Collin Klein, the Kansas State quarterback who was a star in a spread-option offense in college but whose abilities as a passer leave much to be desired in the eyes of NFL scouts, remains committed to playing quarterback at the next level. And he thinks NFL teams are starting to come around to the idea that he can do it.
Klein told the Topeka Capital-Journal that he believes he has impressed scouts at the Combine and at Kansas State?s Pro Day.
?I felt like I had two good days,? Klein said. ?I made progress and really improved, before the Combine first and then in the time between the Combine and Pro Day we made some strides, too. We?re moving in the right direction. It?s different not being in school, but it gives me a little extra time to focus and work on little things here and there. It?s a pretty all-inclusive process, but we?re enjoying it. I just love the game. We?re getting better and having fun with it.?
Klein said his workouts with former NFL quarterback Jake Plummer have helped get him ready to play the game at the next level.
?We did everything,? Klein said. ?We worked on footwork, core strength, flexibility with the shoulder . . . lots of different things. It was pretty all-inclusive and he taught me a lot. He gave great insight from him having been there [the NFL] and doing that for a very long time. I really appreciated his time and his effort working with me.?
Although Klein still believes he is going to get drafted, he acknowledged that it?s possible he?ll have to settle for being an undrafted free agent.
?I think we?ll definitely get a chance and it?s just being ready and making the most of it,? Klein said. ?We?ll see where the best fit is going to be. Teams are out there trying to figure out who?s the best fit for them, too. It will all settle out. If that doesn?t happen, we?ll try to get picked up as a free agent on some level. We?ll cross that bridge when we get there.?
So just a few months after the Heisman Trophy voters considered Klein the third-best player in college football, Klein is just hoping NFL teams consider him one of the 254 best players available in the draft.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prospects for a broad U.S. immigration overhaul brightened on Saturday after major U.S. business and labor groups reached an agreement on a guest-worker program, a source familiar with the deal said.
The agreement was reached on Friday night in a conference call between the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donohue, and the president of the AFL-CIO labor organization, Richard Trumka, with New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer acting as the mediator, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
A guest-worker program has been a major stumbling block to efforts by a bipartisan group of senators known as the Gang of Eight to reach a compromise on a way to create a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States, most of whom are Hispanics.
Labor unions have argued against a guest-worker program, worrying that a flood of low-wage immigrant laborers would take away jobs from Americans. The agreement covers the pay levels for low-skilled temporary workers and the types of jobs that would be included.
Schumer briefed White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough on Saturday on the breakthrough, the source said.
The agreement still must be approved by the Gang of Eight senators, four Democrats and four Republicans. If they do so as expected, Senate legislation on a broad new immigration law would be advanced in the Senate in the coming weeks.
In recent days, the immigration effort had been stalled by failure to forge an agreement on the guest-worker program, although the White House insisted that progress was being made.
President Barack Obama wants to fulfill a campaign pledge by gaining passage of a law that would create a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants currently in the country. He has vowed to do what he can on immigration through executive actions in the absence of legislation.
Immigration long has been a controversial issue in the United States and previous efforts to craft a comprehensive overhaul of American immigration laws have failed, with Democrats and Republicans remaining far apart.
Many Republicans previously had taken a hard position against illegal immigrants. Obama's unsuccessful Republican challenger last year, Mitt Romney, had advocated "self-deportation" of illegal immigrants. Republicans in Arizona and other states passed tough laws cracking down on illegal immigrants.
But the mood for a deal is ripe because Republicans saw Hispanic Americans vote overwhelmingly for Obama and other Democratic candidates in last November's elections and they need to woo this increasingly important voting bloc.
Many Republicans see gaining favor with the Hispanic voting bloc, which accounts for 10 percent of the U.S. electorate and is growing, as a matter of political survival.
Republicans want to ensure that security along the U.S.-Mexican border is improved before immigrants can get on a path to citizenship. Obama feels security is sufficient but this disagreement is not seen as a deal-breaker.
"We're seeing right now a good bipartisan spirit," Obama told Spanish-language network Univision on Wednesday. "I want to encourage that and hopefully we'll be able to get it done."
(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Will Dunham)
?????? Monitor, manage, and report regularly on the health of the network, servers, security, backups, firewall, and Internet service.
?????? Ensure network wiring for, servers, switches and wireless networks? are maintained and up graded as necessary.
?????? Administer IP address framework including public and private addresses, DNS, VLANS & DHCP.
?????? Maintain accurate and complete documentation of the network.
?????? Maintain and administer network operating systems, network equipment, servers and virtual servers.
?????? Configure, oversee, maintain and troubleshoot a network of printers, projectors, computers, iPads, SmartBoards, and manage all applicable software licenses.
?????? Manage and direct upgrade and/or repair of network hardware
?????? Deign and implement short and long term strategic plans to make certain the network capacity meets existing and future requirements.
Hardware and Software Maintenance and Installation
?????? Manage? Apple and Windows servers, desktops, iPads, printers and laptops to ensure they are in working order.
?????? Monitor hardware components (memory, hard drives, operating systems, drives, etc.)to enusure they are properly maintained and upgraded as necessary.
?????? Create, test, and maintain images for desktops, laptops, and iPads.
?????? Manage software installation and upgrades on server, desktops and laptops.
?????? Maintain accurate and complete documentation for all servers, systems, software, and hardware.
?????? Administrate and maintain Blackbaud?s Education Edge, Financial Edge, and Raiser?s Edge databases.
?????? Work with school administration in developing and maintaining the school?s website.
?????? Help manage Silverpoint?s database, which entails the updating and roll over of student and faculty information at the start of each academic year.
?????? Responsible for ensuring network security and anti-virus polices are in place, and that proper backup of the network are maintained.
?????? Manage and support the school?s firewall and IP and URL filtering system.
?????? Develop and deploy methodologies for testing network performance and providing network performance statistics and reports.
?????? Manage all components of Google and iPad Apps
?????? Manage the content of data that flows through the school?s network to ensure it is incompliance with the school?s acceptable use policy.
Help Desk and Desktop Support
?????? Manage and trouble shoot, as necessary, daily networking, software, printer and hardware problems submitted to the help desk ticketing system? through (SchoolDude ITDirect).
?????? Ensure help desk requests are addressed to in a timely manner.
?????? Follow up with users, recommend upgrades, and coordinate with vendors for parts and repairs.
?????? Maintain excellent communication with all end users and other members of the technology department.
?????? Administer user accounts and contact lists for all systems as well as e-mail, telephone and emergency notification systems.
?????? Advise school administrators on the maintenance and effectiveness of data applications, and on next-generation applications.
?????? Establish best practices and policies for installing, configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting end user workstation hardware, software, and peripheral devices.
Audio Visual
?????? Coordinate setup, and operate (as necessary), audio and video equipment for Westmark day and evening events.
?????? Service, and maintain AV equipment including projectors and DVD/VCR players.
?????? Monitor and manage the service, upgrade, and repair of SmartBoards.
?????? Maintain an inventory of all AV equipment including projectors, camera, video recorders, etc.
Miscellaneous
?????? Participate in weekly Tech Committee meetings.
?????? Direct and monitor the work of IT outsourced providers.
?????? Maintain expertise in computer technology and provide suggested improvements and advancements to the school?s network and computer systems.
?????? Work with the Tech committee to advance the school?s technology plan.
?????? Develop, implement, and maintain policies, procedures, and associated training plans for network resource and appropriate use.
?????? Collaborating with administration on development of an IT department budget and capital planning.
?????? Other duties as assigned by Head of School.
Knowledge and Skills:
Knowledge/Experience in:
?????? Data communications theory, protocols and hardware.
?????? Severs (including virtual) and server operating systems, including MS SQL and Active Directory.
?????? Database design, implementation, and management.
?????? Helpdesk design, organization, and operation.
?????? Internet and Intranet development standards.
?????? Strategic planning and project management.
?????? Window OS and Mac OS X
?????? Organization, management, and control of complex computer equipment and data processing systems.
?????? Demonstrated knowledge of iPad and management of a 1:1 iPad program.
?????? Knowledge of SmartBoard operations and support.
?????? Principles of budget preparation and administration.
?????? Website authentication and portals.
Ability to:
?????? Develop and articulate long term strategic plans
?????? Express complex ideas clearly and accurately both orally and in writing.
?????? Supervise and manage help desk resources.
?????? Analyze complex problems and recommend solutions.
?????? Evaluate network requirements and user needs and advise on appropriate hardware and software configurations.
?????? Conduct meetings and make presentations.
?????? Establish and maintain effective relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Credentials
?
?????? Google Certified ? preferred
?????? Knowledge of Blackbuad ? preferred
?
Experience and Education
?
?????? Minimum five years experience in supporting a dual platform network with multiple users and servers, and three years experience of managing a broad dual platform network.
?????? Bachelor?s degree in Information Technology, or other relevant field; Master?s preferred.
?????? Previous school or non profit experience preferred, but not required.?
The Sales Excellence Manager role is responsible for processes, systems, tools, business planning, management frameworks, initiatives and programs that will optimize sales and provide the discipline for increases in sales force productivity.
The Sales Excellence Manager role drives towards these results by providing: Sales productivity expertise in Relationship Management, Opportunity Management, and Business Management. Process readiness and coaching. Systems and tools requirements. Planning and Business management frameworks such as Rhythm of the Business (ROB), three-year planning, pipeline management and forecasting support, budgeting management, commitments and quotas. Ensuring sales model implementation through segment strategy, customer segmentation and role taxonomy. Development of initiatives for annuities, customer/partner experience, and Cost of Sale (CoS).
The Sales Excellence Manager role affects Microsoft at the EPG sales organization level within a specified region or subsidiary. The Sales Excellence Manager role focuses on processes, systems, tools, organizational issues, financial, and communication processes that affect effective operations within the entire organization. The Sales Excellence teams are considered to be the change leaders, providing business management expertise and driving sales productivity. This team functions as the execution engine in the field, which means they touch all levels of people and groups throughout the business. This role has significant importance in how we drive the vision for successful change management, business strategy, and sales optimization.
The key decisions made by the Sales Excellence Manager role are: Strategic annual and three-year planning decisions Key metrics to drive plan achievement Rhythm of the Business (ROB) frameworks, processes and metrics Budget investments and resource management
The Sales Excellence Manager role also makes recommendations and decisions with worldwide EPG and field Sales Excellence leadership on vision, direction and plans to roll out efforts to increase sales productivity, drive sales optimization efforts and lead Rhythm of the Business (ROB). The Sales Excellence Manager role is a strategic leader to a community that needs guiding principles to implement and execute against fiscal year Sales Priorities. The Sales Excellence Manager role partners with its manager (the EPG Lead) to develop the priorities and set the strategy accordingly.
The Sales Excellence Manager role works with the following internal resources: EPG Lead (the Sales Excellence Manager functions as the COO for the EPG Lead). ATU, STU, PTU, IU Leads (for driving adoption of sales processes, systems and tools discipline). Finance (for all processes and data related to budgeting, Cost of Sales (CoS), and forecasting). Human Resources (for all interactions related to resource requirements, resource planning, and compensation management). M&O (for determining fiscal year Sales Priorities and investment requirements).
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
1) Essential Experience - Excellent verbal and written communication skills with equally good listening, team leadership and excellence in execution skills. 10+ years of proven solution sales and sales management experience in Enterprise accounts and a track record of working with a wide range of business partners. Extensive experience leading sales teams who had to rely on a range of internal individuals - account managers, partner account managers, services, marketing - to achieve their goals. Preference will be given to candidates who can demonstrate knowledge of the business drivers within the lines of business of enterprise customer organizations.
2) Personal Attributes - Highly motivated leader with a mature and positive attitude, a passion for leading efforts for sales teams (both sales managers and sales professionals) and working with internal partners on driving the sales of Microsoft technologies.
4) Qualifications - Bachelor?s degree required, Master?s/MBA preferred), 10 or more years of related experience, management experience is required, experience with sales management being highly desirable.
Relocation is not available.
SMSG SALES:EPG MSUSJOB
Nearest Major Market: Atlanta
Job Segments:Sales Management, Sales, Manager, Field Sales, Business Manager, Management
SEOUL (Reuters) - Washington's decision to fly B-52 and stealth bomber missions over Korea this week in a warning to Pyongyang risks pushing the North into staging an attack on the South just as its threats may have been on the cusp of dying down.
New leaders in Seoul, Beijing and most importantly, an untested 30-year-old in Pyongyang who has to prove he is capable of facing down a perceived threat from the United States, have raised the stakes in a month-long standoff that risks flaring into a conflict.
"It seems that Kim Jong-un is in the driving seat of a train that has been taken on a joyride," said Lee Min-yong, North Korea expert at Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul.
With the looming April 15 celebrations to commemorate the birthday of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of the current ruler, and large chunks of North Korea's peasant army due to head to farms for spring planting, the crisis may have been lurching to a close before the American bombers' flights on Thursday.
Instead, pictures of Kim Jong-un released by the state-owned KCNA news agency showed him sketching out a response to the stealth bomber flights and depicted the possible paths of North Korean missile attacks on U.S. bases in the Pacific and on the United States itself.
The missile threat to U.S. bases in the Pacific and certainly to the continental United States may be overstated, given the untested nature of North Korea's longer-range missiles. But the risk to South Korea is real.
Seoul is just over 40 km (25 miles) from the massed artillery and battle-proven short-range Scud missiles placed north of the demilitarised zone that separates the two sides. And North Korea has proved, as recently as 2010, that it is capable of launching strikes on the South.
In that year, it was charged with sinking a South Korean naval vessel and shelled an island close to the maritime border.
A study by the International Institute for Strategic Studies says North Korea keeps 80 percent of its estimated firepower within 100 km (60 miles) of the zone. This includes approximately 700,000 troops, 8,000 artillery systems and 2,000 tanks, it said.
STAMP OUT LIKE AN ANT
Deng Yuwen, deputy editor at the Study Times, a newspaper published by China's Central Party School which trains rising officials, believes neither side intends to wage a full-scale war in which the "Americans will stamp him (Kim) out like an ant and crush him" but says the risk of conflict has risen.
"This doesn't rule out the risk of misfiring, this kind of accident cannot be ruled out," Deng said.
While Pyongyang has a new Kim in charge, South Korean President Park Geun-hye and China's new leader Xi Jinping took office just this year.
Before becoming president, Park pledged engagement in return for the North giving up its nuclear ambitions. Just a week before she took office, Pyongyang literally exploded those policies when it carried out its third nuclear test on February 12.
While Park has no option but to sit and wait, China's Xi will have to navigate a tricky path that seeks to restrain and punish the North, as it did by backing United Nations sanctions imposed after the test. But, as the North's only major ally and its supplier of food and fuel, Beijing will not go too far.
"If the Chinese take too stringent measures, the situation in North Korea will be even more unstable," said Deng.
However, the script of the Korean Peninsula being on the verge of widespread conflict has been played out many times after the 1950-53 war. American B-52 bombers were used to pressure the North in the 1970s.
In 1976, a U.S. decision to remove a tree in the demilitarised zone that separates the two Koreas saw two American soldiers bludgeoned to death with axe handles. This was followed by a show of military force that included the bombers.
That incident passed without major conflict even though North Korea subsequently fired on an American helicopter.
North Korea's state media has a long history of antagonistic rhetoric, threatening to turn Seoul into a "sea of fire" and dubbing one South Korean President a "rat-bastard" .
Even its recent repudiation of the armistice agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War has happened before.
FARM SUPPORT
If it was not for the American bomber flights, North Korea may have been willing to tone down tensions around now because of the spring thaw. This is the time of year its peasant army helps with planting, a key task in a country that suffers from perennial food shortages.
While that doesn't affect missile units and the core elite troops, experts in Seoul say that large parts of the North's 1.2 million-strong armed forces spend about a month on the farm from mid-April onwards.
"The soldiers are sent for 'farm support.' They stay on the farms and engage in planting like all the other farming population. They usually stay until around May 20 and leave once they are done," said Ahn Chan-il, a high-ranking North Korean defector who now lives in Seoul.
Washington's bomber flights appear to have been aimed at reassuring key allies in South Korea and Japan that it stood beside them amid the North's sabre-rattling.
President Barack Obama, who closely controls all major national security decision-making within the White House, has shown himself to be reluctant to involve the United States in foreign conflicts.
He has stayed largely on the sidelines in the Syrian civil war, minimized U.S. involvement in Libya and rebuffed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's efforts to press him for military action against Iran'a nuclear program.
New Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was wounded in combat in a earlier war in Asia, in Vietnam, and has spoken of the need to use military force only as a last resort.
"From the U.S. point of view, it is appropriate to reassure South Korea of U.S. continuing commitment, especially in these times where some people may doubt that commitment due to the financial crisis," said Denny Roy, an expert on Asia-Pacific security at the East-West Center thinktank In Hawaii.
(Additional reporting by Sui-Lee Wee in BEIJING; Jack Kim and Christine Kim in SEOUL; Warren Strobel and Paul Eckert in WASHINGTON; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
On Monday evening, March 11, I had a public discussion with Jeremy Ben-Ami, founder and president of J Street, at Temple Isaiah in Los Angeles. The topics included how American Jews should approach pro-Israel advocacy, whether peace is currently attainable between Israel and Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, and what American Jews can do to help the two sides reach an agreement.
We agreed that the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement is dangerous and harmful to Israel. We agreed that the Palestinian teaching of hate, incitement and terrorism is an impediment to peace, and we both professed a desire for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
[Read a counterargument to this column here: Pathway to peace: J Street]
We strongly disagreed, however, on some critical issues. J Street argued that American Jews should lobby the U.S. government to pressure Israel into changing some of its policies. Referring to a?statement from J Street?s Web site, I read aloud that, ?J Street was formed to change the conversation on Israel and to give voice to American Jews who believe that they have a responsibility to vocally oppose Israeli government policies that threaten Israel?s future.? While Ben-Ami claimed he did not recognize this statement from his Web site, I was troubled that J Street felt it had a right to lobby the American government in order to pressure Israel ? and its democratically elected government ? into pursuing J Street?s agenda.?
We also disagreed about whether Abbas is a reliable partner for peace. While Ben-Ami assured the audience that ?this is the time, and Abbas is the man,? I noted that just two months ago, in January 2013,?Abbas honored past Palestinian terrorist leaders, including the Mufti of Jerusalem who collaborated with Adolf Hitler to bring the Holocaust to the Middle East. I questioned how Ben-Ami could trust Israel?s security in the hands of Abbas, who promotes one set of values to his Arabic constituency and quite another to Western audiences.??
Likewise, Ben-Ami and I differed on how he characterized certain facts. For instance:
Beitar soccer games: Ben-Ami suggested that Israeli incitement and Palestinian incitement are similar.?I expressed that I felt this was an unreasonable comparison. For evidence, he pointed out that Israeli crowds at Jerusalem soccer matches shout, ?Death to Arabs? so much that former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he could no longer root for his team. In response, I noted that this is a critical point: Olmert represented the State of Israel and he condemned such views. I said that you can judge a society by the way its leadership responds when its people say or do hateful things.?
Ben-Ami then implied that there was a lack of an official Israeli government response to the hateful soccer rhetoric because Olmert is now a private citizen. In fact, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu?strongly condemned?the racist comments of Beitar fans.?
Monument for Baruch Goldstein: When I cited Baruch Goldstein as an example of how Israel denounces acts of violence by Israelis against Palestinian civilians, he stated that Israel ?funded a monument [to Baruch Goldstein]. See the public memorial!? In fact, Israel?never funded a monument?to Baruch Goldstein. There was indeed a monument erected by some Goldstein supporters, but the Israeli army demolished it after the Knesset passed a law in 1999 forbidding memorials to terrorists. My point was that the Israeli government condemned Goldstein as a terrorist while the PA government glorifies terrorists.??
Demographic threat: Ben-Ami repeated his oft-made declaration that Israel must be pressured into making peace now because demographics are such that Jews will be a minority in Israel within a generation and ?will be ruling over a majority that doesn?t have rights.? I called this fear-mongering and asked Ben-Ami if he includes the Palestinian population of 1.5 million people living in Gaza in his accounting of Israeli demographic concerns. This is a critical point because Israel no longer has administrative or political control over the Gaza population. Ben-Ami admitted he includes the population of Gaza.?Interestingly, if we remove Gaza from these calculations, Ben-Ami?s demographic numbers are reduced by 50 percent and no longer make the case for the demographic threat being an emergency.?
Humanitarian blockade on Gaza:?Ben-Ami asserted that Israel caused a humanitarian crisis in Gaza in the 2008 war through its blockade and that the blockade was lifted in part because of J Street?s lobbying. I pointed out that Israel?has consistently allowed food and medical supplies?into Gaza, even during wars and blockades. At the time, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which provides aid to Palestinian refugees, said that the agency received 15 trucks of aid a day and had two months of stock in Gaza to aid recipients.??
Mediation techniques: While I agreed with Ben-Ami?s statements that we need an active American role in facilitating Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, I disagreed with his desire to impose specific details about what the peace agreement should be. As an honest broker, I would hope that the American role would be to mediate a plan arrived at by the parties themselves, rather than pressuring the parties into pre-existing expectations. President Barack Obama himself echoed this sentiment when he recently said that his role should be to?listen?to both sides and help them work out compromises.
Looking back at the evening?s discussion, I am saddened that Ben-Ami insists that he and J Street are helping Israel, when in reality the actions of his organization are only hurting Israel and the advancement of peace. Although we all wish for a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians,?J Street?s work only emboldens Palestinians to continue their history of rejectionism and incitement.?J Street encourages Palestinian refusal to return to negotiations because it does not require any accountability from them and does not seek to change hateful attitudes toward Israel ? both of which are prerequisites for a lasting peace.??
Roz Rothstein is the CEO of StandWithUs.
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One of Britain's youngest Internet entrepreneurs has hit the jackpot after selling his top-selling mobile application Summly to search giant Yahoo.
Seventeen-year-old Nick d'Aloisio, who dreamed up the idea for the content-shortening program when he was studying for his exams, said he was surprised by the deal. As with its other recent acquisitions, Yahoo didn't disclose how much it is paying for Summly, although British newspapers suggested the deal's value at several million dollars.
"I would have never imagined being in this position so suddenly," he wrote on his website, before thanking his family, his school ? and his venture capitalist backer Li Ka-Shing ? for supporting him.
Summly works by condensing content so readers can scroll through more information more quickly ? useful for the small screens of smartphones.
D'Aloisio said he was the majority owner of Summly and would now invest the money from the sale, though his age imposes legal limits for now on his access to it.
"I'm happy with that and working with my parents to go through that whole process," he said.
D'Aloisio, who lives in the prosperous London suburb of Wimbledon, highlights the support of family and school, which gave him time off, but also, critically, the ideas that came with enthusiastic financial backers.
He had first dreamt up the mobile software while revising for a history exam two years ago, going on to create a prototype of the app that distils news stories into chunks of text readable on small smartphone screens.
He was inspired, he said, by the frustrating experience of trawling through Google searches and separate websites to find information when revising for the test.
D'Aloisio taught himself to code at age 12 after Apple's App Store was launched, creating several apps including Facemood, a service which analysed sentiment to determine the moods of Facebook users, and music discovery service SongStumblr.
He has started A-levels - English final school exams - in maths, physics and philosophy, and plans to continue his studies while also working at Yahoo's offices in London. He aims to go to university to study humanities.
Although he has created an app worth millions, D'Aloisio says he is not a stereotyped computer geek.
"I like playing sport," he said. "I'm a bit of a design enthusiast, and like spending time with my girlfriend and mates."
The deal announced Monday is Yahoo's fifth small acquisition in the past five months. All of them have been part of CEO Marissa Mayer's effort to attract more engineers with expertise in building services for smartphones and tablet computers, an increasingly important area of technology that she believes the Internet company had been neglecting.
D'Aloisio is younger than Yahoo, which was incorporated in March 1995.
We've seen countless upcycled and hacked together projects with wood shipping pallets over the years, and more often than not they're ugly, but totally useful. Pallets are great for the DIYer because they're cheap and easy to work with, but you do need to pay close attention to what you're grabbing.
DIYers have made some great upcycled projects from pallets and they're always a popular resource on sites like Instructables. But the appeal isn't always obvious at a glance, so let's look at why pallets are great for DIYing, and take a look at how to pick out the right kind so you don't accidently bring hazards into your house.
Why Pallets Are So Appealing for DIYers
At a glance, wood pallets are ugly, cheap wood that most people wouldn't bother using for kindling, let alone make a table out of one. Oddly, that's really the appeal of them. They're essentially Legos for adults because they can be turned into just about anything with minimal effort or skill.
It's also about upcycling and using materials that are already out there for new and creative uses. You can usually grab them for free from old warehouses and shipping areas. Since most pallets are about the same size, you can find directions online and get to building something without really knowing anything about woodworking.
It's not all about ease of use of use though. Pallets take a bit of work to tear apart, and since they're often treated with chemicals you need to use a mask when you're sawing into them. If you do want to make them look a little nicer, it takes a bit of work (including sanding and resealing the wood), but the appeal really isn't the look, it's just the function. Even a woodworking amateur can make something useful out of wood pallet in an afternoon. Photo by troye owens.
How to Pick the Right Wood Pallets
As you'd expect with anything that's using reclaimed materials, you need to watch what you're doing with pallets. As cabinetmaker and blogger Nike Love points out, pallets get exposed to everything from harsh chemicals to mold and bugs. Which is to say, even if a pallet looks good, you probably shouldn't be using it for a children's bed or a dining room table. As CBS News points out, pallets come into contact with all types of crazy things in their journeys, so it's important to pay attention to what you're grabbing.
That said, pallets are still excellent for outdoor projects, and if you can get a good idea of their history they're useful indoors too. Either way, you need to seriously clean them up before you get anywhere near the inside of your house. If you can find pallets with a "HT" (heat treated) stamp on them that means they're free of bugs, but it also means the wood may have been treated with chemicals. All modern pallets require a logo that says how it was treated, if there's no logo, don't bother with it.
Here are a few a few things to keep in mind when you're looking for a wood pallet:
Most pallets are reused throughout the industry and usually stay within an industry. That means you don't want pallets from a pesticide or chemical processing company because they're probably drenched in chemicals.
The nicest pallets seem to come from dry goods industries. They're usually shipping a lightweight, dry product, so there's no spillage or stains to worry about.
Termites are everywhere in pallets (and all outdoor wood really). Look for for tiny "wood piles" as a sign of infestation.
Old grocery store pallets might seem okay, but they're often covered in spillage and stains which leads to mold. Look at them closely and smell it. Common sense rules here (and with any pallet): if it looks weird, or it smells strange, don't take it.
Use gloves. This seems like common sense, but since pallets often have nails pointing out and can easily give you a splinter it's worth noting. If you're going to cut a pallet, use a mask.
It's entirely possible to grab pallets that are safe, but it's just as likely you'll grab one covered in chemicals. So, if you can trace the history you're better off. Picking up any reclaimed wood is going to come with a set of dangers, so be smart and keep your eyes out for signs of contaminants. Shipping pallets make for easy weekend projects for regardless of your skill, and when you choose the right ones they'll last a surprisingly long time. Photo by Tatiana Popova/Shutterstock.
New world breeds, such as the Texas longhorn, derived from two separate lineages originating in Europe and India, new research suggests.
By Tia Ghose LiveScience
The first cows brought to the Americas by explorer Christopher Columbus originated from two extinct wild beasts from India and Europe, a new genetic analysis shows.
Because the breeds analyzed, including the longhorn, have been closely connected to humans, the results could shed light on human migration over the past 10,000 years, said study co-author Emily Jane McTavish, an evolutionary biology doctoral candidate at the University of Texas at Austin, whose mascot is the longhorn cow.
The findings were published Monday?in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Wild beasts About 10,000 years ago, ancient people domesticated cows?from wild aurochs (bovines that are 1.5 to two times as big as domestic cattle) in two separate events, one in the Indian subcontinent and one in Europe.
Paleolithic people probably captured young aurochs and selected for the most docile of the creatures. The "fierce and scary" creatures gradually became tamer, domesticated animals, McTavish said. Wild aurochs survived until 1627, when hunting and habitat loss drove the creatures to extinction.
New world cows On Columbus' second trip to the Americas in 1493, he brought cattle.
To untangle the history of these New World breeds, McTavish and her colleagues analyzed the genetic lineage of three cattle descended from the New World cows: Texas longhorn, Mexican Corriente and Romosinuano cattle from Colombia, and compared them with 55 other cattle breeds. [5 Misconceptions of Christopher Columbus]
The researchers found that the New World cows evolved from both Indian and European lineages. In addition, historical records suggest that Longhorns underwent natural selection while they were living in semiwild herds for 450 years, or about 80 to 200 generations.
The group hypothesizes that Indian cows made it to East Africa via trade routes, and cows from North Africa may have entered Spain when the Moors conquered the Iberian Peninsula.
Different origins The findings suggest that New World cows differ from breeds brought by the French and the British, such as Angus and Hereford, which evolved only in Europe, McTavish said.
"All these European breeds have a different evolutionary history than the Spanish breeds brought by Columbus," McTavish said.
Because New World cows were adapted to frequent droughts?and changing food supplies, "these traits could be useful to breeders developing hardier breeds of cattle, especially in the face of climate change," McTavish said.
Follow Tia Ghose on Twitter @tiaghose.?Follow?LiveScience @livescience, Facebook?andGoogle+. Original article on?LiveScience.com.
Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
President Obama's visit in Israel was a resounding PR success, judging by various indicators of Israeli public opinion, but as the dust settles, it becomes very clear that the visit was also an impressive diplomatic achievement. All the president's men can feel satisfied by the decision of PM Netanyahu to terminate the crisis with Turkey, caused by the initial provocation of an Islamic organization and the disproportionate Israeli reaction, leading to the death of nine Islamic radicals.
The apology was long overdue, but better late than never. This blog called on the PM on September 21, 2012 to do just that, bearing in mind the overall strategic interest of Israel, particularly with regard to the deteriorating Syrian situation and its potential damaging implications.
Netanyahu, to his credit, chose his timing to do that -- the Obama visit -- thus responding to a long-held American expectation from Israel, providing the president with the ability to show actual positive results for the visit. Netanyahu acted in a way which is typical for Israeli governments, though not necessarily to his own, and that is to do what is in the best interest of Israel, but to present it as a gesture towards the U.S.
There are those who argue that he could and should do more of the kind also in the past, and in this way prevent some of the tensions which have become an all too familiar and undesirable feature of the relations between him and President Obama. Yet, what he did was gutsy, considering the Israeli political environment, and the deep-seated resistance there to admit any wrongdoing on the part of the IDF, which rightly continues to be revered by the vast majority of the Israeli people.
PM Erdoghan of Turkey has made his own political calculus, chief among them the fact that the enmity towards Israel being so much in display after the tragic Mavi Marmara incident, did not really pay dividends to Turkey -- not in the U.S., not in the E.U., not even in the Arab world. Erdoghan learned that the Arabs are much more preoccupied with the implications of the Arab Spring, in particular the Syrian situation. The Turkish leader realized, while not admitting in public, that there still is a volume of Arab suspicions towards the Turks, a legacy of the centuries of Ottoman rule.
Whatever is the reason, the Turkish PM demonstrated yet again that he possesses qualities of real leadership, among them the ability to sense an opportunity for a change of diplomatic course and take advantage of it.
He is engaged now in a PR campaign in Turkey, designed to maximize the effects of what is presented as an Israeli defeat, whereas PM Netanyahu is engaged in his own campaign, designed to minimize the domestic ill effects of the apology, which for so long he regarded as a non-starter. But, it is in Washington where the White House can really claim a big victory. Two of the U.S.' main regional allies were at each other's throats, not a good situation for the U.S., particularly at a time of major regional instability, exactly the type of situation which requires closing of the ranks among the U.S. allies. The Administration was often criticized for what seemed to be a "come from behind" policy, leading to a considerable diminution of the U.S.' stature in the region.
Well, not so fast. The U.S. proved again that it is the only power capable of bringing hostile parties together, and doing that in a patient way and exactly at the right time. And timing, as Winston Churchill once said, is 50 % of good diplomacy. Here is where the public announcements of the Americans, Turks and Israelis may give just part of the picture. The Israelis were more open to the former two, acknowledging in public that it was the situation in Syria which led to an Israeli adjustment, and made the apology inevitable. Turkish commentators are suggesting likewise, that Erdoghan's main priority now is Syria, and certain moves by the Obama administration indicate that also the U.S. view the situation in Syria as a regional time bomb that needs to be dealt with and now, rather than on an unspecified date in the future. So is also the position of King Abdallah of Jordan, another valued American ally. The Saudis have already shown for a long while, that they want to see Bashar Assad out, and the soonest the best.
So, now, with the Israeli-Turkish rapprochement, the U.S. can finally cement a strategy about Syria, which can and will be supported by all its regional allies. Not good news for Bashar Assad, whose whereabouts are shredded with growing mystery. Yesterday there was buzz on Arabic Internet sites, according to which the besieged president was critically wounded in an attempt on his life.
The Al Shami hospital in Damascus was under siege, but as yet, these are unconfirmed reports. But the end is near and the regional implications could be devastating, clearly a potential nightmare for the U.S. and its allies. This is why the U.S. needed the Israelis and Turks to reconcile. The bad guys, the Iranians, so aware of their impending likely debacle once Assad is out, were quick to denounce the Israeli-Turkish new deal as another American machination, aimed at Syria.
Put aside their terminology, they may not be wrong. It is indeed the case, that the Syrian situation requires a coordinated American-led action. President Obama's visit and diplomacy seem to have done exactly that.
WASHINGTON?- The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of the Business Center, a suite of online resources for employers looking to recruit, train and retain a skilled work force through the department?s CareerOneStop Web site.
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The site includes tips about how to recruit qualified candidates through local American Job Centers and provides employment projections. Additionally, the site offers access to local training and educational institutions, a catalog of occupational certifications and a tool to help employers translate the military training and skills of returning service members into specific civilian occupations. The CareerOneStop Business Center is available online at?http://www.careeronestop.org/business.
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?These resources will help educate employers about our nation?s work force development system and put the resources they need to find and hire qualified workers right at their fingertips,? said Jane Oates, assistant secretary of labor for employment and training.
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The new Business Center page builds on existing resources available through CareerOneStop, which also has information to help job seekers find education and training providers, conduct a job search and access local labor market information.
?
Employment and Training Administration staff will have a webinar on March 27 at 2 p.m. EDT to highlight the Business Center?s tools. A webinar is a seminar conducted over the Internet. For more information and to participate in the webinar, visit?https://www.workforce3one.org/view/5001307743087754858/info.
?
Short URL: http://www.hawaiireporter.com/?p=312837
Author: Guest Contributor
To be a guest contributor, submit your story to Malia@hawaiireporter.com. Check out past stories by guest contributors!
Guest Contributor has written 2610 articles for us.
You know how first party Nintendo games never go on sale, usually until stores are clearing them out?
Well today is that day. The Good Guys are clearing all of their Wii stock and even some Nintendo 3DS stock which means some great bargains for you.
Some of these games have never been below $50 here in Australia. So if you can find them instore or want to order them online, go for it ? you might not get another chance.
You?ll need to follow this link and select the console to find the ones we haven?t listed.
Wii
3DS
Get in quick because at these prices, with these quality games they won?t last long.
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) ? In 1970, Washington became the first ? and remains the only ? state in the country to legalize elective abortions by a popular vote.
A generation later, and 40 years removed from the landmark United States Supreme Court Roe v. Wade ruling that extended abortion access nationwide, Washington is once again poised to stand out.
With 21 states having adopted bans or severe restrictions on insurance companies from paying for abortions, Washington is alone in seriously considering legislation mandating the opposite.
The Reproductive Parity Act, as supporters call it, would require insurers in Washington state who cover maternity care ? which all insurers must do ? to also pay for abortions.
The bill passed the state House earlier this month by a vote of 53-43, though it faces an uncertain future in the Senate. A similar bill in the New York state Assembly has been introduced each session for over a decade but has never received a public hearing.
"This is a core value for Washingtonians," said Melanie Smith, a lobbyist for NARAL Pro-Choice Washington. "We should protect it while we still have it and not leave access to basic health care up to an insurance company."
The proximate cause of Washington state's measure is the federal Affordable Care Act. Thanks to language placed in it to assuage anti-abortion congressional Democrats, insurers selling their plans on the state exchanges taking effect next year will have to segregate the premiums they collect for abortion coverage.
In addition to that built-in disincentive to insuring abortion, the law also invites states to enact stricter rules of their own. Thus far, 16 states have followed suit, barring or restricting insurance companies on their exchanges from covering the procedure. Three of those states are joining the five that have barred or limited all insurers from covering abortions since the early 1980's.
Supporters of Washington state's proposed abortion insurance mandate are careful to stress that it wouldn't lead to a dramatic uptick in abortions or require carriers with a religious bent to cover the procedure. They also note that a pair of federal plans that will be sold on all 50 state exchanges will be barred from covering elective abortions.
"It's not expanding abortion coverage," said Democratic Rep. Eileen Cody of West Seattle, the bill's primary sponsor. "It's ensuring the rights of women to get what they're paying for now and to continue their freedom of choice."
Opponents counter that the measure would require businesses and individuals to pay for abortion coverage they'd rather not have.
"Washington state would be the only state in the country that would force employers to pay for abortion," said Peggy O'Ban, spokeswoman for Human Life of Washington.
If passed, she said, it would amount to "the first conscience coercion act in American history."
Its passage, however, is not assured.
Proponents of the measure say they have the votes they need in the state Senate, but it's not clear that Senate leaders will allow it to get to the floor. It is scheduled to receive a public hearing in the Senate Health Care Committee on April 1.
Ironically, the man bill supporters will likely blame if it fails to get a Senate vote counts himself as a proud backer of the measure.
Sen. Rodney Tom of Medina, a fiscal conservative and social moderate, and one other like-minded Democrat crossed party lines to caucus with Republicans in December, handing a one-vote majority to the GOP. Seizing power for the first time in nearly a decade, elated Senate Republicans reciprocated by installing Tom as Majority Leader.
Last month, Tom addressed about 250 advocates rallying for the measure's passage on the state Capitol steps.
"I'm down here making sure that my 17-year-old daughter has the kind of protections that we need in Washington state and that all of our kids have those same kinds of protections," Tom said to cheers.
Moments later, Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat and fellow bill supporter, delivered a not-so-subtle challenge to Tom's political will.
Washington state "deserves a vote in the state Senate on the Reproductive Parity Act," Inslee said. "We are going to insist that we are not going to let anybody close the door to democracy in this state."
Another irony: though the bill has proved to be among the most hotly contested of the session, its broader impact if passed may be less than sweeping.
For one thing, most abortions are paid for out-of-pocket. According to the Guttmacher Institute, only 12 percent of abortions nationwide are paid for by private insurers, with 20 percent footed by Medicaid.
For another, because most abortions cost less than a live birth ? the procedure typically runs about $500, though late-term abortions are far more expensive ? insurers may be disinclined to stop covering them.
At present, all major insurers in Washington state cover abortions, and Cody, the bill's sponsor, said she knows of no carrier with plans to change. Insurers new to Washington state on its exchange may be tempted to adopt different policies, she said.
No matter its immediate impact, said Elizabeth Nash, states issues manager with the Guttmacher Institute, the bill's passage would be a watershed event.
"It would be a model for other states to follow," she said.
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Follow AP Writer Jonathan Kaminsky at http://www.twitter.com/jekaminsky
The world seems to be slowly moving towards a paperless society/ecosystem. Many of us pay our bills, read our newspapers and books, communicate with each other and the masses, and manage our lives electronically these days. I cannot tell you the last time I wrote a check or read a physical book. But many of [...]
Wichita State players and coaches celebrate a 76-70 win over Gonzaga during a third-round game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 23, 2013. (AP Photo/George Frey)
Wichita State players and coaches celebrate a 76-70 win over Gonzaga during a third-round game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 23, 2013. (AP Photo/George Frey)
Gonzaga head coach Mark Few looks down court late in their third-round game Wichita State in the NCAA college basketball tournament in Salt Lake City Saturday, March 23, 2013. Wichita State defeated Gonzaga 76-70. (AP Photo/George Frey)
Harvard's Siyani Chambers, Steve Moundou-Missi, Christian Webster and Wesley Saunders (23), from left, sit on the bench at the end of a third-round game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 23, 2013. Arizona defeated Harvard 74-51. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan and his bench watch the final moments of the second half against Mississppi in a second-round game at the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 22, 2013, in Kansas City, Mo. Mississippi won 57-46. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Louisville forward Chane Behanan, center, grabs a loose ball in front of Colorado State forward Pierce Hornung (4) in the first half of a third-round NCAA college basketball tournament game on Saturday, March 23, 2013, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Welcome back to BracketRacket, the one-stop shop for all your NCAA tournament needs.
Today, we say farewell to our first No. 1 seed and explain why Gonzaga's ouster was unusual compared to recent tournament history. We also check in with actor Josh Duhamel, browse Bo Ryan's Wikipedia page and get Coach K to compare Duke with the Yankees.
But first, let's see just how rough things have gotten for your bracket.
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BYE, GONZAGA
You hear the basketball experts every year: Just pencil the four No. 1 seeds straight to the Sweet 16. But Gonzaga, whom Vegas bookmakers put behind three lower seeded teams in odds to win the title when the tournament began, lost to Wichita State on Saturday night. Higher seeds were 6-2 on Saturday, with Oregon pulling the other upset over Saint Louis.
And as you'll soon see, the Sunday round of 32 is where upsets have usually come the past couple years.
___
SORE LOSERS
Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan better hope nobody was using Wikipedia to research him recently.
After Wisconsin's first-round loss to Ole Miss, some bitter Badgers fans spent Friday vandalizing Ryan's page, the top hit on Google when you search for his name. The revisions quickly spread across social networks, touching off a back-and-forth wiki dance between anonymous fans and moderators fighting to keep the page as accurate as possible.
One revision replaced Ryan's image with side-by-side photos of Ryan and Jim Carrey's 2000 portrayal of the Grinch.
Another edit: "Bo Ryan has as many Final Fours as Daffy Duck, Tony the Tiger, Big Bird, your local mail man, the Geico lizard, Skeeter, Mickey Mouse, Homer Simpson, Sasquatch and Winnie the Pooh combined."
Technically, that's true, though Wisconsin has made the tournament all 12 years under Ryan, a run that's included five Sweet 16s and one Elite Eight. And while it's not NCAA hoops, Daffy Duck was on Michael Jordan's winning Space Jam squad in 1995.
Those and other less family-friendly changes to Ryan's bio page sprung several volunteer Wikipedia editors to action. Their mission: Undo.
One such editor, Dennis Murray of Pittsburgh, said he's not a big basketball fan and had never even heard of Bo Ryan before Friday, when he changed the page to "semi-protected" status, restricting who could edit it.
Murray says Wikipedia vandalism happens occasionally, depending on the event.
"You might see a similar level of activity if a referee makes a controversial call or if a player makes a boneheaded play, but that's not always a given. I would imagine Bill Buckner's Wikipedia article would have gotten pretty interesting if it was around back then," Murray told the AP on Saturday.
As if the former Boston Red Sox first baseman needs more reminders.
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CELEBRITY ALUM
Actor Josh Duhamel spent the week preparing to host Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday night, but made sure to fax his bracket in time to enter sportscaster Dan Patrick's pool. A quick summary of the "Las Vegas" and "All My Children" actor's picks: Indiana wins it all, Pac-12 and Big Ten teams do well and Minnesota shows up as a dark horse.
"Duke, (Ohio State), Michigan State is always tough in the tournament. There's a lot of teams that could win it this year," Duhamel tells the AP's Ryan Pearson. "And there's been so many upsets that you know Miami could win the thing."
The 40-year-old Minot State alum says he tried several sports in college ? the Beavers are Division II ? but quickly got overwhelmed.
"I always thought I was going to be a professional athlete of some sort and then I realized I wasn't athletic enough."
___
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
Quick pop quiz: When was the last year neither Michigan nor Michigan State made the NCAA tournament?
Give up? It's 1997, and 1984 before that, the year before the field expanded to 64 teams.
But given the regular appearances and the schools' 17 combined Sweet 16 appearances since 1985, you might be surprised to learn that 2013 is the first time that both Michigan and Michigan State have made the tourney's regional semifinals in the same year.
Both teams advanced Saturday in the Detroit suburb of Auburn Hills, with Michigan beating VCU and Michigan State downing Memphis.
They've just been good at different times. As of Saturday, Michigan has reached the Sweet 16 a dozen times, while Michigan State has done it in 17 tourneys.
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said it might shock some fans, but he's pulling for Michigan as conference colleagues.
"Thank God they're going to a different region so we don't have to worry about facing another Big Ten team right away," Izzo said.
___
JUST ONE EVIL EMPIRE (IN SPORTS)
Don't tell Mike Krzyzewski that Duke is college basketball's New York Yankees.
Coach K was asked Saturday about his Blue Devils being like the Bronx Bombers in terms of nonpartisan fans rooting against them because of their success. As AP Basketball Writer Jim O'Connell reports, Krzyzewski made sure at his news conference that everyone knew the rules are different for college programs than professional franchises.
"I don't know how the Yankees are. I don't coach the Yankees. We're not the Yankees," he said. "(Seth) Curry doesn't come back every year. We still don't have (JJ) Redick. (Christian) Laettner left a long time ago. If he was Mariano Rivera we'd still have Laettner. It's not the same. We have a different Duke team every time."
Either it's a remarkable coincidence that Laettner and Rivera are the same age, or Coach K's given this comparison some thought before.
___
NO EASY BUCKETS
D.J. Stephens of Memphis has been getting a ton of notice this tournament for his dunks, but his biggest moment Saturday against Michigan State was one of his four first-half blocks: http://bit.ly/15FyesK . Adreian Payne probably had no business trying for an off-balance layup in that spot, but he got his revenge in the second half: http://bit.ly/YMQEDO .
___
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GENO
The start of the women's tournament Saturday was also a special day for Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma ? his 59th birthday.
And the No. 1-seed Huskies have a tradition when a member of their team marks another year: Everyone sings and the honoree skips around the room.
So as the AP's Pat Eaton-Robb watched during shootaround, Auriemma's players began to sing and he was forced to do his part.
"He was a baby about skipping," said center Stefanie Dolson. "He barely skipped. But he did, a little."
UConn then went out and ran all over Idaho, routing the Vandals 105-37.
The Huskies improved to 8-1 in games played on Auriemma's birthday ? the lone loss coming in 1998.
___
STAT OF THE DAY
Recent history suggests Sunday is the prime day for upsets in the round of 32. In the 2011 and 2012 tournaments combined, higher-seeded teams went 15-1 on Saturdays in the round of 32. The only loss was by No. 1 seed Pittsburgh to No. 8 Butler in 2011 in Washington. But on the second day of the round of 32 ? Sunday, of course ? it was almost even, with higher seeds winning only nine of 16 games. The upsets included some big surprises: No. 11 Marquette over No. 3 Syracuse (2011), No. 11 VCU beating No. 3 Purdue (2011), No. 10 Florida State over No. 2 Notre Dame (2011) and No. 11 North Carolina State toppling No. 3 Georgetown (2012).
___
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"Florida Gulf Coast ? have you ever been there? I don't think it's hard to recruit to that campus. It's pretty nice." ? Indiana coach Tom Crean, as reported by the AP's Tom Withers.
___
Oskar Garcia is a news editor for The Associated Press in Honolulu. Write to him at ogarcia(at)ap.org and follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/oskargarcia
Findings to help in design of drugs against virus causing childhood illnessesPublic release date: 21-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Emil Venere venere@purdue.edu 765-494-4709 Purdue University
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - New research findings may help scientists design drugs to treat a virus infection that causes potentially fatal brain swelling and paralysis in children.
The virus, called enterovirus 71, causes hand, foot and mouth disease and is common throughout the world. Although that disease usually is not fatal, the virus has been reported to cause fatal encephalitis in infants and young children, primarily in the Asia-Pacific region.
Currently, no cure exists for the infection.
New findings show the precise structure of the virus bound to a molecule that inhibits infection. The findings are detailed in a paper appearing this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"These results provide a structural basis for development of drugs to fight enterovirus 71 infection," said Michael G. Rossmann, Purdue University's Hanley Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences.
Rossmann is co-author of a paper with Purdue postdoctoral research associate Pavel Plevka; research scientist Rushika Perera; postdoctoral research associate Moh Lan Yap; Jane Cardosa, a researcher at Sentinext Therapeutics in Malaysia; and Richard J. Kuhn, a professor and head of Purdue's Department of Biological Sciences.
The researchers had previously used a technique called X-ray crystallography to determine the virus's precise structure. A small molecule called a "pocket factor" is located within a pocket of the virus's protective shell, called the capsid. When the virus binds to a human cell, the pocket factor is squeezed out of its pocket resulting in the destabilization of the virus particle, which then disintegrates and releases its genetic material to infect the cell and replicate.
Researchers led by Rossmann have developed antiviral drugs for other enteroviruses such as rhinoviruses that cause the common cold. The drugs work by replacing the pocket factor with a molecule that binds more tightly than the real pocket factor, inhibiting infection.
In the new work, the researchers obtained a near-atomic-scale resolution three-dimensional structure of enterovirus 71 binding with an inhibitor called WIN 51711.
"We show that the compound stabilizes the virus and limits its infectivity, probably through restricting dynamics of the capsid necessary for genome release," Rossmann said. "Our results provide a structural basis for development of antienterovirus 71 capsid-binding drugs."
At a resolution of 3.2 angstrom, the images show nearly atomic-scale structural features.
Hand, foot and mouth disease, an infection most common among young children, sometimes arises in a daycare setting. Of the 427,278 cases of the disease recorded in mainland China between January and May 2010, 5,454 cases were classified as severe, with 260 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
###
The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Writer: Emil Venere, 765-494-4709, venere@purdue.edu
Sources: Pavel Plevka, 765-494-8712, plevka@purdue.edu
Michael Rossmann, 765-494-4911, mr@purdue.edu
Richard J. Kuhn, 765-494-4407, kuhnr@purdue.edu
Rushika Perera, perera@purdue.edu
Related website:
Michael Rossmann: http://www.bio.purdue.edu/molecular_biosciences/directory.php?refID=81
ABSTRACT
Structure of Human Enterovirus 71 in Complex with a Capsid-Binding Inhibitor
Pavel Plevkaa,1, Rushika Pereraa,1, Moh Lan Yapa Jane Cardosab, Richard J. Kuhna, and Michael G. Rossmanna*
aDepartment of Biological Sciences, Purdue University
bSentinext Therapeutics, Malaysia
* To whom correspondence should be addressed: mr@purdue.edu
Human enterovirus 71 is a picornavirus causing hand, foot and mouth disease that may progress to fatal encephalitis in infants and small children. As of now, no cure is available for enterovirus 71 infections. Small molecule inhibitors binding into a hydrophobic pocket within capsid viral protein 1 were previously shown to effectively limit infectivity of many picornaviruses. Here we report a 3.2--resolution X-ray structure of the enterovirus 71 virion complexed with the capsid-binding inhibitor WIN 51711. The inhibitor replaced the natural pocket factor within the viral protein 1 pocket without inducing any detectable rearrangements in the structure of the capsid. Furthermore, we show that the compound stabilizes enterovirus 71 virions and limits its infectivity, probably through restricting dynamics of the capsid necessary for genome release. Thus, our results provide a structural basis for development of antienterovirus 71 capsid-binding drugs.
[ | 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.
Findings to help in design of drugs against virus causing childhood illnessesPublic release date: 21-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Emil Venere venere@purdue.edu 765-494-4709 Purdue University
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - New research findings may help scientists design drugs to treat a virus infection that causes potentially fatal brain swelling and paralysis in children.
The virus, called enterovirus 71, causes hand, foot and mouth disease and is common throughout the world. Although that disease usually is not fatal, the virus has been reported to cause fatal encephalitis in infants and young children, primarily in the Asia-Pacific region.
Currently, no cure exists for the infection.
New findings show the precise structure of the virus bound to a molecule that inhibits infection. The findings are detailed in a paper appearing this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"These results provide a structural basis for development of drugs to fight enterovirus 71 infection," said Michael G. Rossmann, Purdue University's Hanley Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences.
Rossmann is co-author of a paper with Purdue postdoctoral research associate Pavel Plevka; research scientist Rushika Perera; postdoctoral research associate Moh Lan Yap; Jane Cardosa, a researcher at Sentinext Therapeutics in Malaysia; and Richard J. Kuhn, a professor and head of Purdue's Department of Biological Sciences.
The researchers had previously used a technique called X-ray crystallography to determine the virus's precise structure. A small molecule called a "pocket factor" is located within a pocket of the virus's protective shell, called the capsid. When the virus binds to a human cell, the pocket factor is squeezed out of its pocket resulting in the destabilization of the virus particle, which then disintegrates and releases its genetic material to infect the cell and replicate.
Researchers led by Rossmann have developed antiviral drugs for other enteroviruses such as rhinoviruses that cause the common cold. The drugs work by replacing the pocket factor with a molecule that binds more tightly than the real pocket factor, inhibiting infection.
In the new work, the researchers obtained a near-atomic-scale resolution three-dimensional structure of enterovirus 71 binding with an inhibitor called WIN 51711.
"We show that the compound stabilizes the virus and limits its infectivity, probably through restricting dynamics of the capsid necessary for genome release," Rossmann said. "Our results provide a structural basis for development of antienterovirus 71 capsid-binding drugs."
At a resolution of 3.2 angstrom, the images show nearly atomic-scale structural features.
Hand, foot and mouth disease, an infection most common among young children, sometimes arises in a daycare setting. Of the 427,278 cases of the disease recorded in mainland China between January and May 2010, 5,454 cases were classified as severe, with 260 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
###
The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Writer: Emil Venere, 765-494-4709, venere@purdue.edu
Sources: Pavel Plevka, 765-494-8712, plevka@purdue.edu
Michael Rossmann, 765-494-4911, mr@purdue.edu
Richard J. Kuhn, 765-494-4407, kuhnr@purdue.edu
Rushika Perera, perera@purdue.edu
Related website:
Michael Rossmann: http://www.bio.purdue.edu/molecular_biosciences/directory.php?refID=81
ABSTRACT
Structure of Human Enterovirus 71 in Complex with a Capsid-Binding Inhibitor
Pavel Plevkaa,1, Rushika Pereraa,1, Moh Lan Yapa Jane Cardosab, Richard J. Kuhna, and Michael G. Rossmanna*
aDepartment of Biological Sciences, Purdue University
bSentinext Therapeutics, Malaysia
* To whom correspondence should be addressed: mr@purdue.edu
Human enterovirus 71 is a picornavirus causing hand, foot and mouth disease that may progress to fatal encephalitis in infants and small children. As of now, no cure is available for enterovirus 71 infections. Small molecule inhibitors binding into a hydrophobic pocket within capsid viral protein 1 were previously shown to effectively limit infectivity of many picornaviruses. Here we report a 3.2--resolution X-ray structure of the enterovirus 71 virion complexed with the capsid-binding inhibitor WIN 51711. The inhibitor replaced the natural pocket factor within the viral protein 1 pocket without inducing any detectable rearrangements in the structure of the capsid. Furthermore, we show that the compound stabilizes enterovirus 71 virions and limits its infectivity, probably through restricting dynamics of the capsid necessary for genome release. Thus, our results provide a structural basis for development of antienterovirus 71 capsid-binding drugs.
[ | 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.
Getty Images
We've seen countless upcycled and hacked together projects with wood shipping pallets over the years, and more often than not they're ugly, but totally useful. Pallets are great for the DIYer because they're cheap and easy to work with, but you do need to pay close attention to what you're grabbing. 
At a glance, wood pallets are ugly, cheap wood that most people wouldn't bother using for kindling, let alone make a table out of one. Oddly, that's really the appeal of them. They're essentially Legos for adults because they can be turned into just about anything with minimal effort or skill.
As you'd expect with anything that's using reclaimed materials, you need to watch what you're doing with pallets. As cabinetmaker and blogger Nike Love points out, pallets get exposed to everything from harsh chemicals to mold and bugs. Which is to say, even if a pallet looks good, you probably shouldn't be using it for a children's bed or a dining room table. As CBS News points out, pallets come into contact with all types of crazy things in their journeys, so it's important to pay attention to what you're grabbing.
WASHINGTON?- The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of the Business Center, a suite of online resources for employers looking to recruit, train and retain a skilled work force through the department?s CareerOneStop Web site.
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Public release date: 21-Mar-2013
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