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Definiens Bulletin – July 2012 – Upcoming Webinar

Posted on July 8, 2012 by ev1

The novel Definiens Image Miner™ 2 is now available to accelerate image-based research and development throughout the life sciences. It dramatically facilitates data exploration and quality control and efficiently supports biomarker validation and correlation of image analysis results with data from external sources. Attend the introductory webinar next Wednesday (July 11, 8am PDT) to learn more!

New Product: Definiens Image Miner 2 Now Available

Definiens Image Miner™ 2 makes the wealth of information in biomedical images accessible, accelerating life sciences research and allowing for successful biomarker development. It provides researchers with the unique ability to easily switch between investigating trends and patterns in large data sets and drawing attention to subtle analysis details in single images. Using the statistic toolbox and the comprehensive visualization options, insights and new knowledge can be generated from images in an unprecedented way.

Examples from biomarker development and high content screening illustrate the benefits of a tight integration between image analysis and data mining.

Biomarker Development: Webinar Series

Our next webinar series will forcus on image and data analysis for biomarker development. It will start this Wednesday (July 11, 8am PDT) with an introduction of the novel Definiens Image Miner™ 2. Register today!

Integrating Data Mining with Image Analysis: Definiens Image Miner™ 2
(Arno Schäpe, July 11, 8am PDT / 11am EDT / 5pm CEST)

Sucessful 3rd International Definiens Symposium

Definiens thanks all participants of the 3rd International Definiens Symposium for inspiring presentations, fruitful discussions and a stimulating atmosphere. We enjoyed meeting you and exchanging ideas during plenary sessions, workshops, coffee breaks and the evening events. Watch the recordings of plenary lectures on our new Definiens TV channel and browse through the photo gallery for impressions of the event.

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Director of Pathology Informatics Position – University of Illinois at Chicago

Posted on July 8, 2012 by ev1

The Department of Pathology at University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System is currently seeking an M.D. at the Assistant/Associate/Professor level who can lead and develop a strong pathology informatics program. This person will provide direction for the Department’s laboratory information system, digital imaging program, active learning curriculum for residents and graduate students, consultative services and Outreach Program. The position requires close interaction with the University and Hospital Informatics. Current medical license, board certification in AP/CP, AP or CP as well as successful completion of a fellowship or post-doctoral training in clinical/pathology informatics is required. Special consideration will be given to those with demonstrated experience in teaching and the development of an informatics curriculum. Academic title and rank will be commensurate to experience. Direct inquiries and submit curriculum vitae to: Search Committee – Informatics, Department of Pathology (M/C 847), University of Illinois Medical Center, 840 S. Wood St., Chicago, Illinois 60612. UIC is an AA/EOE, Barbie@uic.edu.

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Pancreatic Cancer May Be Detected With Simple Intestinal Probe

Posted on July 8, 2012 by ev1

ScienceDaily (May 21, 2012) — By simply shining a tiny light within the small intestine, close to that organ's junction with the pancreas, physicians at Mayo Clinic's campus in Florida have been able to detect pancreatic cancer 100 percent of the time in a small study. The light, attached to a probe, measures changes in cells and blood vessels in the small intestine produced by a growing cancer in the adjoining pancreas.

This minimally invasive technique, called Polarization Gating Spectroscopy, will now be tested in a much larger international clinical trial led by the Mayo Clinic researchers. The preliminary study suggests it may be possible, one day, to use a less invasive endoscope to screen patients for early development of pancreatic cancer.

The findings were highlighted in a special address by Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist Michael Wallace, M.D., at the international Digestive Disease Week 2012.

The pancreas is notoriously hard to reach and see due to its very deep location in the abdomen, surrounded by intestines. The study investigators theorized that there may be changes in the nearby "normal appearing" tissue of the small intestine which is much more accessible.

"No one ever thought you could detect pancreatic cancer in an area that is somewhat remote from the pancreas, but this study suggests it may be possible," says Dr. Wallace, the chairman of the Division of Gastroenterology at Mayo Clinic in Florida. "Although results are still preliminary, the concept of detection field effects of nearby cancers holds great promise for possible early detection of pancreatic cancer."

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly of human tumors. It is only curable in 5 percent of cases, and even when it is surgically removed, 70 percent of patients have a recurrence that is fatal, Dr. Wallace says. There are no ways currently to detect the cancer early enough to cure a substantial number of patients, he says.

Pancreatic cancer is now usually detected through an imaging scan, followed by an invasive biopsy. Tumors found in this way are usually at an advanced stage.

In this study, the Mayo Clinic physicians tested a light probe developed by their long-time collaborators at Northwestern University.

The light, attached to a small fiber-optic probe known as an endoscope, measures the amount of oxygenated blood as well as the size of blood vessels in tissue near the duct where the pancreas joins the small intestine. Because a growing tumor requires a heightened supply of blood, normal tissue in the vicinity of the cancer reveals evidence of enlarged blood vessels and changes in the amount of oxygen within the blood.

Such "field effects" from cancer can be measured in other areas of the GI tract, says Dr. Wallace. "With this technology, others studies have shown that cancerous polyps can be detected more than 11 inches from the polyp itself. Early studies are evaluating if esophageal cancers can also be detected remotely," he says.

The probe acts "a bit like a metal detector that beeps faster and louder as you get close to cancer," he says. The researchers are measuring within six to 10 inches of the pancreas in the small intestine immediately next to the pancreas.

Dr. Wallace and his team tested the probe on 10 patients who were later determined to have pancreatic cancer, and on nine participants who did not have pancreatic cancer.

They found that testing both measures -- blood vessel diameter and blood oxygenation -- detected all 10 pancreatic cancers. But the probe was less precise (63 percent accurate) in determining which of the healthy volunteers did not have pancreatic cancer.

"There is room for improvement in this instrument, and our group is working on that," he says. "If the studies confirm the early results, it would make the pancreas accessible to a much simpler upper endoscope and that would be a real advance in the treatment of pancreatic cancer."

Patients now often undergo an endoscopic examination of the upper intestine to search for the cause of heartburn or stomach pain, Dr. Wallace says. An endoscopic probe could be easily outfitted to explore for evidence of pancreatic cancer in patients at heightened risk, he says.

Mihir Patel, M.D., a gastroenterologist who worked with Dr. Wallace on the study, says that despite of intense research, we haven't been successful in significantly improving the overall survival associated with pancreatic cancer in the past several decades. That's because we haven't been able to detect the cancer early enough. Developing a technique to screen the patients and detect pancreatic cancer at an early stage would be a potential breakthrough. In our preliminary data, this technology has shown to hold similar potential.

The study's co-authors include Vadim Backman, Ph.D., a professor in the biomedical engineering department at Northwestern University and Hemant Roy, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Northwestern University.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and Mayo Clinic.

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Health & Medicine

Reference

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Virtual Tour of Medical Museums of the Western World! Organization for Creatives with Oliver Burkeman of "The Guardian!" This Week and Beyond at Observatory

Posted on July 8, 2012 by ev1

Learn to organize with Oliver Burkeman of London's Guardian! Join Morbid Anatomy for a special Friday the 13th virtual tour of medical museums of the Western World followed by music and cocktails! Morbid Anatomy Presents this week and beyond at Observatory:

Organization and Productivity for Creative Types with Oliver Burkeman of The Guardian
Date: Thursday, July 12
Time: 8:00
Admission: $10
Produced by Morbid Anatomy

Do you hunger to climb the corporate ladder with ruthless efficiency, leaving your rivals in the dust as you pursue your relentless quest for wealth and power? Hopefully not, but that doesn’t mean you can’t borrow some tactics from such people and apply them to your own ends; to that end, this talk– by Oliver Burkeman, compulsive to-do-list-maker and journalist for London’s Guardian–will teach creatives, freelancers, and artists how to plan and manage multiple projects, better plan their time, and, in general, feel less overwhelmed by juggling a variety of projects at one time.

Burkeman has spent much of the last few years researching and reporting on self-help culture, including the fascinating history of the “how to succeed” publishing genre, and motivational gurus from Dale Carnegie to Stephen Covey, and sifting the wheat from the chaff. (There’s a lot of chaff.) Drawing on this research, this talk will explore some fundamental principles of getting organized, managing multiple projects, overcoming procrastination, time management, and being both more productive and less stressed in the kinds of sprawling artistic/creative/freelance lives that don’t get much attention in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. No cringe-inducing motivational speeches will be given; no Magic Systems for Instant Success will be promoted. Instead, we’ll plunder from the world of the grinning gurus the bits that actually work – so that you’ll leave equipped with a toolkit of immediately usable ways to do the stuff you’re already doing, and the projects you’re planning, with greater efficiency and ease.

Please note: This event is a lecture adaptation of a recent popular Observatory class by the same name.

Oliver Burkemanin a writer based in Brooklyn with an unhealthy interest in filing systems. He writes features and a weekly column on psychology for the (London) Guardian. His book The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking will be published by Faber & Faber in the fall.

Image: Image sourced from http://www.flickr.com/photos/frettir/

Anatomical Venuses, The Slashed Beauty, and Fetuses Dancing a Jig
A heavily illustrated lecture by Morbid Anatomy founder Joanna Ebenstein, followed by afterparty featuring thematic music and specialty cocktails by Friese Undine
Date: Friday, July 13
Time: 8:00
Admission: $10
Presented by Morbid Anatomy

Since 2005, artist, independent scholar and Morbid AnatomistJoanna Ebenstein has travelled the world seeking out--and photographing whenever possible--the most fascinating, curious, and overlooked medical collections and wunderkammern, backstage and front, private and public. In the process, she has amassed not only an astounding collection of images but also a great deal of knowledge about the history and cultural context of these fascinating and uncanny artifacts.

This Friday the Thirteenth, please join us for a heavily illustrated lecture based on this research, followed by a thematic afterparty. In her lecture "?Anatomical Venuses, The Slashed Beauty, and Fetuses Dancing a Jig," Ebenstein will lead you on a highly-illustrated tour of medical museums and introduce you to many of their most curious and enigmatic denizens, including the Anatomical Venus, the Slashed Beauty, the allegorical fetal skeleton tableau (as seen above), the flayed horseman of the apocalypse, and three fetuses dancing a jig. Ebenstein will contextualize these artifacts via a discussion of the history of medical museums and modeling, a survey of great artists of the genre, and an examination of other death-related arts and amusements which made up the cultural landscape at the time that these objects were originally created, collected, and exhibited. Following, please stick around for an afterparty featuring thematic tunes and inventive artisanal cocktails complements of the omni-talented Friese Undine.

Joanna Ebenstein is a multi-disciplinary artist with an academic background in intellectual history. She runs the Morbid Anatomy blog and related open-to-the-public Brooklyn-based Morbid Anatomy Library. She is also the founding member of Observatory, a Brooklyn based arts and events space devoted to the revival of the 18th century notions of the dilettante and rational amusements. Her recent work—which includes photography, curation, installation, blogging, museum consulting, lecturing and writing—centers on anatomical museums and their artifacts, collectors and collecting, curiosities and marvels, 18th and 19th Century natural history and, as the subtitle of her blog states, “surveying the interstices of art and medicine, death and culture.” She has lectured at a variety of popular and academic venues, and her work has been shown and published internationally; she is the current Coney Island Musuem artist in resident, and recent solo exhibitions include The Secret Museum and Anatomical Theatre. You can find out more at her at her website astropop.com and her blog Morbid Anatomy; you can view much of her photography work by clicking here. She can be reached at morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com.

Image: Fetal Skeleton Tableau, 17th Century, University Backroom, Paris; From The Secret Museum. © Joanna Ebenstein, 2010

Onward and upward:

July 21: Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop: With former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton
***Must RSVP to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com

July 23: Class: Dissection as Studi
o Practice with Real Anatomical Specimens: Lecture and Studio Art and Dissection Class with artist Laura Splan **Must RSVP to morbidanatomy[at]gmail.com

August 11: Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop: With former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton
***Must RSVP to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com

August 17: Taxidermy, Longing, and Beastly Allure: An Illustrated Lecture with Rachel Poliquin, author of "The Breathless Zoo" and "Ravishing Beasts"

More on all events can be found here; hope to see you there!

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Open Slots for Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop with Former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton at Observatory, This Saturday, July 7

Posted on July 8, 2012 by ev1

Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox by Daisy Tainton, teacher of Saturday's workshop

I am very excited to announce a few open slots in this Saturday's long sold-out Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop with Former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton, part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy at Observatory. Full details for the class follow; send an email to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com to be added to class list. First come, first served!

Anthropomorphic Insect Shadowbox Workshop with Former AMNH Senior Insect Preparator Daisy Tainton
With Daisy Tainton, Former Senior Insect Preparator at the American Museum of Natural History
Date: This Saturday, July 7
Time: 1 - 4 PM
Admission: $65
***Must RSVP to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com to be added to class list
This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

Rhinoceros beetles: nature's tiny giants. Adorable, with their giant heads and tiny legs, and wonderful antler-like protrusions. If you think they would be even more adorable drinking tiny beers and holding tiny fishing poles, we have the perfect class for you! In today's workshop, students will learn to make--and leave with their own!--shadowbox dioramas featuring carefully positioned beetles doing nearly anything you can imagine. An assortment of miniature furniture and foods will be made available to decorate your habitat, but students are strongly encouraged to bring any dollhouse props they would like to use. 1:12 scale is generally best.

Daisy Tainton was formerly Senior Insect Preparator at the American Museum of Natural History, and has been working with insects professionally for several years. Eventually her fascination with insects and love of Japanese miniature food items naturally came together, resulting in cute and ridiculous museum-inspired yet utterly unrealistic dioramas. Beetles at the dentist? Beetles eating pie and knitting sweaters? Even beetles on the toilet? Why not?

You can find out more about this class here, and more about The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy by clicking here.

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Morbid Anatomy Library Gala Recap and Thanks

Posted on July 8, 2012 by ev1

Thanks so very very much to all of you who came out and supported The Morbid Anatomy Library at RESURRECTION! A Gala Benefit to Rebuild The Morbid Anatomy Library on the sweltering evening of June 30th. The benefit was a great success, and my sincere thanks to all of you--contributors, artists, performers, volunteers, drink makers, DJs, art collectors, and attendees--for making it so.

For those of you who were unable to make it--or who want to relive it in all its glory--journalist Jed Lepinski has written a lovely recap and review of the event for Capital New York, which you can read in its entirety by clicking here. Photos above are taken by my cousin Sklyer Fox, good friend and supporter Christine Colby, and MC and verbal pyrotechnic Mark Dery. You can see more photos by clicking here, here and here.

Thanks again, everyone, and hope to see you at next year's iteration!

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NASA Mars Program Offical Discusses New Era Of Space Exploration

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Danzig

Media representatives are invited to a briefing on Tuesday, July 10 at 9 a.m. BST at the 2012 Farnborough International Airshow in Farnborough, England. NASA and industry officials will discuss the importance of the space program and the role of cost-efficient product development in the emerging new era of space travel and exploration.

Doug McCuistion, director of NASA's Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters, Washington, and Siegfried Russwurm, CEO of Siemens Industry Sector, Erlangen, Germany, will provide details and answer questions about the importance of government and industry collaboration to maximize productivity and efficiency in space exploration. The briefing will take place the Hendon Room in the airshow's media center.

Siemens software contributed to the development of NASA's most advanced planetary rover, Curiosity, which will land on the surface of Mars on Aug. 6 at 1:31 a.m. EDT. This mobile science laboratory will assess whether the past or present Martian environment could support life. The software was used for modeling during development of the rover.

Media representatives attending the air show that would like to participate in the briefing should register online at: https://www.industry-meeting.com/event/microsite/22/sign-up/

The Farnborough International Airshow is an annual event featuring a host of activities, exhibits, and static and aerial demonstrations by aerospace companies worldwide.

For information about NASA's Curiosity rover, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/msl

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.

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NASA Mars Program Offical Discusses New Era Of Space Exploration

New Mars Exploration Rover Image Released By NASA [PHOTO]

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Danzig

By Jeff Stone | Jul 07, 2012 11:33 PM EDT

NASA released this week a stunning image produced by combining 817 photographs it was able to capture via the panoramic camera, or Pancam, on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity between Dec. 21 and May 8.

North is at the center of the so-called Greeley Panorama image, and south is at both ends, according to NASA.

"During the recent four months that Opportunity worked at Greeley Haven, activities included radio-science observations to better understand Martian spin axis dynamics and thus interior structure, investigations of the composition and textures of an outcrop exposing an impact-jumbled rock formation on the crater rim, monitoring the atmosphere and surface for changes, and acquisition of this full-color mosaic of the surroundings," NASA reported.

"The panorama combines exposures taken through Pancam filters centered on wavelengths of 753 nanometers (near infrared), 535 nanometers (green) and 432 nanometers (violet)." NASA said. "The view is presented in false color to make some differences between materials easier to see."

Opportunity has been working on Mars since January 2004.

The so-called Greeley Panorama was produced by combining 817 photographs NASA was able to capture via the panoramic camera, or Pancam, on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity between Dec. 21 and May 8.

Go here to read the rest:

New Mars Exploration Rover Image Released By NASA [PHOTO]

Silver Stars-Liberty Preview

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Danzig

The surging San Antonio Silver Stars are playing their best basketball of the season. If their recent efforts against the New York Liberty are any indication, however, keeping things going could prove difficult.

Looking to extend its longest winning streak in four seasons, San Antonio tries to avoid a sixth consecutive loss to New York as the teams meet at the Prudential Center on Sunday afternoon.

Since a 2-4 start, the Silver Stars (10-5) have proven nearly unbeatable. San Antonio has won six in a row by an average of 10.8 points and eight of nine overall.

The Silver Stars continued their recent prowess Friday with a 78-73 win at Washington. Sophia Young had 18 points while ex-Liberty guard Becky Hammon added 17 for San Antonio, which shot 52.6 percent from the floor.

"Right now we're just playing really well together," said Hammon, who leads the league with 5.7 assists per game. "We're moving the ball. We had 20 assists on 30 field goals. That's really moving the ball."

San Antonio, which hasn't posted seven consecutive victories since June 28-July 11, 2008, now looks for its momentum to carry over versus New York (6-9).

The Liberty have had their way with the Silver Stars of late, pulling out five straight wins - the last four of which have come by six or fewer points.

New York has posted back-to-back victories after dropping four of five, beating Seattle 77-59 on June 30 and winning 64-59 at Chicago six days later. Four-time All-Star Cappie Pondexter scored a team-high 19 points for the Liberty, who managed to prevail despite shooting 38.6 percent and getting outrebounded 45-30.

"We just told them to win it on defense and rebounding," said coach John Whisenant, whose team has been outrebounded by an Eastern Conference-worst 5.4 boards per game. "We had trouble scoring and I knew it would be that way. We missed some baskets that were easy, but so did they. They missed some putbacks. I'll take the way it was."

New York could be without leading rebounder Kia Vaughn for a second consecutive game. The 6-foot-4 center, averaging a team-high 5.8 boards, is dealing with a concussion she suffered versus the Storm.

Excerpt from:

Silver Stars-Liberty Preview

China dismisses Japan plan to buy disputed islands

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Danzig

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Foreign Ministry said it would continue to take "necessary measures" to safeguard its sovereignty over a number of disputed islands in the East China Sea after Japan said it was considering a plan to "buy" them from private landowners. The uninhabited islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, have long been the centre of maritime territorial disputes ...

Read this article:

China dismisses Japan plan to buy disputed islands

LePage attacks health care law, IRS

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Danzig

1:00 AM

By Steve Mistler smistler@pressherald.com Staff Writer

Gov. Paul LePage used his weekly radio address Saturday to blast President Barack Obama's health care law and described the Internal Revenue Service as the "new Gestapo."

The IRS description was a reference to a provision in the Affordable Care Act that requires most Americans to buy health insurance or pay an annual penalty when filing their tax returns. The provision, known more broadly as the individual mandate, was the subject of a multi-state lawsuit but was recently upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

LePage said the court decision has "made America less free."

"We the people have been told there is no choice," he said. "You must buy health insurance or pay the new Gestapo -- the IRS."

Maine Democratic Party Chairman Ben Grant, responding to LePage's remarks, said, "We've come to expect a bunch of nonsense from Gov. LePage, but this is a step too far. There appears now to be no limit to the extreme language he will use to misinform, degrade and insult people. Somebody needs to explain to him that he's the governor of a state, and not a talk radio host. I demand a full apology on behalf of all those who suffered at the hands of the real Gestapo."

"There is nothing that degrades politics more than purported leaders who so cavalierly invoke the worst in human history when they can't get their way in legitimate, modern policy disagreements," Grant said.

The debate about the mandate has become a political flash point since the health law was enacted. Republicans maintain that the requirement is an unfair tax. Democrats say the mandate was originally a Republican idea born from the conservative Heritage Foundation, which introduced the measure in 1989 as a counterpoint to calls for a single-payer health care system.

The Gestapo was Nazi Germany's official secret police under Adolf Hitler. It imprisoned and murdered thousands of people without cause.

Continue reading here:

LePage attacks health care law, IRS

Democrats, Republicans using health care ruling to raise funds

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Danzig

In theory, the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold President Barack Obama's health care law would appear to be a clear win for the president's re-election chances in Virginia and for Democrats in general.

But turning a legal victory into political capital in the commonwealth is not a guarantee.

Working off vehement disapproval of the law among the GOP's more conservative wing, Republicans are cashing in on the high court's ruling and attempting to build momentum in Virginia's key races.

Democrats, meanwhile, are rallying around the court victory, claiming the decisive vote from conservative Chief Justice John Roberts gives the law new credibility in the eyes of independents and moderates.

And the decision has been a fundraising boon for both parties.

In the 24 hours after the decision broke, Romney's campaign raised $4.6 million from more than 47,000 donors nationwide, according to campaign officials. In Virginia, nearly 2,000 donors more than 60 percent of whom had never donated to the Romney campaign before contributed close to $200,000.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, meanwhile, says it raised more than $2.3 million since the ruling, with Saturday being the biggest grass-roots fundraising day in its history. The amount raised in Virginia since the ruling was not available.

Two days after the June 28 ruling, the coordinated Victory 2012 effort between the Romney camp and the Republican Party of Virginia opened several offices across the state and also gained 1,500 new volunteers.

"I've been around politics and campaigns for 20 years, and I've never seen an uptick or surge like we've experienced since the decision," said Pete Snyder, chairman of the Victory 2012 effort.

"If our troops were at an eight or a nine on an intensity scale, they're at a 15 now," Snyder added, saying that while he was disappointed in the ruling, it was "liquid gold for the campaign."

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Democrats, Republicans using health care ruling to raise funds

Enforcing health care law to be a mammoth task

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Danzig

1:00 AM

BY STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court's decision to uphold most of President Barack Obama's health care law will come home to roost for most taxpayers in about 2 1/2 years, when they'll have to start providing proof on their tax returns that they have health insurance.

That scenario puts the Internal Revenue Service at the center of the debate, renewing questions about whether the agency is capable of policing the health care decisions of millions of people in the United States while also collecting the taxes needed to run the federal government.

Under the law, the IRS will provide tax breaks and incentives to help pay for health insurance and impose penalties on some people who don't buy coverage and on some businesses that don't offer it to employees.

The changes will require new regulations, forms and publications, new computer programs and a big new outreach program to explain it all to taxpayers and tax professionals. Businesses that don't claim an exemption will have to prove they offer health insurance to employees.

The health care law "includes the largest set of tax law changes in more than 20 years," according to the Treasury inspector general who oversees the IRS. The agency will have to hire thousands of workers to manage it, requiring significant budget increases that already are being targeted by congressional Republicans determined to dismantle the president's signature initiative.

"Knowing the complexity of the health law, there's no question that the IRS is going to struggle with this," said Rep. Charles Boustany Jr., R-La., chairman of the House Ways and Means oversight subcommittee. "The IRS wants more resources. Well, we need to start digging down into what are they doing with the resources and personnel."

Treasury spokeswoman Sabrina Siddiqui said, "The overwhelming majority of funds used by the agency to implement the Affordable Care Act go to administer the premium tax credits, which will be a tax cut averaging about $4,000 for more than 20 million middle-class people and families."

The Supreme Court, in its 5-4 ruling, upheld the mandate that most Americans get health insurance. The majority said Congress has the power to enforce the mandate under its taxing authority. The decision labeled the penalties a tax, noting that they will be collected by the IRS.

Enforcing health care law to be a mammoth task

Passage of health care law puts spotlight on the IRS

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Danzig

AP file photoHouse Ways and Means Committee Chairman David Camp, R-Mich., walks to his office on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Supreme Courts decision to uphold most of President Barack Obamas health care law puts the Internal Revenue Service at the center of the debate, renewing questions about whether the agency is capable of policing the health care decisions of millions of Americans while also collecting the taxes needed to fund the federal government.

WASHINGTON The Supreme Courts decision to uphold most of President Barack Obamas health care law will come home to roost for most taxpayers in about two years, when theyll have to start providing proof on their tax returns that they have health insurance.

Under the law, the IRS will provide tax breaks and incentives to help pay for health insurance and impose penalties on some people who dont buy coverage and on some businesses that dont offer it to employees.

The changes will require new regulations, forms and publications, new computer programs and a big new outreach program to explain it all to taxpayers and tax professionals. Businesses that dont claim an exemption will have to prove they offer health insurance to employees.

The health care law includes the largest set of tax law changes in more than 20 years, according to the Treasury inspector general who oversees the IRS. The agency will have to hire thousands of workers to manage it, requiring significant budget increases that already are being targeted by congressional Republicans determined to dismantle the presidents signature initiative.

Knowing the complexity of the health law, theres no question that the IRS is going to struggle with this, said Rep. Charles Boustany Jr., R-La., chairman of the House Ways and Means oversight subcommittee. The IRS wants more resources. Well, we need to start digging down into what are they doing with the resources and personnel.

Treasury spokeswoman Sabrina Siddiqui said, The overwhelming majority of funds used by the agency to implement the Affordable Care Act go to administer the premium tax credits, which will be a tax cut averaging about $4,000 for more than 20 million middle-class people and families.

Those who dont get qualified health insurance will be required to pay the penalty or tax starting for the 2014 tax year, unless they are exempt because of low income, religious beliefs, or because they are members of American Indian tribes.

Link:

Passage of health care law puts spotlight on the IRS

Evansville Edges Freedom Saturday Night

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Danzig

July 7, 2012 - Frontier League (FL) Florence Freedom FLORENCE,KY- The Evansville Otters scored four runs in the first inning against Freedom starter Daniel DeSimone(2-5) and held off a late Freedom threat for a 7-6 victory. DeSimone was dealt the loss, pitching four innings allowing seven hits, and six earned runs.

Going into the third inning, the Freedom trailed 4-0, but they stormed back to take the lead. Peter Fatse had an RBI single in the inning, as David Harris was able to score on a bases loaded passed ball by catcher Billy Killian, and Drew Rundle hit a three run homerun, his fourth of the year. The Rundle homerun gave the Freedom a 5-4 lead.

The Freedom trailed yet again in this ballgame, but took advantage of some sloppy Evansville defense to get back in the game. With two outs in the seventh inning, and a runner on first base, Fatse hit a fly ball down the left line that appeared to be the final out of the inning, but was dropped by Luis Uribe to extend the inning. After Eddie Rodriguez was hit by a pitch which loaded the bases, Rundle hit a hard grounder to second base which Taylor Black couldn't handle. That error led to the Freedom cutting the deficit to 7-6.

The Freedom in the ninth inning, loaded the bases once more, this time against Otter closer Eric Massingham. The right-hander proved why he will be pitching in next week's all-star game as he pitched out of a one out bases loaded jam. With one out, he got Jim Jacquot to hit a ground ball to third baseman Stephen Marino who threw to home plate to get the force out. Then on a 0-2 pitch, John Malloy flew out to right field for the final out. With the loss, the Freedom saw their four game winning streak come to an end.

The Freedom and Otters will wrap up their series and the first of their season with a night game tomorrow. The game can be heard with Steve Jarnicki starting at 5:50 pm on Real Talk 1160 and realtalk1160.com.

Discuss this story on the Frontier League message board... Digg this story Add to Del.icio.us

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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Evansville Edges Freedom Saturday Night

Efforts to preserve online freedom reveal threats

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Danzig

"Human freedom increasingly depends on who controls what we know and therefore how we understand our world. It depends on what information we are able to create and disseminate: what we can share; how we can share it; and with whom we can share it."

- Rebecca MacKinnon, "Consent of the Networked: The Worldwide Struggle for Internet Freedom."

It's a pivotal moment for online freedom.

In the wake of the Arab Spring, the Internet's power to transform societies and institutions has never been more apparent. But so too are the parallel risks to authoritarian regimes and other entrenched interests. And they're putting up a fight, flexing their muscle to preserve their power at the cost of citizens' digital rights.

The good news is that heavyweight organizations and observers have taken public stands for online freedom in recent days.

On Thursday, the U.N. Human Rights Council adopted a landmark resolution recognizing the right to freedom of expression online and calling on states to promote Internet access. It was at least an important symbolic step, particularly given the lineup of backers, which included nations frequently on the wrong side of this issue, like Egypt, India and Tunisia.

"It doesn't automatically mean that governments around the world will start doing the right thing at all times," said Rebecca MacKinnon, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation and author of "Consent of the Networked." "But it's a very useful tool for citizens around the world to say to their government, 'You signed onto this, you have to live up to it.' "

Area Beaches Open for Swimming

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Danzig

Since the season started, lifeguards say the beaches have been closed more days than they have been open. The good news is that all area beaches were open for swimming Saturday, and despite the wet weather in the morning, beach-goers took advantage of the rare opportunity.

"We do have to call in the morning to check if it's closed or not, and there is some disappointment in our house when it is closed," said Tara Simms of Irondequoit.

It was a good day for the Simms family. Swimming was open at Ontario Beach Park after being closed Friday. It's a problem that is not only frustrating for families who use the lake to cool off but also lifeguards.

"This season, we have had high bacteria counts which have kept the water closed, we had a lot of algae wash ashore early on, more than we had seen at least last year," said James Meier, Captain of the Lifeguards.

The high bacteria levels in water can be dangerous for swimmers and make them sick. Meier says the problem hasn't stopped people from showing up.

"We have actually had some pretty good sized crowds considering that we have been closed a lot, during the week especially, we still have folks coming down enjoying the park and trying to enjoy the sand," said Meier.

Since swimming is open less this year, Meier says everyone should take advantage when the water is safe for swimming.

"Come on down and enjoy being here. It's a great beach and when the water is open, it's a wonderful afternoon," said Meier.

"My husband loves coming to the beach, and we have a 3-year-old, so we would be down here every weekend," said Simms.

The health department has a hotline you can call to find out if your favorite beach is open for swimming. That number is 753-5887.

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Area Beaches Open for Swimming

This desert wants to stay in the dark

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Danzig

Southern Arizona's dark skies established the region as an international hub for astronomy in the 1960s. Observatories and other sky-gazing research facilities have brought prestige and millions of dollars to the state.

Today, riches on the ground or, more specifically, below it also have the potential to enrich the state, resulting in an odd collision between mining and astronomy.

Since 2007, when Rosemont Copper, which is owned by Canada's Augusta Resource Co., announced its plans to build a mine in the desert just south of Tucson, the environmental community has warned that the project will devastate the desert landscape.

But when the mine released its draft environmental impact statement in 2009 and revealed its lighting plan for the mine, another group joined the fray: the International Dark-Sky Assn. and the numerous astronomers whose research and livelihoods depend on the desert's dark skies.

"The [mine's] impact on astronomy is potentially very, very significant," said Scott Kardel, public affairs director of the association, a Tucson-based nonprofit that has worked to preserve and protect the darkness of night skies since 1988.

Because the mine would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, nighttime floodlights required by federal safety requirements could create significant light pollution that would interfere with astronomy.

The site of the proposed Rosemont Copper Mine is 12 miles northeast of the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, known for its Multiple Mirror Telescope and work in ground-based gamma-ray astronomy.

"The initial lighting estimate of the [mine's] light output was very bad," said Emilio Falco, project director at the Whipple Observatory, which is part of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

According to that initial estimate, the mine's lumen output the measure of the amount of visible light emitted by a source would be 21.7 million lumens, or the equivalent of about 12,000 houses.

The scientific community and the industries that cater to the astronomers were alarmed. In 2007, a study conducted by the University of Arizona estimated that astronomy contributed $250 million annually to the state's economy.

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This desert wants to stay in the dark

Donaldson Showcases Filtration Systems for Global Aerospace Industry at Farnborough 2012

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Danzig

MINNEAPOLIS, MN July 5, 2012 Donaldson Company, Inc. (NYSE: DCI), the leading provider of filtration solutions for aerospace and defense, industrial and heavy manufacturing applications, will display many of its most innovative products for a global audience July 9-13 at the Farnborough International Airshow 2012. The company will exhibit products and meet visitors at Booth C16, Hall 1.

Donaldson Aerospace & Defense Group offers a comprehensive line of filtration applications for commercial and military aircraft and ground vehicles. The Farnborough exhibit will showcase hydraulic manifolds that provide smooth operation of essential flight systems; propellant surface tension devices for reliable fuel flow; fuel filters to eliminate particulates that can foul engines; and inlet barrier filters to ensure clean air flow into turbine engine intakes. The Donaldson Air Purification System (APS) will also be featured.

Donaldson executives and technical experts will be available to discuss these and other systems throughout the event. Customers can schedule appointments by contacting Jessica Sammeter at 661-705-3850 or email jessica.sammeter@donaldson.com.

Donaldson product excellence and dedicated technical and support teams have made us a valued partner for aerospace companies and governments and military forces around the world, said Mike Trevino, Director of Sales, Donaldson Aerospace & Defense Group. We are delighted to attend Farnborough and demonstrate the unmatched capabilities of our advanced filtration systems and expand our worldwide customer base.

About Donaldson's Aerospace & Defense Group

Donaldson's Aerospace & Defense group is a leading worldwide provider of filtration systems for the aerospace and defense industry. Our filtration solutions protect fixed wing aircraft, rotorcraft, military ground vehicles, electronic equipment, space vehicles, missiles, military shipboard systems and amphibious vehicles. We are committed to advancing filtration technology, providing quality products and prompt customer service. Our group serves customers from sales, engineering and manufacturing locations around the world.

Nanotechnology Products to Make Your Life Better

Posted on July 7, 2012 by Danzig

When we hear the word nanotechnology we tend to envision tiny armies of robots or sci-fi movies, but this science that works with materials at the nano-scale level, encompasses a wide range of every day applications, all meant to create materials that offer new solutions to make your life better.

One area where nanotech is providing money saving and sustainable benefits is in products for the home. Here are a few technologies currently available:

1. Nansulate Home Protect - Clear liquid insulation. This patented technology, in existence since 2004, has been used on international airports and Naval bases. It offers a paint-on solution to increasing insulation and energy efficiency in an environmentally friendly nanocoating that inhibits heat transfer. Customers report saving between 20%-40% on energy costs. Pricing: 50 cents per S.F. at recommended 3-coat coverage. www. nansulate.com/homeprotect.htm

2. Nano-Tex - High performance fabrics. This innovation in fabric technology has been available since 1998, and is used in multiple consumer items such as workout clothes that keep you dryer, stain repellent furniture fabrics, and sheet sets that keep you cool and comfortable. The innovations include moisture control, odor control, stain resistance, and wrinkle resistance. Pricing varies according to product. http://www.nano-tex.com.

3. NanoGuard - Behr paint technology. Announced in 2007, this technology is used to provide multiple qualities to both exterior and interior paints. The Premium Plus Ultra uses an interlocking molecular structure to offer a denser, more durable paint film. When dry, the paint forms a protective shell that resists damage from sunlight, moisture, stains and dirt. Pricing: approximately 15 cents per S.F. if doing 1-coat. http://www.behr.com.

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Nanotechnology Products to Make Your Life Better

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