Libertarian Choices in Colorado

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Karen Tumulty asks in the Washington Post,

what label do you put on the political philosophy of a state that one year would legalize marijuana for recreational use and the next year recall two state senators who voted for stricter gun laws?

Readers of this blog might have an answer. So, it turns out, does Sen. Mark Udall:

Were a libertarian state small l when it comes to privacy issues, issues of reproductive freedom, gun ownership, who you worship, who you spend your life with, Udall said. Were a pro-environment state. We self-identify with environmentalists more than any other state in the nation. But were also very pro-business.

So now those small-l libertarian voters will have to decide whether they prefer a not-so-libertarian Democrat, a not-so-libertarian Republican, or a big-L Libertarian.

Read more on libertarian voters, especially in the Mountain West.

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Libertarian Choices in Colorado

Women in the Solomon Islands Train to Maintain Off-Grid Solar Power Schemes – Video

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Women in the Solomon Islands Train to Maintain Off-Grid Solar Power Schemes
In the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara, villagers from remote islands, many of them women, are receiving hands-on tuition to install and maintain small of...

By: Asian Development Bank

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Women in the Solomon Islands Train to Maintain Off-Grid Solar Power Schemes - Video

League targeting Pacific Islands growth

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Rugby League International Federation boss Nigel Wood wants the sport to continue to make strides in the Pacific Islands.

The islands contribute hugely to player numbers in the NRL and Super League and last year's World Cup proved there's a big appetite there for more international games.

At present that hunger isn't being met as Tonga and Fiji play just one game this year, though Samoa have a busier schedule because they qualified for the Four Nations.

With the right resources, league could overtake rugby in the islands. The NRL have looked to up the profile of the game there this year with promotional visits by some of their star players.

"It's no secret that rugby league is very strong in the Pacific Islands," Wood said.

"They have got a ready supply of natural athletes and they light up every tournament in which they participate.

"It's also no surprise the NRL are developing strategies to continue to develop the sport in those islands.

"The same applies in other parts of the world where the sport is not quite as advanced as in the Pacific Islands, but there is still a strong rugby league presence in North America, East Europe and South Africa."

The profits from last year's successful World Cup are being used to grow the sport in places likes the islands, plus money was kept aside for the sport's international governance.

"That (World Cup) money was remitted to the international federation at the start of the year," Wood said.

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League targeting Pacific Islands growth

Hurricane Ana center will miss Hawaiian islands

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October 18 at 9:22 PM

HAWAII

Hurricane Ana center will miss islands

Hurricane Ana was on course Saturday to miss Hawaii by more than a hundred miles but was generating high waves, strong winds and heavy rains that prompted flash-flood warnings throughout the islands.

The center of the powerful Pacific storm was about 190 miles west of the Big Island and about 150 miles southwest of Honolulu, the National Weather Service said. A tropical storm watch remained in effect on Oahu and Kauai but was lifted for Maui, Lanai and the Big Island.

A downpour on the Big Island prompted officials to close Mamalahoa Highway in a region known for its coffee farms. Its the only road connecting some communities to the eastern side of the island. On Oahu, rain was falling on the islands North Shore and Koolau Mountains, said Bob Burke, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Waves were expected to crest to 10 to 15 feet on the south shores of the islands and remain high through Sunday.

The heaviest rains were falling along the southeast slopes of Mauna Loa, in the Puna district and the Kau district on the southeast side of the island. However, no one on the Big Island reported storm damage, said Darryl Oliveira, director of Hawaii County civil defense.

Ana became a Category 1 hurricane Friday when it was about 230 miles south of Hilo. The hurricane was expected to gradually weaken and again become a tropical storm by Sunday afternoon, Burke said.

The American Red Cross closed its evacuation shelters on the Big Island and opened shelters on Oahu. Island Air suspended its Maui and Lanai flights Saturday afternoon and all flights Sunday, but airports remained open.

Associated Press

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Hurricane Ana center will miss Hawaiian islands

Hurricane Ana won't be a direct hit on Hawaii

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Kailua-Kona, Hawaii HurricaneAna was carving a path south of Hawaii early Saturday, producing high waves, strong winds and heavy rains that prompted a flood advisory.

The center of the powerful Pacific storm was about 170 miles southwest of the Big Island as it passed early Saturday morning and about 225 miles from Honolulu, the National Weather Service said.

There was little chance forhurricaneconditions on the islands, but a tropical storm watch remained in effect throughout the archipelago and the strongest winds were about 80 mph, forecasters said.

"Any of the islands could experience tropical storm impacts ... so it's important to still prepare and make plans," said Chris Brenchley, a weather service meteorologist.

Waves were expected to crest to 10 to 15 feet on both the North and South shores of Hawaii's islands late Saturday and to remain tall through Sunday.5The National Weather Service had a flood advisory in place for Big Island until 1:30 a.m. Saturday (4:30 a.m. PDT), saying rain had been falling in some areas at a rate of 2 to 3 inches an hour. However, the weather service told The Associated Press later that it had no reports of flooding.

Ana (AH-nah) became a Category 1hurricaneearlier in the day when it was about 230 miles south of Hilo.

Shortly before midnight, it had maximum sustained winds of 85 mph and was churning along its course at 13 mph.

Thehurricanewas expected to gradually weaken to become a tropical storm again by early Sunday morning, Brenchley said.

Swells were picking up on the Big Island's south shores Friday afternoon, with 15-foot waves seen in Pohoiki Bay.

The approaching storm didn't stop some tourists in Honolulu from spending time around the beach.

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Hurricane Ana won't be a direct hit on Hawaii

Gene duplications associated with autism evolved recently in human history

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

18-Oct-2014

Contact: Nalini Padmanabhan press@ashg.org 301-634-7346 American Society of Human Genetics @GeneticsSociety

BETHESDA, MD Human geneticists have discovered that a region of the genome associated with autism contains genetic variation that evolved in the last 250,000 years, after the divergence of humans from ancient hominids, and likely plays an important role in disease. Their findings were presented today at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2014 Annual Meeting in San Diego.

Researchers at the University of Washington analyzed the genomes of 2,551 humans, 86 apes, one Neanderthal, and one Denisovan. They closely examined a region of human chromosome 16 known as 16p11.2, a region prone to genetic changes in which segments of DNA are deleted or duplicated, one of the most common genetic causes of autism, schizophrenia, and other conditions. The geneticists found that certain segments of DNA in this region are repeated a variable number of times in different people and may also be associated with disease.

To trace the origins of this variation, the researchers collaborated with colleagues at the University of Lausanne and the University of Bari to sequence and analyze corresponding regions of ape genomes.

"When we compared the genomes of apes and humans, we found that the humans had evolved complex structural changes at 16p11.2 associated with deletions and duplications that often result in autism. The findings suggest that these changes emerged relatively recently and are unique to humans," explained study author Xander Nuttle, BS, BSE, a graduate student in the Department of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

While this genetic variation has likely made humans more vulnerable to disease, the scientists believe it also contributed to the formation of novel genes. One such gene is BOLA2, a gene thought to be important in cell reproduction. The researchers found that while apes, Neanderthals, and Denisovans had only two copies of BOLA2, all modern humans have between three and 14 copies, with an average of six. The team is currently studying the function of BOLA2 to understand the potential significance of additional copies for human evolution.

"Another question we are exploring is why people with the same duplications and deletions at 16p11.2 vary in disease severity," Mr. Nuttle said. "Some people are healthy or have mild illness, while others are severely affected and have multiple clinical diagnoses."

One hypothesis is that differences among people in how the region is organized, such as the number of copies of genes like BOLA2 present and the precise locations at which deletions and duplications start and end, contribute to this variability. To examine this possibility, Mr. Nuttle and colleagues are analyzing DNA and medical data from over 125 individuals with deletions or duplications at 16p11.2.

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Gene duplications associated with autism evolved recently in human history