Singing mice show signs of learning

ScienceDaily (Oct. 10, 2012) ? Guys who imitate Luciano Pavarotti or Justin Bieber to get the girls aren't alone. Male mice may do a similar trick, matching the pitch of other males' ultrasonic serenades. The mice also have certain brain features, somewhat similar to humans and song-learning birds, which they may use to change their sounds, according to a new study.

"We are claiming that mice have limited versions of the brain and behavior traits for vocal learning that are found in humans for learning speech and in birds for learning song," said Duke neurobiologist Erich Jarvis, who oversaw the study. The results appear Oct. 10 in PLOS ONE and are further described in a review article in Brain and Language.

The discovery contradicts scientists' 60-year-old assumption that mice do not have vocal learning traits at all. "If we're not wrong, these findings will be a big boost to scientists studying diseases like autism and anxiety disorders," said Jarvis, who is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. "The researchers who use mouse models of the vocal communication effects of these diseases will finally know the brain system that controls the mice's vocalizations."

Jarvis acknowledged that the findings are controversial because they contradict scientists' long-held assumption about mice vocalizations. His research suggests the vocal communication pathways in mice brains are more similar to those in human brains than to sound-making circuits in the brains of chimpanzees and other non-human primates. The results also contradict two recent studies suggesting mice do not match pitch or have deafness-induced vocalization changes.

"This is a very important study with great findings," said Kurt Hammerschmidt, an expert in vocal communication at the German Primate Center who was not involved in the study. He is cautious about some of the claims but suggested that if mice can learn vocalizations they could become a good model to study the genetic foundation of the evolution of language.

Jarvis, his former graduate student Gustavo Arriaga, and a colleague from Tulane University tested male mice for vocal learning traits as part of a larger project to study speech evolution in humans. Vocal learning appears to be unique to humans, songbirds, parrots and hummingbirds and scientists define it with five features related to brain structure and behavior. Since scientists have never found the features in other animals, "I almost expected every experiment in mice to fail," Arriaga said.

In the study, funded by HHMI, NSF and NIH, Arriaga first used gene expression markers, which lit up neurons in the motor cortex of the mice's brain as they sang. Arriaga then damaged these song-specific neurons in the motor cortex and observed that the mice couldn???t keep their songs on pitch or repeat them as consistently, which also happened when the mice became deaf.

Arriaga also used an injectable tracer, which mapped the signals controlling song as they moved from the neurons in the motor cortex to those in the brainstem and then to the muscles in the larynx. "This direct projection from the mice's forebrain to the brainstem and muscles was the biggest surprise," Jarvis said.

"The evidence of direct projection from these motor cortex regions is a great finding," Hammerschmidt said. "And I think it is important to try to understand whether these projections are really able to work in a similar way like such projections known in birds and humans." The question is whether mice can learn a vocalization the way other species do. The researchers found that when two male mice were placed in the same cage with a female, the males' pitch began to converge after seven to eight weeks. Arriaga and Jarvis tested 24 male mice and did the experiment twice to confirm the result.

Hammerschmidt is skeptical. Jarvis and Arriaga's "pitch convergence story is less convincing," he said. Scientists have observed pitch convergences in non-vocal learners and the number of tested animals in this study could be too low to determine whether the discovered effect is reliable, he said.

Jarvis disagrees, but added that more work does need to be done to know if mice can learn other features of vocalizations or if their learning is limited to just pitch.

"Our results show that mice have the five features scientists associate with vocal learning. In mice, they don't exist at the advanced levels found in humans and song-learning birds, but they also are not completely absent as commonly assumed," he said. His team is now searching mouse brains for genes specific to the brain circuits for vocal behavior. So far, these genes have only been found in songbirds and humans but, based on these results, could be in mice too, Jarvis said.

Mouse songs are included in the PLoS article. See citation below.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Duke University.

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Journal References:

  1. Arriaga, G. et al. Of mice, birds, and men: the mouse ultrasonic song system has some features similar to humans and song-learning birds. PLOS ONE, 2012 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046610
  2. Arriaga, G. et. al. Mouse vocal communication system: are ultrasounds learned or innate? Brain and Language, 2012

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/Fb-YCBeT2M4/121010172128.htm

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Food & Drink | Unemployed Irish blokes turning to chocolate

We often associate chocolaty comfort eating with women but new data suggests that men are turning to chocolate, especially if they're out of work.

Have you noticed yourself reaching out for a second chocolate bar while standing at the counter of your local corner shop? If so, you?re not alone. That?s because there has been a 10.5 per cent rise in the number of men buying chocolate over the past year, compared to just a 4.5 per cent rise for women according to Kantar Worldpanel data.

So what has us dying for an extra Yorkie or a Kit-Kat Chunky? Well, Dr Siri Harrison of the City Psychology Group said, ?We may be seeing a shift in the trend.

?Traditional male jobs are being lost, unemployment rates are soaring and those that remain employed fear redundancy. These issues are placing pressure on men and they may seek comfort through the age-old tradition of self-medicating with sugar.?

With the country in the state its in you can?t blame a guy for wanting a little sugar rush from time to time, can you? It has got us thinking though, what is the favourite chocolate bar of the Irish man? And what chocolate bar would you bring back from the dead if you could? Let us know below.

Source: http://www.joe.ie/joe-life/food-drink/unemployed-irish-blokes-turning-to-chocolate-0029165-1

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CCAJ Coastal Capital Acquisition | Penny Stocks

CCAJ Coastal Capital Acquisition

ccaj

Symbol: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?CCAJ

Website: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ???www.earthsurfaces.net

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Outstanding Shares: ? ? ? ? ? ? ?1.9B

Float: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?208.6M

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Coastal Capital Acquisition Corp. (CCAJ) is a Savannah, Georgia based company who is engaging in the $36-49 billion U.S Green Building Market via CCAJ?s new wholly owned subsidiary, Earth Surfaces of America Inc.

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By utilizing the green building industry?s most efficient methods, CCAJ is taking raw stone and producing environmental friendly recycled terrazzo concrete products, along with an extensive line of high end paver products and polished concrete solid surfaces with availability of various sizes, finishes, colors, shapes, thickness, and contents. With these creations, CCAJ is then capable of creating outdoor kitchens, bar tops, table tops, pool decks, steps and risers, driveways, fountains, pebble mosaics and many more projects. Taking it one step further, CCAJ?s products also have the ability to match the Benjamin Moore color chart, sandblast, hone or polish to meet additional custom needs CCAJ?s clients may have. As a result of all these options, CCAJ has created large commercial projects for multiple locations in Florida such as hotels, condominiums, banks, Botanical Gardens, Collins Park and airports including the Nassau Airport in Nassau, Bahamas and Fort Myers International Airport. CCAJ?s most recent project completion includes the City of Hollywood?s Community Redevelopment Agency Beach District Streetscape Beautification Project where CCAJ created unique pebble mosaics and decorative benches.

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CCAJ?s numerous eco-friendly terrazzo concrete products are currently available online through one of the nation?s largest home improvement chains, Home Depot, and is actively pursuing for in-store sales. In the meantime, CCAJ recently announced it has submitted an application for distribution through the Lowe?s Home Improvement chain which includes all of CCAJ?s terrazzo concrete products along with CCAJ?s countertop and paver products. Additionally, CCAJ has been appointed to provide paver products for the 140,000 square feet Baywalk and Promenade project at the Miami Museum Park.

  1. CFGX Capital Financial Global Providing Asset-backed Liquidity Solutions and Loan Advisory Services ? ?...
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Source: http://www.stockrockandroll.com/hot-penny-stocks/stock-profiles/ccaj-coastal-capital-acquisition/

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APNewsBreak: Lawyers: Tennis ref passed polygraph

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Lawyers for a nationally known professional tennis referee charged in her husband's death say she has passed a lie detector test in which she denied bludgeoning him with a coffee cup.

Lois Ann Goodman's attorneys told The Associated Press late Monday that they have emailed the results to the district attorney's office. They said they suggested that prosecutors re-evaluate the case and consider dismissing charges against the 70-year-old woman.

The lead detective on the case, David Petique, had asked Goodman to take a polygraph test "to clear herself" when she was first under investigation in the month after her husband's death, attorneys Alison Triessl and Robert Sheahen said. But she refused that request on May 3, they said, on advice of her former counsel.

They said she has now fulfilled that request and passed.

"I'm hopeful that they are going to reassess their case," Triessl said in a phone interview. "The facts just don't support that there was a murder. The results of the polygraph prove Lois Goodman did not kill her husband. He died in a freak accident."

A district attorney's spokeswoman said the office will not comment until the material is brought up in court.

Goodman, 70, who has refereed matches between some of tennis's greatest players, has pleaded not guilty to killing her 80-year-old husband by beating him with a coffee cup and using its broken handle to stab him. She has suggested Alan Goodman fell down the steps while holding a coffee cup, causing his fatal injuries.

Alan Goodman died in April. Authorities initially believed he fell down stairs at home while she was away but later decided it was homicide after a mortuary reported suspicious injuries on Alan Goodman's head. Lois Ann Goodman was arrested in August just before she was to referee a match at the U.S. Open in New York.

Triessl said the lie detector test was given by a well-known FBI-trained polygrapher, Jack Trimarco, who has administered more than 3,000 polygraph exams, many in high-profile cases. His report was instrumental in getting charges dismissed against a man initially charged in a Dodger Stadium assault case.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/apnewsbreak-lawyers-tennis-ref-passed-polygraph-133823556--spt.html

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On Being a Guru, teacher, healer, guide or expert | Conscious ...

awakeningThe shift and subsequent awakening is upon us. The vast numbers of books available in the spiritual, self help, self empowerment, healing genre is telling us that people are seeking answers like never before. The amount of information, teachers, healers, self-proclaimed gurus, alternative therapies and so on is staggering.

The good news: There is definitely something for everyone. My word of caution lies in what people do or don?t do with the information they consume. Many people are gathering more and more information without taking the time to process it, use it, and actualize real change. Others are inspired by a certain healing technique or modality and with little to no time at all are calling themselves experts, gurus or healers.

If we have not attained some level of mastery of raising our consciousness with a willingness to self-correct and have self-control we probably won?t be very effective as a guru, teacher or expert. If we do not understand ourselves and our own energy enough to have experienced a sustainable degree of personal transformation, it is unlikely we will be effective as a teacher, guru or expert. By all means shine your light and continue to grow. The world needs more light and it is up to us to shine. There is an urgent need for us to use the tools and information we are bringing in. We must walk the talk, have the experiences that produce real change as well as have some degree of real success in the areas we proclaim to be experts. In short, share from a place of deep inner knowing. Do not ignore your own need for growth, understanding, and healing because the spiritual growth industry is now your career path.

To attempt to come from a place you have not yet attained, understood deeply or cultivated will lead to conscious awakeningfrustration and could prove to be a disappointment for others who might expect more from you than you can deliver. No one is beyond learning, no teacher, no self proclaimed guru of the modern age, no expert. The journey is truly on going. All I ask is this: Be honest with your skill set when dealing with other peoples lives.? Embrace the responsibility with enthusiasm and an honest assessment of where you are.

Honesty is the best policy. That is an old saying. It applies as much to ourselves as it does to all of life. Be honest with your level of skill. Come from where you are no matter if you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced at any given skill or talent. Even an advanced skill can be improved. You may be a master at one thing and a beginner at another. Do not attempt to be a master at something you have just begun to learn. To come from where you are leads to the inevitable attainment of the skill, peace, and joy. The journey is not a race. All we have to do is be honest with our growth. This level of patience will pave the way with grace and a sense of ?present time? where all things are potent.

This message came to me during a yoga session:

balanceThe main body of this post came to me while doing yoga. I was doing a balance posture and I could so easily see that moving to quickly or to extreme wasn?t going to provide the necessary conditions for me to maintain balance. This is one example that illustrates the need for patience, perseverance? and the importance of balance in all areas of our life.

I know we live in a fast, instant gratification, type society but if the latest ? fast and easy steps?? to enlightenment, weight loss, your soul mate relationship, financial independence etc. delivered by the experts or self proclaimed gurus hasn?t work out for you, maybe it is because real growth and sustainable change takes time, perseverance and dedication. It takes desire along with self discipline and willingness to be responsible for your life and your future. Maybe there are only 3, 5 or 10 steps to create change but if one doesn?t follow through consistently with patience and perseverance change will not happen.

Perhaps it is time to let go of the idea that it has to be fast and easy. What if we embraced our change a day at a time. As we continue on the road to healthy change it naturally becomes easier. That is the truth of it. In the beginning, change often comes slow and seems difficult because we are doing something different. It even seems as though nothing is changing as we course correct and set our sails in a new direction. This is when it is so important to remember that perseverance and patience are keys to successful ongoing transformation. Change is happening whether we notice right away or not. Sometimes it can feel like we are swimming against the current when in fact all we are really doing is finding the right river. Once we have gotten into the flow of the river that supports our growth it does in fact get easier.

If you are inspired to be a healer, counselor, expert, guru, give yourself time to experience healing for inspired healeryourself in whatever niche you are interested in. If you are teaching financial freedom it would be a good idea to have experienced the rise to financial independence. If you are a relationship or family counselor it would be good to have cultivated healthy, lasting, loving, relationships with your own family and other significant people. If you teach meditation classes it would be good to have a daily meditation practice. Direct experience will naturally provide you with the understanding and compassion necessary to be of great service. Being open to our own growth, transparent and honest in our being, will keep us open and humble because it is clear that the journey is on going. One just never knows who may come along to share some golden nugget. If we are caught up in our own expertness, guru status or hiding the fact that we don?t have all the answers or that maybe our personal life is really a giant mess, we may miss the opportunity to learn. So I say again, be honest with your current level of growth, do the best you can with what you have. Don?t misled. Be powerful enough to be transparent, kind and real.

Remember, there is no end to our learning and our growth. To everyone seeking and exploring remember, there is a healer within you, there is a healer within us all. There is a teacher within you, there is a teacher within us all. Practice the new ways of approaching life that resonate with you. If you feel meditation is good for you, do it daily. If you know a shift in the way you eat is the next best thing for you, consistently choose foods that support what you are learning about your body and nutrition. Learn to trust your intuition your inner guidance. Everything we need to create the best life ever is within us. There is no exception. Some of us began to heal ourselves decades ago. That doesn?t make us better just a little more experienced. And as such we offer up our experience in hopes that it will brighten and lighten your journey on the path to health and wholeness. Life always presents us with opportunities to deepen our awareness. So whether you are just beginning, have been on the path for a while, or call yourself an expert there is always room to grow, learn and share. :)

love Astara

Source: http://consciousmastery.org/2012/10/on-being-a-guru-teacher-healer-guide-or-expert/

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Take It From Me: VSP Vision Care

I can vividly remember the first pair of glasses I got as a child. ?After weeks of complaining to my mom that I couldn't keep up with note taking in class, I finally got an appointment with the eye doctor. ?Putting on those glasses changed my world. ?I remember thinking "What have I been missing all these years?" ?Now, as a parent myself I know how important it is to get your children's vision checked and how much of a difference a pair of glasses can make in a child's life.

I have gone through several pairs of glasses growing up and something I never realized until I was on my own, was the cost of them. ?Glasses can actually be quite expensive. ?But luckily, having vision insurance can greatly cut those high costs and save you lots of money.

VSP Vision Care, or VSP for short is the leading not-for-profit benefits and services company in the United States with 58 million members and a network of over 28,000 private-practice optometrist nationwide.

If you visit the site SeeMuchMore.com (created by VSP), you can find in-depth information and other resources which show the importance of enrolling in vision benefits and having good eye health. ?One great thing to check out while you are on the site is their virtual savings calculator which shows just how much of a difference having VSP vision benefits can have. ?The site is a great resource for helpful information on healthy vision and the benefits of being insured.

It would have probably cost my parents an arm and a leg (or two) to buy all those pairs of glasses I had while growing up, if they did not have insurance. ?Luckily I have learned from their example and have gotten insurance for my vision needs.

With VSP Vision Care, customers save an average of $320 dollars a year and pay substantially less with their insurance plans than when purchasing glasses at a national optical retailer without a vision benefit. ?VSP Vision Care also provides you with a frame allowance as well as fully cover the cost of basic lenses. ?(Their are discount on other lens options including progressive lenses, Transitions lenses, anti-reflective coating, scratch-resistance coating, and UV protection.)

Visit?SeeMuchMore?for more information about VSP and vision?care benefits.?This post is sponsored by VSP.?I was selected for this opportunity as a member of?Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Source: http://www.takeitfrom-me.com/2012/10/vsp-vision-care.html

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Fifth Annual Jewish Cultural Arts and Book Festival | Things to do in ...

David F. Chapman

Opening night (Thursday, October 11, 7 p.m.) at the Boonshoft CJCE will feature a solo performance of Raoul Wallenberg: Letters From Young Men by New York based director, writer and performer David F. Chapman. Honoring his 100th birthday, the performance tells the story of Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish humanitarian who chose to act and saved thousands of Jews from extradition to Nazi death camps. The performance humanizes the Holocaust hero by combining theatre, historical events, selections from a recently published archive of Wallenberg?s letters, and Chapman?s own childhood diaries.

The nationally-known a cappella group The Maccabeats will kick off his year?s 2013 United Jewish Campaign at the Boonshoft CJCE on Sunday, November 4, 2:30 p.m. Known for their family-friendly musical stylings, The Maccabeats inject Jewish culture into current pop-music favorites, creating comedy and history lessons every generation can enjoy and learn from. During the event, community members will have the opportunity to make their 2013 pledge to the United Jewish Campaign, which provides funds to Jewish agencies and social services in Dayton, Israel, and around the world.

The Maccabeats

The line-up, spanning from October through December, also includes four author events that cover genres such as history, post-apocalyptic political and historical fiction, lighthearted romantic satire, and deep personal loss and recovery.

The Jewish Cultural Arts and Book Festival is presented annually by the Dayton Jewish Community Center (DJCC). ?On behalf of the Dayton Jewish Community Center, we are excited to bring an array of thought provoking events to the community. Our festival allows participants to immerse themselves in rich, cultural activites that everyone can enjoy.? says Cheryl Carne, director of the DJCC.

The chairperson of this year?s festival, Dr. Martin Jacobs, says, ?Each year we try to feature a diverse collection of interesting authors and performers. We want not just the Jewish community but?anyone and everyone in the area to feel welcome and engaged by the activities. Our goal is something for everyone!?

Tickets for events are available at the door or in advance online at www.jewishdayton.org. For more information, please call the DJCC at 937-853-0372.

?

Thursday, October 11 Raoul Wallenberg: Letters From Young Men

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

Co-sponsored by the National Conference for Community and Justice

Event Details

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Tuesday, October 16 Sweet & Meet with Author Rich Cohen

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

Event Details

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Sunday, November 4 The Maccabeats

2:30 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

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Wednesday, November 7 Perfect is Overrated with author Karen Bergreen

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

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Thursday, November 15 Take Us Home

7 p.m. Dayton Art Institute

A collaborative sponsorship: The Dayton Art Institute; FilmDayton; WYSO; the DJCC?s Cultural Arts Department and the Jewish Community Relations Council

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Thursday, November 29 The Aftermath of 9/11 with author Jennifer Gardner Trulson

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

Sponsored by the Brandeis-Joffe Scholarship Fund of the Dayton Jewish Federation Foundation in memory of Eugene and Pearl Joffe

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Thursday, December 6 The Truth About Fiction: An Interactive Panel Discussion with authors Martha Moody and Eileen Pollack

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

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Source: http://mostmetro.com/entertainment/fifth-annual-jewish-cultural-arts-and-book-festival.html

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SpaceX Dragon capsule launched to space station

Media from around the world cover the launch Space -X Falcon 9 from atop of the VAB as it lights up the sky during its liftoff from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012. A commercial cargo ship rocketed into orbit in pursuit of the International Space Station, the first of a dozen supply runs under a mega-contract with NASA. (AP Photo/Florida Today, Craig Rubadoux)

Media from around the world cover the launch Space -X Falcon 9 from atop of the VAB as it lights up the sky during its liftoff from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012. A commercial cargo ship rocketed into orbit in pursuit of the International Space Station, the first of a dozen supply runs under a mega-contract with NASA. (AP Photo/Florida Today, Craig Rubadoux)

The Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket lifts off from space launch complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla. on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012. The rocket is carrying supplies to the International Space Station. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

The Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket is shown in a time exposure as it lifts off from space launch complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla. on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012. The rocket is carrying supplies to the International Space Station. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

A 71-second exposure as seen from Port Canaveral, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket successfully lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, bringing supplies destined for the ISS into orbit. (AP Photo/Florida Today, Malcolm Denemark)

In this image provided by NASA the Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, Falcon 9 rocket with it's Dragon capsule attached on top is seen at Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida Oct. 2, 2012. The coming mission is the first under a $1.6 billion contract with NASA that calls for a dozen resupply flights by SpaceX, essential in the post-shuttle era. The liftoff is planned for Sunday morning, Oct. 7, at 8:35 p.m. EDT. (AP Photo/NASA)

(AP) ? A commercial cargo ship rocketed into orbit Sunday in pursuit of the International Space Station, the first of a dozen supply runs under a mega-contract with NASA.

It was the second launch of a Dragon capsule to the orbiting lab by the California-based SpaceX company. The first was last spring.

This time was no test flight, however, and the spacecraft carried 1,000 pounds of key science experiments and other precious gear on this truly operational mission. There was also a personal touch: chocolate-vanilla swirl ice cream tucked in a freezer for the three station residents.

The company's unmanned Falcon rocket roared into the night sky right on time, putting SpaceX on track to reach the space station Wednesday. The complex was soaring southwest of Tasmania when the Falcon took flight.

Officials declared the launch a success, despite a problem with one of the nine first-stage engines. The rocket put Dragon in its intended orbit, said the billionaire founder and chief executive officer of SpaceX, Elon Musk.

"It's driving its way to station, so that's just awesome," noted SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell.

In more good news, a piece of space junk was no longer threatening the station, and NASA could focus entirely on the delivery mission.

NASA is counting on private business to restock the space station, now that the shuttles have retired to museums. The space agency has a $1.6 billion contract with SpaceX for 12 resupply missions.

Especially exciting for NASA is the fact that the Dragon will return twice as much cargo as it took up, including a stockpile of astronauts' blood and urine samples. The samples ? nearly 500 of them ? have been stashed in freezers since Atlantis made the last shuttle flight in July 2011.

The Dragon will spend close to three weeks at the space station before being released and parachuting into the Pacific at the end of October. By then, the space station should be back up to a full crew of six.

None of the Russian, European or Japanese cargo ships can bring anything back; they're destroyed during re-entry. The Russian Soyuz crew capsules have limited room for anything besides people.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX ? owned by PayPal co-founder Musk ? is working to convert its unmanned Dragon capsules into vessels that could carry astronauts to the space station in three years. Other U.S. companies also are vying to carry crews. Americans must ride Russian rockets to orbit in the meantime, for a steep price.

Musk, who monitored the launch from SpaceX Mission Control in Hawthorne, Calif., called the capsules Dragon after the magical Puff to get back at critics who, a decade ago, considered his effort a fantasy. The name Falcon comes from the Millennium Falcon starship of "Star Wars" fame.

An estimated 2,400 guests jammed the launching center to see the Falcon, with its Dragon, come to life for SpaceX's first official, operational supply mission.

Across the country at SpaceX headquarters, about 1,000 employees watched via TV and webcast.

It was no apparition.

"Just over a year after the retirement of the space shuttle, we have returned space station cargo resupply missions to U.S. soil," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden Jr.

SpaceX is shooting for its next supply run in January.

Another company looking to haul space station cargo, Virginia's Orbital Sciences Corp., hopes to launch a solo test flight in December and a demo mission to the station early next year.

Every time SpaceX or a competitor flies successfully, Bolden told reporters, "that gives the nonbelievers one more opportunity to get on board and root for us" and help enable commercial launches for space station astronauts. This will further free NASA up to aim for points beyond low-Earth orbit, like Mars.

"This was a big night," Bolden concluded.

___

Online:

SpaceX: http://www.spacex.com/

NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-10-07-Private%20Space/id-9ae4d96f7ebe4837a8162be881a152f5

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University of Virginia ? multiple missteps and self-inflicted crisis is ...

?
An excellent story in today?s Washington Post by reporters Donna St. George and Jenna Johnson reveals the scope of damage caused to the reputation of the University of Virginia this year when wealthy realtor Helen E. Dragas, head of the university?s board of governors, dismissed warnings and secretly plotted to oust the university president.

University of Virginia Rector Helen Dragas. (photo by ReadTheHook.com)

The Post obtained emails through a public records request that reveal weeks of turmoil and secret planning. The emails show how Dragas unilaterally sought outside PR help, conferred with only a few board members, and drafted press releases as she secretly schemed to abruptly oust Teresa Sullivan, the university?s president. The full board was not consulted on the Dragas plan, according to emails.

Dragas believed any fall-out would last only a day or two. She told her circle of board members the university needed someone as president with ?bold vision? and that Sullivan, popular among student and faculty, moved too slowly and had to be fired. She was wrong. A firestorm of criticism erupted.

Emails also reveal that Dragas ignored counsel from the university?s head of communications, Carol Wood. Dragas opted instead to hire a succession of three PR individuals and firms, none seemingly with expertise in handling the kind of mainstream media and online social media crisis that erupted when UVA President Sullivan was told to leave.

Read the emails ? click here.

The focus on press releases, as revealed in the emails, shows how precious time was wasted on an ineffective and outdated PR tactics. No one was paying attention as the UVA crisis was spinning out of control in online social media.

Dragas personally paid $45,000, to hire the Communication Center in DC, a more traditional PR firm in Washington to write press releases. She also engaged Hill+Knowlton Strategies.??Dragas persuaded fellow board member, John L. Nau III, a wealthy beer distributor, to pay the $208,577 tab for Hill+Knowlton.

In one email, Jeffrey C. Walker, the foundation council chairman, emailed Carl Zeithaml, dean of the commerce school: ?They are interviewing a crisis communications firm. They were woefully unprepared communications wise.?

Zeithaml responded that he thought actions by Dragas made matters worse. He was referring to a string of Dragas press releases and news conferences.

?We found ? remarks just as opaque and unhelpful as your original press release and your subsequent press conference,? one alumnus e-mailed the board.

Unable to handle the growing crisis of reputation and trust as well as outcry from students, faculty, alumni, funders and the public, the board of governors reinstalled Teresa Sullivan to her post as president of the university.

The action by Helen Dragas has cost the University of Virginia far more than the quarter of a million dollars spent on PR firms.
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Category: Reputation management

Source: http://www.davidhenderson.com/2012/10/07/university-of-virginia-multiple-missteps-and-self-inflicted-crisis-is-costly-and-festers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=university-of-virginia-multiple-missteps-and-self-inflicted-crisis-is-costly-and-festers

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