Phthalates -- chemicals widely found in plastics and processed food -- linked to elevated blood pressure in children and teens

May 22, 2013 ? Plastic additives known as phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) are odorless, colorless and just about everywhere: They turn up in flooring, plastic cups, beach balls, plastic wrap, intravenous tubing and -- according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- the bodies of most Americans. Once perceived as harmless, phthalates have come under increasing scrutiny. A growing collection of evidence suggests dietary exposure to phthalates (which can leech from packaging and mix with food) may cause significant metabolic and hormonal abnormalities, especially during early development.

Now, new research published this Wednesday in The Journal of Pediatrics suggests that certain types of phthalates could pose another risk to children: compromised heart health. Drawing on data from a nationally representative survey of nearly 3,000 children and teens, researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Washington and Penn State University School of Medicine, have documented for the first time a connection between dietary exposure to DEHP (di-2-ethyhexylphthalate), a common class of phthalate widely used in industrial food production, and elevated systolic blood pressure, a measure of pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts.

"Phthalates can inhibit the function of cardiac cells and cause oxidative stress that compromises the health of arteries. But no one has explored the relationship between phthalate exposure and heart health in children" says lead author Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP, associate professor of pediatrics, environmental medicine and population health at NYU Langone Medical Center. "We wanted to examine the link between phthalates and childhood blood pressure in particular given the increase in elevated blood pressure in children and the increasing evidence implicating exposure to environmental exposures in early development of disease."

Hypertension is clinically defined as a systolic blood-pressure reading above 140 mm Hg. It's most common in people over 50 years old, although the condition is becoming increasingly prevalent among children owing to the global obesity epidemic. Recent national surveys indicate that 14 percent of American adolescents now have pre-hypertension or hypertension. "Obesity is driving the trend but our findings suggest that environmental factors may also be a part of the problem," says Dr. Trasande. "This is important because phthalate exposure can be controlled through regulatory and behavioral interventions."

Researchers from NYU School of Medicine, the University of Washington and Penn State University School of Medicine examined six years of data from a nationally representative survey of the U.S. population administered by the National Centers for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Phthalates were measured in urine samples using standard analysis techniques. Controlling for a number of potential confounders, including race, socioeconomic status, body mass index, caloric intake and activity levels, the researchers found that every three-fold increase in the level of breakdown products of DEHP in urine correlated with a roughly one-millimeter mercury increase in a child's blood pressure. "That increment may seem very modest at an individual level, but on a population level such shifts in blood pressure can increase the number of children with elevated blood pressure substantially," says Dr. Trasande. "Our study underscores the need for policy initiatives that limit exposure to disruptive environmental chemicals, in combination with dietary and behavioral interventions geared toward protecting cardiovascular health."

This research was made possible through the generous support of KiDs of NYU Langone, an organization of parents, physicians, and friends that supports children's health services at New York University Langone Medical Center through philanthropy, community service, and advocacy.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/53oy8fCzob8/130522085015.htm

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96% War Witch

All Critics (48) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (46) | Rotten (2)

Canadian writer-director Kim Nguyen spent nearly a decade researching this docudrama about child soldiers in Africa, and the film feels as authoritative as a first-hand account.

A haunting take on unspeakably grim subject matter, shot on location in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A powerful and upsetting portrait of a young girl compelled into unimaginably horrific circumstances.

Nguyen, astonishingly, manages to wring something vaguely like a happy ending from this tragic story.

War Witch is most effective not when we are looking in on Komona but when we are inside her head.

The powerful things we expect from "War Witch" are as advertised, but what we don't expect is even better.

... driven by a remarkably natural, unaffected performance by Mwanza. And Nguyen, despite relying a little too heavily on the initial voice-over for exposition, is a confident and sensitive intelligence behind the camera.

You're likely to ponder its images, its insights into a very foreign (for most of us) location and the tragic situation of Komona (and others like her) for a long time to come.

Is it accurate depiction of Africa's child soldiers? I don't know, thank God. But it feels authentic to its very core, and that makes it as hard to forget as it is to ignore.

Brutal without turning exploitative, the result is harrowing and heartbreaking.

Nguyen creates a mesmerizing tone through his camerawork, editing, sound and the infusion of African folk imagery and ritual, but it's Mwanza's performance as Komona that makes "War Witch" feel so miraculous.

Nguyen reportedly worked on "War Witch" for a decade, and it shows in both the immediacy and authenticity of his tale, and the meticulous craft with which it's told.

Made with extremely clear-eyed restraint from harangues, sentiment, message-mongering, or anything else that would cheapen its central character's suffering and fight.

War Witch features a standout performance by Rachel Mwanza, but the supernatural visions don't really suit the film's tone and mood.

Nguyen's compassion and commitment to the issue is admirable, and at its best, War Witch is devastating.

War Witch is remarkable for the fact that it never strays into sentimentality or sensationalism.

...a love story between youngsters who are forced to become adults all too early in their lives.

This is a straight ahead essay on warfare at its worst and the survival of the human spirit at its best.

An astonishing drama set in Africa that vividly depicts the courage and resiliency of a 12-year-old girl whose spiritual gifts enable her to survive.

It is astonishing that film that contains such violence can have such a serene tone. The source of the serenity is the measured, calm narration by Komona (voice of Diane Umawahoro) that is the telling of her story to her unborn child

An exquisitely made film in direct contrast to the ugliness of its subject matter

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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/war_witch/

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Xbox One has non-replaceable hard drive, external storage is supported

We had the opportunity to chat with Albert Penello, senior director of product planning at Microsoft this afternoon, who was kind enough to clarify a few topics for us regarding the recently-unveiled Xbox One. One thing we were quick to ask about was the integrated storage. 500GB sounds like a lot today -- but so did the 20GB unit in the original Xbox 360. The HDD there was, at least, replaceable. Can you do the same with its successor? Sadly, no. Hard drives in the Xbox One are non-user-serviceable, but Penello confirmed that the USB 3.0 port is there for external storage, which can be used for everything the internal storage can be used for. That includes game installs and downloads. So, don't fret: adding storage will be just as easy as ever.

Filed under: Gaming, Microsoft

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/5XAUNVlWkpo/

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Internet Marketing Promotion For Small Business, Website, Events ...

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Source: http://www.rangrage.com/internet-marketing-promotion-for-small-business-website-events-social-media/

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After Months Of Speculation, Microsoft Officially Reveals Skype For The Xbox One

Microsoft’s Don Mattrick pulled back the curtain on the Xbox One at a live event at the company’s Redmond campus, and it wasn’t long at all before the talk turned to software. One application in particular has been the subject of speculation for months, and SVP Yusuf Mehdi confirmed that Skype (which, if you recall, Microsoft acquired for $8.5 billion nearly two years ago) is part of the Xbox One experience. As you might imagine, the Xbox One Skype application allows users to participate in group video chats with their fellow users using the Kinect camera — so there are opportunities for a natural type of ongoing conversation, one that won’t require you to chat for 30 minutes and then disconnect. This could be an “always on” situation. You can answer a call by saying “Xbox, answer call” and then the video screen slides in from the right. Since the Xbox One aims to be your all-in-one “Home Entertainment System,” Skype is going to play a huge role in the overall experience. The demonstration showed a group Skype conversation happening while watching a video, with video quieting down a bit once the call is connected. Microsoft has always talked about being the hub of the living room, and it seems like the newly announced Xbox One is the device that brings its vision to reality. The game-changer with this Skype integration is that you can watch a television show or play a game while carrying on a conversation. This has been attempted, mostly as a “second screen experience,” but to make this a seamless reality is a huge step forward for Microsoft. Until now, you were constrained to the functionality of a particular game supporting voice chat, but this gives you a more personal experience no matter what you’re doing on your Xbox.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Jg7BR9E5dsE/

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Russia targets pollster for 'political activity'

MOSCOW (AP) ? Russia's only independent polling agency said Monday it may have to close after prosecutors targeted it for "political activity" under a law spearheading President Vladimir Putin's crackdown on civil society.

Levada Center published a letter, dated last week, from prosecutors who said its polls and publications are "aimed at shaping public opinion on government policy" and demanded it cease publication until it registers as a "foreign agent" under a law passed last year.

Russia has pushed strongly in recent months to enforce the law, which requires all foreign-funded NGOs that engage in ill-defined political activities to register as "foreign agents," a term that recalls Soviet-era propaganda casting suspicion on foreigners. The measure is seen as an attempt to restrict Kremlin critics and undermine their credibility.

Putin has long been suspicious of NGOs, especially those with American funding, which he has accused of being fronts for the U.S. government to meddle in Russia's political affairs.

Levada receives between 1.5 and 3 percent of its funding from foreign sources, including longtime b?tes noires of Putin's foreign policy like the National Institute for Democracy and George Soros' Open Society Institute, according to center director Lev Gudkov.

Prosecutors and courts have cast the widest possible net in defining "political activity," including appealing to the European Court on Human Rights, almost any kind of advocacy work, publicizing rights violations, organizing a roundtable with a U.S. Embassy political officer, and environmental and gay rights activism.

Hundreds of groups have been raided since Putin gave a speech in February demanding the law be enforced. At least 44 NGOs have had legal actions brought against them, according to AGORA, a legal aid NGO.

The campaign has stoked public opinion against NGOs, according to a poll Levada released last week. Only 19 percent of Russians polled thought NGOs did any work of value, while more than half supported a total ban on all foreign funding for groups that criticize the government.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russia-targets-pollster-political-activity-114228646.html

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Consumer group flags high SPF ratings on sunscreen

FILE - In this June 14, 2011 file photo, Alivia Parker, 21 months, runs through circles of spraying water on a 100 degree day in Montgomery, Ala. Parker is wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 100. Sunbathers headed to the beach this summer will find new sunscreen labels on store shelves that are designed to make the products more effective and easier to use. But despite those long-awaited changes, many sunscreens continue to carry SPF ratings that some experts consider misleading and potentially dangerous, according to a consumer watchdog group. (AP Photo/Dave Martin, File)

FILE - In this June 14, 2011 file photo, Alivia Parker, 21 months, runs through circles of spraying water on a 100 degree day in Montgomery, Ala. Parker is wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 100. Sunbathers headed to the beach this summer will find new sunscreen labels on store shelves that are designed to make the products more effective and easier to use. But despite those long-awaited changes, many sunscreens continue to carry SPF ratings that some experts consider misleading and potentially dangerous, according to a consumer watchdog group. (AP Photo/Dave Martin, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Sunbathers headed to the beach this summer will find new sunscreen labels on store shelves that are designed to make the products more effective and easier to use. But despite those long-awaited changes, many sunscreens continue to carry SPF ratings that some experts consider misleading and potentially dangerous, according to a consumer watchdog group.

A survey of 1,400 sunscreen products by the Environmental Working Group finds that most products meet new federal requirements put in place last December. The rules from the Food and Drug Administration ban terms like "waterproof," which regulators consider misleading, and require that sunscreens filter out both ultraviolet A and B rays. Previously some products only blocked UVB rays, which cause most sunburn, while providing little protection against UVA rays that pose the greatest risk of skin cancer and wrinkles.

Despite that broader protection, one in seven products reviewed by the watchdog group boasted sun protection factor, or SPF, ratings above 50, which have long been viewed with skepticism by experts. In part, that's because SPF numbers like 100 or 150 can give users a false sense of security, leading them to stay in the sun long after the lotion has stopped protecting their skin.

Many consumers assume that SPF 100 is twice as effective as SPF 50, but dermatologists say the difference between the two is actually negligible. Where an SPF 50 product might protect against 97 percent of sunburn-causing rays, an SPF 100 product might block 98.5 percent of those rays.

"The high SPF numbers are just a gimmick," says Marianne Berwick, professor of epidemiology at the University of New Mexico. "Most people really don't need more than an SPF 30 and they should reapply it every couple of hours." Berwick says sunscreen should be used in combination with hats, clothing and shade, which provide better protection against ultraviolet radiation.

Some dermatologists say there may be some rationale for using higher SPF sunscreens, since users often don't apply enough of the lotion to get its full effect.

"The challenge is that beyond 50 the increase in UV protection is relatively small," says Dr. Henry Lim, chair of dermatology at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

The SPF number indicates the amount of sun exposure needed to cause sunburn on sunscreen-protected skin compared with unprotected skin. For example, a SPF rating of 30 means it would take the person 30 times longer to burn wearing sunscreen than with exposed skin.

There is a popular misconception that the SPF figure relates to a certain number of hours spent in the sun. However this is incorrect, since the level of exposure varies by geography, time of day and skin complexion.

The FDA itself said in 2011 that "labeling a product with a specific SPF value higher than 50 would be misleading to the consumer." At the time the agency proposed capping all SPF values at 50 because "there is not sufficient data to show that products with SPF values higher than 50 provide greater protection for users." But regulators have faced pushback from companies, including Johnson & Johnson, which argue that higher SPF products provide measurable benefits.

As a result, the FDA says it is still reviewing studies and comments submitted by outside parties, and there is no deadline for the agency to finalize an SPF cap.

It took the agency decades to put in place last year's sunscreen changes. FDA first announced its intent to draft sunscreen rules in 1978 and published them in 1999. The agency then delayed finalizing the regulations for years until it could address concerns from both industry and consumers.

The FDA is also reviewing the safety of effectiveness of spray-on products, which use different formulations from other sun-protection solutions. Among other concerns, the agency is looking at whether the sprays can be harmful when inhaled.

The survey by the Environmental Working Group found that one in four sunscreens sold in the U.S. is a spray product.

"People like the sprays because they are quick to put on and cover a lot of area," said Dr. Darrell Rigel, a dermatologist in New York. "The downside is that you usually have to apply two coats."

More than 76,000 men and women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with melanoma this year and 9,480 are expected to die from the aggressive form of skin cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. The disease, which is often linked to ultraviolet exposure, is usually curable when detected early.

_____

On the Web: http://www.ewg.org/2013sunscreen/

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-05-19-Sunscreen-Consumer%20Watchdog/id-370c361c415942e19e22337cdadb85cc

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Famous Literary Drownings Blog Tour: Stop One | Cobalt Review

When did you start writing short essays? I?m often asked.? When I had children, I say.

This is a story about how form follows content.? Or, this is a story about how constraint becomes creativity.? Or, this is a story about why the novel-in-progress is still, well, in progress.

My wife and I moved to Athens, Ohio in the summer of 2002.? She was three months pregnant, a full-time job in of itself; nausea was the new normal.? We bought a house that was dirt cheap because it had been abused by decades of student renters, and we set out to make it livable.? Those first few years were really hard.? New jobs, new place to live, and six months into it our son was born, compressing our sleep cycles into desperate, forty-five minute increments.? In one of my first essays in the new form I began to experiment with shortly after he was born, I wrote,

Let?s admit it: they do eat up the day and when they?re done with that they swallow up your night until you?re so tired, so tired, it?s all you can do to remember that there was this novel, the one you were going to write and all this sex you planned to have, preferably on the living room floor surrounded by boxes of Chinese?

His sister came along two-and-a-half years later, and the wondrous cycle of terror and elation started all over again.

The essays in Famous Drownings in Literary History grew out of this state of being.? The book is my attempt to grapple with these new working conditions, so to speak, the way that being a father has forced me to change and accommodate, but also the way it has revealed where my interests and priorities are now.? The essays are fragmented, adventurous, eager to find their place in the world.? They are full of unexpected combinations, as surprising, I hope, as living with two new humans can be?the twirlings of your genetics are there, but emerge in ways that are impossible to predict.

Ten years have passed since the moment chronicled in the first essay in Famous Drownings, when my son is born and awaits a roomful of strangers as he is presented for his circumcision.? He has grown, against a backdrop of tone-deaf parents, to be a remarkable young musician?a cellist, a singer, able to improvise a jig on the G-string or translate an Elvis tune to his cello after one listening.? (He?s playing as I type this.? It?s early in the morning.? Listen and you?ll hear Bach and string crossings in the background.)? For part of his music education he?s reading How Music Works, by Talking Heads front man David Byrne.? In the first chapter, Byrne talks about playing at CBGB?how the acoustics of the space drove the writing of the music, the tight confines pushing him toward a sound far different than one might use in a concert hall.? ?In a sense,? Byrne writes, ?we work backward, either consciously or unconsciously, creating work that fits the venue available to us.?? These essays are my gig at CBGB.? It?s crowded, noisy, full of life in here.? Resonance and space.? Form and content.

I did finish that first novel, by the way.? The second one?well, you?ll have to wait a little while for that.? Carnegie Hall isn?t available at the momen

About Kevin: Kevin Haworth?s first novel, The Discontinuity of Small Things, was awarded the Samuel Goldberg Prize for best Jewish fiction by a writer under 40. It was also recognized as runner-up for the 2006 Dayton Literary Peace Prize. His collection of non-fiction essays, Famous Drownings in Literary History, was released by CCLaP in 2012, and won Kevin a pre-publication grant from the Ohio Arts Council. A two-time resident of the Vermont Studio Center, he is also a winner of the David Dornstein Prize for Young Jewish Writers and the Permafrost Fiction Prize. His fiction and nonfiction appear in Sentence, ACM, Poetica, Permafrost, and others. He lives in Athens, Ohio with his wife, Rabbi Danielle Leshaw, and their two children, Zev and Ruthie. He teaches writing and literature at Ohio University.

Source: http://www.cobaltreview.com/blog/2013/05/20/famous-literary-drownings-blog-tour-stop-one/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=famous-literary-drownings-blog-tour-stop-one

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Irish potato famine pest identified

20 May 2013 Last updated at 23:05 ET By Helen Briggs BBC News

Scientists have used plant samples collected in the mid-19th Century to identify the pathogen that caused the Irish potato famine.

A plant pest that causes potato blight spread to Ireland in 1845 triggering a famine that killed one million people.

DNA extracted from museum specimens shows the strain that changed history is different from modern day epidemics, and is probably now extinct.

Other strains continue to attack potato and tomato crops around the world.

The fungus-like infection causes annual losses of enough potatoes to feed hundreds of millions of people a year.

A team led by The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich, traced the global spread of potato blight from the early 1800s to the present day.

Until now, it has been unclear how early strains of Phytophthora infestans are related to those present in the world today.

Continue reading the main story

The Irish Potato Famine

• Altogether, about a million people in Ireland are estimated to have died of starvation and epidemic disease between 1846 and 1851
• Some two million emigrated in a period of a little more than a decade from 1845
• Comparison with other famines suggests the Irish famine of the late 1840s, which killed nearly one-eighth of the entire population, was proportionally much more destructive of human life than the vast majority of famines in modern times

Source: BBC History

Researchers in the UK, Germany and the US analysed dried leaves kept in collections in museums at Kew Royal Botanical Gardens, UK, and Botanische Staatssammlung Munchen, Germany.

High-tech DNA sequencing techniques allowed them to decode ancient DNA from the pathogen in samples stored as early as 1845.

These were compared with modern-day genetic types from Europe, Africa and the Americas, giving an insight into the evolution of the pathogen.

"This strain was different from all the modern strains that we analysed - most likely it is new to science," Prof Sophien Kamoun of The Sainsbury Laboratory told BBC News.

"We can't be sure but most likely it's gone extinct."

Treasures of knowledge

The researchers believe the strain - HERB-1 - emerged in the early 1800s and continued to spread globally throughout the 19th Century.

Only in the 20th Century, after new potato varieties were introduced, was it replaced by another Phytophthora infestans strain, US-1, which is now dominant around the world.

The research, published in the new open-access scientific journal, eLife, suggests crop breeding methods may have an impact on the evolution of pathogens.

"Perhaps this strain became extinct when the first resistant potato varieties were bred at the beginning of the 20th Century," said Kentaro Yoshida from The Sainsbury Laboratory.

"What is certain is that these findings will greatly help us to understand the dynamics of emerging pathogens. This type of work paves the way for the discovery of many more treasures of knowledge hidden in herbaria."

Commenting on the study, Professor Sir David Baulcombe of the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge said it shows how we can use herb specimens to track biodiversity.

"It might be a revival in the fortunes or relevance of dried plants," he said. "It illustrates very nicely the arms race over pathogens and their host."

Phytophthora infestans - which causes potato blight - emerged in the US in 1844, and spread to Europe the following year.

The summer of 1845 was mild but very wet in the UK and Ireland, giving the perfect conditions for the blight to spread.

The failure of the crop in Ireland - which relied heavily on potatoes as a food source - led to the deaths of about a million people from starvation and disease between 1846 and 1851.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22596561#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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Is Commission Rebate Taxable To Buyer? - Zillow Real Estate Advice

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'Star Trek Into Darkness' Takes Box-Office Crown With $84 Million

Sequel beats 'Iron Man 3' and 'Great Gatsby' for #1 spot, but fails to live up to industry expectations.
By Ryan J. Downey

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1707683/star-trek-into-darkness-box-office.jhtml

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Samsung has announced it's got a new 13.3-inch display with a staggering 3200 x 1800 resolution read

Samsung has announced it's got a new 13.3-inch display with a staggering 3200 x 1800 resolution ready to plop into new Ultrabooks. Take that, MacBook Retina and Chromebook Pixel.

Source: http://gizmodo.com/samsung-has-announced-its-got-a-new-13-3-inch-display-w-508842362

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Money Monday: Why This Bad Driving Habit Could Earn You A ...

Over the next two weeks you?ll notice a significant increase in police patrols and check points. But you may be surprised at the reason. The targets of this increased police scrutiny will not be drunk drivers, texting teenagers, or speed demons, but people who fail to wear their seat belts.

Every year law enforcement agencies from across the nation participate in a two week blitz to issue as many tickets as possible for failure to wear seat belts. This year?s ?Click It or Ticket? campaign starts today and runs through June 2nd.

From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

Every year during the annual Memorial Day Weekend holiday period, law enforcement agencies join forces day and night, from coast-to-coast, for an enforcement blitz that delivers on our message Click It or Ticket. The mobilization is supported by national and local paid advertising and earned media campaigns aimed at raising awareness before the blitz.

With local, county, and state police participating in a concerted effort, your chances of getting a ticket if you fail to secure your seat belt are greater than ever. According to the NHTSA, the annual two-week campaign has resulted in more than 3 million seat belt citations over the last five years.

And its not just the front occupants that need to be careful. New Jersey and other states that require back seat passengers to buckle up will step up their enforcement of these back seat belt laws as well. Currently, only 36% of New Jersey residents put on their seat belts when riding in the back seat.

Over the next two weeks, if you want to avoid a major ticket from draining your banking account, make sure to buckle up.

BMWK, do you wear your seat belt when riding in the back seat?

About the author

Alonzo Peters is founder of MochaMoney.com, a personal finance website dedicated to helping Black America achieve financial independence.

Source: http://blackandmarriedwithkids.com/2013/05/money-monday-why-this-bad-driving-habit-could-earn-you-a-ticket-this-memorial-day-weekend/

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IRS Has Long History of Dirty Tricks (ABC News)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

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The CW inks three-year deal to broadcast Clear Channel's iHeartRadio Music Festival

By Jehtro Nededog

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The CW has extended its partnership with Clear Channel Media to broadcast its iHeartRadio Music Festival, as well as associated events, release parties and concert specials for three years.

"The CW is synonymous with what's now and what's next, and that includes music," said The CW president Mark Pedowitz in a statement.

"We have always been known for using the hottest, most of-the-moment music, both on our shows and in our marketing campaigns. Partnering with Clear Channel to present the biggest concert events of the year for our viewers is a natural fit for us and also gives us more original event programming throughout the year," he continued.

The pact makes The CW the official television broadcaster for the two-day festival, as well as its holiday Jingle Ball concert, the iHeartRadio Ultimate Pool Party, album release parties and other concert specials.

"This is an ideal opportunity to take the original content that we create at Clear Channel to new platforms and audiences," said Clear Channel president John Sykes. "We chose The CW as our partner, because we share the same powerful connection to a highly influential young demographic."

The first broadcast of the agreement starts with the iHeartRadio Ultimate Pool Party airing Monday, July 15.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cw-inks-three-deal-broadcast-clear-channels-iheartradio-234749351.html

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Zivix Announces Wireless iOS Connectivity For The Jamstik MIDI Guitar

When we first met the team from Vivix their wild MIDI guitar, the Jamstik, promised a unique music-making experience thanks to a tether that connected it to a computer or iOS device. In the few short months since CES, however, they're now preparing to announce that Jamstik works nearly flawlessly over Wi-Fi with iPhones and iPads, thereby reducing the need for a physically tethered device.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/8pNU0iBh3rY/

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Squishy hydrogels may be the ticket for studying biological effects of nanoparticles

Public release date: 15-May-2013
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Contact: Mark Bello
mark.bello@nist.gov
301-975-3776
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

A class of water-loving, jelly-like materials with uses ranges ranging from the mundane, such as superabsorbent diaper liners, to the sophisticated, such as soft contact lenses, could be tapped for a new line of serious work: testing the biological effects of nanoparticles now being eyed for a large variety of uses.

New research* by scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) demonstrates that three-dimensional scaffolds made with cells and supporting materials known as hydrogels can serve as life-like measurement platforms for evaluating how tiny engineered materials interact with cells and tissues. Their proof-of-concept study suggests that hydrogel tissue scaffolds can be a "powerful bridge" between current laboratory tests and tests that use animal models.

Today, laboratory tests of nanoparticles usually entail exposing a two-dimensional layer of cells to the material of interest. Besides being questionable substitutes for the complex cellular frameworks that make up tissues and organs inside the body, these tests can yield conflicting results, explains analytical chemist Elisabeth Mansfield, lead researcher on the new NIST study.

"Our study shows that hydrogel-based, tissue-engineering scaffolds can provide more realistic environments to study nanoparticle-influenced cell biology over extended periods," she says. Importantly, the NIST research shows that studies employing the scaffold do not require exposing cells to nanoparticles in doses that exceed normal exposure levels.

Hydrogels are networks of stringy, branching polymer molecules with ends that latch onto water moleculesso much so that 99.9 percent of a hydrogel may consist of water. Depending on the spacing between the strands (the so-called mesh size) and other factors, hydrogels can support and promote the growth and differentiation of cell populations.

While hydrogels occur naturallyan example is cartilagethe NIST team chose to craft its own, giving them control over the mesh size in the scaffolds they created.

In their experiment, the team used polyethylene glycola common polymer used in skin creams, toothpaste, lubricants and other productsto create three hydrogels with different mesh sizes. One set of hydrogels was populated with rat cells containing ultrasmall semiconducting materials known as quantum dots. When exposed to light, quantum dots emit strong fluorescent signals that enabled the researchers to track the fate of treated cells in the synthetic scaffolds.

Results were compared with those for similarly treated cells grown in a single layer on a substrate, akin to standard laboratory toxicology tests.

The NIST researchers found that cells diffused through the hydrogel scaffold, forming a persisting tissue-like structure. Quantum dots attached to cell membranes and, over time, were absorbed into the cells.

Three-dimensional scaffolds often are used to test cells for multi-week experiments, and NIST researchers found quantum dots can be detected for four or more days inside the scaffold.

As significant, cells that populated the hydrogel scaffolds were exposed to lower levels of quantum dots, yielding a more representative scenario for evaluating biological effects.

The NIST team concludes that, compared with conventional cell cultures, hydrogel scaffolds provide a more realistic, longer-lived biological environment for studying how engineering nanoparticles interact with cells. In addition, the scaffolds will accommodate studies of how these interactions evolve over time and of how the physical features of nanoparticles may change.

###

*E. Mansfield, T.L. Oreskovic, N.S. Rentz, and K.M. Jeerage, Three-dimensional hydrogel constructs for exposing cells to nanoparticles. Nanotoxicology, 2013; Early Online. DOI: 10.3109/17435390.2013.790998.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 15-May-2013
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Contact: Mark Bello
mark.bello@nist.gov
301-975-3776
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

A class of water-loving, jelly-like materials with uses ranges ranging from the mundane, such as superabsorbent diaper liners, to the sophisticated, such as soft contact lenses, could be tapped for a new line of serious work: testing the biological effects of nanoparticles now being eyed for a large variety of uses.

New research* by scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) demonstrates that three-dimensional scaffolds made with cells and supporting materials known as hydrogels can serve as life-like measurement platforms for evaluating how tiny engineered materials interact with cells and tissues. Their proof-of-concept study suggests that hydrogel tissue scaffolds can be a "powerful bridge" between current laboratory tests and tests that use animal models.

Today, laboratory tests of nanoparticles usually entail exposing a two-dimensional layer of cells to the material of interest. Besides being questionable substitutes for the complex cellular frameworks that make up tissues and organs inside the body, these tests can yield conflicting results, explains analytical chemist Elisabeth Mansfield, lead researcher on the new NIST study.

"Our study shows that hydrogel-based, tissue-engineering scaffolds can provide more realistic environments to study nanoparticle-influenced cell biology over extended periods," she says. Importantly, the NIST research shows that studies employing the scaffold do not require exposing cells to nanoparticles in doses that exceed normal exposure levels.

Hydrogels are networks of stringy, branching polymer molecules with ends that latch onto water moleculesso much so that 99.9 percent of a hydrogel may consist of water. Depending on the spacing between the strands (the so-called mesh size) and other factors, hydrogels can support and promote the growth and differentiation of cell populations.

While hydrogels occur naturallyan example is cartilagethe NIST team chose to craft its own, giving them control over the mesh size in the scaffolds they created.

In their experiment, the team used polyethylene glycola common polymer used in skin creams, toothpaste, lubricants and other productsto create three hydrogels with different mesh sizes. One set of hydrogels was populated with rat cells containing ultrasmall semiconducting materials known as quantum dots. When exposed to light, quantum dots emit strong fluorescent signals that enabled the researchers to track the fate of treated cells in the synthetic scaffolds.

Results were compared with those for similarly treated cells grown in a single layer on a substrate, akin to standard laboratory toxicology tests.

The NIST researchers found that cells diffused through the hydrogel scaffold, forming a persisting tissue-like structure. Quantum dots attached to cell membranes and, over time, were absorbed into the cells.

Three-dimensional scaffolds often are used to test cells for multi-week experiments, and NIST researchers found quantum dots can be detected for four or more days inside the scaffold.

As significant, cells that populated the hydrogel scaffolds were exposed to lower levels of quantum dots, yielding a more representative scenario for evaluating biological effects.

The NIST team concludes that, compared with conventional cell cultures, hydrogel scaffolds provide a more realistic, longer-lived biological environment for studying how engineering nanoparticles interact with cells. In addition, the scaffolds will accommodate studies of how these interactions evolve over time and of how the physical features of nanoparticles may change.

###

*E. Mansfield, T.L. Oreskovic, N.S. Rentz, and K.M. Jeerage, Three-dimensional hydrogel constructs for exposing cells to nanoparticles. Nanotoxicology, 2013; Early Online. DOI: 10.3109/17435390.2013.790998.

---

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?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-05/nios-shm051513.php

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Which Action Star Cried Watching 'Up' and 'The Notebook'?

If you ever go on a movie date with Chris Pine, be prepared for waterworks. The actor, who will reprise his role as Captain Kirk in Star Trek: Into Darkness, told Men's Health that he' s not afraid to shed a few tears.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/chris-pine-admits-he-cried-during-and-notebook/1-a-536080?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Achris-pine-admits-he-cried-during-and-notebook-536080

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Nvidia's portable gaming console Shield will hit retail in June for ...

Video games

Yannick LeJacq NBC News contributor

12 hours ago

Nvidia

Nvidia's new mobile gaming console, "Shield," will hit the shelves next month with a hefty starting price tag of $349.

The portable gaming console formerly known as "Project Shield" will arrive at select online and brick-and-mortar retailers next month, developer Nvidia announced Tuesday.

Nvidia first unveiled its mobile gaming device in a surprise move at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) under the comic book-like moniker "Project Shield." Now known simply as "Shield," the new Android-powered mobile gaming device and the first to be produced by a company best known for its line of graphics processing units (GPUs) and mobile processors will debut for $349 ? a high price point for a fading part of the market for gaming hardware.

Units will begin shipping to select stores including GameStop, Newegg, Micro Center, and Canada Computers in June, Nvidia said in blog post Prospective fans can begin pre-ordering the device on May 20, though anyone who previously signed up for the device's newsletter through Nvidia's website can begin pre-ordering the device immediately.

A major challenge that any mobile console developer faces is in securing enough quality software to make the device worth it. Seeing as Shield will enter the market at more than twice the price of the current market leader, Nintendo's 3DS, and without the proprietary Mario and Donkey Kong games that make its competitor such a unique product, this is a particularly pressing dilemma for Nvidia to resolve.

Given the relative openness of Google's Play store, the company may have found its savior in the Android operating system ? though, like PowerA's Moga controller or PlayJam's GameStick, the Shield console would still need to optimize Android games to the new hardware to make spending the extra cash actually worth it for customers.

Nvidia said that in addition to an unspecified number of Google Play store games and apps that will be compatible with the device, the Shield will come with two games, "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2," an "Expendable: Rearmed." The company also said that it has entered into partnerships for five additional games ? "Costume Quest" and "Broken Age" from Kickstarter wunderkind Double Fine, "Flyhunter: Origins" from Steel Wool Games, "Skiing Fred" from Dedalord Games and "Chuck's Challenge" from Niffler.

Yannick LeJacq is a contributing writer for NBC News who has also covered games for Kill Screen, The Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic. You can follow him on Twitter at @YannickLeJacq and reach him by email at ylejacq@gmail.com.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/nvidias-portable-gaming-console-shield-will-hit-retail-june-349-1C9921539

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Electronics comes to paper: Paper, being light and foldable, works well for electrically conducting structures

May 15, 2013 ? Paper, being a light and foldable raw material, is a cost-efficient and simple means of generating electrically conducting structures.

Paper is becoming a high-tech material. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam-Golm have created targeted conductive structures on paper using a method that is quite simple: with a conventional inkjet printer, they printed a catalyst on a sheet of paper and then heated it. The printed areas on the paper were thereby converted into conductive graphite. Being an inexpensive, light and flexible raw material, paper is therefore highly suitable for electronic components in everyday objects.

Cost-efficient and flexible microchips are opening up applications in the electronics sector for which silicon chips are too expensive or difficult to make, and for which RFID chips, now available on a widespread basis, simply do not suffice: clothes, for instance, that monitor bodily functions, flexible screens, or labels that give more information about a product then can be printed on the packaging.

Although many scientists around the world are successfully developing flexible chips, they have been forced to almost always rely on plastics as the carrier and, in some cases, use polymers and other organic molecules as conductive components. These materials may meet many requirements; however, they are all, without exception, sensitive to heat. "Their processing cannot be integrated into the usual production of electronics, because temperatures in production can reach over 400 degrees Celsius," says Cristina Giordano, who leads a working group at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces and as now come up with an alternative solution.

Paper electronics enables three-dimensional conductive structures

Carbon electronics, which Giordano and her colleagues create from paper, can withstand temperatures of around 800 degrees Celsius during production in an oxygen-free environment, and would not have a negative impact on established processes. And that is not the only trump card of paper-based electronics. The light and inexpensive material can be processed very easily, even into three-dimensional conductive structures.

The Potsdam-based researchers convert the cellulose of the paper into graphite with iron nitrate serving as the catalyst. "Using a commercial inkjet printer, we print a solution of the catalyst in a fine pattern on a sheet of paper," says Stefan Glatzel, who is responsible for bringing electronics to paper in his doctoral thesis. If the researchers then heat the sheets that were printed with a catalyst to 800 degrees Celsius in a nitrogen atmosphere, the cellulose will continue to release water until all that remains is pure carbon. Whereas an electrically conducting mixture of regularly structured carbon sheets of graphite and iron carbide forms in the printed areas, the non-printed areas are left behind as carbon without a regular structure, and they are less conductive.

That actual, precisely formed conducting paths are created in this way was demonstrated by the researchers in a simple experiment: First, they printed the catalyst on a sheet of paper in the pattern of Minerva, the subtle symbol of the Max Planck Society. The printed pattern was then converted into graphite. They then used the graphite Minerva as a cathode, which was electrolytically coated with copper. The metal was only deposited on the lines sketched by the printer.

An origami crane dressed in copper

In another experiment, the team in Potsdam demonstrated how three-dimensional, conductive structures can be created using their method. For this experiment, the team folded a sheet of paper into an origami crane. This was then immersed in the catalyst and baked into graphite. "The three-dimensional form was completely retained, but consisted entirely of conductive carbon after the process," says Stefan Glatzel. He demonstrated this again by electrolytically coating the origami bird with copper. The entire crane subsequently had a copper sheen.

Finally, the actual process of the catalytic conversion was illustrated by the Max Planck scientists. Using a transmission electron microscope, they made a film of the process, observing how the catalyst journeyed through the paper in the form of nano droplets of an iron-carbon molten mixture, leaving graphite in its wake. This aspect, too, might be interesting for possible applications of the process. The better the understanding of chemists when it comes to what actually happens during the process, the better they can control the reaction. And this does not only apply to the production of paper electronics, but also to the manufacture of carbon nanotubes, where iron has been used as a catalyst for quite some time already.

Graphene structures from thin paper

This video of the graphite formation gave the researchers a comprehensive insight into catalytic conversion. Starting from these results, they are now trying to end a dispute over the mechanism behind the conversion. Some of their colleagues assume that the reaction takes place in a solid state. "Our study, however, shows that molten metal, or a so-called eutectic, is formed," says Giordano. "We observed something interesting here, as iron itself does not melt until temperatures of about 1500 degrees are reached."

Why the mixture of iron and carbon melts at relatively low temperatures is now being examined more closely by Giordano and her team. It may be possible to use this effect in other areas. Moreover, the researchers intend to further explore the potential of paper electronics. Here, they do not just want to exploit the magnetic properties of the material, which are a result of the iron carbide. By reducing the paper strength and subtly controlling the process, they also want to create conducting paths from graphene; by "graphene," they are referring to one of the carbon sheets that are stacked on top of each other in the graphite. "We will also combine graphite with other materials," explains Giordano. The inkjet printer makes this possible -- it is from the printer's cartridges that iron nitrate solutions, as well as solutions from other metal salts or dispersions containing metal particles finely distributed in water can be brought to paper.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_technology/~3/arqoaEuLVx4/130515085214.htm

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ACLU: Time for 'Modern Family' gay couple to wed

NEW YORK (AP) ? The ACLU is lobbying for the gay couple on "Modern Family" to get married.

ACLU Action started a campaign to urge the show's producers to write a wedding episode for Mitchell and Cameron, fathers of an adopted child and one of three couples at the heart of the show.

The ACLU says it is appealing to the fictional family to draw more attention to the real issue as it awaits Supreme Court decisions on two important marriage equality cases.

"Mitch and Cam are a couple that America has come to know and love, and seeing them get married, and seeing the characters in the story grapple with their desire to get married, makes it real for a bigger part of America," said James Esseks, director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Project at the ACLU.

Supporters are invited to "RSVP" to the wedding online. The ACLU plans to deliver the online "guest list" to the show's producers but said it had not yet contacted the show.

Esseks said the petition was a departure for the group, but that along with filing lawsuits, lobbying for bills or organizing ballot initiatives, the group saw public education and changing the culture as part of its mission. He applauded what "Modern Family" has done already for public perception of gay couples.

"It's a popular show, they're a lovable, very real couple, and it would be great to see them walk down the aisle," he said.

ABC referred questions to 20th Century Fox Studios, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Show creator Steven Levitan tweeted a link to the campaign with a simple "Wow." Jessie Tyler Ferguson, who plays Mitchell, tweeted: "Love this! Thank you ACLU! Maybe once Prop 8 is overturned!"

___

Online:

http://modernfamilywedding.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/aclu-time-modern-family-gay-couple-wed-210244962.html

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Top prep prospect Andrew Wiggins to attend Kansas

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) ? Top basketball prospect Andrew Wiggins will play his college basketball at Kansas.

The 6-foot-8 Toronto native signed a letter-of-intent Tuesday, choosing the Jayhawks over Kentucky, North Carolina and Florida State.

The ceremony ended the frenzied pursuit of the Huntington Prep star, who averaged 23.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per game this season.

Rather than turn his announcement into a spectacle, Wiggins wanted a private signing ceremony with family and friends where he attends classes at St. Joseph's Central Catholic High School in Huntington.

Initially rated as a 2014 prospect, Wiggins shot to the top of recruiting charts when he decided last October to reclassify into his original high school class of 2013. The four major recruiting services rated Wiggins as the No. 1 overall recruit.

Wiggins had kept quiet on his intentions. He had yet to even make a verbal commitment and delayed his signing until almost the very end ? Wednesday is the deadline for recruits to sign with NCAA Division I schools.

Interest grew in recent weeks. As one fan put told Wiggins in a Twitter post, "You're driving 4 schools and 4 fan bases absolutely insane."

Wiggins' game did the talking. He has the ability to make shots from all angles and distances, blow past defenders to the basket and reach the rim at eye level. Wiggins was the recipient of this year's Gatorade Boys National Basketball Player of the Year and Naismith Foundation national awards. He has been called the best prep prospect since LeBron James.

Wiggins participated in several postseason all-star games, most recently playing for the World Select Team at the Nike Hoop Summit April 20 in Portland, Ore.

Wiggins cited fatigue from the Oregon trip for canceling scheduled visits from North Carolina coach Roy Williams, Kansas' Bill Self and Florida State's Leonard Hamilton. Wiggins instead talked to them by phone. Kentucky coach John Calipari had visited Wiggins in Huntington on March 28.

Rob Fulford, Wiggins' coach at Huntington Prep, has said he tried to stay out of the player's decision, other than explaining to him what to look for in a program.

"What I do during the recruiting process is make sure you understand the style of play, coaching styles and can you see yourself playing for this team, this coach and these teammates," Fulford said. "Because that's mainly what it boils down to. Don't worry about buildings. Everybody has a nice practice facility."

While mulling his decision, Wiggins had to sort out family matters and figuring out who he might have to share the court with.

His Huntington Prep teammate and fellow Toronto native, Xavier Rathan-Mayes, signed with Florida State in December. Both of Wiggins' parents attended Florida State.

His father is former NBA first-round pick Mitchell Wiggins. His mother, Marita Payne-Wiggins, was a Canadian Olympic sprinter and silver medalist. Older brother Nick plays guard at Wichita State and another brother, Mitchell Jr., plays at NAIA school Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla.

Kentucky already has eight signees in what is considered to be its greatest recruiting class ever.

Despite the loss of Ben McLemore to the NBA draft, four of Kansas' five recruits are considered to be in the top 50 nationally.

North Carolina's recruiting class includes McDonald's All-American big men Isaiah Hicks and Kennedy Meeks.

Besides Rathan-Mayes, three other Huntington Prep teammates signed at Division I schools: Moses Kingsley at Arkansas, Dominic Woodson at Baylor and Travon Landry at Tennessee.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/top-prep-prospect-andrew-wiggins-attend-kansas-161803247.html

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FBI opens criminal probe of tax agency, audit cites disarray

By David Ingram and Matt Spetalnick

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said on Tuesday he had ordered the FBI to open a criminal probe in a growing scandal over the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative political groups for extra tax scrutiny.

Holder's announcement came about four hours before an inspector general's report on the IRS portrayed the tax agency as plagued by disarray and "insufficient oversight" during its struggles to review the cases of hundreds of advocacy groups that claimed they should be tax exempt.

The audit, which drew some backlash from IRS officials, also underscored what the agency had acknowledged last Friday: that the IRS had used "inappropriate criteria" for evaluating tax-exempt groups, in part by singling out scores of conservative Tea Party and "Patriot" organizations for increased scrutiny.

The report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration sharply criticized the way the IRS had screened the conservative groups, citing poor management and processing delays. The report suggested that such practices could damage public confidence in the agency.

The criteria used to target the conservative groups "gives the appearance that the IRS is not impartial in conducting its mission," the report said. However, the report stopped short of saying the IRS actions had been politically motivated.

For President Barack Obama - who late on Tuesday said the report showed that the IRS had failed to apply the law fairly in dealing with conservative groups - the revelations have added to a sense of a White House under siege.

Republicans continue to bash the Obama administration's handling of the attack last year on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, that killed a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans. And on Monday, Obama's Justice Department came under bipartisan fire for seizing phone records of journalists from the Associated Press as part of a wide-ranging criminal probe into intelligence leaks.

In Washington on Tuesday, the IRS case appeared to have the most potency, as lawmakers and administration officials alike described the symbolic and legal importance of having a non-partisan tax agency that Americans can trust.

For the IRS and the U.S. government, the stakes are particularly high in the scandal because the tax agency is playing an increasingly significant role not only in vetting the tax status of non-profit groups that dabble in politics, but also in enforcing parts of Obama's ongoing overhaul of the nation's healthcare system.

Some of the IRS's conservative critics, including Republican Senator Ted Cruz, have said the current scandal is a sign that the agency shouldn't be trusted to enforce a vast array of tax regulations related to healthcare.

The IRS's embattled acting commissioner, Steven Miller, met privately with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, apparently seeking to calm the political uproar, even as some Republicans called for his resignation.

The IRS said on Monday that Miller, then the IRS deputy commissioner, was first informed in early May 2012 that some groups seeking tax-exempt status had been "improperly identified by name" and subjected to extra scrutiny.

Lawmakers say that neither Miller nor his predecessor, Douglas Shulman, ever made them aware of the targeting.

Senator Orrin Hatch, the top Republican on the tax-writing Finance Committee, said that Miller - who spent more than two decades working his way up through the IRS bureaucracy and was named acting chief six months ago - should step down.

"He basically misled me," Hatch told reporters. "I really think it is time for him to leave."

'HEADS NEED TO ROLL'

Hatch was part of a growing Republican chorus on Capitol Hill calling for the resignations of Miller and Lois Lerner, head of the IRS tax-exempt organizations office. Lerner apologized on behalf of the agency when she revealed the targeting of conservative groups last week.

Conservative groups, particularly those that have sprung up in recent years to promote limited government and lower taxes, have long complained about mistreatment by the IRS.

On Tuesday, Miller met with Senator Max Baucus, the Democratic chairman of the Finance Committee who has promised that his panel will conduct its own investigation of the IRS case. Miller later declined to answer reporters' questions.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell urged Obama to make all of those who knew about IRS misconduct available for questioning, and said there should be "no more stonewalling."

"Heads need to roll today," said Republican Representative Vern Buchanan, a member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees the IRS and is scheduled to hold a hearing on the scandal on Friday.

It's unclear precisely what charges a criminal probe of the IRS could yield.

Analysts said that a federal criminal prosecution of IRS employees for allegedly violating a taxpayer's speech rights - by delaying or rejecting a conservative group's legitimate claim to tax-exempt status, for example - could be unprecedented and that the offense would need to be egregious.

Holder said on Monday that the FBI "is coordinating with the Justice Department to see if any laws were broken."

He said that the actions disclosed so far "were, I think as everyone can agree, if not criminal, they were certainly outrageous and unacceptable. But we are examining the facts to see if there were criminal violations."

Despite efforts by some conservative commentators to cast the IRS troubles as something akin to the Watergate scandal of the 1970s - or to former President Richard Nixon's use of the IRS to target his political enemies - there was no sign of White House involvement.

Obama spokesman Jay Carney said the results of independent investigations must be known "before we can jump to conclusions about what happened, whether there was a deliberate targeting of groups inappropriately and, if that's the case, what action should be taken."

THREE YEARS OF TARGETING

The targeting of conservative groups began in 2010, shortly after the emergence of the conservative Tea Party movement. The movement helped Republicans gain control of the U.S. House in the 2010 elections.

Hundreds of Tea Party-inspired groups have formed in recent years, and the IRS has struggled to handle campaign finance issues dealing with such politically active organizations seeking tax-exempt status. Such groups generally can be tax-exempt as long as they do not directly support particular political candidates.

Higher-level IRS officials took part in discussions as far back as August 2011 about targeting by lower-level tax agents of Tea Party and other conservative groups, according to documents reviewed by Reuters on Monday.

The documents show the offices of the IRS's chief counsel and deputy commissioner for services and enforcement communicated about the targeting with lower-level officials on August 4, 2011, and March 8, 2012, respectively.

The communications occurred weeks and months before Shulman, then the commissioner of the IRS, told congressional panels in late March 2012 that no groups were being targeted for extra scrutiny by the tax agency.

The IRS has been dragged reluctantly into partisan politics at a time when it is also under increasing pressure to make rulings on campaign finance issues and matters related to implementation of Obama's 2010 healthcare overhaul.

The agency must impose an excise tax on large employers if they fail to meet certain minimum healthcare coverage requirements for employees. In addition, the IRS must provide tax credits to low- and middle-income taxpayers who seek healthcare coverage on one of the new state-based insurance exchanges.

Timothy Jost, a specialist on the healthcare overhaul who teaches law at Washington and Lee University, said the controversy has no real bearing on implementation of Obama's healthcare laws, aside from politics.

"I just don't see a connection, other than that I'm sure there will be efforts to make one," Jost said.

(Additional reporting by Patrick Temple-West, Thomas Ferraro, Richard Cown, Kim Dixon, Kevin Drawbaugh, Susan Heavey and Laura MacInnis; Writing by Matt Spetalnick; Editing by David Lindsey and Eric Beech)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fbi-opens-criminal-probe-u-tax-agency-audit-013827835.html

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