China, Japan face off over islands

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Hong Kong (CNN) -- The fragile relationship between China and Japan came under fresh strain Tuesday as ships from both sides crowded into the waters around a disputed group of islands and nearly 170 Japanese lawmakers visited a controversial war memorial.

The Japanese Coast Guard said eight Chinese government ships had entered waters near the contested islands in the East China Sea on Tuesday morning, the largest number to do so at any one time since tensions surrounding the territorial dispute escalated last year. China said its ships were there to monitor the movements of Japanese vessels in the area after a Japanese nationalist group chartered a flotilla of fishing boats to take dozens of activists there.

The Japanese foreign ministry responded by summoning the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo to lodge a strong protest about the Chinese ships' presence near the uninhabited islands that lie between Okinawa and Taiwan and are known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese.

A day earlier, Beijing had made its own protest to Tokyo about a visit at the weekend by three Japanese cabinet ministers to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which honors Japanese people killed while fighting for their country, including convicted war criminals.

Countries that suffered heavily at the hands of the Japanese military before and during World War II, such as China and South Korea, consider the shrine as an emblem of that aggressive period in Japanese history.

But China's representations failed to deter 168 Japanese members of parliament from visiting the shrine on Tuesday to pay their respects to the war dead, the most to do so in recent years.

New men in charge

New leaders have taken office in both countries in the past few months: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Japan and President Xi Jinping in China. They inherited a highly delicate situation concerning the disputed islands that analysts have warned could spiral out of control -- a concern for the United States, which has a mutual security treaty with Japan.

"Despite expressions by both governments that they wish to avoid a war, potential for escalation has increased and there is deepening pessimism on both sides over the prospects of a peaceful settlement," the International Crisis Group said in a report this month on the tensions between Japan and China.

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China, Japan face off over islands

How to plan for health care costs in retirement

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Rodney Brooks, USA TODAY

Many people nearing retirement don't have a good feeling about whether they have saved enough to make it through retirement.

Add to that worries about health care costs in retirement, and those concerns are off the chart. They should be.

"I've seen people pay as much as $5,000 to $15,000 a month for their medical care in retirement," says Katherine Dean, managing director of Wells Fargo Bank.

According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute's annual survey, more than half of retirees surveyed this year are not confident that they have saved enough to pay their medical expenses during retirement.

EBRI says the average 65-year-old couple in retirement should expect to pay $163,000 in out-of-pocket expenses for health care, excluding long-term care. And even then, they have only a 50% chance of covering their actual costs. Add to that the annual rate of inflation for medical expenses of 5% to 7% for health care expenses.

So, how do you plan for that?

Start with two simple steps, Dean says. "There needs to be a better acknowledgement that paying for health care in retirement is a pretty major issue and something they need to incorporate as part of their (financial) plan. The next step is to do an estimate as to what these costs will be and incorporate it into the plan."

What Dean says you need to consider in your estimate: how soon you want to retire, how long you can expect to live, your current health status, the cost of medical care in your area, whether you will receive any employer health benefits and inflation.

Start with an honest assessment of your current health care costs. "Break it down," says Kimberly Foss, founder of Empyrion Wealth Management in Roseville, Calif., and author of the book Wealthy by Design. "If you are 55 or 58 and you have significant health issues, you need to figure out what those costs are now and apply them to retirement."

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How to plan for health care costs in retirement

Health care, transportation top regional concerns

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Air pollution was a huge worry for Metro Vancouver in the 1970s and early 1990s, but health care and traffic congestion have taken over as bigger concerns, according the latest Urban Futures survey released today.

The 2012 regional survey, which replicates two surveys in 1973 and 1990, found health care was the most pressing challenge among 1,407 people surveyed, followed by traffic congestion, homelessness and increasing housing supply.

Air and water pollution, which held first and second place in 1973 and 1990, fell to fifth and sixth place last year. Concerns about crime also fell from No. 4 in 1972 to 11 last year.

Ken Cameron, director of PlaceSpeak, a new start-up that provides a virtual consultation forum, said the results reflect the work thats been done in the past 40 years to address the earlier concerns, as well as highlight whats needed to deal with rising issues like health care and transportation.

Health care had been ranked ninth on the priority list in 1973 and third in 1990. The survey suggests the change in ranking may reflect in part the aging population, as well as concerns over reliable service delivery.

Health care may be a function of aging population but its seen as a critical need, Cameron said. Ive got the feeling people are feeling the health care system is under stress.

Traffic congestion has also become a bigger issue rising from sixth and seventh respectively in the 1973 and 1990 surveys as a result of public policy to emphasize transit, walking and cycling over single-occupant vehicles.

But the survey found the significance of those issues varied across the region, and by the age of the respondents.

Those under 35, for instance, were less likely than the older demographic to see health care and transportation infrastructure as critical priorities and were more sensitive to socio-economic difficulties.

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Health care, transportation top regional concerns

Health care, transportation top concerns, survey says

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Air pollution was a huge worry for Metro Vancouver in the 1970s and early 1990s, but health care and traffic congestion have taken over as bigger concerns, according the latest Urban Futures survey released today.

The 2012 regional survey, which replicates two surveys in 1973 and 1990, found health care was the most pressing challenge among 1,407 people surveyed, followed by traffic congestion, homelessness and increasing housing supply.

Air and water pollution, which held first and second place in 1973 and 1990, fell to fifth and sixth place last year. Concerns about crime also fell from No. 4 in 1972 to 11 last year.

Ken Cameron, director of PlaceSpeak, a new startup that provides a virtual consultation forum, said the results reflect the work that's been done in the past 40 years to address the earlier concerns, as well as highlight what's needed to deal with rising issues like health care and transportation.

Health care had been ranked ninth on the priority list in 1973 and third in 1990. The survey suggests the change in ranking may reflect in part the aging population, as well as concerns over reliable service delivery.

"Health care may be a function of aging population but it's seen as a critical need," Cameron said. "I've got the feeling people are feeling the health care system is under stress."

Traffic congestion has also become a bigger issue - rising from sixth and seventh respectively in the 1973 and 1990 surveys - as a result of public policy to emphasize transit, walking and cycling over single-occupant vehicles.

But the survey found the significance of those issues varied across the region, and by the age of the respondents. Those under 35, for instance, were less likely than the older demographic to see health care and transportation as critical priorities and were more sensitive to socio-economic difficulties.

Housing supply, which may reflect the difficulty many encounter finding an affordable first home, and homelessness were bigger issues for the under-35 set than for those who were older.

Individual respondents in Vancouver also aren't as worried as those in the rest of the region about health care, ranking it "fairly consistently as the third most important issue in the region," behind homelessness and housing, which were generally ranked third and sixth respectively in other municipalities.

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Health care, transportation top concerns, survey says

New gene therapy approach may stop Parkinson's in it tracks

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Washington, April 22 (ANI): A gene therapy approach developed by researchers at Northeastern University in Boston may one day stop Parkinson's disease (PD) in it tracks, preventing disease progression and reversing its symptoms.

The novelty of the approach lies in the nasal route of administration and nanoparticles containing a gene capable of rescuing dying neurons in the brain.

Parkinson's is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder caused by the death of dopamine neurons in a key motor area of the brain, the substantia nigra (SN). Loss of these neurons leads to the characteristic tremor and slowed movements of PD, which get increasingly worse with time.

Currently, more than 1 percent of the population over age 60 has PD. The available drugs on the market for PD mimic or replace the lost dopamine but do not get to the heart of the problem, which is the progressive loss of the dopamine neurons.

The focus of Dr. Barbara Waszczak's lab at Northeastern University in Boston is to find a way to harvest the potential of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) as a treatment for PD. GDNF is a protein known to nourish dopamine neurons by activating survival and growth-promoting pathways inside the cells.

Not surprisingly, GDNF is able to protect dopamine neurons from injury and restore the function of damaged and dying neurons in many animal models of PD. However, the action of GDNF is limited by its inability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), thus requiring direct surgical injection into the brain.

To circumvent this problem, Waszczak's lab is investigating intranasal delivery as a way to bypass the BBB. Their previous work showed that intranasal delivery of GDNF protects dopamine neurons from damage by the neurotoxin, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), a standard rat model of PD.

Taking this work a step further, Brendan Harmon, working in Waszczak's lab, has adapted the intranasal approach so that cells in the brain can continuously produce GDNF.

His work utilized nanoparticles, developed by Copernicus Therapeutics, Inc., which are able to transfect brain cells with an expression plasmid carrying the gene for GDNF (pGDNF). When given intranasally to rats, these pGDNF nanoparticles increase GDNF production throughout the brain for long periods, avoiding the need for frequent re-dosing.

Now, in new research presented during Experimental Biology 2013 in Boston, MA, Harmon reported that intranasal administration of Copernicus' pGDNF nanoparticles results in GDNF expression sufficient to protect SN dopamine neurons in the 6-OHDA model of PD.

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New gene therapy approach may stop Parkinson's in it tracks

PRODUCCIONES EL LAGARTO Mark Condren, Alejandro Cristobal —–FREEDOM——- – Video

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PRODUCCIONES EL LAGARTO Mark Condren, Alejandro Cristobal -----FREEDOM-------
Grabacin en video del como se hizo la grabacin de audio de Freedom , realizada por el lagarto Juancho en el estudio de Gunter en lajares , cotillo , FUERTE...

By: JUAN JOSE MESA AREVALO

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PRODUCCIONES EL LAGARTO Mark Condren, Alejandro Cristobal -----FREEDOM------- - Video

The Case for Freedom From Terrorist Bombings, School Shootings and Exploding Factories

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Robert F. Bukaty / AP

Lt. Mike Murphy of the Newton, Mass., fire dept., carries an American flag after observing a moment of silence in honor of the victims of the bombing at the Boston Marathon near the race finish line, April 22, 2013, in Boston, Mass.

Were often told that our liberties are under assault. The right warns that our Big Government nanny state is plotting to seize our guns and our Big Gulps, while strangling our economic freedom with taxes and regulations. The left rails against our Big Government security statethe drone warfare, indefinite detention and electronic surveillance that make the war on terror sound like an Orwellian nightmare. The National Rifle Association had just finished bellowing about background checks violating our Second Amendment rights when the American Civil Liberties Union started shrieking about the FBI violating the Boston bombing suspects Miranda rights.

America was born from resistance to tyranny, and our skepticism of authority is a healthy tradition. But were pretty free. And the Dont Tread on Me slippery-slopers on both ends of the political spectrum tend to forget that Big Government helps protect other important rights. Like the right of a child to watch a marathon or attend first grade without getting massacredor, for that matter, the right to live near a fertilizer factory without it blowing up your house.

(PHOTOS: Texas Town Rocked by Fertilizer Plant Explosion)

Our government needs to balance these rights, which is tough sometimes. But not always. Requiring gun owners to pass background checks and restricting access to high-capacity magazines would be a minuscule price to pay to help avoid future Newtowns and Auroras. If the FBI waits a few days to read Dzhokhar Tsarnaev the Miranda boilerplate hes already heard a million times on Law and Order, the Republic will survive, and the authorities might learn something that will help prevent another tragedy. (In fact, if Americas ubiquitous surveillance network hadnt captured Tsarnaev on video, he might still be at large.) Even in a free enterprise systemespecially in a free enterprise systema factory owners right to run his business without government interference is trumped by the public safety rights of the local community.

In the Obama era, Tea Party Republicans like Senator Rand Paul have portrayed the U.S. government as a threat to individual liberty, an oppressive force in American life. They just want government to leave us alone. But while the Stand With Rand worldview is quite consistentagainst gun restrictions, traffic-light cameras, drone strikes, anti-discrimination laws, anti-pollution laws, and other Big Brother intrusions into our private livesits wrong. And most of us know its wrong, which is why we celebrate our first responders, our soldiers, our law enforcers. Theyre from the government and theyre here to help. We know our government is fallible, because its made up of people, but we still count on it to protect us from terrorists, from psychos with guns, from exploding factories. We also need it to protect us from floods and wildfires, from financial meltdowns and climate change. We cant do that kind of thing ourselves.

(MORE: Rand Paul Calls for Immigration Bill to be Slowed After Boston)

I dont want to imply that we live in a Game of Thrones episodeour nights are dark but only occasionally full of terrorsbut last week, an Elvis impersonator trying to poison the president didnt even make the front page. Theres dangerous stuff out there, and while its probably fun to Stand With Rand, Im more inclined to stand with the public servants keeping us safe, even when the al Qaeda operative they ice in Yemen is an American citizen, even when they shut down an entire city to hunt for a single teenager, and yes, even when they try to regulate coal plants and oil rigs and Wall Street casinos that would greatly prefer to be left alone. Thats why I pay my taxes, and thats why I dont feel like Im being tyrannized when I pay them.

I guess you could call me a statist. Im not sure we need public financing for our symphonies or our farmers or our mortgageshistory will also recall my Stand With Rand on the great laser-pointing controversy of 2011but we do need Big Government to attack the big collective action problems of the modern world. Our rights are not inviolate. Just as the First Amendment doesnt let us shout Fire! in a crowded theater, the Second Amendment shouldnt let us have assault weapons designed for mass slaughter. And if the authorities decided it was vital to ask Tsarnaev about his alleged murder of innocents before reminding him of his Fifth Amendment rights to lawyer up, I wont second-guess their call. The civil liberties purists of the ACLU are just as extreme as the gun purists of the NRA, or the anti-regulatory purists in business groups like the Club for Growth.

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The Case for Freedom From Terrorist Bombings, School Shootings and Exploding Factories

Freedom Steel Launches the Freedom Steel Equestrian Series

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Over the past 10 years, Freedom Steel Buildings has lead the way as the leader in equestrian buildings including riding arenas, dressage arenas, roping arenas and general use horse structures. Due to the continued demand of their customer base, Freedom Steel has launched their Equestrian Series to meet the needs of the common arena configurations allowing customers to save a significant amount of money.

(PRWEB) April 23, 2013

Freedom Steel will continue to offer their equestrian customers custom building sizes and configuration in situations where they do not fall under these templated solutions, however, the Equestrian Series should satisfy all but the most unique of situations.

All Freeom Steel Equestrian Buildings, as is the case with the entire Freedom Steel product line, are completely customizable with colors, doors, windows and accessories being completely up to the customer.

Contact a Freedom Steel Representative today to learn more about why horses love Freedom Steel Buildings.

Are you competing in equestrian events this year? Freedom Steel is looking for new riders to sponsor. Visit our Facebook page today to discuss open opportunities to join the Freedom Steel Riding Team. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Freedom-Steel/162414953777220

ABOUT FREEDOM STEEL

Freedom Steels buildings are shipped factory direct from any one of their 18 factories across the continental Unites States. Freedom Steel also provides buildings for anywhere in the world, including a heavy concentration in the Caribbean and Canada; as well as projects in Central and South Americas, Africa and Europe. Freedom Steels factories have the ability to construct prefabricated buildings of any size with clear-span options as wide as 250. Along with all of the government funded projects, Freedom Steel ships hundreds of buildings per year to customers needing barns, garages, riding arenas, gymnasiums, churches, workshops, residences and more. Stamped, certified and state sealed drawings are included for every project. Freedom Steel buildings come standard with such upgrades as PBR roof and well panels, pre-welded clips and pre-punched door openings. They also offer an array of accessories for the consumer including garage and entry doors, windows, insulation, vents, skylights and canopies. Freedom Steel also recently launched its new product-line of Light-Gauge (LG Series) buildings. This series features a low-cost steel (interior and exterior) framing system for homes, barns, sheds and garages that enables the end-user to provide his/her own cladding options. Freedom Steels international headquarters is located in Delray Beach, FL, where any and all (potential) customers are welcome to visit anytime.

Dave Goldstein dave@freedomsteel.com (800) 630-2846 Email Information

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Freedom Steel Launches the Freedom Steel Equestrian Series

Governor Bill Richardson Joins Fuel Freedom Foundation's Board of Advisors

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IRVINE, CA--(Marketwired - Apr 22, 2013) - Fuel Freedom Foundation announced today that former governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson has joined their board of advisors. Richardson's accomplished career in public service will help drive the organization further toward its goal of creating open competition in the transportation fuels market.

Fuel Freedom is a nonpartisan, nonprofit campaign that advocates for the end of the oil monopoly, which will enable cheaper, cleaner, American-made replacement fuels to compete fairly with gasoline at the pump.

Richardson will be joining a distinguished board of advisors that includes former president of Shell Oil, John Hofmeister, former Central Intelligence Agency director, Jim Woolsey and former Rockefeller Foundation president, Peter Goldmark.

Prior to joining Fuel Freedom, Richardson completed two successful terms as governor of New Mexico, beginning in 2002, through January of 2011. In 1997, he served for fifteen years representing the third congressional district of New Mexico in the United States Congress. In the Clinton administration, Richardson served as energy secretary and United States ambassador to the United Nations. He has had a long and successful career in public service, academia and in the private sector.

"Fuel Freedom Foundation is dedicated to breaking America's oil addiction and promoting the development of American-made replacement fuels. Ending the oil monopoly is critical for the United States," said Governor Richardson. "Introduction of replacement fuels into our economy will not only lower the price of fuel at the pump, but will create much needed jobs here at home. I am looking forward to using my experience in public service to help make this a reality."

New Mexico became a "Clean Energy State" under Governor Richardson's leadership by requiring utilities to meet 20% of New Mexico's electrical demand from renewable sources; and established a Renewable Energy Transmission Authority to deliver New Mexico's renewable resources to market. Additionally, Richardson's leadership helped the state progress in the areas of education, transportation and the environment.

"Until barriers to fuel competition are removed, Americans will suffer increasing economic hardship due to high oil prices. Creating competition in the fuel market will drive gasoline prices down, and this is Fuel Freedom Foundation's ultimate goal," said Eyal Aronoff, co-founder of Fuel Freedom Foundation. "I am more than pleased that Governor Richardson is joining our board of advisors and has dedicated a portion of his time to help us fight this battle and end the monopoly on oil."

Please visit http://www.fuelfreedom.org to learn more about how you can join Fuel Freedom to get involved and help end America's addiction to oil.

About Fuel FreedomThe Fuel Freedom Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking our oil addiction by working to open the transportation fuels market so our cars and trucks can run on cheaper, cleaner, healthier American replacement fuels. Consumers could easily convert their cars to run on replacement fuels, but outdated regulations and entrenched commercial interests stand in the way. The Fuel Freedom campaign aims to remove barriers to competition so that natural gas, methanol, ethanol and electricity can compete on equal footing with gasoline at the pump and at the dealership. Achieving Fuel Freedom will lower fuel prices, create jobs, spur economic growth, reduce pollution, and improve national and global security. For more information visit us at http://www.fuelfreedom.org.

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Governor Bill Richardson Joins Fuel Freedom Foundation's Board of Advisors

INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US – STORY WALKTHROUGH – CHAPTER 6: CYBORG (Xbox 360/PS3/Wii U HD) – Video

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INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US - STORY WALKTHROUGH - CHAPTER 6: CYBORG (Xbox 360/PS3/Wii U HD)
Injustice Gods Among Us Walkthrough Chapter 6 Show your support and LIKE the video -- It helps a lot. CHAPTER 06: CYBORG Cyborg Comes Over VS Deathstroke L...

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INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US - STORY WALKTHROUGH - CHAPTER 6: CYBORG (Xbox 360/PS3/Wii U HD) - Video