Monthly Archives: August 2012

CSU Channel Islands benefits from its unique name

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On paper, it's California State University Channel Islands, but many students call it Channel Islands or simplyC.I.

To the chagrin of university officials, some call it sushi andsea-sucky.

Whatever you call it, the youngest school in the Cal State system is a big draw simply because of its name. It doesn't hurt that "islands" is in the title. Students and faculty members are lured by the prospect of beach life and the seasidebreeze.

"It gives us a buzz," said CSU Channel Islands President RichardRush.

When the school opened its doors a decade ago, officials had to break the news to some students that classes were not actually held on anisland.

"In the beginning, people asked, 'Where do you take the boat?' " Rushsaid.

A prospective student from New Jersey, who thought the California waves would lap up against the campus, said his main reason for applying was to join the surfclub.

"We had to write him to say, 'Not quite,' " said J. Handel Evans, who led the development of the university as the planningpresident.

Naming the Camarillo school was an important milestone, particularly in early fundraising efforts for theuniversity.

"One of the most important things during this process is surprisingly getting the right name so you have something to talk about," Evans said. "When I came here, it was the Ventura Project, but when it was named, it became auniversity."

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CSU Channel Islands benefits from its unique name

Fresh fires burn Canary Islands

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11 August 2012 Last updated at 19:19 ET

Spanish firefighting teams in the Canary Islands are struggling anew to contain forest fires said to have forced some 4,700 people from their homes.

On the island of Tenerife, the blaze has cut road links and power lines.

On the neighbouring island of La Gomera officials say the fire has destroyed part of a nature reserve with "incalculable ecological value".

Spain has been hard hit by forest fires after its driest winter in 70 years.

Blazes are also raging in the mainland region of Galicia.

Fires first erupted on La Gomera a week ago, but by Monday the blaze was thought to be under control and aircraft used to help put out the flames had even been sent elsewhere, regional official Nancy Melo told the Associated Press news agency.

But on Friday the islands' government said the fire had now intensified, and a fresh blaze had begun on Tenerife.

About 2,500 people have been evacuated on La Gomera, along with some 2,200 people on Tenerife, the Agence France-Presse news agency quoted the regional government as saying.

On La Gomera, the flames have devoured some 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) of land, AFP said.

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Professor talks about alliance of Nason, ARHS

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Three health care trends underlie the recently announced plans of two local hospitals to create a countywide health care system, according to a health policy and administration professor at Penn State.

The increasing need for hospitals to adopt information technology, assume financial risk based on patient outcomes and to coordinate care across a variety of settings is forcing hospitals all across the country to consolidate, said Dennis Shea, in the aftermath of the announcement by Altoona Regional Health System and Nason Hospital.

The Affordable Care Act has accelerated the trend, he said.

Hospitals need to get bigger so they have the extra resources to handle the changes, he said.

They need those resources to afford the expensive investments in information technology, to take on the risk of getting paid based on patient outcomes and to vertically integrate - providing neonatal to nursing home services - which allows them to coordinate care better, according to Shea.

"These are three very powerful forces," Shea wrote of IT, risk acceptance and care coordination in an email. "Organizations that are able to pull this all together will be able to give much better health care at lower cost."

They can provide "a connected range of services" helping patients transition from hospital to rehab to home "without slipping backward" into expensive repeat hospitalizations, he said.

They can also maintain the kind of continual research that allows them to keep up with best practices, he said.

There will be problems with hospitals left behind, Shea noted.

"These trends make it very, very difficult for smaller organizations to thrive," he said.

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Professor talks about alliance of Nason, ARHS

Hospital unions votes in St. Louis set stage for tense talks

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Health care is among the few sectors of the national economy where unionization is actually increasing. One local sign: nurses at St. Louis University Hospital and Des Peres Hospital recently pulled off rare votes to organize workers at local health institutions.

Collective bargaining talks have begun, and may not be easy. Nurses want not only increased pay and benefits, but also improved staffing ratios they say will enhance the quality of patient care.

We expect the tenor of the discussions to be professional as nurses put forward their proposals for improvement to patient care, said Andrew Prediletto, principal negotiator for the nurses at SLU Hospital. We hope to reach agreement as soon as possible, but there is no set timetable.

The votes came against a backdrop of setbacks for unionization efforts at local hospitals in recent years. Nurses at Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Creve Coeur voted to decertify their union affiliation in 2007. Nurses at St. Louis Childrens Hospital voted down an attempt to unionize in 2003.

SLU Hospital nurses voted by a 3-to1 margin in early June to join the National Nurses Organizing Committee-Missouri, an affiliate of the 175,000 member National Nurses United, the nations largest union and professional association of registered nurses. Des Peres Hospital nurses voted by 2-to-1 margin three weeks later to unionize.

The bargaining agent will represent about 600 registered nurses at SLU and 250 nurses at Des Peres Hospital.

Nurses see this process as an opportunity to make improvements in staffing, said Prediletto, whose union is headquartered in suburban Washington. We anticipate discussing an improvement of wages benefits and working conditions Weve had meetings at both hospitals, and weve issued proposals.

Phillip Sowa, the chief executive of SLU Hospital, said in a written statement that additional days of bargaining are being scheduled for the coming months. We will continue to negotiate with them in good faith, he said, and we remain focused on our ultimate goal of providing high-quality health care to this community.

The hospital maintains that it offers competitive wages and benefits, and that its management promotes a positive work environment.

Walter Kopp, an independent hospital consultant based in San Anselmo, CA., said the nurses union likely will face tough talks.

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Hospital unions votes in St. Louis set stage for tense talks

Good nutrition should start at home, but new school lunch rules probably a good thing

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I read this week that new nutrition rules go into effect this fall for school cafeterias. For the most part, this is probably a good thing, given the fact that a lot of kids these days are carrying way too much weight for their age.

However, it is my humble opinion that proper nutrition for children should probably start at home long before they enroll in school. Given what I saw at the ballpark this summer, it's no surprise that some children have developed a bit of a weight problem by the time they hit first grade.

I watched in amazement a few weeks ago as a "portly" mother pushed her "husky" child in a stroller into the ballpark. The first thing Mom did was pop open a Mountain Dew and poured it into her son's sippy cup. The next thing to come out of the diaper bag was a bag of Oreos. Mom went to the concession stand and bought a big mess of chips and cheese and what looked to me like a foot-long Snicker bar. Of course, they shared.

Inning three It was back to the concession stand for another foot-long candy bar and a bag of popcorn with triple-extra butter and a 24 ounce bottle of fully-leaded Mountain Dew. Is it any wonder this child might develop a weight problem by the time he hits the public school system?

When I attended grade school in Carmi, Ill., we had a wonderful cook. Jo Colson and her staff paid close attention to the kids that came through the cafeteria line. She knew exactly who needed better nutrition and more calories, and who needed to watch their waistline.

I don't remember having free or reduced price meals back then. If you didn't have lunch money, you were given an opportunity to work in the cafeteria to get your meals free. If I had a nickel for every meal tray I scraped and every table I helped clear when I was in grade school, I'd probably be a millionaire today. But I had plenty to eat.

Unlike today, I was quite skinny back then. Some people said I was so skinny, I didn't cast a shadow. Mrs. Colson saw to it that I had plenty to eat, and never went home from school hungry.

It's certainly not my place to tell the Mountain Dew and Oreo packin' mama that she's turning her son into a porker. She will have to figure that out for herself.

But, here's why I think the new school cafeteria nutrition rules that go into effect this year are a good thing. It is a fact that for many children, the meals they get at school will be the best and most nutritional food they'll get all day long. If they get good food in school, and we can teach them good eating habits at a very young age, perhaps their children will be even healthier.

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Good nutrition should start at home, but new school lunch rules probably a good thing

How to Read Nutrition Labels

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Many people turn to counting calories when they want to lose weight. But how many of us really know what theyre reading when they scroll through a nutrition label? Here are a few things you should know before tossing any item into your grocery cart.

Serving size is the first line of the nutrition label and the single most important thing to understand. A product that is being marketed as a low calorie snack is only talking about one serving. So if you are eating the whole box, rest assured you are getting more calories than you bargained for.

Frequently, when buying a bag of chips or a drink many consumers think, this looks like one serving. But cute, individually wrapped items can be deceiving. Many snack-sized items often have 2.5 servings. That means that you can take the calories per serving, lets say they are 150, and multiply them by the amount of servings. Eat that cute, individual bag of personal chips and voila, those personal chips just gave your body 375 calories. Doesnt sound like such a healthy snack anymore, does it? Before you pick up an item that you plan on devouring solo, make sure that its just meant just for one.

The same advice applies when considering what bread to buy in the grocery store. When you look at the nutrition label, youll see that most brands consider just one slice of bread to be one serving. But its not easy to make a sandwich with just one slice! Look for bread that offers two slices for less than 150 calories with a good helping of fiber (more on that later).

Fat Matters

Immediately under calories on the nutrition label youll find that foods sometimes offer calories from fat. Generally, you should try to keep fat in your food at an absolute minimum unless the product contains healthy fats from nuts, grains, seeds or avocado. And before you even go there, let me I assure you, Oreos and Doritos do not.

Most people know by now that not all fats are created equal. Companies in the US are now required to list trans fat since they have been directly linked to clogged arteries (which can lead to heart attacks and strokes). In general, make sure you see a big fat zero next to the words trans fat on the nutrition label. Polyunsaturated fats are the healthy fats, while saturated fats should be consumed in limited quantities. The combination of saturated fat and cholesterol is actually what leads to higher levels of cholesterol in the blood. So its not just cholesterol (which is the next item on the label) that you should be looking at.

Watch Out for Sodium

Sodium is another hot ticket item since it is essential for proper cell function, but overwhelmingly, Americans are consuming way too much of this mineral since it is over-used as a preservative for packaged products. This is where knowing how much is okay is important. The RDA suggests that healthy individuals under the age of 51 limit sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day. Check out the label of your favorite frozen meal, most have close to 1,000 mg, while some even surpass 2,000 mg -- and thats just for one meal.

Carbs Are NOT the Enemy

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Stem cells may help prevent post-injury arthritis

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Researchers may have found a promising stem cell therapy for preventing osteoarthritis after a joint injury.

Injuring a joint greatly raises the odds of getting a form of osteoarthritis called post-traumatic arthritis, or PTA. There are no therapies yet that modify or slow the progression of arthritis after injury.

Researchers at Duke University Health System have found a very promising therapeutic approach to PTA using a type of stem cell, called mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), in mice with fractures that typically would lead to them developing arthritis.

Their findings could lead to a therapy that would be used after joint injury and before signs of significant osteoarthritis.

The scientists thought the stem cells would work to prevent PTA by altering the balance of inflammation and regeneration in knee joints, because these stem cells have beneficial properties in other regions of the body.

"The stem cells were able to prevent post-traumatic arthritis," said Farshid Guilak, Ph.D., director of orthopaedic research at Duke and senior author of the study.

The researchers also thought that a type of mice bred for their super-healing properties would probably fare better than typical mice, but they were wrong.

"We decided to investigate two therapies for the study, said lead author Brian Diekman, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in the Guilak lab.

"We thought that stem cells from so-called superhealer mice would be superior at providing protection, and instead, we found that they were no better than stem cells from typical mice. We thought that maybe it would take stem cells from superhealers to gain an effect as strong as preventing arthritis after a fracture, but we were surprised and excited to learn that regular stem cells work just as well," he said.

Certain people appear to fall into the superhealer category, too. They bounce back quickly and heal well naturally after a fracture, while other people eventually form cases of arthritis at the fractured joint, said Guilak, who is a professor of orthopaedic surgery and biomedical engineering.

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Column | Twitter captures the spirit of Ramadan

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Invited to write an essay on spirituality in Ramadan, I felt hard-pressed to capture the breadth of Ramadans transcendent lessons or portray its significance to those unfamiliar with the religious tradition.

Beloved in the collective consciousness of Muslims around the world, fasting the month of Ramadan remains a consistently adhered to religious practice in Islam today.

A 2011 survey on work productivity by Dinar Standard found that 98 percent of a sample of more than 1,500 Muslims from Muslim majority countries and Muslim minority countries, including the United States said they planned to fast the whole month.

When reduced to its rules, Ramadan may sound unusually harsh to an observer. Able-bodied adult Muslims are required to abstain from all eating, drinking and marital sexual relations between dawn and sunset each day for a full month.

Recommended night prayers and charitable acts further tax ones sleep and primary focus. Yet by altering daily schedules and adopting these ascetic practices for 30 days, Muslims collectively seek to control physical appetites in order to review and improve their spiritual condition, an exercise in faith.

Interestingly, a similar psychology and timeline are used for quitting bad habits or adopting healthy ones in the popular press today.

Although the purpose of Ramadan is to cultivate and review ones faith annually, the scope of its impact is as diverse as its practitioners.

Sampling the popular social media network Twitter illustrates this neatly. Under the topic #Ramadan- Reflection the following tweets were sent between July 20 and 28:

aayloush _@aayloush:

One may think food is extremely important but its amazing how little food we need for living and how grateful we become.

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Column | Twitter captures the spirit of Ramadan

Institute aims to blend faith, creativity

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Published: Saturday, August 11, 2012, 12:01 a.m.

That's the vision of the Institute for Spirituality and the Arts.

The institute is a ministry at Edmonds United Methodist Church that offers classes aimed at blending spirituality and creativity.

"Our mission is about putting these things together in interesting ways and acknowledging that they are very closely connected," said Andrew Ryder, the program's director.

Ryder, of Lynnwood, teaches theater at Seattle Pacific University.

One of the institute's key tenets is that there is a spiritual dimension to all human experiences, Ryder said. For example, one of the classes taught computer skills to older adults to give them the opportunity to be more connected to the church and community. A class this past spring talked about sacred gardens within the Islamic and Christian traditions. Another class, in development right now, will explore astronomy and the scientific and spiritual aspects of the universe.

People usually have to pay a fee for classes, though organizers hope to recruit instructors who'd be willing to donate their time.

Ryder said he hopes participants will give back to the community by creating art or using new skills learned at the institute.

The goal of the program is to make many of the classes accessible to children and adults of all abilities.

The ministry took root about two years ago, when church members were hosting classes for children. The institute has since teamed up with the Center for Sacred Arts, a multi-faith organization based in Seattle.

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Institute aims to blend faith, creativity

After Curiosity, uncertainty lingers on NASA's Mars program

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PASADENA, Ca. (Reuters) - This week's arrival of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity set the stage for a potentially game-changing quest to learn whether the planet most like Earth ever had a shot at developing life, but follow-up missions exist only on drawing boards. The United States had planned to team up with Europe on a trio of missions beginning in 2016 that would culminate in the return of Mars ...

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Nanotechnology Comes to TedTalks, with Mixed Results

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For all the TEDTalks that there have been, few have adequately addressed the topic of nanotechnology, with the possible exception of Bill Joys ironic path from nanotechnology doomsayer to cheerleader.

That is why when I saw that venture capitalist and Nanoholdings CEOJustin Hall-Tippinghad been given a forum to discuss nanotechnology for the illustrious TedTalks last year, I had to give a listen (see video below).

Hall-Tipping did not disappoint. As you will see in the video, he provides all the gee-whiz nanotech applications one could hope for and throws in some emotion to pull at our heartstrings.

Hall-Tipping highlights three technologies in the video that, as he explains, exhibit exquisite control over the electron and could change our current energy paradigmwhich, according to his calculations, is doomed to ultimate failure. Two of the technologies come from research originated at the University of Florida; the third comes from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Hall-Tipping says that one of the technologies developed at the University of Florida will result in a world that doesnt need artificial light to illuminate our nights. In this case, I believe he is referring to the work of Prof. Franky So, developer of lightweight night-vision technologies. Thats great, but if Hall-Tipping really expects that nearly ubiquitous night-vision capabilities are going to spell the end for artificial light, I think he may have overstated his point.

The other University of Florida technology that Hall-Tipping highlights uses carbon nanotubes embedded in transparent polymer films to absorb the suns energy and release it indoors during the winter. And as Hall-Tipping describes it, the same film will flip it back in the summer, preventing solar energy from heating living spaces when you want to keep things cool. This application seems to be built around the work of John Reynolds and Andrew Rinzler.I suppose this work could be adapted to collect solar power and reflect away sunlight, but I would like to see some figures on energy conversion efficiency before I start disconnecting myself from the grid.

In the final technology, from the University of Texas at Dallas, nanomaterials (of the carbon nanotube variety,we assume) enable a device that, according to Hall-Tipping, can park an electron on the outside, hold it until it's needed, and then to release it and pass it off. The machine that accomplishes this electron parking, dubbed eBox, has apparently been around since 2009. A prototype has been running for over a yearwithout, it seems, any effort to commercialize it.

Later in the video, Hall-Tipping makes the cogent point that water shortages are already becoming acute around the world and that energy-intensive desalination is a problematic solution based our current energy paradigm. But removing the grid, or depending on solar power to change the dynamics, seems to be missing the point of a lot of nanotech research related to desalination. I suppose Hall-Tippings company is not backing those horses.

Finally, Hall-Tipping makes his concerns about water shortages personal when he reveals a photograph that he has carried with him for the last 18 years; in it, a young girl in the Sudan is dying of thirst. A truly heart-wrenching image, and as Hall-Tipping says, one that should never happen. But maybe that girl would have been better served by rather simple nanotech-based solutions for providing clean drinking water instead of reinventing the electrical grid.

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Nanotechnology Comes to TedTalks, with Mixed Results

Dr. Mark Cichon Named Chair of Loyola Department of Emergency Medicine

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Newswise Dr. Mark Cichon, DO, has been named chair of the new Department of Emergency Medicine of Loyola University Medical Center.

Cichon formerly was head of the division of Emergency Medicine within the Department of Surgery at Loyola. As of July 1, the division is elevated to department status.

As a full, stand-alone department, the new Department of Emergency Medicine will be better positioned to enhance academic needs for both students and faculty and allow for richer academic growth, faculty development, faculty recruitment and retention. This change aligns with national trends over the past decade, as an increasing number of emergency medicine divisions have become full departments.

Cichon has served as division director for Loyola Emergency Medicine for the past 16 years. Dr. Cichon has shown that he more than meets the academic needs of both students and faculty, said Dr. Richard Gamelli, MD, FACS, senior vice president and provost, Health Sciences, Loyola University Chicago. He also has demonstrated how emergency medicine physicians serve the didactic needs of students as well as serving the continued growth of the faculty within the department.

Since 1995, annual patient volumes in Loyolas emergency division have increased from 29,000 to 53,000 patients. The Loyola emergency department is for many patients a portal of entry to Loyola University Health System for complex care, said Dr. Gamelli, who also serves as Director, Burn & Shock Trauma Institute and Chief, Burn Center at Loyola. The division also has instituted several programs to improve care for critically ill patients, including the Heart Attack Rapid Response Team, Stroke Program, Sepsis Program and Hypothermia Program.

The Loyola emergency medicine division is classified as a Level 1 Trauma Center, providing the highest level of surgical care to trauma patients. The division also has been recognized by groups such as The Joint Commission, the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems, the American College of Surgeons for Trauma and the Illinois Department of Public Health for Trauma, Burns, Pediatric and Emergency departments.

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Dr. Mark Cichon Named Chair of Loyola Department of Emergency Medicine

Herbal Medicine Offers Relief of Endometrial Hyperplasia and Adenomyosis, Says Dr. Lee Xiaoping from China

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SIPO of China has recently approved an alternative herbal treatment for endometrial hyperplasia and adenomyosis. Bringing no side effect, the herbal medicine completely treats endometrial disorders, which solves fertility problems for sufferers.Wuhan, Hubei Province (PRWEB) August 10, 2012 A new patented herbal medicine Fuyan Pill offers relief of two endometrial disorders: endometrial ...

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Herbal Medicine Offers Relief of Endometrial Hyperplasia and Adenomyosis, Says Dr. Lee Xiaoping from China

Liberty Comeback Falls Short In Legion Regional Loss

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Posted: Aug. 11, 2012 | 2:02 a.m.

Liberty's American Legion baseball team brought the potential winning run to the plate in the ninth inning Friday, but consecutive strikeouts ended the game as the Patriots lost 9-6 to host Fairfield, Calif., in the Western Regional.

Jesse Keiser's two-run triple cut the lead to 9-6, and Daniel Skelly and Chris Bradford walked to load the bases. Fairfield reliever Kyle Wagner then struck out Griffin Kelly and Joe Maurer.

Liberty trailed 9-1 before Keiser belted a three-run homer in the seventh inning to get the Patriots going. Liberty's other run came in the third on an RBI single by Michael Vargas.

The Patriots fell behind 4-0 after two innings. Fairfield scored a run in the first, then got a two-run triple by Wagner and an RBI triple from Michael Brown in the second.

Fairfield added four runs in the sixth on two hits, as Liberty pitchers walked four and the Patriots made an error.

Keiser was 2-for-5 with five RBIs, and Vargas and Jay Martz each went 2-for-4. Vargas scored twice.

Liberty (27-8) plays Albuquerque, N.M., at 3 p.m. today in an elimination game.

LITTLE LEAGUE - Cheyenne-North Las Vegas fell behind 10-0 after 3 innings and couldn't recover in a 10-4 semifinal loss to Northern California representative Petaluma in the Little League West Regional in San Bernardino, Calif.

Cheyenne, the No. 4 seed, nearly was ousted on the 10-run mercy rule, but extended the game with a run in the fourth against top-seeded Petaluma.

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Liberty Comeback Falls Short In Legion Regional Loss

Man arrested in Liberty County case involving filthy home

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Aaron Parker and his girlfriend Mabel Larsen were living in a filthy home in rural Liberty County. He was on probation for a 2009 child abuse case and had multiple Child Protective Services court filings.

Aaron Parker and his girlfriend Mabel Larsen were living in a...

Authorities remove dogs from a Liberty County home in the 100 block of County Road 2802 is seen Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in Cleveland, Texas. 15 dogs and two horses were removed from the home after a sheriff's deputy discovered a child living in filthy conditions while investigating reports of animal neglect at the home authorities said. Authorities also found a dead horse about 7 p.m. on Tuesday in the backyard of the trailer home and also spotted several other emaciated animals, including dogs that weren't moving, on the property, Liberty County sheriff's officials said. Photo: Cody Duty, Houston Chronicle / 2011 Houston Chronicle

Authorities remove dogs from a Liberty County home in the 100 block...

Authorities remove dogs from a Liberty County home in the 100 block of County Road 2802 is seen Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in Cleveland, Texas. 15 dogs and two horses were removed from the home after a sheriff's deputy discovered a child living in filthy conditions while investigating reports of animal neglect at the home authorities said. Authorities also found a dead horse about 7 p.m. on Tuesday in the backyard of the trailer home and also spotted several other emaciated animals, including dogs that weren't moving, on the property, Liberty County sheriff's officials said. Photo: Cody Duty, Houston Chronicle / 2011 Houston Chronicle

Authorities remove dogs from a Liberty County home in the 100 block...

Captain Rex Evans of the Liberty County Sheriff's Department speaks to the media after authorities removed 15 dogs and two horses from a Liberty County home in the 100 block of County Road 2802 Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in Cleveland, Texas. A sheriff's deputy discovered a child living in filthy conditions while investigating reports of animal neglect at the home authorities said. Authorities also found a dead horse about 7 p.m. on Tuesday in the backyard of the trailer home and also spotted several other emaciated animals, including dogs that weren't moving, on the property, Liberty County sheriff's officials said. Photo: Cody Duty, Houston Chronicle / 2011 Houston Chronicle

Captain Rex Evans of the Liberty County Sheriff's Department speaks...

Authorities remove dogs from a Liberty County home in the 100 block of County Road 2802 is seen Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in Cleveland, Texas. 15 dogs and two horses were removed from the home after a sheriff's deputy discovered a child living in filthy conditions while investigating reports of animal neglect at the home authorities said. Authorities also found a dead horse about 7 p.m. on Tuesday in the backyard of the trailer home and also spotted several other emaciated animals, including dogs that weren't moving, on the property, Liberty County sheriff's officials said. Photo: Cody Duty, Houston Chronicle / 2011 Houston Chronicle

Authorities remove dogs from a Liberty County home in the 100 block...

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Man revives local Libertarian Party chapter

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Shelby Mood, 32, here speaking during a Henderson County Board of Commissioners meeting Wednesday, is leading the charge to revive the local Libertarian Party.

They represent less than a quarter of 1 percent of registered voters in Henderson County, but Shelby Mood is seeing to it that the Libertarian Party voice here is heard loud and clear.

Believing Democrat and Republican leaders to be out of touch with the average American, Mood, 32, has sparked a revival of the local party following a period of dormancy.

"I was in the military for seven years; I did tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan," the Edneyville resident said. "And when you're serving in a place like that, you really start to think about what's really going on in the world. And I did some soul searching and realized a lot of what's going on in our country we're going about in the wrong way.

"We've got to stop these endless wars. We've got to end this war on drugs our prison population has exploded. We need to reform our education. We need to get back to focusing on the person rather than trying to bring everyone else down."

So Mood called and wrote letters to all 177 registered Libertarians in the county. On Tuesday, a handful of people attended the county party's first organizational meeting, including state Libertarian Chairman J.J. Summerell of Greensboro.

Summerell said the state party is helping 25 to 30 county chapters get up and running again after "peetering out" in the past three to seven years. He said the number of registered Libertarian voters in the state 15,000 grew 10 percent in the past two weeks.

"It's on fire," he said.

According to Summerell, his party's recent growth is due to two major factors: presidential hopeful Ron Paul putting the Libertarian brand in front of the American people "more effectively than anybody else I know of in my lifetime" despite running on the Republican ticket, and young voters in particular becoming discouraged by Democrats' fiscal irresponsibility and Republicans' misguided social policies such as their support this year of the state constitutional ban on gay marriage.

"So they find themselves politically homeless," Summerell said of young voters, "and they're starting to find a home with the LP."

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Japan to take islands dispute with Korea to intl court

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TOKYO - Japan said on Saturday it will take its long-running islands territorial dispute with South Korea to the International Court of Justice, after South Korean President Lee Myung-bak made a surprise visit to the islands this week.

The islands, known as Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea, lie equidistant from the two mainlands and are believed to contain frozen natural gas deposits potentially worth billions of dollars.

Lee became the first South Korean leader on Friday to make the trip to the islands, which have been a persistent irritant in relations between the two countries.

"Japan decided to act to peacefully solve the issue by bringing it to International Court of Justice," a spokesperson for Japan's Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said via an e-mailed statement on Saturday.

"Having seen Republic of Korea take such an unacceptable action, we believe that letting Japan's case on Takeshima known to the world, through ICJ, is more important than holding back, giving consideration for the whole Japan-ROK relations."

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Japan to take islands dispute with Korea to intl court