Residents on red alert as cyclone nears

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BHP Billiton Limited (ASX:BHP) is forced to halt loading ships at Port Hedland as Tropical Cyclone Christine approaches in Western Australia.

A red alert has been issued for Port Hedland and district residents as tropical cyclone Christine intensifies and heads towards Western Australia's Pilbara coast.

Residents from Pardoo to Whim Creek in thePilbara have been told to stay indoors, with the approaching cyclone posing a threat to homes and lives.

Hedland resident Sarah Smith told Fairfax Media on Monday Christine, a category three cyclone, was expected to hit landfall about 11pm Monday.

A satellite image from Monday morning shows the approaching cyclone. Photo: BOM

"We should expect to go on red alert at 9am this morning with a landfall crossing expected about 11pm tonight," Ms Smith said.

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She said a yellow alert was issued about 6.30pm on Sunday which closed all Hedland businesses.

She said supermarket produce was low as residents rushed to stock up on supplies to get them through the impending red alert which prevented people leaving homes and secure buildings.

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Residents on red alert as cyclone nears

Who’ll quarterback Texas Tech?

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Kliff Kingsbury knows who will be quarterbacking Texas Tech Monday night against Arizona State in the 36th annual National University Holiday Bowl.

But the Red Raiders head coach isnt ready to identify his triggerman.

Weve made our decision, but the official announcement wont come until offense takes the field, Kingsbury said Friday morning.

All we know is that the player directing the Texas Tech offense wont be Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year Baker Mayfield.

Mayfield, who went from walk-on to starter before the start of the season, stunned everyone earlier this month when he walked into Kingsburys office in Lubbock and announced he was going to transfer out of Texas Tech.

Mayfields decision still has many Red Raider backers, and Kingsbury, shaking their heads in disbelief.

Why would a freshman quarterback walk away from directing the NCAAs most pass-happy offense?

I still cant answer that and Ive thought about that a lot, Kingsbury said recently.

Minus Mayfield, the choices to quarterback Texas Tech against the Sun Devils are Davis Webb and Michael Brewer.

Like Mayfield, Webb is a freshman who started five games for Texas Tech this season after Mayfield suffered a knee injury in the fifth game of the season. Brewer is a sophomore.

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Who'll quarterback Texas Tech?

Hedland braces for Christine to hit

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BHP Billiton Limited (ASX:BHP) is forced to halt loading ships at Port Hedland as Tropical Cyclone Christine approaches in Western Australia.

A red alert has been issued for Port Hedland and district residents as tropical cyclone Christine intensifies and heads towards Western Australia's Pilbara coast.

Residents from Pardoo to Whim Creek in thePilbara have been told to stay indoors, with the approaching cyclone posing a threat to homes and lives.

Hedland resident Sarah Smith told Fairfax Media on Monday Christine, a category three cyclone, was expected to hit landfall about 11pm Monday.

A satellite image from Monday morning shows the approaching cyclone. Photo: BOM

"We should expect to go on red alert at 9am this morning with a landfall crossing expected about 11pm tonight," Ms Smith said.

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She said a yellow alert was issued about 6.30pm on Sunday which closed all Hedland businesses.

She said supermarket produce was low as residents rushed to stock up on supplies to get them through the impending red alert which prevented people leaving homes and secure buildings.

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Hedland braces for Christine to hit

Cyclone Christine heads inland

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Roofs have been damaged, trees have fallen and many residents remain without power as Tropical Cyclone Christine tears through Western Australia's Pilbara region.

Christine crossed the coast between Whim Creek and Roebourne about midnight (WST) as a category three cyclone, but has now been downgraded to a category two.

A red alert remains in place for people in or near the coastal areas between De Grey and Mardie, and extending inland to Tom Price and Paraburdoo.

This includes Port Hedland, South Hedland, Whim Creek, Roebourne, Point Samson, Wickham, Karratha and Dampier.

'There is a threat to lives and homes. You are in danger and need to act immediately,' the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) warned.

The Department for Child Protection and Family Support has set up several relocation points including the JD Hardie Centre in South Hedland, Karratha Leisureplex, the Marble Bar civic centre, Tom Price High School gym and Ashburton Hall in Paraburdoo.

People between Mardie and Onslow are advised that the threat of strong winds is no longer expected.

A yellow alert is current for people in or near the inland communities of Marble Bar and Pannawonica.

Residents have been warned to get ready to take shelter as the cyclone approaches.

A blue alert remains for people in or near the coastal areas between Mardie and Onslow, and the inland area from Marble Bar to Newman, and between the Collier Ranges and Three Rivers.

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Cyclone Christine heads inland

Tour to Baikonur cosmodrome for our Tourists! Video of our tourists from NASA! – Video

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Tour to Baikonur cosmodrome for our Tourists! Video of our tourists from NASA!
http://www.bestrussiantour.com/space/tour_baikonur Tour to Baikonur during Launch of Manned Space Flight! We are a tour operator that specializes in Aviation...

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Tour to Baikonur cosmodrome for our Tourists! Video of our tourists from NASA! - Video

One small click for a man: Nasa releases more than 17,000 photos from the Apollo program.. – Video

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One small click for a man: Nasa releases more than 17,000 photos from the Apollo program..
One small click for a man: Nasa releases more than 17000 photos from the Apollo program (including rare shots from mission 13) This time 45 years ago, three...

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One small click for a man: Nasa releases more than 17,000 photos from the Apollo program.. - Video

NASA Offers News Media Access to TDRS-L Spacecraft Jan. 3

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NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS)-L will be the focus of a media opportunity at 10 a.m. EST Friday, Jan. 3, at the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Fla.

Media will be able to view the TDRS-L spacecraft and interview project and launch program officials from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.; the Launch Services Program at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida; and United Launch Alliance (ULA).

TDRS-L is scheduled to lift off on a ULA Atlas V 401 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Jan. 23 at the opening of a 40-minute launch window that extends from 9:05 to 9:45 p.m.

The TDRS-L spacecraft is the second of three next-generation satellites designed to ensure vital operational continuity for NASA by expanding the lifespan of the fleet, which now consists of eight satellites in geostationary orbit. The spacecraft provide tracking, telemetry, command and high bandwidth data return services for numerous science and human exploration missions orbiting Earth. These include NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station. TDRS-L has a high-performance solar panel designed for more spacecraft power to meet the growing S-band communications requirements.

Full clean room attire must be worn during the media opportunity and will be furnished. Journalists should not wear perfume, cologne or makeup. Long pants and closed-toe shoes must be worn. No shorts or skirts will be permitted. Some camera equipment may be identified by Boeing contamination control specialists as having to be cleaned before being taken into the high bay facility. Alcohol wipes will be provided. All camera equipment must be self-contained, and no portable lights are allowed. Flash photography will not be permitted, however, the facility has adequate metal halide lighting for pictures. Wireless microphones also are not permitted inside the high bay.

On Jan. 3, U.S. media may proceed directly to Astrotech, which is located in the Spaceport Florida Industrial Park, 1515 Chaffee Drive, Titusville. Access will be available starting at 9:45 a.m., and the event will begin at 10 a.m.

Only media who are United States citizens may attend this event, per Astrotech rules. A government-issued photo identification, such as a driver's license or permanently issued NASA media accreditation badge from Kennedy will be acceptable. In addition, proof of U.S. citizenship also is required, such as a passport or birth certificate.

Journalists should call Kennedy's media update phone line at 321-867-2525 on Thursday evening, Jan. 2, to confirm the event still is on schedule.

Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems in El Segundo, Calif., built TDRS-L. NASA's Space Communications and Navigation Program, part of the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, is responsible for the TDRS network. NASA's Launch Services Program at Kennedy is responsible for launch management. United Launch Alliance provides the Atlas V rocket and launch service.

For more information about TDRS-L, visit:

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NASA Offers News Media Access to TDRS-L Spacecraft Jan. 3

NASA astronaut takes selfie from space with Earth behind him

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Washington | Updated 12/30/2013 3:55:40 PM IST

A NASA astronaut has taken an incredible selfie from space with Earth in the background while performing repairs on the International Space Station on Christmas Eve. US astronaut Mike Hopkins, 45, took the astounding image of himself while performing repairs on the ISS during the second of two spacewalks spread over a four-day period. The selfie shows the beautiful blue of Earth and Hopkins' colleague Rick Mastracchio in the reflection on his helmet. "Wow...can't believe that is me yesterday. Wish I could find the words to describe the experience, truly amazing," Hopkins tweeted after the spacewalk. On December 24, Hopkins, Expedition 38 Flight Engineer, participated in the second of two US spacewalks, which were designed to allow the crew to change out a faulty water pump on the exterior of the Earth-orbiting station, NASA said on instagram. He was joined on both spacewalks by NASA astronaut Mastracchio, whose image appeared in Hopkins' helmet visor. The pump module controls the flow of ammonia through cooling loops and radiators outside the space station, and, combined with water-based cooling loops inside the station, removes excess heat into the vacuum of space.

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BCC Research Publishes A New Report On Critical Materials In Global Nanotechnology Market

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Wellesley, Mass (PRWEB) December 30, 2013

According to a new technical market research report Critical Materials in Global Nanotechnology Markets, from BCC Research (http://www.bccresearch.com), the global market for critical materials used in nanotechnology was valued at nearly $6.5 billion in 2012 and is expected to increase to $6.8 billion in 2013. BCC Research projects the market to grow to nearly $9.4 billion by 2018, and register a five-year compound annual growth rate of 6.5% from 2013 to 2018.

Critical materials are economically and/or strategically important raw materials that are at significant risk of supply disruptions due to resource limitations, political instability in producing areas, or political decisions by producer governments. Potential shortages of critical materials and related price increases can affect the nanotechnology industry in two ways, that is, by jeopardizing existing nanotechnology applications of these materials and by creating new opportunities for other nanotechnology applications.

The United States and other advanced economies depend on the continued availability of various critical materials to ensure their economic prosperity and in some cases their national security. Strategies for ensuring the continued availability of these critical materials include stockpiling, developing new domestic supplies, or substitution.

The potential impacts of most critical materials on the nanotechnology industry are more than offset by the opportunities for substituting other nanotechnology applications that use less or none at all of the respective critical materials. The chief long-term exception is the platinum group metals, whose very large market as environmental and energy catalysts would be difficult to replace with any nanotechnology application now on the market.

This technical market report from BCC Research provides an overview of 12 critical materials or classes of materials with economically significant nanotechnology applications, including antimony, barium, gallium, indium, magnesium, biobium, platnium group metals, rare earths, rhenium, tantalum, tellurium, and tungsten. For each of these materials, the report contains an assessment of critical material supply/demand situation, price trends, and risk of disruption; applications in which nanotechnology can contribute to reducing/avoiding consumption of critical materials; technology assessment/market leaders; and the impact on the market for various nanotechnologies.

This report also examines, quantifies, and forecasts the growth of the market and offers guidance to interested parties. It includes analyses of global market trends, with data from 2012, estimates for 2013, and projections of CAGRs for the period, 2013 to 2018. Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry are also provided.

The report is intended for entrepreneurs, investors, venture capitalists and other readers concerned with future trends in the nanotechnology market. Other readers who will find the report particularly valuable include executives of companies that are consumers of critical materials and officials of government agencies concerned with ensuring the continued supply of these materials. In the United States, these agencies include the Departments of Defense, Energy and Homeland Security, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Trade Representative. The reports findings and conclusions will also be of interest to the broader nanotechnology community.

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BCC Research Publishes A New Report On Critical Materials In Global Nanotechnology Market

PHL researchers looking into developing abaca for nanotechnology

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Local textile researchers are looking into adapting the centuries-old abaca industry to cater to the needs of the much younger but also more high-tech nanotechnology industry.

In a forum held in Quezon City this month, scientists from the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) and Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) disclosed they have begun studying the potential applications for abaca in nanotechnology.

The abaca fiber was found to be two times stronger than glass fibers and steel, and is now currently being used to reinforce automobile dashboards and furniture.

According to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, 85 percent of the abaca in the world comes from the Philippines, particularly from the Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions.

Erlinda Mari of FPRDI said during the forum that one of the agency's major projects is processing the nanocrystalline cellulose (CNC) of abaca fiber to produce high-end products.

Mari also said, We at FPRDI are excited (for this project). I want this program to succeed before I retire.

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PHL researchers looking into developing abaca for nanotechnology

Current Status of Nanomedicine and REVIEW Medical Nanorobotics …

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Current Status of Nanomedicine and REVIEW Medical Nanorobotics ...

Imaging Technology Could Unlock Mysteries of a Childhood Disease

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Newswise By the time theyre two, most children have had respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and suffered symptoms no worse than a bad cold. But for some children, especially premature babies and those with underlying health conditions, RSV can lead to pneumonia and bronchitis which can require hospitalization and have long-term consequences.

A new technique for studying the structure of the RSV virion and the activity of RSV in living cells could help researchers unlock the secrets of the virus, including how it enters cells, how it replicates, how many genomes it inserts into its hosts and perhaps why certain lung cells escape the infection relatively unscathed. That could provide scientists information they need to develop new antiviral drugs and perhaps even a vaccine to prevent severe RSV infections.

We want to develop tools that would allow us to get at how the virus really works, said Philip Santangelo, an associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. We really need to be able to follow the infection in a single living cell without affecting how the virus infects its hosts, and this technology should allow us to do that.

The research was supported by the National Institutes of Healths National Institute of General Medical Sciences and published online ahead of print in the journal ACS Nano on December 30, 2013. While RSV will be the first target for the work, the researchers believe the imaging technique they developed could be used to study other RNA viruses, including influenza and Ebola.

Weve shown that we can tag the genome using our probes, explained Santangelo. What weve learned from this is that the genome does get incorporated into the virion, and that the virus particles created are infectious. We were able to characterize some aspects of the virus particle itself at super-resolution, down to 20 nanometers, using direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) imaging.

RSV can be difficult to study. For one thing, the infectious particle can take different forms, ranging from 10-micron filaments to ordinary spheres. The virus can insert more than one genome into the host cells and the RNA orientation and structure are disordered, which makes it difficult to characterize.

The research team, which included scientists from Vanderbilt University and Emory University, used a probe technology that quickly attaches to RNA within cells. The probe uses multiple fluorophores to indicate the presence of the viral RNA, allowing the researchers to see where it goes in host cells and to watch as infectious particles leave the cells to spread the infection.

Being able to see the genome and the progeny RNA that comes from the genome with the probes we use really give us much more insight into the replication cycle, Santangelo said. This gives us much more information about what the virus is really doing. If we can visualize the entry, assembly and replication of the virus, that would allow us to decide what to go after to fight the virus.

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Imaging Technology Could Unlock Mysteries of a Childhood Disease

Minneapolis Housing Trend Favors More Residential Home Office Use

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Minneapolis, Minnesota (PRWEB) December 30, 2013

Minneapolis / St Paul real estate data shows that the physical footprint for office workers is shrinking due to the shift in demand for the type and amount of office work space. Accordingly, per-employee office space is likely to continue shrinking, as cloud computing evolves, which in turn impacts residential home office use. The commercial real estate office space trend to accommodate teleworkers and its implications on residential homes, indicates that dedicating space for a home office may become more frequent.

"The Federal Government Telework Report of 2011 rated Minneapolis housing as #1 nationally for the number of residents who utilize a home office as their primary place of work." states Jenna Thuening, owner of Home Destination. "Whether it is a business owner whose primary office is at home or an employee with extra after-office-hours work, a home office is especially convenient when weather makes commuting challenging. We see more buyers indicating preference for a home office."

The Shenehon Center for Real Estate at the University of St. Thomas (UST) Opus College of Business recently highlighted a key Minneapolis trend in real estate office space use which is impacting residential housing. The Changing Office Trends Hold Major Implications for Future Office Demand December 26, 2013 article says the real estate industry should start taking a hard look at changes occurring in the office market. UST believes the sift to higher use of home offices and the downsizing of business office real estate space is relevant today in shaping Minneapolis residential housing trends as well as commercial real estate.

UST cites lead 2013 research from Norm G. Miller, PhD, professor at University of San Diego, Burnham-Moores, Center for Real Estate. Miller and other housing experts predict that the trend toward more-efficient use of office space will continue to trend towards using home office spaces and community officing. "I see office demand at the user level falling by about 20% over the next decade. This is actually a more conservative number than I have seen from a lot of other analysts," commented Cassidy Turleys Garrick Brown. Their research makes a distinction between long-term business trends of using less office space per worker, and overall accommodations supporting work completed from a home office.

Winter 2010 began a focus on the direct benefits that telework delivers to improve continuity of operations (COOP) in the Metropolitan Washington, DC area when a lengthy snowstorm forced the closure of many Federal Government offices for a costly week. Consequently, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management evaluated the impact of businesses able to continue working via telework during and after the storm. It determined that employes who could work from home when commuting was impossible saved their agencies approximately $30 million a day that otherwise would have been lost productivity. This event triggered a White House review of metalworking's merits and the passage into law of the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010.

Colliers International released the Q3 2013 Minneapolis - St. Paul Office Market Report revealing Minneapolis office rate absorption rates, and how longer-term office space demand impacts employer engagement of supporting employment from a home office and office sharing practices. Conducted by CoreNet Global the survey found that the average space per office worker has dropped globally to no more than 150 square feet from 225 square feet in 2010. Many real estate professionals expect the typical ratio to drop to 100 square feet or less per worker within five years.

"More Twin Cities businesses are adapting to tech models that work both for maximizing business office space and employee and freelances ease to utilize a home office and reduce travel time," adds Thuening. "While not every area of business or trade is moving this direction, many for pure logistics sake, for others it is ideal. Overall, it is impacting the Minneapolis housing trend of increasing numbers of homeowners who seek space for a home office."

Home Destination, a Minneapolis residential Realtor, services homebuyers and sellers of Twin Cities real estate, and offers resources to make well-informed housing decisions. Call 612-396-7832.

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Minneapolis Housing Trend Favors More Residential Home Office Use

Welcome to the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine

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The Oak Park Research Center is a 40,000-square-foot research building (photo on Left) and home of the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine and the Center for Biophotonics. The Health Sciences District on the Davis campus is home to Tupper Hall (photo on Right), where many of the medical schools basic science departments are located; Carlson Medical Library; and the Genome (photo in middle) and Biomedical Sciences building where researchers are studying genes that influence human health and development.

Our Mission is to conduct world-class research in biochemistry and molecular medicine. To excel in undergraduate, graduate and medical education, and to serve the university through leadership in forums committed to graduate and professional school admissions and curriculum.

The research interests of the departmental faculty are focused in the fundamental molecular aspects of cell biology, gene expression, cancer biology, membrane biology, glycobiology, neurobiology, muscle physiology, human genetics, chemical and structural biology, molecular imaging and drug development. In addition to innovative research activities, faculty are involved in the teaching and training of medical and doctoral students.

At the Davis Campus, the department maintains laboratories at Tupper Hall, the Genome Building and in the Department of Chemistry. At the Sacramento Campus, the department maintains laboratories at the Oak Park Research Building, Research I and III Buildings, and the MIND Institute.

The departments primary research funding comes from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, and a wide variety of Private agencies. .

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Welcome to the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine

I, Me, Selfie!

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Trapped in a lift, thanks to a sudden power cut, I picked up my phone in the claustrophobic dark space and... clicked a selfie. For those judging me, come on, you know you would do it too. After all, this phenomenon was quite the rage this year.

The Pope did it. Barrack Obama does it...boy, arent we in good company? Closer home, a clutch of celebrities and sports stars, including Priyanka Chopra, Shah Rukh Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Sania Mirza, often splatter their Twitter accounts with self shots and fans arent complaining.

Keeping the trend in mind, photographer Atul Kasbekar launched an app titled Signature Selfies. All one has to do is upload his/her best selfie and win an opportunity to get their photo shot by the ace photographer. Actor Lekha Washington may not be incessantly clicking selfies but is all for it. We all need a witness, documentation as it were, and I see nothing wrong with selfies. Artists have been doing self-portraits for centuries. Its how you take a selfie that says a lot about you. Vanity is a hard thing to remove from a selfie, as are duck faces! she adds.

The word selfie has been around for a while with the first one being shot in the mid 1800s. But it was one of those words nobody paid any attention to till camera phones, Instagram and the social media-self obsessed lot like us took to it with a vengeance. Its popularity skyrocketed and so did the number of selfies on Facebook. The Oxford Dictionary went ahead and made it the word of the year. Apparently it was a unanimous choice. Even Miley Cyrus much-talked-about act at the MTV VMA couldnt do much to get twerk the coveted title. According to the Oxford dictionary, selfie is defined as aphotograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website.

Vacation spots often have wide-eyed travellers clicking selfies in front of monuments. Pictures of peoples faces in front of the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty and the Taj Mahal are common on websites. It doesnt matter anymore that the actual subjects are partially covered by the selfie enthusiasts face. Its a good thing Mona Lisa cannot complain about how often she gets photobombed. Unfortunately, decorum has taken a backseat with tourists clicking selfies at sombre monuments such as the Auschwitz Memorial, Pearl Harbour and tombs. One of the news reports of a Canada-based website even suggested that sculptors, of late, are making monuments keeping the selfie obsession in mind, so that the selfie, when clicked, can comfortablyaccommodateboth the person andthemonument. Taking the obsession a step further and not necessarily in good taste, Tumblr has a group titled Selfies at Funerals that documents selfies clicked by its members at funerals or other such melancholic events.

So what is it that makes selfies so popular? It does feednarcissistictendencies. But it also makes me look good. I know which angle works for me. Its better than requesting people to keep clicking till they get the perfect shot, right? says 20-year-old Anoushka Sarkar who clicks around 30 selfies of herself in a week.

Paloma Rao says, I am so bad at selfies. I am still trying to perfect my aim. I think selfies are convenient and tell a story. Its the random, no-purpose ones that I dont quite understand.

Some are unapologetic advocates of selfies, while there are a few who have self shots posted across their pages but are embarrassed to comment about them. And then there are those who find the whole concept annoying and futile.

Its not clear whether the trend is here to stay or will fizzle out, but while it lasts we are making the most of it. So pose, pout and click, its time for a selfie!

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I, Me, Selfie!

Why I wavered on signing up for Affordable Care Act

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Health care reform is looking to people like me -- late twentysomethings and thirtysomethings -- to switch from no insurance to the Affordable Care Act.

But I value my time over money, and I don't mind paying higher amounts for convenience. I have no interest in being on hold with customer service reps or dealing with a clunky website, concerns I had when the website first rolled out.

I didn't decide to check out the federal health exchange website until the weekend before Christmas. Days before, a former employer left a voicemail that my temporary health insurance through COBRA would jump up by 20 percent.

COBRA, the Con-solidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, had been eating through my bank account each month since the spring when I left a job in Vermont.

I lived in California for most of this year, and there were even some months where health insurance cost more than my monthly apartment rent.

I work here at The Times as a government and politics reporter, and my health benefits will start March 1. I had figured I would just keep paying for COBRA, but the thought of not having insurance for some months crossed my mind -- I don't really need it.

But after hearing that voicemail, I signed up on Dec. 22 through HealthCare.gov. It took about 10 minutes, maybe 15 minutes at most.

Then I spent about an hour altogether last week making sure the enrollment was successful, calling up customer service staff at the marketplace and my new Pittsburgh-area insurance provider.

Two phone calls and two online chat sessions later with the health insurance marketplace, I found out that if you live in Pennsylvania, you apparently can't upload documents through HealthCare.gov.

Things like that made me think the website was built by teenagers.

Here is the original post:

Why I wavered on signing up for Affordable Care Act