Taylor Swift and rapper B.o.B. had a rough day at the office when it came to shooting the music video for their new song, 'Both of Us.'
The Nashville countryside, where the two chart-topping artists filmed the new video, was filled with quite a few creatures to contend with.
PLAY IT NOW: B.o.B. & Taylor Swift: Behind The Scenes Of Both Of Us
'There's bugs on people, there are bugs crawling on people, there are bugs trying to bite people,' Taylor said in behind the scenes footage.
The set nearly became deadly at one point.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Young Hollywood Heartthrobs!
'At one point I looked over on B.o.B.'s shoulder and there is this giant spider!' Taylor explained. 'It looked like a bird! It was that big.
'It was just hanging out there ready to kill him and I saved his life pointing it out, I'll point that out!' she continued.
In addition to a few of nature's beasts, the B.o.B. said being out in rural Tennessee helped show off his song partner's beauty.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Taylor Swift: From 'Fifteen' To Country Queen!
'It brings out the most enchanting side of Taylor Swift,' the hip-hop star said of the video.
Adding, 'The song is more like a project, this is bigger than just B.o.B. and Taylor Swift. This is about all walks of life, all classes of society. It's about everybody really.'
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Crazy! Sexy! Cool! The Planet's Hottest Pop Stars Take The Stage
Watch the behind the scenes footage, HERE!
Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Minnesota city flood kills zoo animals, bear escapes
(Reuters) - Heavy rains pounded northern Minnesota on Wednesday, forcing the evacuation of dozens of homes, causing mudslides and sinkholes, and swamping a zoo where several animals died and a polar bear briefly escaped its enclosure, officials said.
Officials said the flooding in the Duluth area, on the edge of Lake Superior, was the worst the city had seen in four decades.
'The last time there was something similar was in 1972,' Duluth police spokesman Jim Hansen said in a telephone interview.
The sheets of rain turned some hillside roads into rivers, popped off manhole covers and flooded the Lake Superior Zoo, where several barnyard animals died, including a donkey, sheep and goats.
'It's pretty devastating,' said Kara Gilbert, an office support specialist who was answering telephones at the zoo. 'We can all look out and see half of the zoo under water.'
The zoo's polar bear, Berlin, exited her exhibit and was tranquilized by the zoo's vet and quarantined, the zoo said. Two seals also escaped their enclosures: One was captured outside zoo grounds and the second was recovered on zoo property.
'A few of the animals got out of their enclosures, but they are contained and doing fine,' Gilbert said.
A flash flood warning was in effect for Duluth and other parts of the area until 10:30 p.m. Five to nine inches of rain fell overnight and up to three more inches were expected, the National Weather Service said.
Flash flooding was possible from Grand Marais, in the far northeast corner of the state, southwest along the north shore of Lake Superior through Duluth.
Police helped residents leave 40 to 50 homes in Duluth's Fond du Lac neighborhood. About 18 miles southwest of Duluth, parts of the low-lying town of Thomson were also evacuated.
Hansen said it was unclear when people could return.
Numerous roads in Duluth and the surrounding area were under water, and parts of area highways and Interstate 35 in Duluth were impassable. Officials warned residents that the standing water was likely unsanitary.
Duluth Mayor Don Ness declared a state of emergency and the Red Cross opened emergency shelters in the area. Governor Mark Dayton declared a state of emergency in eight counties, which will allow the National Guard to be deployed if needed.
No deaths or injuries as a result of the heavy rains and flooding were reported.
The Jay Cooke, Savanna Portage and Moose Lake state parks were closed until further notice because of the flooding, the state natural resources department said.
About 350 Minnesota Power customers were without power on Wednesday because of flooding, and the company was passing the increased water flows on the St. Louis River through its dams, a process that can take several days, officials said.
'Our gates are wide open and passing the maximum amount of water they can,' said Bonnie Carlson, Minnesota Power's hydro operations manager, who said there was no threat to the dams.
(Reporting by David Bailey; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Jackie Frank)
This article is brought to you by FREE DATING.
Officials said the flooding in the Duluth area, on the edge of Lake Superior, was the worst the city had seen in four decades.
'The last time there was something similar was in 1972,' Duluth police spokesman Jim Hansen said in a telephone interview.
The sheets of rain turned some hillside roads into rivers, popped off manhole covers and flooded the Lake Superior Zoo, where several barnyard animals died, including a donkey, sheep and goats.
'It's pretty devastating,' said Kara Gilbert, an office support specialist who was answering telephones at the zoo. 'We can all look out and see half of the zoo under water.'
The zoo's polar bear, Berlin, exited her exhibit and was tranquilized by the zoo's vet and quarantined, the zoo said. Two seals also escaped their enclosures: One was captured outside zoo grounds and the second was recovered on zoo property.
'A few of the animals got out of their enclosures, but they are contained and doing fine,' Gilbert said.
A flash flood warning was in effect for Duluth and other parts of the area until 10:30 p.m. Five to nine inches of rain fell overnight and up to three more inches were expected, the National Weather Service said.
Flash flooding was possible from Grand Marais, in the far northeast corner of the state, southwest along the north shore of Lake Superior through Duluth.
Police helped residents leave 40 to 50 homes in Duluth's Fond du Lac neighborhood. About 18 miles southwest of Duluth, parts of the low-lying town of Thomson were also evacuated.
Hansen said it was unclear when people could return.
Numerous roads in Duluth and the surrounding area were under water, and parts of area highways and Interstate 35 in Duluth were impassable. Officials warned residents that the standing water was likely unsanitary.
Duluth Mayor Don Ness declared a state of emergency and the Red Cross opened emergency shelters in the area. Governor Mark Dayton declared a state of emergency in eight counties, which will allow the National Guard to be deployed if needed.
No deaths or injuries as a result of the heavy rains and flooding were reported.
The Jay Cooke, Savanna Portage and Moose Lake state parks were closed until further notice because of the flooding, the state natural resources department said.
About 350 Minnesota Power customers were without power on Wednesday because of flooding, and the company was passing the increased water flows on the St. Louis River through its dams, a process that can take several days, officials said.
'Our gates are wide open and passing the maximum amount of water they can,' said Bonnie Carlson, Minnesota Power's hydro operations manager, who said there was no threat to the dams.
(Reporting by David Bailey; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Jackie Frank)
This article is brought to you by FREE DATING.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Gene Mutation Linked to Mysterious Brain Disease in Dogs
A subset of Finnish hound puppies need to be put down every year because they suffer from a degenerative brain disease that causes uncontrolled movement. Luckily, researchers have identified the gene that causes this disease, and developed a test to screen for it.
The brain disease, known as cerebellar ataxia, leads to progressive loss of brain matter in the dog's cerebellum, the region of the brain responsible for control of the body's movements and some cognitive functions. As this brain region degenerates, motor coordination during walking, speech, gaze and balance goes. If the dog has the gene, symptoms of this degenerative disease start showing up around 2 months of age. There are no treatments, and the dogs are put down shortly thereafter.
'The identified ataxia gene is the first early-onset degenerative cerebellar ataxia gene that has been identified in dogs,' study researcher Hannes Lohi, of the University of Helsinki in Finland, said in a statement. 'The SEL1L gene has not been previously connected to cerebellar ataxias in any species, and it represents a novel candidate gene for human early-onset ataxias.'
By analyzing the genomes of Finnish hounds with and without cerebellar ataxia, researchers identified a mutation in the SEL1L gene that seemed to be the cause. It had no previous link to the disease.
The mutation changes an evolutionarily important part of the gene, which probably disrupts the normal function of the protein; this protein functions in a part of the cell called the endoplasmic reticulum, a structure in cells that makes sure proteins are mutation-free, packaged correctly and sent to the right place in the body to do their jobs.
If this protein-packaging process fails, the cell gets stressed out, and eventually dies. The researchers were able to measure this stress in the brains of mice with the mutated gene, who also get this brain disease. Their brain cells seem to be especially sensitive to this kind of stress and are the first to die, even though the SEL1L gene is expressed in many other tissues.
With information about this gene mutation, the researchers worked with the Finnish DNA-based animal diagnostics company Genoscoper to develop a genetic test to help eradicate the gene from the population. Breeding pairs of Finnish hounds could be screened to determine the likelihood that their offspring would have the disease before they were paired up.
The mutation is recessive, so the dog needs to have two copies of the mutation to have the disease. About 10 percent of Finnish hounds are carriers of this mutation, meaning they have one copy of the genetic mutation.
The gene may also play a role in human degenerative brain diseases. About 20 genes have been discovered that cause different types of ataxias in humans, but none explained this dog disease. The researchers are currently looking at human samples to determine if this SEL1L mutation could be at fault in any human cerebellar ataxias.
The study was detailed online June 14 the journal PLoS Genetics.
Follow Jennifer Welsh on Twitter @microbelover or LiveScience @livescience. We're also on Facebook & Google+.
This news article is brought to you by ENHANCEMENT - where latest news are our top priority.
The brain disease, known as cerebellar ataxia, leads to progressive loss of brain matter in the dog's cerebellum, the region of the brain responsible for control of the body's movements and some cognitive functions. As this brain region degenerates, motor coordination during walking, speech, gaze and balance goes. If the dog has the gene, symptoms of this degenerative disease start showing up around 2 months of age. There are no treatments, and the dogs are put down shortly thereafter.
'The identified ataxia gene is the first early-onset degenerative cerebellar ataxia gene that has been identified in dogs,' study researcher Hannes Lohi, of the University of Helsinki in Finland, said in a statement. 'The SEL1L gene has not been previously connected to cerebellar ataxias in any species, and it represents a novel candidate gene for human early-onset ataxias.'
By analyzing the genomes of Finnish hounds with and without cerebellar ataxia, researchers identified a mutation in the SEL1L gene that seemed to be the cause. It had no previous link to the disease.
The mutation changes an evolutionarily important part of the gene, which probably disrupts the normal function of the protein; this protein functions in a part of the cell called the endoplasmic reticulum, a structure in cells that makes sure proteins are mutation-free, packaged correctly and sent to the right place in the body to do their jobs.
If this protein-packaging process fails, the cell gets stressed out, and eventually dies. The researchers were able to measure this stress in the brains of mice with the mutated gene, who also get this brain disease. Their brain cells seem to be especially sensitive to this kind of stress and are the first to die, even though the SEL1L gene is expressed in many other tissues.
With information about this gene mutation, the researchers worked with the Finnish DNA-based animal diagnostics company Genoscoper to develop a genetic test to help eradicate the gene from the population. Breeding pairs of Finnish hounds could be screened to determine the likelihood that their offspring would have the disease before they were paired up.
The mutation is recessive, so the dog needs to have two copies of the mutation to have the disease. About 10 percent of Finnish hounds are carriers of this mutation, meaning they have one copy of the genetic mutation.
The gene may also play a role in human degenerative brain diseases. About 20 genes have been discovered that cause different types of ataxias in humans, but none explained this dog disease. The researchers are currently looking at human samples to determine if this SEL1L mutation could be at fault in any human cerebellar ataxias.
The study was detailed online June 14 the journal PLoS Genetics.
Follow Jennifer Welsh on Twitter @microbelover or LiveScience @livescience. We're also on Facebook & Google+.
- The 10 Most Popular Dog Breeds
- 10 Things You Didn't Know About Dogs
- In Photos: America's Favorite Pets
This news article is brought to you by ENHANCEMENT - where latest news are our top priority.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Wolves kill worker at Swedish wildlife park
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - A pack of wolves attacked and killed a worker in their enclosure at one of Sweden's most popular wildlife parks on Sunday, said police, who did not know what had triggered the attack on the 30-year-old woman.
'She was so badly hurt in the attack that she died of her injuries,' said a police spokesman for the Ostergotland district, where the Kolmarden park is located.
'We do not know why they attacked.'
Police remained on the scene to investigate the incident at the biggest wildlife park in the Nordic region, located around 150 km (93 miles) south of Stockholm.
The woman's body was recovered after rescue workers and park staff entered the enclosure, forcing the animals back while an armed park official stood by to shoot the wolves in case they attacked again, the website of Norrkoping Newspaper, the local daily, quoted a rescue official as saying.
News agency TT quoted Kolmarden zoological chief Mats Hoggren as saying there were no eyewitnesses to the attack so it was not clear exactly what had happened.
Kolmarden, founded in 1965, is one of the most popular attractions in Sweden, with more than 500,000 visitors a year. (Reporting by Patrick Lannin; Editing by Sophie Hares)
This news article is brought to you by AFFAIRS - where latest news are our top priority.
'She was so badly hurt in the attack that she died of her injuries,' said a police spokesman for the Ostergotland district, where the Kolmarden park is located.
'We do not know why they attacked.'
Police remained on the scene to investigate the incident at the biggest wildlife park in the Nordic region, located around 150 km (93 miles) south of Stockholm.
The woman's body was recovered after rescue workers and park staff entered the enclosure, forcing the animals back while an armed park official stood by to shoot the wolves in case they attacked again, the website of Norrkoping Newspaper, the local daily, quoted a rescue official as saying.
News agency TT quoted Kolmarden zoological chief Mats Hoggren as saying there were no eyewitnesses to the attack so it was not clear exactly what had happened.
Kolmarden, founded in 1965, is one of the most popular attractions in Sweden, with more than 500,000 visitors a year. (Reporting by Patrick Lannin; Editing by Sophie Hares)
This news article is brought to you by AFFAIRS - where latest news are our top priority.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Rare white rhino born in Israeli zoo
A rare white rhinoceros has been born in a zoo in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, a zoo official told AFP on Saturday.
'This baby rhino, a male, was born early on Friday afternoon without any problems,' said Netta Guetta, who heads the African animals department, adding that the newcomer has yet to be named.
'This is an extremely rare event in captivity, and it's touching. Immediately after giving birth, the mother tenderly licked her calf and began to breast-feed,' she said.
The 20-year-old mother, named Tanda, weighs two tonnes and comes from South Africa.
She had already given birth once at Ramat Gan Zoo, where she has been for around six years.
The white rhino is an endangered species.
There are fewer than around 10,000 white rhinos worldwide as the mammals are killed by poachers for their horns, which are then trafficked to Asia where they are falsely believed to have medicinal properties.
This news article is brought to you by ADVENTURE-TRAVEL - where latest news are our top priority.
'This baby rhino, a male, was born early on Friday afternoon without any problems,' said Netta Guetta, who heads the African animals department, adding that the newcomer has yet to be named.
'This is an extremely rare event in captivity, and it's touching. Immediately after giving birth, the mother tenderly licked her calf and began to breast-feed,' she said.
The 20-year-old mother, named Tanda, weighs two tonnes and comes from South Africa.
She had already given birth once at Ramat Gan Zoo, where she has been for around six years.
The white rhino is an endangered species.
There are fewer than around 10,000 white rhinos worldwide as the mammals are killed by poachers for their horns, which are then trafficked to Asia where they are falsely believed to have medicinal properties.
This news article is brought to you by ADVENTURE-TRAVEL - where latest news are our top priority.
Friday, June 15, 2012
California foie gras ban ends farmer's 'American dream'
A looming foie gras ban in California is pitting animal rights protesters against high-end chefs. Squeezed in the middle is Guillermo Gonzalez, lamenting the end of his 'American dream'.
Gonzalez, the only foie gras producer in the famously liberal US state, claims ignorant activists and 'special interests' are unfairly throttling the livelihood he has built since arriving from El Salvador in 1986.
'I feel that a big injustice has been committed. I feel that emotion and intimidation have prevailed over reason and science. But this is bigger than us, so I just have to comply,' he told AFP.
'It is in a way an offense to honest work, and I don't lose the hope that reason will prevail,' added the 60-year-old, packing up his business before the July 1 deadline.
Gonzalez founded Sonoma Artisan Foie Gras 26 years ago, after leaving his homeland and spending a year in France's southwestern Perigord region to learn the traditional culinary craft from the Gallic masters.
Based in the bucolic town of Sonoma, a few miles from the world-renowned Napa Valley wine-growing region north of San Francisco, the firm is one of only a handful of foie gras producers in the United States.
But its problems began in 2003 when trespassers began stealing ducks from the family's farm, and vandals targeted the homes of two of his partners in a restaurant in downtown Sonoma, causing over $50,000 in damage.
Then in 2004 Californian lawmakers passed a law to outlaw production and sale of foie gras -- fatty liver, made by force feeding ducks and geese -- although they gave him seven years to comply.
The following year was the firm's peak, when it processed 80,000 ducks at its farm, set in walnut orchards near Farmington, east of San Francisco. Since then it has processed an average 50,000 a year.
Gonzalez, who testified on animal welfare to a US House Agriculture subcommittee in 2007, said he has always hoped California would reconsider the ban -- hopes fueled by Chicago's 2008 repeal of a city ban approved in 2006.
In the run-up to the California ban, some of the Golden State's top chefs including Thomas Keller, the only US chef with two three Michelin-starred restaurants, redoubled efforts to persuade lawmakers to overturn the ban.
Calling themselves the Coalition for Humane and Ethical Farming Standards (CHEFS), they have staged a series of foie gras-rich evenings to raise money for the cause.
But John Burton, the former California legislator who drafted the law, dismissed their calls, likening the tradition of foie gras to waterboarding and female genital mutilation.
'They've had all this time to figure it out and come up with a more humane way,' he lamented to the San Francisco Chronicle in April.
'I'd like to sit all 100 of them down and have duck and goose fat -- better yet, dry oatmeal -- shoved down their throats over and over and over again,' he added.
Animal rights campaigners have, when they got wind of such events, been quick to stage protests outside restaurants, chanting slogans like 'Helpless ducks are force fed, eat somewhere else instead.'
But Mark Berkner, owner and chef at 'Taste' in Plymouth, 40 minutes east of Sacramento where the bill was passed, said lawmakers should not be allowed to force their ethical choices on his restaurant's customers.
'We want to have choices here,' he told AFP at one of the support-foie gras events, questioning the precedent it sets. 'We don't want to be told down the road you can't serve chicken, you can't serve pork, you can't serve beef.'
Back on his near-empty farm, Gonzalez said critics of foie gras often simply have misconceptions about the force-feeding process -- involving inserting a funnel into ducks' throats -- which he insists is not cruel.
'The big problem is the lack of education for the general public,' he said, stressing the personal relationship between feeder and ducks, and the physiognomy which lets ducks hold and digest large amounts of food.
The process can harm them, if done wrongly, he said -- but compared it to a human baby being fed with milk.
'Even a mother of a baby, of a human being, .. if she doesn't have the skill to give her the bottle can harm the baby. It's as simple as that,' he said. 'You have to have the skill.'
He said the fight to try to keep his business running, including defending lawsuits, has cost him $1.6 million over the last decade. 'We essentially lost our retirement fund,' he said.
But sitting next to his wife Junny -- who also turned 60 this year and is known locally as 'The Foie Gras Lady' -- he insisted he is not angry.
'No, I don't feel angry. I think anger is a very negative feeling that only leads to bad results. I think that sadness and resignation is one that leads to a more constructive positive future,' he said.
Gonzalez is considering various business options, including rearing a particular type of French duck commercially, although he will take some time to decide what to do next.
Reflecting on his American dream, he added: 'I believe that what we have done as immigrants is what is expected of any immigrant, which is to work hard, create jobs, pay taxes, incorporate in society, do social service ...'
'The experience I'm feeling right now is that it's being by force taken away from us.'
This news article is brought to you by DEPRESSION - where latest news are our top priority.
Gonzalez, the only foie gras producer in the famously liberal US state, claims ignorant activists and 'special interests' are unfairly throttling the livelihood he has built since arriving from El Salvador in 1986.
'I feel that a big injustice has been committed. I feel that emotion and intimidation have prevailed over reason and science. But this is bigger than us, so I just have to comply,' he told AFP.
'It is in a way an offense to honest work, and I don't lose the hope that reason will prevail,' added the 60-year-old, packing up his business before the July 1 deadline.
Gonzalez founded Sonoma Artisan Foie Gras 26 years ago, after leaving his homeland and spending a year in France's southwestern Perigord region to learn the traditional culinary craft from the Gallic masters.
Based in the bucolic town of Sonoma, a few miles from the world-renowned Napa Valley wine-growing region north of San Francisco, the firm is one of only a handful of foie gras producers in the United States.
But its problems began in 2003 when trespassers began stealing ducks from the family's farm, and vandals targeted the homes of two of his partners in a restaurant in downtown Sonoma, causing over $50,000 in damage.
Then in 2004 Californian lawmakers passed a law to outlaw production and sale of foie gras -- fatty liver, made by force feeding ducks and geese -- although they gave him seven years to comply.
The following year was the firm's peak, when it processed 80,000 ducks at its farm, set in walnut orchards near Farmington, east of San Francisco. Since then it has processed an average 50,000 a year.
Gonzalez, who testified on animal welfare to a US House Agriculture subcommittee in 2007, said he has always hoped California would reconsider the ban -- hopes fueled by Chicago's 2008 repeal of a city ban approved in 2006.
In the run-up to the California ban, some of the Golden State's top chefs including Thomas Keller, the only US chef with two three Michelin-starred restaurants, redoubled efforts to persuade lawmakers to overturn the ban.
Calling themselves the Coalition for Humane and Ethical Farming Standards (CHEFS), they have staged a series of foie gras-rich evenings to raise money for the cause.
But John Burton, the former California legislator who drafted the law, dismissed their calls, likening the tradition of foie gras to waterboarding and female genital mutilation.
'They've had all this time to figure it out and come up with a more humane way,' he lamented to the San Francisco Chronicle in April.
'I'd like to sit all 100 of them down and have duck and goose fat -- better yet, dry oatmeal -- shoved down their throats over and over and over again,' he added.
Animal rights campaigners have, when they got wind of such events, been quick to stage protests outside restaurants, chanting slogans like 'Helpless ducks are force fed, eat somewhere else instead.'
But Mark Berkner, owner and chef at 'Taste' in Plymouth, 40 minutes east of Sacramento where the bill was passed, said lawmakers should not be allowed to force their ethical choices on his restaurant's customers.
'We want to have choices here,' he told AFP at one of the support-foie gras events, questioning the precedent it sets. 'We don't want to be told down the road you can't serve chicken, you can't serve pork, you can't serve beef.'
Back on his near-empty farm, Gonzalez said critics of foie gras often simply have misconceptions about the force-feeding process -- involving inserting a funnel into ducks' throats -- which he insists is not cruel.
'The big problem is the lack of education for the general public,' he said, stressing the personal relationship between feeder and ducks, and the physiognomy which lets ducks hold and digest large amounts of food.
The process can harm them, if done wrongly, he said -- but compared it to a human baby being fed with milk.
'Even a mother of a baby, of a human being, .. if she doesn't have the skill to give her the bottle can harm the baby. It's as simple as that,' he said. 'You have to have the skill.'
He said the fight to try to keep his business running, including defending lawsuits, has cost him $1.6 million over the last decade. 'We essentially lost our retirement fund,' he said.
But sitting next to his wife Junny -- who also turned 60 this year and is known locally as 'The Foie Gras Lady' -- he insisted he is not angry.
'No, I don't feel angry. I think anger is a very negative feeling that only leads to bad results. I think that sadness and resignation is one that leads to a more constructive positive future,' he said.
Gonzalez is considering various business options, including rearing a particular type of French duck commercially, although he will take some time to decide what to do next.
Reflecting on his American dream, he added: 'I believe that what we have done as immigrants is what is expected of any immigrant, which is to work hard, create jobs, pay taxes, incorporate in society, do social service ...'
'The experience I'm feeling right now is that it's being by force taken away from us.'
This news article is brought to you by DEPRESSION - where latest news are our top priority.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Sudden Aggression in Dogs Often a Sign of Pain
Sudden changes in a dog's temperament, for example episodes of aggression, could be related to some internal pain they are feeling, which sets them on edge if they are touched, new research indicates.
'If the pet is handled when in pain, it will quickly act aggressively to avoid more discomfort without the owner being able to prevent it,' study researcher Tomàs Camps, of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, in Spain, said in a statement. 'Dogs that had never been aggressive before the onset of pain began to behave in this way in situations where an attempt is made to control them.'
Irritability from pain can make otherwise affectionate dogs violent and already aggressive dogs even more aggressive. As such, the researchers say, their findings support the importance of the diagnosis and treatment of pain in dogs.
Aggressive animals
Several factors can explain a barking, aggressive dog: The conditions of the mother during gestation, the handling of the puppy in the neonatal phase, the age at weaning, the experiences of the animal during the socializing phase, diet, exercise, genetics and learning techniques based on active punishment during adulthood.
Focusing only on sudden increases in aggression, the researchers studied 12 dogs (Giant schnauzer, Irish setter, Pit-bull, Dalmatian, two German shepherds, Neapolitan Mastiff, Shih-tzu, Bobtail, Catalan Sheepdog, Chow-chow and Doberman) that were brought to the university's veterinary hospital by their owners in 2010 and 2011.
Scientists asked dog owners the who, what, where and when of the attacks on their owners: They identified the most frequent circumstances in which dogs were aggressive, the most characteristic positions, the most frequent target of attacks (usually the owners) and if there were warning signals before an imminent attack.
Pained pups
'All (eleven males and one female) were diagnosed as having aggression caused by pain. Out of the 12 studied, eight had suffered a hip dysplasia,' Camps said. Hip dysplasia is a painful condition common in larger dogs, in which abnormal formation of the hip socket can cause crippling lameness and painful arthritis of the joints.
Canine hip dysplasia is hereditary and affects more than 40 percent of Golden retrievers, Labradors and Rottweilers. The problem begins slowly, so it's important to catch it early. Random aggressive episodes brought on by pain could help vets diagnose the disease.
The study was published February 23 in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior- Clinical Applications and Research.
Follow Jennifer Welsh on Twitter @microbelover or LiveScience @livescience. We're also on Facebook & Google+.
This article is brought to you by FREE DATING.
'If the pet is handled when in pain, it will quickly act aggressively to avoid more discomfort without the owner being able to prevent it,' study researcher Tomàs Camps, of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, in Spain, said in a statement. 'Dogs that had never been aggressive before the onset of pain began to behave in this way in situations where an attempt is made to control them.'
Irritability from pain can make otherwise affectionate dogs violent and already aggressive dogs even more aggressive. As such, the researchers say, their findings support the importance of the diagnosis and treatment of pain in dogs.
Aggressive animals
Several factors can explain a barking, aggressive dog: The conditions of the mother during gestation, the handling of the puppy in the neonatal phase, the age at weaning, the experiences of the animal during the socializing phase, diet, exercise, genetics and learning techniques based on active punishment during adulthood.
Focusing only on sudden increases in aggression, the researchers studied 12 dogs (Giant schnauzer, Irish setter, Pit-bull, Dalmatian, two German shepherds, Neapolitan Mastiff, Shih-tzu, Bobtail, Catalan Sheepdog, Chow-chow and Doberman) that were brought to the university's veterinary hospital by their owners in 2010 and 2011.
Scientists asked dog owners the who, what, where and when of the attacks on their owners: They identified the most frequent circumstances in which dogs were aggressive, the most characteristic positions, the most frequent target of attacks (usually the owners) and if there were warning signals before an imminent attack.
Pained pups
'All (eleven males and one female) were diagnosed as having aggression caused by pain. Out of the 12 studied, eight had suffered a hip dysplasia,' Camps said. Hip dysplasia is a painful condition common in larger dogs, in which abnormal formation of the hip socket can cause crippling lameness and painful arthritis of the joints.
Canine hip dysplasia is hereditary and affects more than 40 percent of Golden retrievers, Labradors and Rottweilers. The problem begins slowly, so it's important to catch it early. Random aggressive episodes brought on by pain could help vets diagnose the disease.
The study was published February 23 in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior- Clinical Applications and Research.
Follow Jennifer Welsh on Twitter @microbelover or LiveScience @livescience. We're also on Facebook & Google+.
- The 10 Most Popular Dog Breeds
- 10 Things You Didn't Know About Dogs
- In Photos: America's Favorite Pets
This article is brought to you by FREE DATING.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Good dog, good job? More dogs sit, stay at work
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Like any new addition to an office, Dolly had an adjustment period. The hardest part: learning not to bark at the mailman.
Dolly is one of millions of dogs that accompany their owners to dog-friendly businesses every day. Even more will join her next Friday for Take Your Dog to Work Day.
'I consider it a benefit like health care. It's a huge attraction,' said Dolly's owner Erin McCormack, who works at Authentic Entertainment in Los Angeles as a producer on the Disney Channel's 'Auction Kings.'
McCormack and her Maltese mix walk together before work and at lunch to get some exercise, and McCormack saves money on the dog walker or daycare she would otherwise need.
'It's such a great way to create a productive atmosphere. It makes the environment more conducive to creativity,' she said, at a company that produces shows like the Food Network's 'The Best Thing I Ever Ate,' TLC's 'Toddlers & Tiaras' and Bravo's 'Flipping Out.'
At the same time, McCormack added, 'They are a calming force. When things get stressful, you can lean down and pet your dog or take a walk and pet a nearby dog. You get a more efficient workplace, one that's not consumed with stress.'
About 1.4 million owners take some 2.3 million dogs to work every day, according to an American Pet Products Association survey last year.
When the group last surveyed businesses, in 2006, one in five was dog-friendly. That number is probably holding steady if you include one-person offices, work-at-home pet owners and retail shops, said Len Kain, co-founder and editor of DogFriendly.com, which lists dog-friendly companies in every state.
Some of the nation's largest employers are dog-friendly - like Google Inc. and Amazon.com. Keeping employees happy is one of the main reasons cited by employers.
'Engineering and software companies are often the type of company that is pet-friendly,' Kain said. 'These companies have trouble finding people with the skills they need and do not want to lose these employees.'
Extrovertic, a health care communications agency with 40 employees and offices in New York City and Cambridge, Mass., tested the waters last year with Take Your Dog to Work Day. On June 22 this year, it is sponsored by North Carolina-based Pet Sitters International to promote adoption.
The experiment was so successful that the company went dog-friendly and Sally, a 5-year-old rescue beagle owned by supervising account manager Jared Shechtman, became Take Your Dog to Work Day's poster dog.
'We are a small agency. We want to be different. We want the quality of our employees' lives to be better than they would get at a bigger agency. Having dogs in the office is another way of saying, 'We are different and we care about you,'' said company CEO Dorothy Wetzel.
Fifteen to 20 of the 120 employees or freelancers working at Authentic Entertainment bring their dogs to work, said co-founder and executive producer Lauren Lexton.
Lexton and Tom Rogan decided to let people bring dogs to work when they founded the company 11 years ago, because 'it always felt right. Dogs give a softer element to everyday work and there is something about having them around that makes people happy.'
When you have great people, you want to keep them forever, she explained, so if they have a dog that's used to coming to work, the person is less likely to accept a better job offer if it comes along.
Having animals around also encourages camaraderie, McCormack said. 'Dogs automatically break down barriers. They are automatic conversation starters and ice breakers.'
Not every business can allow dogs, said Kain, who started DogFriendly.com with his wife Tara 15 years ago in Anchor Point, Alaska.
Companies may be located in buildings that ban dogs; it can be illegal for a food store, restaurant, hair salon (in some states) or medical office; and insurance may be a barrier, he said.
For others, allowing pets may be a way to help make do with fewer employees working longer hours. 'By allowing dogs at work, an employee doesn't have to leave to take care of the pet,' Kain said.
At Authentic Entertainment, Dolly's biggest hurdle was deliverymen. 'She has always had a fear of carts and boxes and people in uniform,' McCormack said.
She introduced Dolly to Authentic's maintenance man, and because Dolly still barked and growled at outside deliverymen, McCormack asked for a heads-up call from the front desk when they arrived.
Now she puts Dolly in her lap until the deliveries are finished. Problem solved.
Dolly's favorite part of coming to work is the attention, McCormack said. At home, she plays second-fiddle to a 3-year-old. At work, Dolly is Miss November in a calendar featuring employee dogs as characters on their shows.
'She is the toast of the town,' McCormack said. 'Everybody knows her and she is the star.'
___
Online:
http://www.petsit.com
http://www.authentictv.com/
This news article is brought to you by SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Dolly is one of millions of dogs that accompany their owners to dog-friendly businesses every day. Even more will join her next Friday for Take Your Dog to Work Day.
'I consider it a benefit like health care. It's a huge attraction,' said Dolly's owner Erin McCormack, who works at Authentic Entertainment in Los Angeles as a producer on the Disney Channel's 'Auction Kings.'
McCormack and her Maltese mix walk together before work and at lunch to get some exercise, and McCormack saves money on the dog walker or daycare she would otherwise need.
'It's such a great way to create a productive atmosphere. It makes the environment more conducive to creativity,' she said, at a company that produces shows like the Food Network's 'The Best Thing I Ever Ate,' TLC's 'Toddlers & Tiaras' and Bravo's 'Flipping Out.'
At the same time, McCormack added, 'They are a calming force. When things get stressful, you can lean down and pet your dog or take a walk and pet a nearby dog. You get a more efficient workplace, one that's not consumed with stress.'
About 1.4 million owners take some 2.3 million dogs to work every day, according to an American Pet Products Association survey last year.
When the group last surveyed businesses, in 2006, one in five was dog-friendly. That number is probably holding steady if you include one-person offices, work-at-home pet owners and retail shops, said Len Kain, co-founder and editor of DogFriendly.com, which lists dog-friendly companies in every state.
Some of the nation's largest employers are dog-friendly - like Google Inc. and Amazon.com. Keeping employees happy is one of the main reasons cited by employers.
'Engineering and software companies are often the type of company that is pet-friendly,' Kain said. 'These companies have trouble finding people with the skills they need and do not want to lose these employees.'
Extrovertic, a health care communications agency with 40 employees and offices in New York City and Cambridge, Mass., tested the waters last year with Take Your Dog to Work Day. On June 22 this year, it is sponsored by North Carolina-based Pet Sitters International to promote adoption.
The experiment was so successful that the company went dog-friendly and Sally, a 5-year-old rescue beagle owned by supervising account manager Jared Shechtman, became Take Your Dog to Work Day's poster dog.
'We are a small agency. We want to be different. We want the quality of our employees' lives to be better than they would get at a bigger agency. Having dogs in the office is another way of saying, 'We are different and we care about you,'' said company CEO Dorothy Wetzel.
Fifteen to 20 of the 120 employees or freelancers working at Authentic Entertainment bring their dogs to work, said co-founder and executive producer Lauren Lexton.
Lexton and Tom Rogan decided to let people bring dogs to work when they founded the company 11 years ago, because 'it always felt right. Dogs give a softer element to everyday work and there is something about having them around that makes people happy.'
When you have great people, you want to keep them forever, she explained, so if they have a dog that's used to coming to work, the person is less likely to accept a better job offer if it comes along.
Having animals around also encourages camaraderie, McCormack said. 'Dogs automatically break down barriers. They are automatic conversation starters and ice breakers.'
Not every business can allow dogs, said Kain, who started DogFriendly.com with his wife Tara 15 years ago in Anchor Point, Alaska.
Companies may be located in buildings that ban dogs; it can be illegal for a food store, restaurant, hair salon (in some states) or medical office; and insurance may be a barrier, he said.
For others, allowing pets may be a way to help make do with fewer employees working longer hours. 'By allowing dogs at work, an employee doesn't have to leave to take care of the pet,' Kain said.
At Authentic Entertainment, Dolly's biggest hurdle was deliverymen. 'She has always had a fear of carts and boxes and people in uniform,' McCormack said.
She introduced Dolly to Authentic's maintenance man, and because Dolly still barked and growled at outside deliverymen, McCormack asked for a heads-up call from the front desk when they arrived.
Now she puts Dolly in her lap until the deliveries are finished. Problem solved.
Dolly's favorite part of coming to work is the attention, McCormack said. At home, she plays second-fiddle to a 3-year-old. At work, Dolly is Miss November in a calendar featuring employee dogs as characters on their shows.
'She is the toast of the town,' McCormack said. 'Everybody knows her and she is the star.'
___
Online:
http://www.petsit.com
http://www.authentictv.com/
This news article is brought to you by SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Corrected: On U.S. car license plates, DAMNIML8 is OK, TOILET is not
(Reuters) - When Whitney Calk sought a personalized license plate from a Tennessee state agency to tout her vegetarian ideals, she was annoyed when she was told no. Turns out the letters ILVTOFU can be construed to mean more than enjoying bean curd.
'When I see T-O-F-U, I see tofu,' says Calk, who requested the so-called vanity plate from the Tennessee Department of Revenue last September.
'I can't control the way anyone else interprets that,' said Calk, 26, an animal rights activist from Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The dilemma faced by Tennessee authorities last year is not unusual, as officials at motor vehicle agencies nationwide consider hundreds of thousands of personalized plate requests each year. There are an estimated 9 million personalized license plates in the United States.
The vast majority of the requests are not objectionable, but thousands provide insight not only into the boundaries of free speech but the amount of human ingenuity expended to display seven and eight character insults, sexual references and descriptions of bodily functions to other motorists.
The battle to keep highways free of offensive phrases means state officials must track everything from Internet slang to foreign languages to commands like 3MTA3, which reveals its meaning when read backwards in a rear view mirror.
Virginia may be the capital of vanity plate mischief. Personalized plates in the state cost just $10 more than regular license plates-compared with $94 in Illinois and as much as $395 for a seven-character 'Freedom' plate for one year in Texas. One million of the Virginia's 7.8 million vehicles have them.
In 2009 alone, the state denied more than 700 plate requests including IHAV2P and IAMHIGH along with 100 requests beginning with the letter 'F' and myriad proposals involving the number '69,' according to state documents.
Questionable formulations are so common that a 20-person committee of motor vehicle staffers meets for an hour each month to review suspicious applications. State guidelines ban deceptive plates such as FBI or confusing configurations like O0O0O and NOTAG as well as excretory, sexual, racial or drug references.
'It's the only time you get to talk like that at DMV, that's for sure,' said Department of Motor Vehicles spokeswoman Melanie Stokes, who sits on the review panel. Less offensive and more playful ideas, including EWOBAMA, IPUNCHU and DMYANKI, have all been reviewed and rejected at the meetings.
SOMETIMES IT'S UPSIDE-DOWN
Some slip through. Pictures have been posted on the internet of the Virginia-issued 370H55V - which has to be read upside-down to get the full message.
In Maryland, a software program checks requests against 4,331 banned license plate formulations, a list that includes WILDPIG, TOILET and GAY. State prisoners who make the plates also help out by identifying drug, gang or sexual references that slip by the computer and the civil servants, said Philip Dacey, a spokesman for the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.
'A lot of these are gray areas,' said Dacey. 'TOILET is on the list and if people want to challenge it they can have a hearing.'
That's what one motorist did after Maryland revoked his MIERDA vanity plate following a complaint. Though the Spanish term would seem to embody the state's ban on 'scatological' references, an administrator is currently considering the man's appeal that the license plate should be interpreted as a non-vulgar reference to a form of fertilizer.
More recently Maryland attempted to revoke a plate reading WTF, an abbreviation for a three-word phrase beginning 'what the ...' that is widely used in Internet chat. The agency reversed course after an investigation revealed that the plate predated the Internet, and was a reference to the motorist's waterfront home.
In Florida, the state's motor vehicle agency takes a permissive stance towards celebrations of clothing optional bathing. O2B NUDE, BARE ALL and BE NAKED have all been deemed acceptable by the director of the agency, who nonetheless spiked 4NICK8, CAT BUTT and COW PADY, according to records released by the state.
Other states are less permissive. Utah, which faced a lawsuit in the 1990s for issuing plates with the term 'Redskins' because it offended Native Americans, has recently denied 'IH8TBYU,' 'MNKYBUM,' and 'MYSHRAZ' for being derogatory, vulgar, and an alcohol reference to a popular wine.
Massachusetts' vanity application form now instructs motorists that the letters 'I' 'O' 'Q' and 'U' can only be used 'as part of a word that is clearly defined and correctly spelled.' California requires applicants to explain the meaning of any request.
(Editing by Barbara Goldberg, David Storey and Jim Loney)
(this story has been corrected to change pricing of plates in Texas in 7th paragraph)
'When I see T-O-F-U, I see tofu,' says Calk, who requested the so-called vanity plate from the Tennessee Department of Revenue last September.
'I can't control the way anyone else interprets that,' said Calk, 26, an animal rights activist from Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The dilemma faced by Tennessee authorities last year is not unusual, as officials at motor vehicle agencies nationwide consider hundreds of thousands of personalized plate requests each year. There are an estimated 9 million personalized license plates in the United States.
The vast majority of the requests are not objectionable, but thousands provide insight not only into the boundaries of free speech but the amount of human ingenuity expended to display seven and eight character insults, sexual references and descriptions of bodily functions to other motorists.
The battle to keep highways free of offensive phrases means state officials must track everything from Internet slang to foreign languages to commands like 3MTA3, which reveals its meaning when read backwards in a rear view mirror.
Virginia may be the capital of vanity plate mischief. Personalized plates in the state cost just $10 more than regular license plates-compared with $94 in Illinois and as much as $395 for a seven-character 'Freedom' plate for one year in Texas. One million of the Virginia's 7.8 million vehicles have them.
In 2009 alone, the state denied more than 700 plate requests including IHAV2P and IAMHIGH along with 100 requests beginning with the letter 'F' and myriad proposals involving the number '69,' according to state documents.
Questionable formulations are so common that a 20-person committee of motor vehicle staffers meets for an hour each month to review suspicious applications. State guidelines ban deceptive plates such as FBI or confusing configurations like O0O0O and NOTAG as well as excretory, sexual, racial or drug references.
'It's the only time you get to talk like that at DMV, that's for sure,' said Department of Motor Vehicles spokeswoman Melanie Stokes, who sits on the review panel. Less offensive and more playful ideas, including EWOBAMA, IPUNCHU and DMYANKI, have all been reviewed and rejected at the meetings.
SOMETIMES IT'S UPSIDE-DOWN
Some slip through. Pictures have been posted on the internet of the Virginia-issued 370H55V - which has to be read upside-down to get the full message.
In Maryland, a software program checks requests against 4,331 banned license plate formulations, a list that includes WILDPIG, TOILET and GAY. State prisoners who make the plates also help out by identifying drug, gang or sexual references that slip by the computer and the civil servants, said Philip Dacey, a spokesman for the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.
'A lot of these are gray areas,' said Dacey. 'TOILET is on the list and if people want to challenge it they can have a hearing.'
That's what one motorist did after Maryland revoked his MIERDA vanity plate following a complaint. Though the Spanish term would seem to embody the state's ban on 'scatological' references, an administrator is currently considering the man's appeal that the license plate should be interpreted as a non-vulgar reference to a form of fertilizer.
More recently Maryland attempted to revoke a plate reading WTF, an abbreviation for a three-word phrase beginning 'what the ...' that is widely used in Internet chat. The agency reversed course after an investigation revealed that the plate predated the Internet, and was a reference to the motorist's waterfront home.
In Florida, the state's motor vehicle agency takes a permissive stance towards celebrations of clothing optional bathing. O2B NUDE, BARE ALL and BE NAKED have all been deemed acceptable by the director of the agency, who nonetheless spiked 4NICK8, CAT BUTT and COW PADY, according to records released by the state.
Other states are less permissive. Utah, which faced a lawsuit in the 1990s for issuing plates with the term 'Redskins' because it offended Native Americans, has recently denied 'IH8TBYU,' 'MNKYBUM,' and 'MYSHRAZ' for being derogatory, vulgar, and an alcohol reference to a popular wine.
Massachusetts' vanity application form now instructs motorists that the letters 'I' 'O' 'Q' and 'U' can only be used 'as part of a word that is clearly defined and correctly spelled.' California requires applicants to explain the meaning of any request.
(Editing by Barbara Goldberg, David Storey and Jim Loney)
(this story has been corrected to change pricing of plates in Texas in 7th paragraph)
Namibia slams claims it exported poached elephants
Namibia slammed reports Friday that it had exported nine orphaned elephants to Mexico, angrily denying the claims that sparked outrage in a nation proud of its conservation record.
Mexican businessman Frank Camacho said Tuesday his wildlife reserve had brought the young animals to Mexico after their parents were shot dead by hunters in Namibia.
Though Namibia did ship nine elephants, Namibian environmental minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said reports they were orphans were untrue.
'There have been inaccurate local and international media reports labelling the nine elephants exported to Mexico as orphans as a result of hunting and poaching,' she told journalists in the capital Windhoek.
'In no way can this export be considered as a 'rescue' mission, nor were these elephants orphans ... and not at risk of being destroyed by this ministry.'
Camacho said his Africam Safari -- which maintains a nature reserve in central Mexico with some 300 species -- was contacted by the owner of a reserve in Namibia who said he did not have space to raise the animals.
But Nandi-Ndaitwahthe refuted this with official records.
'These elephants come from the (private game) farm Eden in northeastern Namibia and the founding stock of these animals were bought by the previous farm owner from South Africa's Kruger National Park and from Namibia's Etosha National Park in the 1980s,' she said.
'There has never been any report of elephant poaching on Farm Eden.'
The farm had sold the animals to an intermediary and transported to a temporary holding facility until their export was authorised last month, she said.
No poaching incidents have been reported in Namibia for several years. The exact number of its thousands of elephants is uncertain because the animals roam freely in nature reserves that cross into neighbouring countries Botswana, Angola, and Zambia.
This news article is brought to you by MOVIE GOSSIP NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Mexican businessman Frank Camacho said Tuesday his wildlife reserve had brought the young animals to Mexico after their parents were shot dead by hunters in Namibia.
Though Namibia did ship nine elephants, Namibian environmental minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said reports they were orphans were untrue.
'There have been inaccurate local and international media reports labelling the nine elephants exported to Mexico as orphans as a result of hunting and poaching,' she told journalists in the capital Windhoek.
'In no way can this export be considered as a 'rescue' mission, nor were these elephants orphans ... and not at risk of being destroyed by this ministry.'
Camacho said his Africam Safari -- which maintains a nature reserve in central Mexico with some 300 species -- was contacted by the owner of a reserve in Namibia who said he did not have space to raise the animals.
But Nandi-Ndaitwahthe refuted this with official records.
'These elephants come from the (private game) farm Eden in northeastern Namibia and the founding stock of these animals were bought by the previous farm owner from South Africa's Kruger National Park and from Namibia's Etosha National Park in the 1980s,' she said.
'There has never been any report of elephant poaching on Farm Eden.'
The farm had sold the animals to an intermediary and transported to a temporary holding facility until their export was authorised last month, she said.
No poaching incidents have been reported in Namibia for several years. The exact number of its thousands of elephants is uncertain because the animals roam freely in nature reserves that cross into neighbouring countries Botswana, Angola, and Zambia.
This news article is brought to you by MOVIE GOSSIP NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Namibia slams poaching claims in Mexico elephants export
Namibia slammed reports Friday that it had exported nine orphaned elephants to Mexico, angrily denying the claims that sparked outrage in a nation proud of its conservation record.
Mexican businessman Frank Camacho said Tuesday his wildlife reserve had brought the young animals to Mexico after their parents were shot dead by hunters in Namibia.
Though Namibia did ship nine elephants, Namibian environmental minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said reports they were orphans were untrue.
'There have been inaccurate local and international media reports labelling the nine elephants exported to Mexico as orphans as a result of hunting and poaching,' she told journalists in the capital Windhoek.
'In no way can this export be considered as a 'rescue' mission, nor were these elephants orphans ... and not at risk of being destroyed by this ministry.'
Camacho said his Africam Safari -- which maintains a nature reserve in central Mexico with some 300 species -- was contacted by the owner of a reserve in Namibia who said he did not have space to raise the animals.
But Nandi-Ndaitwahthe refuted this with official records.
'These elephants come from the (private game) farm Eden in northeastern Namibia and the founding stock of these animals were bought by the previous farm owner from South Africa's Kruger National Park and from Namibia's Etosha National Park in the 1980s,' she said.
'There has never been any report of elephant poaching on Farm Eden.'
The farm had sold the animals to an intermediary and transported to a temporary holding facility until their export was authorised last month, she said.
No poaching incidents have been reported in Namibia for several years. The exact number of its thousands of elephants is uncertain because the animals roam freely in nature reserves that cross into neighbouring countries Botswana, Angola, and Zambia.
This news article is brought to you by ARCHERY - where latest news are our top priority.
Mexican businessman Frank Camacho said Tuesday his wildlife reserve had brought the young animals to Mexico after their parents were shot dead by hunters in Namibia.
Though Namibia did ship nine elephants, Namibian environmental minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said reports they were orphans were untrue.
'There have been inaccurate local and international media reports labelling the nine elephants exported to Mexico as orphans as a result of hunting and poaching,' she told journalists in the capital Windhoek.
'In no way can this export be considered as a 'rescue' mission, nor were these elephants orphans ... and not at risk of being destroyed by this ministry.'
Camacho said his Africam Safari -- which maintains a nature reserve in central Mexico with some 300 species -- was contacted by the owner of a reserve in Namibia who said he did not have space to raise the animals.
But Nandi-Ndaitwahthe refuted this with official records.
'These elephants come from the (private game) farm Eden in northeastern Namibia and the founding stock of these animals were bought by the previous farm owner from South Africa's Kruger National Park and from Namibia's Etosha National Park in the 1980s,' she said.
'There has never been any report of elephant poaching on Farm Eden.'
The farm had sold the animals to an intermediary and transported to a temporary holding facility until their export was authorised last month, she said.
No poaching incidents have been reported in Namibia for several years. The exact number of its thousands of elephants is uncertain because the animals roam freely in nature reserves that cross into neighbouring countries Botswana, Angola, and Zambia.
This news article is brought to you by ARCHERY - where latest news are our top priority.
Canine Comfort: Do Dogs Know When You're Sad?
Plenty of pet owners are comforted by a pair of puppy-dog eyes or a swipe of the tongue when their dog catches them crying. Now, new research suggests that dogs really do respond uniquely to tears. But whether pets have empathy for human pain is less clear.
In a study published online May 30 in the journal Animal Cognition, University of London researchers found that dogs were more likely to approach a crying person than someone who was humming or talking, and that they normally responded to weeping with submissive behaviors. The results are what you might expect if dogs understand our pain, the researchers wrote, but it's not proof that they do.
'The humming was designed to be a relatively novel behavior, which might be likely to pique the dogs' curiosity,' study researcher and psychologist Deborah Custance said in a statement. 'The fact that the dogs differentiated between crying and humming indicates that their response to crying was not purely driven by curiosity. Rather, the crying carried greater emotional meaning for the dogs and provoked a stronger overall response than either humming or talking.'
Humans domesticated dogs at least 15,000 years ago, and many a pet owner has a tale of their canine offering comfort in tough times. Studies have shown that dogs are experts at human communication, but scientists haven't been able to show conclusively that dogs feel empathy or truly understand the pain of others. In one 2006 study, researchers had owners fake heart attacks or pretend to be pinned beneath furniture, and learned that pet dogs failed to go for help (so much for Lassie saving Timmy from the well).
But seeking out assistance is a complex task, and Custance and her colleague Jennifer Mayer wanted to keep it simple. They recruited 18 pet dogs and their owners to test whether dogs would respond to crying with empathetic behaviors. The dogs included a mix of mutts, Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers and a few other common breeds. [What Your Dog's Breed Says About You]
The experiment took place in the owners' living rooms. Mayer would arrive and ignore the dog so that it would have little interest in her. Then she and the owner would take turns talking, fake-crying and humming.
Of the 18 dogs in the study, 15 approached their owner or Mayer during crying fits, while only six approached during humming. That suggests that it's emotional content, not curiosity, that brings the dogs running. Likewise, the dogs always approached the crying person, never the quiet person, as one might expect if the dog was seeking (rather than trying to provide) comfort.
'The dogs approached whoever was crying regardless of their identity. Thus they were responding to the person's emotion, not their own needs, which is suggestive of empathic-like comfort-offering behavior,' Mayer said in a statement.
Of the 15 dogs that approached a crying owner or stranger, 13 did so with submissive body language, such as tucked tails and bowed heads, another behavior consistent with empathy (the other two were alert or playful). Still, the researchers aren't dog whisperers, and they can't prove conclusively what the dogs were thinking. It's possible that dogs learn to approach crying people because their owners give them affection when they do, the researchers wrote.
'We in no way claim that the present study provides definitive answers to the question of empathy in dogs,' Mayer and Custance wrote. Nevertheless, they said, their experiment opens the door for more study of dogs' emotional lives, from whether different breeds respond to emotional owners differently to whether dogs understand the difference between laughter and tears.
Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter @sipappas or LiveScience @livescience. We're also on Facebook & Google+.
This article is brought to you by MATCHMAKING.
In a study published online May 30 in the journal Animal Cognition, University of London researchers found that dogs were more likely to approach a crying person than someone who was humming or talking, and that they normally responded to weeping with submissive behaviors. The results are what you might expect if dogs understand our pain, the researchers wrote, but it's not proof that they do.
'The humming was designed to be a relatively novel behavior, which might be likely to pique the dogs' curiosity,' study researcher and psychologist Deborah Custance said in a statement. 'The fact that the dogs differentiated between crying and humming indicates that their response to crying was not purely driven by curiosity. Rather, the crying carried greater emotional meaning for the dogs and provoked a stronger overall response than either humming or talking.'
Humans domesticated dogs at least 15,000 years ago, and many a pet owner has a tale of their canine offering comfort in tough times. Studies have shown that dogs are experts at human communication, but scientists haven't been able to show conclusively that dogs feel empathy or truly understand the pain of others. In one 2006 study, researchers had owners fake heart attacks or pretend to be pinned beneath furniture, and learned that pet dogs failed to go for help (so much for Lassie saving Timmy from the well).
But seeking out assistance is a complex task, and Custance and her colleague Jennifer Mayer wanted to keep it simple. They recruited 18 pet dogs and their owners to test whether dogs would respond to crying with empathetic behaviors. The dogs included a mix of mutts, Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers and a few other common breeds. [What Your Dog's Breed Says About You]
The experiment took place in the owners' living rooms. Mayer would arrive and ignore the dog so that it would have little interest in her. Then she and the owner would take turns talking, fake-crying and humming.
Of the 18 dogs in the study, 15 approached their owner or Mayer during crying fits, while only six approached during humming. That suggests that it's emotional content, not curiosity, that brings the dogs running. Likewise, the dogs always approached the crying person, never the quiet person, as one might expect if the dog was seeking (rather than trying to provide) comfort.
'The dogs approached whoever was crying regardless of their identity. Thus they were responding to the person's emotion, not their own needs, which is suggestive of empathic-like comfort-offering behavior,' Mayer said in a statement.
Of the 15 dogs that approached a crying owner or stranger, 13 did so with submissive body language, such as tucked tails and bowed heads, another behavior consistent with empathy (the other two were alert or playful). Still, the researchers aren't dog whisperers, and they can't prove conclusively what the dogs were thinking. It's possible that dogs learn to approach crying people because their owners give them affection when they do, the researchers wrote.
'We in no way claim that the present study provides definitive answers to the question of empathy in dogs,' Mayer and Custance wrote. Nevertheless, they said, their experiment opens the door for more study of dogs' emotional lives, from whether different breeds respond to emotional owners differently to whether dogs understand the difference between laughter and tears.
Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter @sipappas or LiveScience @livescience. We're also on Facebook & Google+.
- 10 Things You Didn't Know About Dogs
- The 10 Most Popular Dog Breeds
- 7 Surprising Benefits of Owning a Dog
This article is brought to you by MATCHMAKING.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
EPA sued over wildlife exposure to lead from spent ammunition
(Reuters) - Environmental groups filed suit on Thursday seeking federal regulation of lead in ammunition, claiming exposure to the toxic metal from spent bullets fired into the environment by hunters kills millions of birds and poses a risk to human health.
The Center for Biological Diversity was among 100 organizations that this year unsuccessfully petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to restrict the use of lead-based ammunition, which accounts for most bullets and shot used by hunters and other shooting sportsmen in the nation.
The EPA said it did not have the authority to regulate lead ammunition, a claim disputed by environmental groups. That issue is now at the center of the federal lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and six other conservation groups in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
In the lawsuit, environmentalists contend the EPA can make rules to limit lead exposure under the Toxic Substances Control Act, a law designed to limit exposure to harmful chemicals.
The lawsuit comes the same day U.S. Senators Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, and John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, filed an amendment to the federal Farm Bill that would ban the EPA from regulating lead ammunition. The U.S. House has already passed legislation exempting the EPA from regulating lead-based bullets.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, lead is a 'potent, potentially deadly toxin that damages many organs in the body,' affecting animals as well as humans. By the mid-1990s, lead had been removed from many products, including paint and fuel.
Lead bullets and shot account for 95 percent of ammunition made in the United States, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which represents the firearms industry.
Environmentalists say millions of birds, including bald eagles and endangered California condors, and other wildlife are poisoned each year by scavenging lead-contaminated carcasses or from ingesting spent lead-shot pellets.
Groups such as the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, a hunter-based conservation group, say such ammunition has been on the landscape for centuries without denting populations of raptors like eagles.
Decisions about hunting should remain under the control of state wildlife agencies and be 'based on the sound science of population impacts, not management to prevent harm to individual animals,' said Lawrence Keane, senior vice president and general counsel for the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
Keane said the actual aim of the Center for Biological Diversity and others was to end hunting, a claim that environmentalists denied.
'We have no anti-hunting agenda. In fact, we think a lot of hunters don't want their bullets to continue killing long after an animal is shot,' said Jeff Miller, a conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity.
While Miller contends alternatives to lead ammunition exist for hunters, sportsmen say metal-based bullets are costly and constitute just 1 percent of the ammunition market.
As for health risks to humans, the National Shooting Sports Foundation cited a 2008 Center for Disease Control and Prevention study that showed no toxic lead levels in North Dakota hunters who used lead-based ammunition to harvest the game they ate.
The U.S. government in 1991 banned the use nationwide of lead shot to hunt waterfowl and California in 2007 outlawed lead bullets in key areas inhabited by protected condors.
(Reporting by Laura Zuckerman in Salmon, Idaho; Edited by Mary Slosson and Lisa Shumaker)
This news article is brought to you by BIRDS - where latest news are our top priority.
The Center for Biological Diversity was among 100 organizations that this year unsuccessfully petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to restrict the use of lead-based ammunition, which accounts for most bullets and shot used by hunters and other shooting sportsmen in the nation.
The EPA said it did not have the authority to regulate lead ammunition, a claim disputed by environmental groups. That issue is now at the center of the federal lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and six other conservation groups in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
In the lawsuit, environmentalists contend the EPA can make rules to limit lead exposure under the Toxic Substances Control Act, a law designed to limit exposure to harmful chemicals.
The lawsuit comes the same day U.S. Senators Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, and John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, filed an amendment to the federal Farm Bill that would ban the EPA from regulating lead ammunition. The U.S. House has already passed legislation exempting the EPA from regulating lead-based bullets.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, lead is a 'potent, potentially deadly toxin that damages many organs in the body,' affecting animals as well as humans. By the mid-1990s, lead had been removed from many products, including paint and fuel.
Lead bullets and shot account for 95 percent of ammunition made in the United States, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which represents the firearms industry.
Environmentalists say millions of birds, including bald eagles and endangered California condors, and other wildlife are poisoned each year by scavenging lead-contaminated carcasses or from ingesting spent lead-shot pellets.
Groups such as the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, a hunter-based conservation group, say such ammunition has been on the landscape for centuries without denting populations of raptors like eagles.
Decisions about hunting should remain under the control of state wildlife agencies and be 'based on the sound science of population impacts, not management to prevent harm to individual animals,' said Lawrence Keane, senior vice president and general counsel for the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
Keane said the actual aim of the Center for Biological Diversity and others was to end hunting, a claim that environmentalists denied.
'We have no anti-hunting agenda. In fact, we think a lot of hunters don't want their bullets to continue killing long after an animal is shot,' said Jeff Miller, a conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity.
While Miller contends alternatives to lead ammunition exist for hunters, sportsmen say metal-based bullets are costly and constitute just 1 percent of the ammunition market.
As for health risks to humans, the National Shooting Sports Foundation cited a 2008 Center for Disease Control and Prevention study that showed no toxic lead levels in North Dakota hunters who used lead-based ammunition to harvest the game they ate.
The U.S. government in 1991 banned the use nationwide of lead shot to hunt waterfowl and California in 2007 outlawed lead bullets in key areas inhabited by protected condors.
(Reporting by Laura Zuckerman in Salmon, Idaho; Edited by Mary Slosson and Lisa Shumaker)
This news article is brought to you by BIRDS - where latest news are our top priority.
Wildlife groups sue US over lead bullets
Seven US conservation groups on Thursday filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency, accusing the government of failing to regulate the use of toxic lead bullets in hunting.
Lead bullets have been shown to fragment upon impact, leaving bits behind in carcasses that other animals scavenge. The practice can cause lead poisoning in species such as the endangered California condor, eagles, swans and more.
A petition by 100 environmental groups to the EPA in March, asking for the agency to regulate the components of ammunition used in hunting under the Toxic Substances Control Act, was refused amid strong opposition by gun rights groups.
'The EPA has the ability to immediately end the unintended killing of eagles, swans, loons, condors and other wildlife,' said Jeff Miller with the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the seven groups filing the latest suit.
'Unfortunately, the agency refuses to address this needless poisoning. We've removed toxic lead from gasoline, paint and most products exposing humans to lead poisoning; now it's time to do the same for hunting ammunition to protect America's wildlife.'
The Center says millions of birds and other wildlife -- 130 species in all -- are poisoned each year from scavenging big game left behind by hunters who used lead bullets.
'Wildlife hospitals across the country see a dramatic rise in lead-poisoned eagles and other raptors during hunting season each fall,' said Louise Shimmel, executive director of the Cascades Raptor Center in Oregon, another party to the suit.
'Lead poisoning is a major cause of death and injury for wildlife, and is easily preventable by taking action to prohibit lead shot.'
Some hunters prefer to use copper bullets, which do not fragment like lead and are safer for the environment.
However, groups like the National Rifle Association oppose any move to ban or regulate lead in ammunition, saying it would infringe on gun rights and raise costs for hunters.
A ban on hunters' use of lead shot for killing waterfowl was passed in the United States in the early 1990s because birds were being poisoned by ingesting the pieces that fell into waterways and ponds.
But the question of whether to do the same for hunters on land has sparked a fresh political battle over gun rights and environmental protection.
More than a dozen countries in Europe have banned lead ammunition for hunting waterfowl, while Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden are among a handful of countries that have totally banned lead bullets.
Germany, Japan and Belgium have passed limited restrictions on their use.
This article is brought to you by FREE DATING SITES.
Lead bullets have been shown to fragment upon impact, leaving bits behind in carcasses that other animals scavenge. The practice can cause lead poisoning in species such as the endangered California condor, eagles, swans and more.
A petition by 100 environmental groups to the EPA in March, asking for the agency to regulate the components of ammunition used in hunting under the Toxic Substances Control Act, was refused amid strong opposition by gun rights groups.
'The EPA has the ability to immediately end the unintended killing of eagles, swans, loons, condors and other wildlife,' said Jeff Miller with the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the seven groups filing the latest suit.
'Unfortunately, the agency refuses to address this needless poisoning. We've removed toxic lead from gasoline, paint and most products exposing humans to lead poisoning; now it's time to do the same for hunting ammunition to protect America's wildlife.'
The Center says millions of birds and other wildlife -- 130 species in all -- are poisoned each year from scavenging big game left behind by hunters who used lead bullets.
'Wildlife hospitals across the country see a dramatic rise in lead-poisoned eagles and other raptors during hunting season each fall,' said Louise Shimmel, executive director of the Cascades Raptor Center in Oregon, another party to the suit.
'Lead poisoning is a major cause of death and injury for wildlife, and is easily preventable by taking action to prohibit lead shot.'
Some hunters prefer to use copper bullets, which do not fragment like lead and are safer for the environment.
However, groups like the National Rifle Association oppose any move to ban or regulate lead in ammunition, saying it would infringe on gun rights and raise costs for hunters.
A ban on hunters' use of lead shot for killing waterfowl was passed in the United States in the early 1990s because birds were being poisoned by ingesting the pieces that fell into waterways and ponds.
But the question of whether to do the same for hunters on land has sparked a fresh political battle over gun rights and environmental protection.
More than a dozen countries in Europe have banned lead ammunition for hunting waterfowl, while Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden are among a handful of countries that have totally banned lead bullets.
Germany, Japan and Belgium have passed limited restrictions on their use.
This article is brought to you by FREE DATING SITES.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
On U.S. car license plates, DAMNIML8 is OK, TOILET is not
(Reuters) - When Whitney Calk sought a personalized license plate from a Tennessee state agency to tout her vegetarian ideals, she was annoyed when she was told no. Turns out the letters ILVTOFU can be construed to mean more than enjoying bean curd.
'When I see T-O-F-U, I see tofu,' says Calk, who requested the so-called vanity plate from the Tennessee Department of Revenue last September.
'I can't control the way anyone else interprets that,' said Calk, 26, an animal rights activist from Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The dilemma faced by Tennessee authorities last year is not unusual, as officials at motor vehicle agencies nationwide consider hundreds of thousands of personalized plate requests each year. There are an estimated 9 million personalized license plates in the United States.
The vast majority of the requests are not objectionable, but thousands provide insight not only into the boundaries of free speech but the amount of human ingenuity expended to display seven and eight character insults, sexual references and descriptions of bodily functions to other motorists.
The battle to keep highways free of offensive phrases means state officials must track everything from Internet slang to foreign languages to commands like 3MTA3, which reveals its meaning when read backwards in a rear view mirror.
Virginia may be the capital of vanity plate mischief. Personalized plates in the state cost just $10 more than regular license plates-compared with $40 in Texas and $94 in Illinois. One million of the Virginia's 7.8 million vehicles have them.
In 2009 alone, the state denied more than 700 plate requests including IHAV2P and IAMHIGH along with 100 requests beginning with the letter 'F' and myriad proposals involving the number '69,' according to state documents.
Questionable formulations are so common that a 20-person committee of motor vehicle staffers meets for an hour each month to review suspicious applications. State guidelines ban deceptive plates such as FBI or confusing configurations like O0O0O and NOTAG as well as excretory, sexual, racial or drug references.
'It's the only time you get to talk like that at DMV, that's for sure,' said Department of Motor Vehicles spokeswoman Melanie Stokes, who sits on the review panel. Less offensive and more playful ideas, including EWOBAMA, IPUNCHU and DMYANKI, have all been reviewed and rejected at the meetings.
SOMETIMES IT'S UPSIDE-DOWN
Some slip through. Pictures have been posted on the internet of the Virginia-issued 370H55V - which has to be read upside-down to get the full message.
In Maryland, a software program checks requests against 4,331 banned license plate formulations, a list that includes WILDPIG, TOILET and GAY. State prisoners who make the plates also help out by identifying drug, gang or sexual references that slip by the computer and the civil servants, said Philip Dacey, a spokesman for the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.
'A lot of these are gray areas,' said Dacey. 'TOILET is on the list and if people want to challenge it they can have a hearing.'
That's what one motorist did after Maryland revoked his MIERDA vanity plate following a complaint. Though the Spanish term would seem to embody the state's ban on 'scatological' references, an administrator is currently considering the man's appeal that the license plate should be interpreted as a non-vulgar reference to a form of fertilizer.
More recently Maryland attempted to revoke a plate reading WTF, an abbreviation for a three-word phrase beginning 'what the ...' that is widely used in Internet chat. The agency reversed course after an investigation revealed that the plate predated the Internet, and was a reference to the motorist's waterfront home.
In Florida, the state's motor vehicle agency takes a permissive stance towards celebrations of clothing optional bathing. O2B NUDE, BARE ALL and BE NAKED have all been deemed acceptable by the director of the agency, who nonetheless spiked 4NICK8, CAT BUTT and COW PADY, according to records released by the state.
Other states are less permissive. Utah, which faced a lawsuit in the 1990s for issuing plates with the term 'Redskins' because it offended Native Americans, has recently denied 'IH8TBYU,' 'MNKYBUM,' and 'MYSHRAZ' for being derogatory, vulgar, and an alcohol reference to a popular wine.
Massachusetts' vanity application form now instructs motorists that the letters 'I' 'O' 'Q' and 'U' can only be used 'as part of a word that is clearly defined and correctly spelled.' California requires applicants to explain the meaning of any request.
(Editing by Barbara Goldberg and David Storey)
'When I see T-O-F-U, I see tofu,' says Calk, who requested the so-called vanity plate from the Tennessee Department of Revenue last September.
'I can't control the way anyone else interprets that,' said Calk, 26, an animal rights activist from Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The dilemma faced by Tennessee authorities last year is not unusual, as officials at motor vehicle agencies nationwide consider hundreds of thousands of personalized plate requests each year. There are an estimated 9 million personalized license plates in the United States.
The vast majority of the requests are not objectionable, but thousands provide insight not only into the boundaries of free speech but the amount of human ingenuity expended to display seven and eight character insults, sexual references and descriptions of bodily functions to other motorists.
The battle to keep highways free of offensive phrases means state officials must track everything from Internet slang to foreign languages to commands like 3MTA3, which reveals its meaning when read backwards in a rear view mirror.
Virginia may be the capital of vanity plate mischief. Personalized plates in the state cost just $10 more than regular license plates-compared with $40 in Texas and $94 in Illinois. One million of the Virginia's 7.8 million vehicles have them.
In 2009 alone, the state denied more than 700 plate requests including IHAV2P and IAMHIGH along with 100 requests beginning with the letter 'F' and myriad proposals involving the number '69,' according to state documents.
Questionable formulations are so common that a 20-person committee of motor vehicle staffers meets for an hour each month to review suspicious applications. State guidelines ban deceptive plates such as FBI or confusing configurations like O0O0O and NOTAG as well as excretory, sexual, racial or drug references.
'It's the only time you get to talk like that at DMV, that's for sure,' said Department of Motor Vehicles spokeswoman Melanie Stokes, who sits on the review panel. Less offensive and more playful ideas, including EWOBAMA, IPUNCHU and DMYANKI, have all been reviewed and rejected at the meetings.
SOMETIMES IT'S UPSIDE-DOWN
Some slip through. Pictures have been posted on the internet of the Virginia-issued 370H55V - which has to be read upside-down to get the full message.
In Maryland, a software program checks requests against 4,331 banned license plate formulations, a list that includes WILDPIG, TOILET and GAY. State prisoners who make the plates also help out by identifying drug, gang or sexual references that slip by the computer and the civil servants, said Philip Dacey, a spokesman for the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.
'A lot of these are gray areas,' said Dacey. 'TOILET is on the list and if people want to challenge it they can have a hearing.'
That's what one motorist did after Maryland revoked his MIERDA vanity plate following a complaint. Though the Spanish term would seem to embody the state's ban on 'scatological' references, an administrator is currently considering the man's appeal that the license plate should be interpreted as a non-vulgar reference to a form of fertilizer.
More recently Maryland attempted to revoke a plate reading WTF, an abbreviation for a three-word phrase beginning 'what the ...' that is widely used in Internet chat. The agency reversed course after an investigation revealed that the plate predated the Internet, and was a reference to the motorist's waterfront home.
In Florida, the state's motor vehicle agency takes a permissive stance towards celebrations of clothing optional bathing. O2B NUDE, BARE ALL and BE NAKED have all been deemed acceptable by the director of the agency, who nonetheless spiked 4NICK8, CAT BUTT and COW PADY, according to records released by the state.
Other states are less permissive. Utah, which faced a lawsuit in the 1990s for issuing plates with the term 'Redskins' because it offended Native Americans, has recently denied 'IH8TBYU,' 'MNKYBUM,' and 'MYSHRAZ' for being derogatory, vulgar, and an alcohol reference to a popular wine.
Massachusetts' vanity application form now instructs motorists that the letters 'I' 'O' 'Q' and 'U' can only be used 'as part of a word that is clearly defined and correctly spelled.' California requires applicants to explain the meaning of any request.
(Editing by Barbara Goldberg and David Storey)
E3 hit 'Watch Dogs' sparks rave Twitter reviews
Microbloggers are raving about Ubisoft's upcoming game Watch Dogs, which was revealed at E3 on Monday, June 4, shortly after which the trailer hit the web.
Ubisoft unveiled Watch Dogs during a press conference at video game industry event E3. Developed by the Ubisoft Montreal Studio by a team comprising former Rainbow Six and Assassin's Creed developers, Watch Dogs combines stealth and hacking and asks the question: what if all electronic systems in our society were run by one computer, and someone was able to hack into it?
Already being hailed by some as the surprise hit of E3, Watch Dogs also received an overwhelming positive reaction on Twitter.
Freelance games journalist Peter Martensson (@petterm) tweeted, 'And Watch Dogs. Oh... My... God. Late to the party, I know. But wow, that could be amazing. If they manage to do a cyberpunkish GTA. »
James Batchelor (@James_Batchelor), co-founder of GameBurst, tweeted, 'Going to join in on the love for Watch Dogs. Want. Want now.'
Adam Liborio (@AdamLiborio), co-founder and programmer at mobile game developer RatDog Games, tweeted, 'I know everyone's said it already but Watch Dogs and The Last of Us look amazing.'
Honest Xbox Reviews (@HXboxreviews), an Xbox 360 review site, joined in with the praise, tweeting, 'Morning all, seems I missed my #E3 wow moment while gaming last night. Watch Dogs from @Ubisoft looks to be AMAZING!'
Watch Dogs is expected to be released in 2014, though no exact date is yet available. A nearly ten-minute-long trailer is available to watch at http://goo.gl/UlXjd.
E3 runs through June 7 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in California.
Ubisoft unveiled Watch Dogs during a press conference at video game industry event E3. Developed by the Ubisoft Montreal Studio by a team comprising former Rainbow Six and Assassin's Creed developers, Watch Dogs combines stealth and hacking and asks the question: what if all electronic systems in our society were run by one computer, and someone was able to hack into it?
Already being hailed by some as the surprise hit of E3, Watch Dogs also received an overwhelming positive reaction on Twitter.
Freelance games journalist Peter Martensson (@petterm) tweeted, 'And Watch Dogs. Oh... My... God. Late to the party, I know. But wow, that could be amazing. If they manage to do a cyberpunkish GTA. »
James Batchelor (@James_Batchelor), co-founder of GameBurst, tweeted, 'Going to join in on the love for Watch Dogs. Want. Want now.'
Adam Liborio (@AdamLiborio), co-founder and programmer at mobile game developer RatDog Games, tweeted, 'I know everyone's said it already but Watch Dogs and The Last of Us look amazing.'
Honest Xbox Reviews (@HXboxreviews), an Xbox 360 review site, joined in with the praise, tweeting, 'Morning all, seems I missed my #E3 wow moment while gaming last night. Watch Dogs from @Ubisoft looks to be AMAZING!'
Watch Dogs is expected to be released in 2014, though no exact date is yet available. A nearly ten-minute-long trailer is available to watch at http://goo.gl/UlXjd.
E3 runs through June 7 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in California.
Surprise 'Watch Dogs' announcement steals Ubisoft show
Last year, Far Cry 3 was Ubisoft's unexpected E3 announcement. This year, it was Watch Dogs that stepped into the spotlight with confident swagger.
Watch Dogs is set in contemporary America, where an intricate, invisible network of data surrounds everything that happens.
Morally ambiguous protagonist Aiden Pierce has the means and the motive to crack that web of information, manipulating it where he must.
In Ubisoft's June 4 stage demo, that meant phone hacking, infiltration and eavesdropping, tampering with traffic lights for a well-timed pile up, and a full-blown firefight followed by a swift getaway.
The hustle and bustle of Watch Dogs' city setting -- a simulacra for Chicago -- combined with Aiden's array of technology and deadly skill invites easy comparison to recent Grand Theft Auto, Deus Ex, and Hitman games, as well as Ubi's own Assassin's Creed series.
There's no release date identified as of yet, usually a signifier that it's some way off, but Ubisoft later confirmed that the game is targeting Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.
'Watch Dogs - Game Demo Video': youtu.be/0dTOnyp58NM
Watch Dogs - Game Demo Video [FR]: youtu.be/eyKP2mL84iI
Watch Dogs | E3 Introduction Trailer: youtu.be/n3F3KW-2ABc
Official site: watchdogs.ubi.com
Watch Dogs is set in contemporary America, where an intricate, invisible network of data surrounds everything that happens.
Morally ambiguous protagonist Aiden Pierce has the means and the motive to crack that web of information, manipulating it where he must.
In Ubisoft's June 4 stage demo, that meant phone hacking, infiltration and eavesdropping, tampering with traffic lights for a well-timed pile up, and a full-blown firefight followed by a swift getaway.
The hustle and bustle of Watch Dogs' city setting -- a simulacra for Chicago -- combined with Aiden's array of technology and deadly skill invites easy comparison to recent Grand Theft Auto, Deus Ex, and Hitman games, as well as Ubi's own Assassin's Creed series.
There's no release date identified as of yet, usually a signifier that it's some way off, but Ubisoft later confirmed that the game is targeting Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.
'Watch Dogs - Game Demo Video': youtu.be/0dTOnyp58NM
Watch Dogs - Game Demo Video [FR]: youtu.be/eyKP2mL84iI
Watch Dogs | E3 Introduction Trailer: youtu.be/n3F3KW-2ABc
Official site: watchdogs.ubi.com
Google+ trends: E3 announcements, Ubisoft's 'Watch Dogs,' Apple WWDC rumors
The annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) kicked off on June 5 with high profile announcements from Ubisoft, Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony.
Google+ users are linking to posts about the event and discussing newly announced video games and updates. Some of the most popular E3 posts on Google+ include brand new games for the Xbox, Microsoft's SmartGlass technology, details of Nintendo's Wii U, and videos of a gameplay demo for The Last of Us.
Google+'ers are transfixed by a new game called Watch Dogs from Ubisoft. The first person shooter features incredibly realistic 3D graphics and "augmented reality."
G+'ers say "it looks awesome to me" and "Ubisoft steals the show with Watch Dogs. This game has officially snuck to the top of my must-have list."
Social networkers are also talking about Ubisoft's E3 keynote and a demo video of the gameplay in Assassin's Creed 3.
Google+ers are discussing rumors that Apple is planning to unveil massive hardware upgrades during its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 11.
"So now that I hear Apple is considering a serious mac upgrade for most of the mac lines...do I sell my mac within a month so I can get the most money?" ask Google+'ers.
Some G+'ers are also talking about expected iOS 6 features and reporting that the Apple Store has gone offline in their country.
The top 5 most talked about topics on Google+ on June 4 at 7:30 AM GMT are:
This news article is brought to you by CONFLICT - where latest news are our top priority.
Google+ users are linking to posts about the event and discussing newly announced video games and updates. Some of the most popular E3 posts on Google+ include brand new games for the Xbox, Microsoft's SmartGlass technology, details of Nintendo's Wii U, and videos of a gameplay demo for The Last of Us.
Google+'ers are transfixed by a new game called Watch Dogs from Ubisoft. The first person shooter features incredibly realistic 3D graphics and "augmented reality."
G+'ers say "it looks awesome to me" and "Ubisoft steals the show with Watch Dogs. This game has officially snuck to the top of my must-have list."
Social networkers are also talking about Ubisoft's E3 keynote and a demo video of the gameplay in Assassin's Creed 3.
Google+ers are discussing rumors that Apple is planning to unveil massive hardware upgrades during its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 11.
"So now that I hear Apple is considering a serious mac upgrade for most of the mac lines...do I sell my mac within a month so I can get the most money?" ask Google+'ers.
Some G+'ers are also talking about expected iOS 6 features and reporting that the Apple Store has gone offline in their country.
The top 5 most talked about topics on Google+ on June 4 at 7:30 AM GMT are:
This news article is brought to you by CONFLICT - where latest news are our top priority.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Three rare elephants found dead in Indonesia
Three critically-endangered Sumatran elephants have been found dead in an oil palm plantation in western Indonesia and are believed to have been poisoned, an NGO said Saturday.
Villagers found the dead animals on Thursday in a government-owned oil palm plantation in the eastern part of Aceh province. They were estimated to be four and five years old, local environmental group Fakta said.
'We suspected that they died after consuming bars of soap laced with poison we found near the carcass,' the group's chief Rabono Wiranata told AFP.
'It seems that the elephants have died around one week,' he said.
The animals are usually either killed by villagers, who regard the beasts as pests that destroy their plantations, or by poachers for their tusks.
Early last month, two other Sumatran elephants were found dead in the west of the province.
There are fewer than 3,000 Sumatran elephants remaining in the wild, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, marking a 50 percent drop in numbers since 1985.
WWF changed the Sumatran elephant's status from 'endangered' to 'critically endangered' in January, largely due to severe habitat loss driven by oil palm and paper plantations.
Conflicts between humans and animals are increasing as people encroach on wildlife habitats in Indonesia, an archipelago with some of the world's largest remaining tropical forests.
This news article is brought to you by SELF-IMPROVEMENT - where latest news are our top priority.
Villagers found the dead animals on Thursday in a government-owned oil palm plantation in the eastern part of Aceh province. They were estimated to be four and five years old, local environmental group Fakta said.
'We suspected that they died after consuming bars of soap laced with poison we found near the carcass,' the group's chief Rabono Wiranata told AFP.
'It seems that the elephants have died around one week,' he said.
The animals are usually either killed by villagers, who regard the beasts as pests that destroy their plantations, or by poachers for their tusks.
Early last month, two other Sumatran elephants were found dead in the west of the province.
There are fewer than 3,000 Sumatran elephants remaining in the wild, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, marking a 50 percent drop in numbers since 1985.
WWF changed the Sumatran elephant's status from 'endangered' to 'critically endangered' in January, largely due to severe habitat loss driven by oil palm and paper plantations.
Conflicts between humans and animals are increasing as people encroach on wildlife habitats in Indonesia, an archipelago with some of the world's largest remaining tropical forests.
This news article is brought to you by SELF-IMPROVEMENT - where latest news are our top priority.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Granderson grand slams Tigers to fire Yankees win
(Reuters) - Curtis Granderson blasted a grand slam home run in the second inning to boost the visiting New York Yankees to a 9-4 victory over his former team, the Detroit Tigers, on Friday.
Granderson's bases-loaded drive into the right-field seats off Tigers rookie left-hander Casey Crosby gave New York a 5-1 lead and they cruised to victory.
New York (28-23) moved into third place in the tight American League East, 1.5 games behind Tampa Bay. The five teams in the division are separated by just three games in the standings.
Yankees starter CC Sabathia pitched seven innings, giving up three runs on eight hits as he tied for the American League lead in wins in improving his record to 7-2.
Crosby fell to 0-1 after his major league debut.
Rafael Soriano, the sixth New York pitcher used, came on in the ninth inning after Clay Rapada loaded the bases with one out. Soriano promptly got Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera to bounce into a game-ending double play to notch his seventh save.
The big home run by Granderson, his 17th of the season, came after Crosby had issued four walks in the inning to hand New York their first run of the game.
'I had to be more aggressive than in my first at-bat,' said Granderson, who struck out his first time at the plate.
The clutch long ball was especially sweet for Granderson, who played the first six seasons of his major league career with the Tigers before he was traded to the Yankees before the 2010 season.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Granderson developed into a more dangerous hitter once he got comfortable hitting left-handed pitching.
'He's been really important for us,' Girardi said. 'He's been a great player, offensively and defensively.
'Before he got to us he had some struggled against left-handers at times but he made an adjustment (in) 2010 and he's been a completely different player.'
The home run was Granderson's sixth this season against a left-hander.
(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York, editing by Nick Mulvenney)
This news article is brought to you by RECONNECTING - where latest news are our top priority.
Granderson's bases-loaded drive into the right-field seats off Tigers rookie left-hander Casey Crosby gave New York a 5-1 lead and they cruised to victory.
New York (28-23) moved into third place in the tight American League East, 1.5 games behind Tampa Bay. The five teams in the division are separated by just three games in the standings.
Yankees starter CC Sabathia pitched seven innings, giving up three runs on eight hits as he tied for the American League lead in wins in improving his record to 7-2.
Crosby fell to 0-1 after his major league debut.
Rafael Soriano, the sixth New York pitcher used, came on in the ninth inning after Clay Rapada loaded the bases with one out. Soriano promptly got Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera to bounce into a game-ending double play to notch his seventh save.
The big home run by Granderson, his 17th of the season, came after Crosby had issued four walks in the inning to hand New York their first run of the game.
'I had to be more aggressive than in my first at-bat,' said Granderson, who struck out his first time at the plate.
The clutch long ball was especially sweet for Granderson, who played the first six seasons of his major league career with the Tigers before he was traded to the Yankees before the 2010 season.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Granderson developed into a more dangerous hitter once he got comfortable hitting left-handed pitching.
'He's been really important for us,' Girardi said. 'He's been a great player, offensively and defensively.
'Before he got to us he had some struggled against left-handers at times but he made an adjustment (in) 2010 and he's been a completely different player.'
The home run was Granderson's sixth this season against a left-hander.
(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York, editing by Nick Mulvenney)
This news article is brought to you by RECONNECTING - where latest news are our top priority.
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