wright justifiably calls Knigthley "utterly fearless." Indeed, there is a great visceral quality to her Anna, particularly in scenes that call for uninhibited emoting. However, this palpability of affectation is contained in a film of extraordinary fragility -- the decision to set the action on a stage that, throughout the film, morphs and sometimes disappears altogether, only to reappear in the most surprising of scenes, makes the relationship between the characters that much more theatrical and nuanced. The unusual setting not only allows Wright to lay the "all the world's a stage" metaphor quite heavily onto his audiences (and rightly so, for it could be argued that the story would take a fairly different turn if the characters weren't constantly on display, admired and judged in equal measure by the rest of the society), but it also gives a much-needed freshness to the story by framing it as a dazzling dream rather than the hard-hitting drabness that often represents Russia.
Other than Knightley's thoughtful, versatile performance as the volatile Anna, the film boasts other familiar faces. Matthew Macfadyen, Mr. Darcy to Knightley's Elizabeth Bennet, here plays Stiva Oblonsky, Anna's brother, and provides a nice societal contrast -- unlike Anna's, his infidelities go tolerated and unpunished. Aaron Taylor-Johnson infuses the film with a jolt of youthful energy in the role of dashing Alexei Vronsky, playing him as an antithesis to Jude Law's Karenin. Law, in turn, manages to steal the show, adding a layer of humanity to the emotionally barren character in spite of a somewhat flawed Tom Stoppard-penned script that tends to rush the proceedings before the emotional impact has fully registered with the audience. The nuanced performances, coupled with sumptuous costumes and Wright's whimsical and innovative direction, are reason enough to reignite our passion for Anna Karenina, despite the imminent fatality that too passionate a love may result in. Ultimately, it is a platform for Knightley to demonstrate both her commandeering screen presence and acute understanding of the character, complemented by Wright's dazzling spectacle.
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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nikola-stepic/the-wright-knightley-trilogy_b_2746461.html
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Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Sony's D-Day: Everything we know about PS4
Here we go. At 6pm Eastern Time (11pm UK) tonight Sony Computer Entertainment will kick off its PlayStation Meeting event in New York City, where it is certain to announce the next generation home PlayStation console.
In preparation for the big reveal, we've prepared a catch up of all the known technical details, controller specs and key games expected to appear on the next-generation PlayStation.
CVG will be reporting live - with video - from Sony's PlayStation Meeting from 6pm Eastern Time (11pm UK) tonight via our live blog.
00:00:00:00
Further reading: Analysis: The PS4 controller | PlayStation Meeting likely announcements | Timeline: The rise of PS2
The console
Codenamed 'Orbis' back in 2010, the later iteration of Sony's next-gen devkits offered 4GB of GDDR5 RAM, which is capable of moving data at a blistering 176 gigabytes per second. On the graphics front, Sony is utilising AMD's 'R10XX' architecture, alongside its codenamed 'Liverpool' system-on-chip.
In real terms this should, combined with an eight-core AMD CPU clocked at 1.6GHz, eliminate the sort of bottlenecks that hampered PS3 game performance.
PS4 will be capable of running visually advanced titles such as Star Wars 1313, Watch Dogs and fully supported by next gen game engines such as Square Enix's Luminous tech and Unreal engine 4.
In addition, the new PlayStation is said to feature - at devkit level at least - a drive for increased capacity Blu-ray discs, multiple USBs, Ethernet, HDMI, Optical ports and a 160GB HDD.
CVG sources claim that each console will ship with the next-gen PlayStation Eye camera which is said to contain a pair of wide-angle cameras that will pick up signals from the new DualShock 4 controllers.
Sony has patented various used games circumventions in the past 18 months, though it's not yet clear if it will enact a move to combat pre-owned game usage.
The platform holder is unlikely to price or date its machine before production starts - it will want to gauge public reaction before making decisions even internally. However, Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun claimed earlier this month that Sony has internally set the PS4 price above 40,000 Yen - a figure that would represent about $430/?275 at current exchange rates.
PS4 will almost certainly release at the end of 2013 in most territories, though an Edge report has claimed the console won't launch in Europe until after Christmas 2013. Sony Europe CEO Jim Ryan has previously claimed such a decision would not at all be Sony's ambitions.
The Controller
The PlayStation 4 controller is set to combine motion control, touch and traditional analogue buttons to offer a fresh spin on a more familiar interface.
PlayStation's trademark twin anolog sticks have undergone a redesign from its predecessor, now employing concave indents that provide enhanced grip. From what one games developer has heard, this analogue redesign is not just for the dev kits - it will feature on all commercial pads.
Sony has also moved the sticks slightly further apart, but has resisted calls to switch the positions of the d-pad and analogue sticks.
They're not visible in the leaked pic, but a report last week claimed that the L2 and R2 shoulder buttons have been remodelled. A development source has confirmed to CVG that the pictured pad also uses concave shoulder buttons for enhanced grip.
The grill beneath the touch pad houses an internal speaker system, while at the base there is a headphone jack input.
An illuminated panel along the top can change colour and behaves just like a Move controller, a development source has told CVG. Combined with the same gyro and velocity sensors introduced with the PlayStation 3's Sixaxis, the PS4 pad is said to be an "enhanced motion control device".
Each console will ship with the next-gen PlayStation Eye camera, which at a very basic level would enable Wii-style pointer functionality without sacrificing the mainstay controller features the core has come to expect.
If it works, then the controller could be ideal for navigation, while FPS twin-stick controls might finally make way for mouse-like twitch aiming - and all without giving up the dozens of buttons and triggers that support the core gaming experience.
Further reading: Analysis: The PS4 controller
The Games
You need only glance at PlayStation's barren July-to-December release schedule for evidence that new first-party Sony games are an algebraic certainty for the PlayStation Meeting.
Next Up, Last Guardian director Fumito Ueda is saying on his personal website that people should "keep an eye out for new announcements" and Quantic Dream co-CEO Guillaume de Fondaumire has confirmed he is in New York for the Meeting.
Back in November 2011 Edge reported that the "bulk" of Guerrilla Games' staff were hard at work on a fourth instalment of Killzone, and studio recruiter Adrian Smith stated that Guerrilla has "got to continue the Killzone franchise."
Killzone 4 was first tipped to be in development for Sony's next-gen platform when a job ad for a 'Netherlands game studio' - which appeared likely to be Guerrilla - revealed that it was "now working exclusively with an industry leader, on next gen technologies and with major IPs in the pipeline."
The newly acquired InFamous developer Sucker Punch is also a next-gen possibility, having not released a full game since 2011, while no Sony hardware announce is complete without a new Gran Turismo.
CVG understands there is also strong interest from third-party publishers to debut their PS4 titles at today's event, but it's unclear if Sony will grant them stage space in the allotted time.
BBC Two HD replaces BBC HD channel on March 26th
The BBC has decided it can do without a HD channel just to showcase its gorgeous nature documentaries. As such, it's turning BBC HD into a high-definition simulcast of BBC Two, starting March 26th. As it's already been doing that job for a while now, it's hardly surprising -- but does make us wonder where HD shows from BBC Three and Four will be housed in the future. The corporation did tell us that it's evaluating adding more HD channels, but we don't imagine that'll be happening in the near future. BBC Two HD will remain on the same channel as BBC HD, Sky: 169, Virgin: 187, Freesat: 109, Freeview: 102 -- so you don't need to rescan your box to keep watching Eggheads.
BBC Two HD Channel to launch 26 March
The BBC today announces it will launch BBC Two HD at 6am on Tuesday 26 March. BBC Two HD will be available on Sky HD (169), Freeview HD/YouView (102), Virgin Media (187), Freesat HD (109) and BT Vision (852).
The announcement follows the successful launch of BBC One HD on 3 November 2010.
BBC Two HD will replace the existing BBC HD Channel and will be available subscription-free on all digital television platforms offering HD channels.
Janice Hadlow, Controller of BBC Two, says: "BBC One HD has already proved to be highly valued by our audiences and I'm delighted that we're able to follow this with the launch of BBC Two in HD. The launch of BBC Two HD will allow us to showcase more of our programmes at their very best - helping to highlight our commitment to high quality, engaging and ambitious programmes on BBC Two."
The BBC Two HD channel will be a simulcast network version of the BBC Two schedule with a raft of new programmes available in HD for the first time including Paul Hollywood - Bread, The Fall, Science Britannica and Keeping Britain Alive. Old favourites such as Mock The Week, QI and Springwatch will also remain at the heart of the channel's offer.
Filed under: HD
Source: Lauren Gildersleve (Twitter)
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/VT6VE7n5ez0/
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Woman raped inside of Loyola University parking garage, NOPD says
New Orleans police said a woman was raped inside a Loyola University parking garage early Saturday morning. According to police reports, the woman told authorities she was sexually assaulted in the garage around 5:12 a.m. by a man that she had allowed to walk her home.
Police said the woman told authorities that she had been at a bar and was drinking when she met the man who she says later assaulted her. The two were dancing, she told police, and afterwards the woman let him walk her home.?
The man then allegedly assaulted her inside a Loyola University parking garage, police said.
A spokeswoman for Loyola University said that the victim is a Loyola student and that the assault took place in a stairwell of the Freret Street garage.
The New Orleans Police Department is investigating the crime and said that detectives have been in contact with the suspect and are meeting with him at a scheduled time.?
Check back with NOLA.com for updates on this story.
*This story has been updated with information from the New Orleans Police Department.
Source: http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2013/02/woman_raped_inside_of_loyola_u.html
Brazil Retail Sales Drop 0.5% In December From November ...
Retail sales in Brazil dropped 0.5% in December versus November, according to the government statistics agency IBGE. However, economists were expecting retail sales to increase 0.8%.
Retail sales rose 5.0% y/y in December, versus estimates of 7.35%.
(c) 2013 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Tags: Brazil Retail Sales
Posted in: News
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Source: http://www.benzinga.com/news/13/02/3343640/brazil-retail-sales-drop-0-5-in-december-from-november
Ancient teeth bacteria record disease evolution
Monday, February 18, 2013
DNA preserved in calcified bacteria on the teeth of ancient human skeletons has shed light on the health consequences of the evolving diet and behaviour from the Stone Age to the modern day.
The ancient genetic record reveals the negative changes in oral bacteria brought about by the dietary shifts as humans became farmers, and later with the introduction of food manufacturing in the Industrial Revolution.
An international team, led by the University of Adelaide's Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD) where the research was performed, has published the results in Nature Genetics today. Other team members include the Department of Archaeology at the University of Aberdeen and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge (UK).
"This is the first record of how our evolution over the last 7500 years has impacted the bacteria we carry with us, and the important health consequences," says study leader Professor Alan Cooper, ACAD Director.
"Oral bacteria in modern man are markedly less diverse than historic populations and this is thought to contribute to chronic oral and other disease in post-industrial lifestyles."
The researchers extracted DNA from tartar (calcified dental plaque) from 34 prehistoric northern European human skeletons, and traced changes in the nature of oral bacteria from the last hunter-gatherers, through the first farmers to the Bronze Age and Medieval times.
"Dental plaque represents the only easily accessible source of preserved human bacteria," says lead author Dr Christina Adler, who conducted the research while a PhD student at the University of Adelaide, now at the University of Sydney.
"Genetic analysis of plaque can create a powerful new record of dietary impacts, health changes and oral pathogen genomic evolution, deep into the past."
Professor Cooper says: "The composition of oral bacteria changed markedly with the introduction of farming, and again around 150 years ago. With the introduction of processed sugar and flour in the Industrial Revolution, we can see a dramatically decreased diversity in our oral bacteria, allowing domination by caries-causing strains. The modern mouth basically exists in a permanent disease state."
Professor Cooper has been working on the project with archaeologist and co-Leader Professor Keith Dobney, now at the University of Aberdeen, for the past 17 years. Professor Dobney says: "I had shown tartar deposits commonly found on ancient teeth were dense masses of solid calcified bacteria and food, but couldn't identify the species of bacteria. Ancient DNA was the obvious answer."
However, the team was not able to sufficiently control background levels of bacterial contamination until 2007 when ACAD's ultra-clean laboratories and strict decontamination and authentication protocols became available. The research team is now expanding its studies through time, and around the world, including other species such as Neandertals.
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University of Adelaide: http://www.adelaide.edu.au
Thanks to University of Adelaide for this article.
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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126865/Ancient_teeth_bacteria_record_disease_evolution
