Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim cuts down the net following their 55-39 win over Marquette in the East Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim cuts down the net following their 55-39 win over Marquette in the East Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim talks to his players during a timeout in the first half of the East Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament against Marquette, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Tenally)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? The old Jim Boeheim and his incredible 2-3 zone are on the way to another Final Four. The new Jim Boeheim and his more player-friendly attitude will be there as well.
Syracuse's 55-39 victory over Marquette on Saturday sent the Orange on to the Final Four for the fourth time under Boeheim, a man as synonymous with his school as the Carrier Dome and snow.
Like his career, the Final Four berths have spanned a long time: 1987, 1996, 2003 and 2013.
He's been involved with basketball at the central New York school since walking on to the team in 1962. On April 3, 1976, he became the head coach at his alma mater and just days short of 37 years later he is No. 2 on the all-time wins list ? and adding to his reputation as one of the best defensive coaches because of that 2-3 zone that he has so loyal to.
"Jim's a great coach. He understands this game and if you sit and talk with him, you'll see that," said Leo Rautins, who played for Boeheim from 1980-83 and whose son Andy played there from 2005-10. "That zone. It's amazing. If I was a coach today and the way people shoot the ball I'd play zone too. He's a genius. All his players love him and look at the way all his old players come back for him. You can't say enough about him."
The Syracuse sections in Verizon Center looked like the school's Hall of Fame had come to life. Derrick Coleman, Pearl Washington, Billy Owens, Sherman Douglas. They were all there and they were all ready to talk about Boeheim, who led the Orange to the national championship in 2003 behind a couple of freshmen named Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara.
Most of his former players agreed there isn't a lot different about Boeheim as far as the game goes. There are some very different things about the man himself.
"He's mellow now, he used to scream, and cuss at us a lot," Coleman said with a big laugh.
"He's more calm now and doesn't scream as much. He used to be a screamer," Owens said, drawing laughs from a couple of former players "Right now he's calm and has all the confidence in the world. This and 900 wins. I can't be any happier for him."
Boeheim has always looked pretty much the same on the bench. He sits with his chin in right hand when things are going smoothly and he's up in a hurry if they're not with arms spread wide and a look on his face of pure disbelief. He's always been an easy target for those who say he's a whiner but Douglas, one of the best point guards to play in the Big East, has a play on words with that.
"I think we all mature," Douglas said. "I was there 20-some years ago. As Jim would say, 'Like wine, you get better with age.' He's looks good and is a little feisty at his age. I'm so proud of him."
The current players were asked if Boeheim had changed much in their years at Syracuse.
"He might have been more relaxed on me, I can tell you that after being here four years," said Brandon Triche, who had nine points and six rebounds against Marquette. "I still get yelled at every other play but at least it's every other play and not every play."
James Southerland, who led the Orange with 16 points, said there hasn't been all that much change.
"Coach yelled at me when we were up 30 against Montana, I can tell you that," he said. "I don't think coach is going to be relaxed until we win a championship, that's what I say."
At 68, Boeheim, who has had 35 20-win seasons, doesn't look like he's slowing down and he said as much this week when he confirmed he would be back to coach the Orange. He said that even though the school is leaving the Big East ? a conference Boeheim helped build up with fellow Hall of Fame coaches Jim Calhoun, John Thompson and Lou Carnesecca ? for the Atlantic Coast Conference. There, he will match wits with Hall of Famers Roy Williams and Mike Krzyzewski.
Krzyzewski is the only coach with more Division I wins than Boeheim: 957-920. He also has been the head coach, with Boeheim as an assistant, for the U.S. national teams that won the last two Olympic gold medals.
"Mike Krzyzewski and I have become close over the years and whenever we have been together sitting someplace talking about basketball or whatever, we always somehow in the conversation it always gets back to how lucky the two of us have been. Really," he said. "I was a walk-on at Syracuse 51 years ago and didn't have a scholarship. I just feel very lucky to have been able to have done what I've done and I have had a lot of help, a lot of coaches and a lot of great players that have helped me."
Mike Hopkins was both a player and coach. He's on the current staff, which is all former players. He stood on the court with a strand of net tucked into the caps that were handed out.
"He's the same guy just a lot looser," Hopkins said. "He's consistent, tough. All that is the same. The newest thing is he has a great relationship with the players. He communicates with them. He giggles with them. I've seen things evolve since I've been with him since 1989 as a player and coach. He's a coaching jewel. When you look back and see and work with a guy like that ..."
Hopkins choked up a bit and there were tears in his eyes. He didn't say anything else. He turned to join a group of former Syracuse players and celebrate their coach's fourth trip to the Final Four.
By Simon Evans MIAMI (Reuters) - World number one Serena Williams fought back from a set down to beat Maria Sharapova 4-6 6-3 6-0 and win the Sony Open for a record sixth time on Saturday as she continued her dominance over her closest rival. With the win, Williams, who struggled with her serve in the first two sets, becomes only the fourth woman in the Open era to win the same WTA tournament six times, joining Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and Steffi Graf. "I finally have some record," Williams said. "Like it's really cool. I can't seem to catch up with Margaret Court or Steffi or ...
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? At age 26, Buster Posey can envision one day retiring with the San Francisco Giants.
For now, he is their new franchise man.
The Giants rewarded the NL MVP and batting champion catcher with a $167 million, nine-year contract Friday, a deal that includes a club option for 2022 that could raise the value to $186 million over a decade.
"It's hard to put into words what I feel right now, just an incredible feeling know that for the next nine years I'll be a part of this very storied franchise," Posey said. "I'm incredibly humbled to know I'll be a part of that."
He came to the plate Friday night to rousing cheers from the sellout crowd of 42,808 and led off the second inning against Oakland's A. J. Griffin with a single to left. Posey finished 2 for 4 in the 3-1 win.
"That's just great, he's the face of the franchise," pitcher Barry Zito said. "He's the captain of this team as young as he is. That's a huge nod from ownership, from the Giants, to say, 'Pose, you're our guy and we're going to go on with you.'"
Posey had been due to make $8 million this year. He instead gets a $7 million signing bonus, with $5 million payable Oct. 15 and the remainder Jan. 15, and his 2013 salary is reduced to $3 million.
He will make $10.5 million in 2014, $16.5 million in 2015, $20 million in 2016 and $21.4 million in each of the following five seasons. The Giants' option is for $22 million with a $3 million buyout.
"Obviously this is a big day for the Giants and a big day in Giants history," CEO Larry Baer said. "By any measure the largest and boldest commitment we've ever made to a player, and obviously that's a big deal. We don't make these kinds of commitments lightly. ... In order to make a commitment like this we have to look at other measures, too, and look at the person. A nine-year commitment sounds like a lot but it wasn't scary to us when you look at Buster the person."
Posey's agreement includes a full no-trade clause and is the longest for a catcher and the largest in Giants history, surpassing Matt Cain's $127.5 million, six-year contract signed before the start of last season.
In addition, the deal is a record guarantee for a player with fewer than three years of major league service time ? more than doubling the $80 million, seven-year contract Rockies slugger Carlos Gonzalez received before the 2011 season. It also is a record guarantee for a player with fewer than four years of service time, topping the $151.45 million over 11 years Colorado's Todd Helton was assured in March 2001.
"I don't know if we had a mountain to climb but we had a hill to climb to try to get on the same page," general manager Brian Sabean said. "If he's not the face of the franchise, he's certainly a player that comes around either once every baseball life or not that often."
The Giants captured their second championship in three years behind the play of the All-Star, who won the NL batting title and MVP award after missing most of 2011 following season-ending left leg and ankle injuries.
Posey knows that there will be times things don't go as well as they have so far for him with a World Series and Rookie of the Year award in 2010 followed by another title and season of honors last year.
"You get kind of spoiled when you win the World Series in your first year," he said. "I can't see how you can play here and not want to spend your career here."
Posey received his deal a day after the Giants gave Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy contract extensions through 2016.
Posey batted .336 with 24 homers and 103 RBIs while playing 148 games for the NL West champions, including 111 starts at catcher and 29 at first base. During the Giants' 2010 and '12 championship runs, Posey has hit a combined .244 with four home runs and 14 RBIs.
Two of those homers and five RBIs came in last year's NL division series against the Reds, when San Francisco became the first team in big league history to rally from a 2-0 deficit to win a five-game series with three straight road victories.
"We've got a group of guys who are not going to rest on what we've accomplished so far," Posey said. "Nine years is a long time. It's exciting. I enjoy the challenge of trying to get better. I enjoy the ups and downs that baseball brings."
On May 25, 2011, Posey tore three ligaments in his left ankle and broke a bone in his lower leg in a devastating collision at the plate with Scott Cousins, then with the Marlins.
Posey received his nice payday two days after turning 26. He will donate $50,000 per year to Giants charities.
He could wind up playing his entire career in the Bay Area ? and the Giants certainly hope that will be the case. The club posted a photo on its Twitter account Friday of Posey, Baer, Sabean, vice president and assistant general manager Bobby Evans and Bochy ? with the hashtag "SFG4Life."
"It's truly one of the great days for Giants fans," Baer said. "Our fans will be very privileged to watch Buster for the foreseeable future, and ideally Buster will be wearing a Giants uniform for the entirety of his career, which is our goal."
Posey is represented by the same agency that negotiated Cain's deal last year, and both sides were eager to do something again this year to provide long-term security for the catcher.
"We're extremely pleased to reach an agreement that keeps Buster in a Giants uniform for a long time," agent Jeff Berry of CAA Baseball said. "Buster and the Giants have brought each other mutual success, and this contract reflects Buster's extraordinary accomplishments in just three years in the major leagues."
The contract includes the following bonuses: $100,000 for NL MVP, $100,000 for World Series MVP, $75,000 for NL championship series MVP, $50,000 for a Gold Glove, $50,000 for All-Star game election, $25,000 for All-Star selection and $50,000 for a Silver Slugger.
In 2010, Posey wasn't even called up from Triple-A Fresno until late May but still batted .305 with 18 home runs and 67 RBIs in 108 games to help the Giants capture their first NL West crown since 2003.
Even with the injury, Posey plans to catch for as long as his body allows it.
"My passion is to be behind the plate for as long as I can," he said. "For anyone who's caught, it's a special position you can't describe until you get back there."
Yet he did once play all nine positions in one game during college.
San Francisco gave him $6.2 million when he signed in August 2008 as the fifth overall pick out of Florida State, the richest deal for an amateur joining the Giants.
For Evans in his negotiations, there weren't many players to use as a gauge for having so many accomplishments in such a short career. The Giants entered talks with the idea they would find a way to sign Posey for the long haul.
"The organization will be better off for it each day he's in our uniform," Sabean said.
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AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.
During embryonic development, animals generate many different types of cells, each with a distinct function and identity.
"Although the identities of these cells remain stable under normal conditions, some cells can be persuaded to take on new identities, through reprogramming," says Ben Stanger, MD, PhD, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.
Researchers have been able to reprogram cells experimentally, but few have shown that cells can change their identities under normal physiological conditions in the body, particularly in mammals.
In the cover article of this month's issue of Genes and Development, Stanger, PhD candidate Kilangsungla Yanger, Yiwei Zong, PhD, and their colleagues, did just that in the liver of a mouse. Stanger is also an investigator in the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute and the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology.
The adult liver contains two major cell types ? hepatocytes and biliary cells ? that differ dramatically in appearance and function. Hepatocytes are the main cell type in the liver, where they synthesize proteins and other macromolecules, and detoxify toxic substances. Biliary cells, on the other hand, line the bile ducts, which carry bile from the liver to the small intestine to help digest fats.
Using a sensitive method to tag and track how cells develop and differentiate, the researchers found that conditional expression of an activated Notch1 gene converted hepatocytes into biliary cells. Notch is an important receptor for relaying signals to tell cells how to develop.
What's more, after the researchers injured liver cells with a variety of toxins to stimulate wound healing, they found that over two to three weeks hepatocytes activated a biliary cell program on their own, acquiring the shape and function of biliary cells. These changes were dependent on the activation of endogenous Notch signaling.
"This is direct evidence that cells can be converted from one mature cell type to another in a live animal, as part of a normal response to injury," says Stanger. "We think that augmenting pre-existing cell reprogramming relationships may be another way to engineer cells for the treatment of diseases in which there are not enough bile ducts, such as cholestasis."
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University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine: http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/news/
Thanks to University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine for this article.
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NEW YORK (AP) ? For the second time in less than a month, the stock market marched past another milepost on its long, turbulent journey back from the Great Recession, toppling another record left over from the days before government bailouts and failing investment banks.
The Standard & Poor's 500 closed at a new high Thursday, three weeks after another popular market gauge, the Dow Jones industrial average, obliterated its own closing record. The S&P capped its best quarter in a year, rising 10 percent, and the Dow had its best first quarter in 15 years, climbing 11 percent.
The numbers offer more evidence that investors believe the economy is on the mend, said Sam Stovall, chief equity strategist at S&P Capital IQ.
"The low-flying recovery is gaining altitude," Stovall said, citing a truism among investors that rising stock prices come first, then the economy catches up.
Thursday's performance was driven by encouraging economic data. Companies are making record profits quarter after quarter. They're hiring in greater numbers, and the housing market is finally recovering. The economy has expanded for 14 quarters in a row.
The Fed has helped, too. By keeping interest rates near record lows, the central bank has encouraged people to move money out of savings accounts that pay next to nothing and into stocks and other investments.
Investors warned clients not to get overly excited.
"Getting back to where we were is an important step," said Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices. But he cautioned in a note to investors: "Markets are volatile, and if you are a long-term investor you should expect declines."
On Thursday, the S&P 500 rose 6.34 points, or 0.41 percent, to 1,569.19, beating by four points its previous record of 1,565.15 set on Oct. 9, 2007. The index is still shy of its all-time trading high of 1,576.09.
The index has now recovered all of its losses from the recession and the financial crisis that followed. Investors who put their dividends back into the market have done even better. A $10,000 investment in the S&P back in October 2007 would be worth $11,270.
On any other day, a market gain of six points would go unheralded but not after the turmoil that began in late 2008 and persisted through a slow, sometimes stalled recovery.
The S&P 500 is a barometer that gauges market performance. And while professional investors might scoff at using it to decide when to buy and sell, the breaking of an old record can be psychologically important.
However, many obstacles still loom.
The U.S. economy is stable, but growth is anemic. Unemployment is 7.7 percent, versus 4.7 percent, the last time the S&P notched a record. The European debt crisis is far from resolved. And some investors are concerned that the market's gains are being fueled by the Federal Reserve's easy money policy and will disappear once the Fed reverses course.
The crisis of the moment is Cyprus, the Mediterranean island country that struggled this week to get an emergency bailout. For many investors, the bailout deal was a reminder of Europe's lingering economic problems. Elsewhere, Italy failed to set up a new government this week, raising fears that the country will be unable to manage its deep debts.
On Thursday, U.S. economic news was mixed.
The U.S. economy grew faster than first estimated in the fourth quarter, the government reported. But the growth, an annual rate of 0.4 percent, was still weak. The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits jumped for the second straight week. Longer-term, though, applications for benefits have been declining since November.
In Europe, Cyprus reopened its banks after closing them for nearly two weeks to keep depositors from making panicked withdrawals. Portugal reported that its budget deficit was widening.
"If you're a bull or a bear, you could find enough news out there to convince you of your position," said Jim Lauder, CEO of Global Index Advisors in Marietta, Ga., and co-portfolio manager on Wells Fargo Advantage Dow Jones Target Date Funds.
Brian Singer, partner at William Blair in Chicago, said the market's gains Thursday were more about a lack of any major negative developments than the appearance of any good ones.
"We are looking at a realization that Western civilization is not ending as we know it," Singer said. "Fiscal discussions in the U.S. have settled into an acceptable stalemate. The Italian elections that did not result in a government are on hold. Cyprus hasn't sunk into the Mediterranean."
Thursday marked the end of the first quarter, since markets are closed for Good Friday. Overall, it was a strong quarter.
The Dow climbed for the first 10 trading days of March ? a record not matched in more than 16 years. In the past 10 days, though, it has wavered under the weight of Cyprus.
The Dow rose 11 percent in the first three months of the year, its best quarterly performance since the fourth quarter of 2011. Last year, it lost ground in two quarters and was up by smaller amounts ? 4 percent and 8 percent ? in the other two. On March 5, it beat its own all-time record of 14,164.53, which was also set on Oct. 9, 2007, and has been climbing ever since.
To be sure, the S&P 500's last record was followed by a painful downfall. By March 2009, long after the subprime mortgage market had been revealed as an unsustainable bubble, the S&P had cratered from its lofty heights. On March 9, 2009, it fell to its Great Recession low of 676.53 ? down 57 percent from its October 2007 pinnacle.
With Thursday's gains, it has climbed 132 percent since reaching the bottom. Including dividends, it is up more than 150 percent.
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Associated Press Business Writer Matt Craft in New York contributed to this report.
Sprint's Galaxy S 4 recently took one step towards being ready for mass consumption, however the carrier hasn't forgotten the device's forefathers. We've received a memo from an anonymous tipster advising that the Epic 4G Touch is set to make the jump to Jelly Bean (Android 4.1, to be exact) starting sometime today. The new software bump will come directly from Samsung and will require a visit to an external website that has yet to go live. The memo also notes that in order to perform the update, you'll need access to a rig with Windows 7, Vista or XP -- in other words, OS X and Windows 8 users will have to visit a Sprint store to get their fix.For those fortunate enough to gain access in the coming hours, let us know how it's treating you in comments below.
Update: Waiting for official confirmation? Then just check Sprint's official log of updates for the Epic 4G Touch on its website, which now lists the GB27 version. It's scheduled to start today, and to answer the question of why it's only going out via PC download and not OTA, the log cites the (unspecified) size of the update.
Egyptian authorities arrested three men off the coast of Alexandria for attempting to sever an undersea Internet cable. The SEA-ME-WE 4 main line was part of a cable network that spanned the Mediterranean and connects Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Western Europe and has 39 landing points, including Alexandria. Seacom, a cable operator, said that the attacks reduced network speed in Egypt. The line belonged to Telecom Egypt. “The armed forces foiled an attempt and arrested three divers while they were cutting a submarine cable,” said an Egyptian spokesperson. Lines off of the coast of Egypt have been cut multiple times, most notably in 2008 when three lines were ostensibly cut by ship anchors. “SEACOM can confirm that at 06:20 GMT 27 March, the SMW4 cable system suffered a cable cut off the coast of Egypt. Earlier this morning, SEACOM had restored all services on both SMW4 and IMEWE cable systems,” read an announcement on Seacom’s news page. Egyptian authorities are interrogating the men, who remain unnamed.
Geoscientists to meet in Austin, Texas, to discuss groundwater, petroleum, and Texas geologyPublic release date: 28-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Christa Stratton cstratton@geosociety.org Geological Society of America
The Geological Society of America South-Central Section Meeting, April 4-5, 2013
Boulder, Colorado, USA - Geoscientists from the south-central U.S. and beyond will convene in Austin, Texas, USA, on 4-5 April to celebrate GSA's 125th Anniversary and discuss new science, expand on existing science, and explore the unique geologic and historic features of the region. Topics discussed include water sustainability and groundwater management, petroleum potential in the Gulf of Mexico, engaging the next generation of geoscientists, and climate change and human impacts on Earth's landscapes.
Each day of the meeting will feature special keynote talks, beginning Wednesday evening, 3 April, with Cliff Frohlich, Associate Director of and Senior Research Scientist at the Institute of Geophysics at The University of Texas at Austin, speaking on "Texas Earthquakes: Natural and/or Man Made?"
Thursday morning's keynote, "The Ophiolite Enigma Resolved," will be delivered by John Dewey, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. Thursday afternoon's keynote by Derek C. Briggs of Yale University and the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History will cover the preservation and evolutionary significance of fossil biotas with a talk titled "The Limits of Fossilization." Briggs will also present the Friday keynote, "The Silurian Herefordshire FaunaSoftBodied Fossils in Volcanic Ash."
Friday's events include the start of the popular HydroDays Workshop, which will run through 7 April, in the surrounding karst areas of Texas. Karst researchers, educators, students, policy makers, cavers, and karst lovers of all persuasions are invited.
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Selected Highlights of the Scientific Program
The scientific program is composed of oral and poster presentations organized into 21 themed sessions plus an array of research in general discipline areas. Go to http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/sc/2013mtg/ to learn more. Two Plenary Sessions on careers in geoscience are also planned (one for academic and one for industry careers): http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/sc/2013mtg/students.htm#plenary.
THURSDAY, 4 APRIL
The Role of the Geosciences in Water Sustainability I: Examples, Challenges, and Societal Impacts
David M. Borrok of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Durga D. Poudel of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and Johnathan R. Bumgarner of the U.S. Geological Survey, presiding, 8 a.m. to noon (session 4).
Paper 4-8: Sustainability on the U.S./Mexico Border: 1. Water, Climate, And Social Change in a Fragile Landscape. Lead author: William Hargrove of The University of Texas at El Paso: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217075.html (10:40 a.m.).
The Role of the Geosciences in Water Sustainability II: Examples, Challenges, and Societal Impacts
David M. Borrok of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Durga D. Poudel of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and Johnathan R. Bumgarner of the U.S. Geological Survey, presiding, 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (session 14).
Paper 14-6: Sediments, Nutrients, and Fecal Matters Impair Surface Water Quality in a Coastal Agricultural Watershed. Lead author: Durga D. Poudel of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Session33344.html (3:30 p.m.).
New Ideas about the Geologic Evolution and Petroleum Potential of the Gulf of Mexico
Robert Stern of The University of Texas at Dallas and Peter Clift of Louisiana State University, presiding, 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (session 13).
Paper 13-5: Multidisciplinary Investigation of Surface Deformation in Houston, Texas. Lead author: Shuhab Khan of the University of Houston: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Session32126.html (3:10 p.m.).
Engaging the Next Generation of Geoscientists
Katherine K. Ellins of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin and Laura F. Serpa of The University of Texas at El Paso, presiding, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. (sessions 16).
Paper 16-10: Serious Gaming as an Educational Approach: Initiatives Designed to Engage At-Risk Students with Geosciences and Hands-On Computational Skills. Lead author: David Conover, Video Game Design Instructor at Connally High School, Austin, Texas, USA: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217791.html (4:50 p.m.).
FRIDAY, 5 APRIL
Geology of Texas
John Snedden of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin and Pamela A. Speciale of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin, presiding, 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (session 20).
Paper 20-2: Natural Fracture Characterization in the Haynesville Shale, East Texas. Lead author: Frank Morgan of Louisiana State University: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217161.html (8:20 a.m.).
Paper 20-3: Thermal Energy in Place in Texas: A Novel Method for Estimating Accessible Geothermal Power with Existing Oil and Gas Wells Using ArcGIS. Lead author: Daniel S. Zafar of the Bureau of Economic Geology at The University of Texas at Austin: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217271.html (8:40 a.m.).
Paper 20-4: The 1928 Cline, Texas, Meteorite. Lead author: Robert A. Graham of The Tome Group: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217388.html (9 a.m.).
Desired Future Conditions and Modeled Available Groundwater: The New Groundwater Management Paradigm in Texas
WF (Kirk) Holland of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District and John Dupnik of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District, presiding, 8 a.m. to noon (session 23).
Paper 23-10: A Policy Proposal for Regional Aquifer-Scale Management of Groundwater in Texas. Lead author: John Dupnik of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217344.html (11:25 a.m.).
Climate Change, Earth Process, and Human Impacts on Determining Earth's Landscapes
Rong Fu of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin and Suzanne A. Pierce of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin, presiding, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. (session 35).
Paper 35-2: Modeling the Impact of Afforestation on Global Climate. Lead author: Craig Jackson of Ohio Wesleyan University: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217554.html (11 a.m.)
View the complete session schedule by day or search the program by keywords at https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013NE/webprogram/start.html. Click on session titles for a list of presentations, and click on presentations for the individual abstracts.
Find complete meeting information at http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/ne/2013mtg/index.htm.
Find local contact information at http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/ne/2013mtg/contact.htm.
MEDIA REGISTRATION
Eligibility for media registration is as follows:
Working press representing bona fide, recognized news media with a press card, letter or business card from the publication.
Freelance science writers, presenting a current membership card from NASW, ISWA, regional affiliates of NASW, ISWA, CSWA, ACS, ABSW, EUSJA, or evidence of work pertaining to science published in 2012 or 2013.
PIOs of scientific societies, educational institutions, and government agencies.
Present media credentials to William Cox onsite at the GSA registration desk to obtain a badge for media access. Complimentary meeting registration covers attendance at all technical sessions and access to the exhibit hall. Journalists and PIOs must pay regular fees for paid luncheons and any short courses or field trips in which they participate. Representatives of the business side of news media, publishing houses, and for-profit corporations must register at the main registration desk and pay the appropriate fees.
For additional information and assistance, contact Christa Stratton, GSA Director of Communications, at the address above.
http://www.geosociety.org
The Geological Society of America, founded in 1888, is a scientific society with more than 25,000 members from academia, government, and industry in more than 100 countries. Through its meetings, publications, and programs, GSA enhances the professional growth of its members and promotes the geosciences in the service of humankind. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, GSA encourages cooperative research among earth, life, planetary, and social scientists, fosters public dialogue on geoscience issues, and supports all levels of earth science education.
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Geoscientists to meet in Austin, Texas, to discuss groundwater, petroleum, and Texas geologyPublic release date: 28-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Christa Stratton cstratton@geosociety.org Geological Society of America
The Geological Society of America South-Central Section Meeting, April 4-5, 2013
Boulder, Colorado, USA - Geoscientists from the south-central U.S. and beyond will convene in Austin, Texas, USA, on 4-5 April to celebrate GSA's 125th Anniversary and discuss new science, expand on existing science, and explore the unique geologic and historic features of the region. Topics discussed include water sustainability and groundwater management, petroleum potential in the Gulf of Mexico, engaging the next generation of geoscientists, and climate change and human impacts on Earth's landscapes.
Each day of the meeting will feature special keynote talks, beginning Wednesday evening, 3 April, with Cliff Frohlich, Associate Director of and Senior Research Scientist at the Institute of Geophysics at The University of Texas at Austin, speaking on "Texas Earthquakes: Natural and/or Man Made?"
Thursday morning's keynote, "The Ophiolite Enigma Resolved," will be delivered by John Dewey, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. Thursday afternoon's keynote by Derek C. Briggs of Yale University and the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History will cover the preservation and evolutionary significance of fossil biotas with a talk titled "The Limits of Fossilization." Briggs will also present the Friday keynote, "The Silurian Herefordshire FaunaSoftBodied Fossils in Volcanic Ash."
Friday's events include the start of the popular HydroDays Workshop, which will run through 7 April, in the surrounding karst areas of Texas. Karst researchers, educators, students, policy makers, cavers, and karst lovers of all persuasions are invited.
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Selected Highlights of the Scientific Program
The scientific program is composed of oral and poster presentations organized into 21 themed sessions plus an array of research in general discipline areas. Go to http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/sc/2013mtg/ to learn more. Two Plenary Sessions on careers in geoscience are also planned (one for academic and one for industry careers): http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/sc/2013mtg/students.htm#plenary.
THURSDAY, 4 APRIL
The Role of the Geosciences in Water Sustainability I: Examples, Challenges, and Societal Impacts
David M. Borrok of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Durga D. Poudel of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and Johnathan R. Bumgarner of the U.S. Geological Survey, presiding, 8 a.m. to noon (session 4).
Paper 4-8: Sustainability on the U.S./Mexico Border: 1. Water, Climate, And Social Change in a Fragile Landscape. Lead author: William Hargrove of The University of Texas at El Paso: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217075.html (10:40 a.m.).
The Role of the Geosciences in Water Sustainability II: Examples, Challenges, and Societal Impacts
David M. Borrok of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Durga D. Poudel of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and Johnathan R. Bumgarner of the U.S. Geological Survey, presiding, 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (session 14).
Paper 14-6: Sediments, Nutrients, and Fecal Matters Impair Surface Water Quality in a Coastal Agricultural Watershed. Lead author: Durga D. Poudel of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Session33344.html (3:30 p.m.).
New Ideas about the Geologic Evolution and Petroleum Potential of the Gulf of Mexico
Robert Stern of The University of Texas at Dallas and Peter Clift of Louisiana State University, presiding, 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (session 13).
Paper 13-5: Multidisciplinary Investigation of Surface Deformation in Houston, Texas. Lead author: Shuhab Khan of the University of Houston: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Session32126.html (3:10 p.m.).
Engaging the Next Generation of Geoscientists
Katherine K. Ellins of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin and Laura F. Serpa of The University of Texas at El Paso, presiding, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. (sessions 16).
Paper 16-10: Serious Gaming as an Educational Approach: Initiatives Designed to Engage At-Risk Students with Geosciences and Hands-On Computational Skills. Lead author: David Conover, Video Game Design Instructor at Connally High School, Austin, Texas, USA: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217791.html (4:50 p.m.).
FRIDAY, 5 APRIL
Geology of Texas
John Snedden of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin and Pamela A. Speciale of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin, presiding, 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (session 20).
Paper 20-2: Natural Fracture Characterization in the Haynesville Shale, East Texas. Lead author: Frank Morgan of Louisiana State University: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217161.html (8:20 a.m.).
Paper 20-3: Thermal Energy in Place in Texas: A Novel Method for Estimating Accessible Geothermal Power with Existing Oil and Gas Wells Using ArcGIS. Lead author: Daniel S. Zafar of the Bureau of Economic Geology at The University of Texas at Austin: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217271.html (8:40 a.m.).
Paper 20-4: The 1928 Cline, Texas, Meteorite. Lead author: Robert A. Graham of The Tome Group: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217388.html (9 a.m.).
Desired Future Conditions and Modeled Available Groundwater: The New Groundwater Management Paradigm in Texas
WF (Kirk) Holland of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District and John Dupnik of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District, presiding, 8 a.m. to noon (session 23).
Paper 23-10: A Policy Proposal for Regional Aquifer-Scale Management of Groundwater in Texas. Lead author: John Dupnik of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217344.html (11:25 a.m.).
Climate Change, Earth Process, and Human Impacts on Determining Earth's Landscapes
Rong Fu of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin and Suzanne A. Pierce of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin, presiding, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. (session 35).
Paper 35-2: Modeling the Impact of Afforestation on Global Climate. Lead author: Craig Jackson of Ohio Wesleyan University: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217554.html (11 a.m.)
View the complete session schedule by day or search the program by keywords at https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013NE/webprogram/start.html. Click on session titles for a list of presentations, and click on presentations for the individual abstracts.
Find complete meeting information at http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/ne/2013mtg/index.htm.
Find local contact information at http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/ne/2013mtg/contact.htm.
MEDIA REGISTRATION
Eligibility for media registration is as follows:
Working press representing bona fide, recognized news media with a press card, letter or business card from the publication.
Freelance science writers, presenting a current membership card from NASW, ISWA, regional affiliates of NASW, ISWA, CSWA, ACS, ABSW, EUSJA, or evidence of work pertaining to science published in 2012 or 2013.
PIOs of scientific societies, educational institutions, and government agencies.
Present media credentials to William Cox onsite at the GSA registration desk to obtain a badge for media access. Complimentary meeting registration covers attendance at all technical sessions and access to the exhibit hall. Journalists and PIOs must pay regular fees for paid luncheons and any short courses or field trips in which they participate. Representatives of the business side of news media, publishing houses, and for-profit corporations must register at the main registration desk and pay the appropriate fees.
For additional information and assistance, contact Christa Stratton, GSA Director of Communications, at the address above.
http://www.geosociety.org
The Geological Society of America, founded in 1888, is a scientific society with more than 25,000 members from academia, government, and industry in more than 100 countries. Through its meetings, publications, and programs, GSA enhances the professional growth of its members and promotes the geosciences in the service of humankind. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, GSA encourages cooperative research among earth, life, planetary, and social scientists, fosters public dialogue on geoscience issues, and supports all levels of earth science education.
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Dorothy Hamill (seen here with her former partner Tristan MacManus) would return to the ballroom bash in a future season, if invited.
Dorothy Hamill is coming back to "Dancing With the Stars" next week, but it won?t be as a contestant.?
?I?m going to be in the audience,? Hamill told The Clicker after the show Tuesday night. ?I have friends from Baltimore who are coming and we?re having a mother-daughter evening here at the show. It?ll be fun.?
As viewers saw on the first results show of the season, the former Olympic figure skater dropped out of the reality dance competition after consulting with a surgeon about a cyst that left her in intense pain.
?I wasn?t getting better,? Hamill sighed. ?In fact, I was getting maybe a tiny bit worse.?
Hamill felt it was unfair to the show, the other celeb participants and, especially, her pro partner, Tristan MacManus to continue on in the show. There was also the potential for lasting nerve damage, too.
?I?ve got some nerve problems right now,? she revealed. ?If I don?t take care of it, it could be permanent. That?s not a smart risk to take.?
MacManus knew something was up when he received a text from Hamill prior to the results show that said they needed to speak. ?I was relieved, but not in a negative way,? he said. ?It was the right decision and I was happy that somebody made it for her. It would have been too selfish for me to think about anyone other than Dorothy.?
While the news was sad -- Hamill was a favorite among the other celebrities and pro dancers -- the last-minute revelation that she was opting to drop out made for some dramatic live television. Low-rated contestants Victor Ortiz and Lisa Vanderpump were seconds away from learning which of them was going home, but Hamill?s voluntary exit prevented that from happening.
?I was in shock more than anything,? Ortiz said after the show. ?I know what it?s like to be forced out of a competition.?
Ortiz and Vanderpump are paired with two pro newcomers to the ballroom ? Lindsay Arnold and Gleb Savchenko. Did that play a role in them landing in the bottom two?
?Honestly, there are so many factors that go into it,? Arnold said. ?It comes down to the audience liking what they see -- and then voting! If you like a couple, you have to vote!?
Fans may get to see Hamill dance again. Ifshe?s medically cleared for it, she?ll return for the season finale in May and perform once again with MacManus.
Would she come back again as a contender in a future season if invited? ?Absolutely,? Hamill said without hesitation. ?I?d do it in a heartbeat!?
Do you think Hamill should give the ballroom bash another try when she's feeling better? Tell us on our Facebook page.
Morocco World News is introducing a weekly blog hosted by Hajj Elbabboushi to objectively criticize some of the top stories we previously featured. Hajj Elbabboushi is a former Moroccan teacher of English spent most his life in Morocco but retired abroad. Throughout his life, he was deceived by the media, governments and people and consequently lost confidence in all of them. Hajj Elbabboushi never believes anything he is told. He doubts everything, even conspiracy theories.
Moroccan health care system: this one shot ?RAMEDy? is not enough
Waldi Hamza (my son), how reliable are the number of beds per 1000 people and the number of physicians per 1000 people in determining the quality of healthcare received by citizens especially knowing that -for example- Moroccans? life expectancy exceeds that of Kazakhs and Azerbaijanis although they -Kazakhs and Azerbaijanis- have more doctors and beds per 1000 people?
Would it be possible that there are -relatively- few doctors and beds per 1000 people in Morocco because people do not need to go see doctors (e.g. probably because they eat healthy food, or they rely on para-medical and home medicine to resolve a lot of their health issues)?
Can we not assume (conclude?) that it is the quality of doctors which is more important, and not the number of beds and doctors?
Should we not determine if the demand for health care would increase, by investigating how many people actually used their RAMED benefits or how many Moroccans per 1000 actually go to hospitals?
A Policeman?s crime: there is no smoke without fire
Waldi Rachid, we have all heard of ex-American soldiers who kill themselves or suffer from PTSD after they return from combat. We?ve seen a lot of those cases. Now we have a Moroccan policeman who killed three innocent victims because of ?corruption,? according to his lawyer. If corruption is the real cause, would it not make sense to have a similar incident on a periodic basis? If corruption is the cause, how many cases of Moroccan policemen shooting their co-workers have we seen since independence, or since the beginning of history? Can I hit someone with my shell and blame it on pollution?
Morocco: Can justice still be bought and sold?
Waldi Youssef, may Allah accept the victims of this accident in heaven, and may He help us improve our legal system.
You have eloquently put that the driver of the Jaguar was ?allegedly driving at an insane speed,? but what made you so sure that he was drunk knowing that the only person who survived the accident went straight into coma?
Is it not true that the Jaguar driver spent two months in prison while the case was processed? If his family is so powerful and so rich, why could they not bail out their son in order to maintain his liberty while the case was being processed?
Knowing that there are big gaps between the minimum sentence, and the maximum sentence that a person convicted in a criminal case can receive in Morocco (e.g. for theft, killing, etc.), were the two months in jail plus two months probation received by the the Jaguar driver really represent a violation to the law?
If not, then would it not be more fair and efficient to petition the government to fix the law (the same way it was done after the Amina Filali case) rather than change the verdict of this case?
Lack of civility in Moroccan society
Waldi Omar, who defines civility or being civilized? Who is more civilized, those who throw garbage in the streets of Morocco, or those who pollute the universe and refuse to ratify protocols to limit pollution? Who has more values, those who ?appear civilized? or Moroccans? Who is more civilized, those who are ?shouting at each other for silly reasons,? or those who are shutting others up for life using sophisticated weaponry?
Who is less civilized? Those ?Moroccan criminals? who ?sexually harass, rape, steal, etc.? or those criminals who do not shout when driving, who treat patients very well, who read a lot, who queue when waiting and mounting the bus, but steal nations? resources?
Knowing that in America you can get punished for littering, is it not true that the best way to make people stop bad habits is to deter them through sanctions? Is it not true that ten years ago in Morocco, one would be laughed at if he/she wore a seat-belt in the city, while it is now normal -after it has been made obligatory by law- for one to buckle his/her seat-belt up?
How Morocco Would Advance: Build Strong Infrastructure
Waldi Jamal, may Allah forgive you. You scared me.
What is more important, the number of airports, or the number of good airports a nation has?
If the number of good airports is more important, then would it not be better to refer to statistics about airports with paved runways rather than the total number of airports -which you used and- which includes airports with grass and dirt runways, and may also include closed or abandoned installations?
If we consider the airport with paved runways statistics, is it not true that Morocco is doing much better than all the countries you mentioned (Morocco has one paved airport per 20,957 square kilometers while Algeria has one per 39,695)?
? Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed
Evernote has finally brought its Android client up to par with its iOS counterpart, pushing it to version five. The update, which just hit the Play store, includes a mild face lift that offers more contrast between notes and other UI elements, as well as a few new icons with a bit more depth and detail. The visual tweaks aren't particularly exciting, though. What has us rushing for the update button are all the new features, like the completely revamped camera interface. You can now take several images and add them all to a note in one shot. While a dedicated "page" camera helps you get the best results when snapping photos of hand-written missives by boosting contrast and removing shadows. Of course, the company thinks that feature works particularly well when paired with its branded Moleskin notebooks, but those are purely optional. The results from the couple of quick snapshots we took were bright clear and as legible as could be expected. Unfortunately there are continued issues with Evernote's text recognition, which tends to be slow for non-premium users.
CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) -- The average U.S. price of a gallon of gasoline has dropped three cents over the past two weeks.
The Lundberg Survey of fuel prices released Sunday says the price of a gallon of regular is $3.71. Midgrade costs an average of $3.88 a gallon, and premium is $4.01.
Diesel was down six cents to $4.07 gallon.
Of the cities surveyed in the lower 48 states, Billings, Mont., has the nation's lowest average price for gas at $3.33. Chicago has the highest at $4.10.
In California, the lowest average price was $3.87 in Stockton. The highest was in Los Angeles at $4.09. The average statewide for a gallon of regular was $4.03, down 12 cents.
The Galveston National Laboratory lost one of five vials containing a deadly Venezuelan virus, according to the University of Texas Medical Branch, which owns the $174 million facility designed with the strictest security measures to hold the deadliest viruses in the country.
Like Ebola, the missing Guanarito virus causes hemorrhagic fever, an illness named for "bleeding under the skin, in internal organs or from body orifices like the mouth, eyes, or ears," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"This is clearly an incident that is very discomforting and embarrassing to the University of Texas Medical Center and their national biosecurity lab that they have there," said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. "You can be sure there are a lot of sweating people down the chain at that institution."
RELATED: Neighborhood Biolabs: How Safe Are They?
Fortunately, losing a vial of Guanarito is not as threatening as losing a vial of anthrax, said Schaffner, a former president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. The virus could theoretically spread between humans, but it usually only spreads between rodents in Venezuela.
Vial of Guanarito Virus Missing From Texas Lab Watch Video
Researchers don't believe the virus can survive in rodents in the U.S., according to a statement from David Callender, president of the University of Texas Medical Branch.
Still, the virus has caused "at least several hundred cases" of human disease in regions where it is common, said NIH's director of the Office of Biodefense Research Affairs, Michael Kurilla.
"The mortality is anywhere from at least 10 to 20 percent or slightly more," Kurilla told ABCNews.com, adding that there is no treatment or cure for Guanarito. "That is considered very, very severe if you have a 1 in 5 chance of dying without anything to do for the person other than provide supportive hospital care."
RELATED: Air Leak Sparks Safety Fears at CDC Bioterror Lab
Kurilla said the Galveston biolab requires the most stringent safety measures because it studies biosafetly level BSL-4 materials, or dangerous infectious diseases that have no vaccines or cures. BSL-4 materials include Guanarito, anthrax, Ebola and the plague.
The Galveston researchers were conducting a routine inspection on March 20 and 21 when they noticed there were only four Guanarito vials instead of five. They announced the lapse on March 23.
The university does not believe this was the result of a security breach or any wrongdoing, but it notified the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An investigation is ongoing, but researchers suspect the vial was destroyed "during normal laboratory sterilization practices," according to Callender's statement.
All solid waste in BSL-4 labs is typically disposed of via a pressurized heating process that destroys hazardous materials without allowing the liquid to boil away, Kurilla said. As such, it's unlikely that investigators will be able to determine and prove whether this is what actually happened to the vial.
It's possible investigators will find the clerical error that led to the accidental disposal, but with computerized record keeping, it's less likely that vial numbers were transposed and the error can be easily traced, Kurilla said.
Schaffner agreed.
"I suspect that they may not ever be able to account for it if it was that kind of human error," Schaffner said. "This is a record-keeping issue, which means it was a human issue, which means doing that kind of tedious, important work, there was just a momentary slip up."
Taylor, Talla and Vincent Carter cover themselves from the snow as they wait in line outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, Monday March, 25, 2013, to watch Tuesday's same-sex marriage hearing before the Supreme Court. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Taylor, Talla and Vincent Carter cover themselves from the snow as they wait in line outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, Monday March, 25, 2013, to watch Tuesday's same-sex marriage hearing before the Supreme Court. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
People wait in line outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, Monday March, 25, 2013, a day before the court will hear a same-sex marriage case. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Joey Williamson, left, and Gary Brown form New York City, cover themselves from the snow as they wait in line outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, Monday March, 25, 2013, a day before the court hearing on same-sex marriage. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Wally Suphap from Calif., waits in line to enter Supreme Court in Washington, Monday March, 25, 2013, a day before the court will hear a same-sex marriage case. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? The most expensive ticket to "The Book of Mormon" on Broadway: $477. The face value of a great seat for this year's Super Bowl: $1,250. Guaranteed seats to watch the U.S. Supreme Court hear this week's gay marriage cases: about $6,000.
Tickets to the two arguments that begin Tuesday are technically free. But getting them requires lining up days or hours ahead, or paying someone else to. The first people got in line Thursday, bringing the price of saving a seat to around $6,000.
For some, putting a value on the seats is meaningless.
"It's just not possible," said Fred Sainz a spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights organization, which began employing two people to stand in line Thursday.
The court will hear arguments Tuesday over California's ban on same-sex marriage. On Wednesday, the court will take up the federal Defense of Marriage Act, the 1996 federal law that defines marriage as between one man and one woman. Supporters and opponents of same-sex marriage say the cases are so potentially historic that they want to be inside the courtroom to watch, no matter what the cost in time or money.
Part of the reason the seats are so coveted is the court doesn't allow TV broadcasts of its arguments, so coming in person is the only way to see the justices at work. The court has said it will release transcripts of the hearings as well as audio recordings roughly two hours after each case ends, but advocates say that's no substitute for being there.
Seats, meanwhile, are at a premium because there aren't that many. The courtroom seats about 500 people, but seats are reserved for court staff, journalists and guests of the justices and lawyers arguing the case. After those people are seated, there will be about 100 seats Tuesday for lawyers who are members of the Supreme Court bar and at least 60 seats for the general public. An additional 30 seats for the public will rotate every three to five minutes. Tickets for all those seats are handed out on a first come, first served basis.
For the most controversial cases, the line to get those tickets can start to form about a day before. When the court heard three days of arguments on health care last year, the first people arrived three days early.
This time, the line started even earlier. By Monday morning there were more than three dozen people waiting, even as snow was falling. Several in the line said they were being paid, while others included college students and a substitute teacher. People in line said they passed the time talking and reading.
There were games of cards and at one point people watched the television show "The West Wing" on one person's computer. Those waiting said they'd made friends, and they traded watching each other's chairs and sleeping bags to go for bathroom breaks or coffee. On Monday morning, one man came around offering others donuts.
Donna Clarke, 62, of Mountain View, Calif., arrived Sunday night and was 37th in line. The Army veteran who has been with her partner for 27 years had intended to just be part of a planned demonstration outside the court Tuesday, but she decided to join the line when she realized it might be possible to get inside.
"I think there'll be a lot of my friends who will be very jealous," said Clarke, who intends to marry her partner in Massachusetts before they return to California, and said the Supreme Court's decision could be a "transformative moment" for the country.
Most of the people waiting in line are supporters of gay marriage. But opponents, too, said they intend to be at the court to watch.
Ken Klukowski, a lawyer at the Family Research Council and a professor at Liberty University School of Law in Virginia, says these cases are "not just major, not just blockbuster, but historic." Klukowski said he expects to be getting up in the middle of the night to get in the separate line for members of the Supreme Court bar.
"No one knows how early but ridiculously early," Klukowski said.
For those willing to pay to get in, several Washington services will hold a person's place in line. One company charges $36 per hour, another $50, meaning the cost of a 5-day line stander comes in at $6,000. John Winslow, the operations manager of Linestanding.com, which like most other line standing services is also a courier service, said his service would be holding places for 40 to 50 clients, a number of them lawyers. His group held about 35 places in line for the health care arguments last year, he said. Most people, he said, are starting their line stander 24 hours before, so they'll spend $864 to attend.
Linestanding.com's owner, Mark Gross, said for many of his clients, attending is personal.
"Health care was more about public policy and the direction that the country was going politically," Gross said. "But this really affects people in a personal way,"
Kate Kendell, the executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights in California, contacted Linestanding.com three weeks before the argument to secure her space. Kendell, a lawyer, said she tried to get into a Supreme Court case that involved gay rights in 1995. By the time she arrived at 3 a.m. on the day of the argument, she said, there were so many people she could only get in a line that allows people to watch three minutes of the argument. This time she isn't taking any chances.
"This is one of those experiences that I want to see firsthand. I want to see the faces of the justices. I want to hear their questions," she said.
She initially planned for her line stander to start at 4 a.m. Tuesday but has since moved the time up twice.
"All I care about is being in that courtroom and I'm pretty much willing to do whatever I have to do," Kendell said.
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Follow Jessica Gresko at http://twitter.com/jessicagresko
Egyptian authorities arrested three men off the coast of Alexandria for attempting to sever an undersea Internet cable. The SEA-ME-WE 4 main line was part of a cable network that spanned the Mediterranean and connects Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Western Europe and has 39 landing points, including Alexandria. Seacom, a cable operator, said that the attacks reduced network speed in Egypt. The line belonged to Telecom Egypt. “The armed forces foiled an attempt and arrested three divers while they were cutting a submarine cable,” said an Egyptian spokesperson. Lines off of the coast of Egypt have been cut multiple times, most notably in 2008 when three lines were ostensibly cut by ship anchors. “SEACOM can confirm that at 06:20 GMT 27 March, the SMW4 cable system suffered a cable cut off the coast of Egypt. Earlier this morning, SEACOM had restored all services on both SMW4 and IMEWE cable systems,” read an announcement on Seacom’s news page. Egyptian authorities are interrogating the men, who remain unnamed.![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
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