Extreme weather threatens US transportation

FILE - This Oct. 30, 2012 file photo shows man peering into the closed Bowling Green subway station in New York, after Superstorm Sandy his the east Coast. Extreme weather is a growing threat to the nation's lifelines _ its roads, bridges, railways, airports and transit systems _ leaving states and cities trying to come to terms with a new normal. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

FILE - This Oct. 30, 2012 file photo shows man peering into the closed Bowling Green subway station in New York, after Superstorm Sandy his the east Coast. Extreme weather is a growing threat to the nation's lifelines _ its roads, bridges, railways, airports and transit systems _ leaving states and cities trying to come to terms with a new normal. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Extreme weather is a growing threat to the nation's lifelines ? its roads, bridges, railways, airports and transit systems. That's leaving states and cities trying to come to terms with a new normal.

Superstorm Sandy is the latest and most severe example. It inflicted the worst damage to the New York subway system in its 108-year history. New York isn't alone; intense rain, historic floods and record temperatures are taking a toll on transportation across the country.

Transportation engineers build highways and bridges to last 50 or even 100 years. Now they are reconsidering how they do that.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials is weighing rewriting its standards on design, construction and maintenance of roads and bridges to reflect new weather extremes.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-11-21-Climate%20Change-Transportation/id-6073bac0a9144cea91ea71fe4fb89404

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Rutgers joins the Big Ten, leaving Big East behind

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) ? Rutgers is joining the Big Ten, leaving the Big East behind and cashing in on the school's investment in a football program that only 10 years ago seemed incapable of competing at the highest level.

The school announced its decision Tuesday at a campus news conference attended by Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany, Rutgers President Robert Barchi and athletic director Tim Perenetti.

"The Big Ten is really where Rutgers belongs," Barchi said.

Rutgers has been competing in the Big East since 1991. But the league has been picked apart by conference realignment, and the Scarlet Knights were looking for a way out.

They landed in the best possible spot. A spot that seemed unthinkable a decade ago when Rutgers football was a Big East cellar-dweller.

"It's a transformative day for Rutgers University," Pernetti said.

The move follows Maryland's announcement Monday that it was joining the Big Ten in 2014.

Rutgers also plans to join its new conference in 2014, though the Big East requires 27 months' notification for departing members. The Scarlet Knights will have to negotiate a deal with the Big East to leave early.

Whenever Rutgers enters the Big Ten, it will be the culmination of one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college sports.

In 2002, the Scarlet Knights football team went 1-11 under second-year coach Greg Schiano, who then seemed like the latest coach incapable of reviving a program that had been a college football laughingstock for more than a decade.

The team, however, made steady improvement as the university made the huge financial commitment necessary to support major college football.

Facilities were upgraded, the on-campus stadium was expanded and as Schiano started to win, his salary began to rise into the millions. Not everyone on campus embraced the idea of turning Rutgers into a big-time football school, and it did come with a big price tag.

The expanded and renovated stadium cost of $102 million. The school had hoped to raise the money through private donors, but fell short. Rutgers scaled back plans for the expansion and issued bonds and borrowed money to complete the project.

In 2006, the school had to cut six varsity sports, including men's tennis and crew. As the football team has become a consistent winner ? Rutgers has gone to a bowl six of the last seven years ? the athletic department has received tens of millions in subsidies from the university.

Schiano left for the NFL last year, and Rutgers hired longtime assistant Kyle Flood, who has the Scarlet Knights poised to take make another big step. No. 21 Rutgers (9-1) is in position to win its first Big East championship and go to a BCS game for the first time.

In the Big Ten, the revenue Rutgers receives from the league's television and media deals should quadruple in the short term and could be even more than that in years to come.

The Big Ten reportedly paid its members about $24 million last year. The Big East's payout to football members last year was $6 million.

In exchange, the Big Ten gets a member in the largest media market in the country, and new presence along the East Coast, with Rutgers and Maryland as north and south bookends.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rutgers-joins-big-ten-leaving-big-east-behind-192059572--spt.html

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Biochemistry Biology - Research Fellow in Marine Natural Product ...

NCS027R

College of Physical Sciences

Position Type: Full-time

University Grade Structure: Grade 6

Salary: ?30,122 ? ?35,938

Job Summary:

A position is available for an independent and highly motivated individual to work as a Research Fellow in the Marine Biodiscovery Centre in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Aberdeen. This post is a collaborative venture with Professor Michael Goodfellow at the School of Biology, the University of Newcastle and is Funded by the French Pharmaceutical company Institut de Recherches Servier based in Paris.

The successful candidate will have a PhD in Natural Product Chemistry. You will become part of a multidisciplinary, multinational team and be responsible for compound isolation and applying spectroscopic and computational methods to solve the structures of the bioactive compounds isolated from extremophile microorganisms. Experience of chromatographic isolation procedures and NMR and MS natural product characterisation methodology is essential and knowledge of fermentation of marine microorganisms is desirable. Training will also be provided to enable the successful candidate to extend and complement her or his existing skills.

This post is available for a period of 1 year.

This appointment will be made subject to the usual terms and conditions of employment of the University.

Should you require a visa to undertake paid employment in the UK you will be required to fulfil the minimum points criteria to be granted a Certificate of Sponsorship and Tier 2 visa.? At the time an offer of appointment is made you will be asked to demonstrate that you fulfil the criteria in respect of financial maintenance and competency in English. Please do not hesitate to contact Melanie Noble, HR Adviser, for further information on this.

Salary will be at the appropriate point on the Grade 6 scale (?30,122 ? ?35,938 per annum), with placement according to qualifications and experience.

Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to Professor Marcel Jaspars, Department of Chemistry: e-mail: m.jaspars@abdn.ac.uk

Job Reference Number: NCS027R

The closing date for the receipt of applications is 17 December 2012

Promoting Diversity and Equal Opportunities throughout the University

Closing Date: 17/12/2012

Further information is available online at:
atsv7.wcn.co.uk/saf/set_session.cgi?owner=5042238&ownertype=fair&jcode=1293516&posting_code=267&season=0&language=203&url=/search_engine/jobs.cgi

To apply, please click on the APPLY button below.

Source: http://www.thesciencejobs.com/jobs/biology/135510

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Hamas says Gaza truce agreed, Israel says no deal yet

GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A Hamas official said Egyptian mediators had clinched a truce with Israel on Tuesday that would go into effect within hours, but Egypt and Israel said a Gaza ceasefire deal was still up in the air after a week of fighting.

"The talks are still continuing," an Egyptian official, who declined to be identified, told Reuters. He said Cairo was hopeful of an agreement later in the day.

Israel pressed on with its air strikes in Gaza on the seventh day of its offensive and Palestinian rockets still flashed across the border as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton headed to the region after attending an Asian summit.

The Jewish state launched the offensive last week with the declared aim of halting the rocketing of its towns from the Palestinian enclave, ruled by the militant group that does not recognize Israel's right to exist.

Medical officials in Gaza said 21 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday. An Israeli soldier died when a rocket exploded near the Gaza frontier.

Gaza medical officials say 130 people have died in the strikes, mostly civilians, including 31 children. Three Israeli civilians were killed by a missile last week.

Clinton was expected in Jerusalem late on Tuesday to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said that Israel was open to a long-term deal aimed at ending Palestinian rocket attacks that have plagued its southern region for years.

Khaled Meshaal, leader of the Hamas Islamist movement that governs the Gaza Strip, said on Monday that Israel must halt its military action and lift its blockade of the Palestinian coastal enclave in exchange for a truce.

Both Netanyahu, favored to win a January national election, and U.S. President Barack Obama have said they want a diplomatic solution, rather than a possible Israeli ground operation in the densely-populated territory of 1.7 million Palestinians.

Speaking to Reuters from Cairo, where intensive efforts have been under way to end the violence, Hamas official Ayman Taha said "an agreement for calm has been reached". He said it would be declared at 15:00 EDT and take effect at 18:00 EDT.

Netanyahu spokesman Mark Regev told Reuters Taha's announcement was premature and Israeli military operations in Gaza would continue in parallel with diplomacy.

"We're not there yet," Regev said on CNN. "The ball's still in play."

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, speaking after Taha made his remarks, said the group was still waiting to hear whether Israel would accept the terms of a deal.

"Cairo informed us they expect the response to be positive," Abu Zuhri said.

Israel's military on Tuesday targeted about 100 sites in Gaza, including ammunition stores and the Gaza headquarters of the National Islamic Bank.

Police said more than 150 rockets were fired from Gaza by the evening.

"No country would tolerate rocket attacks against its cities and against its civilians. Israel cannot tolerate such attacks," Netanyahu said with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who arrived in Jerusalem from talks in Cairo, at his side.

"If a long-term solution can be put in place through diplomatic means, then Israel would be a willing partner to such a solution," he said. "But if stronger military action proves necessary to stop the constant barrage of rockets, Israel will do what is necessary to defend our people."

HAMAS TARGETS JERUSALEM AGAIN

In an attack claimed in Gaza by Hamas's armed wing, a longer-range rocket targeted Jerusalem on Tuesday for the second time since Israel launched the air offensive.

The rocket, which fell harmlessly in the occupied West Bank, triggered warning sirens in the holy city about the time Ban arrived for truce discussions. Another rocket damaged an apartment building in Rishon Lezion, near Tel Aviv.

Rockets fired at the two cities over the past week were the first to reach them in decades, a sign of what Israel says is an increasing threat from Gaza militants.

In the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Hamas executed six alleged collaborators, whom a security source quoted by the Hamas Aqsa radio said "were caught red-handed" with "filming equipment to take footage of positions". The radio said they were shot.

Militants on a motorcycle dragged the body of one of the men through the street.

Along Israel's sandy, fenced-off border with the Gaza Strip, tanks, artillery and infantry massed in field encampments awaiting any orders to go in. Some 45,000 reserve troops have been called up since the offensive was launched.

A delegation of nine Arab ministers, led by the Egyptian foreign minister, visited Gaza in a further signal of heightened Arab solidarity with the Palestinians.

Egypt has been a key player in efforts to end the most serious fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants since a three-week Israeli invasion of the enclave in the winter of 2008-9. Egypt has a 1979 peace treaty with Israel seen by the West as the cornerstone of Middle East peace, but that has been tested as never before by the removal of U.S. ally Hosni Mubarak as president last year in the Arab Spring uprisings.

Mohamed Mursi, elected Egyptian president this year, is a veteran of the Muslim Brotherhood, spiritual mentors of Hamas, but says he is committed to Egypt's treaty with Israel.

Mursi has warned Netanyahu of serious consequences from an invasion of the kind that killed more than 1,400 people in Gaza four years ago. But he has been careful so far not to alienate Israel, or Washington, a major aid donor to Egypt.

(Additional reporting by Marwa Awad in Cairo, Writing by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Peter Graff)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gaza-truce-pressure-builds-cairo-focus-000548745.html

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News Summary: Britain mulls split from Europe

SO GOES THE KINGDOM: The 17 members of the European Union monetary block have been forced to move closer to unity during the economic crisis, something closer to a United States of Europe. Great Britain, is moving in the opposite direction and the real decision appears to be whether to drive away or make a clean break.

UNION JACK OR BUST: The British public shows no interest in moving closer to the rest of Europe, and most can't even seem to stomach the status quo. After a 2015 election, Britain ? among 10 of the 27 EU nations that don't use the euro ? is likely to hold a referendum on whether to leave the EU.

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER: Even if it doesn't hold a vote, the country is already unpicking its ties with Europe, a movement that has unsettled Germany, which is eager to retain the U.K. as an important economic driver of the bloc. But the British have grown increasingly leery of the UE, not only because of the economic crisis, but also laws with which it does not agree, such as giving prisoners a vote in national elections.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/news-summary-britain-mulls-split-europe-180656719--finance.html

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Bidens host wounded warriors for Thanksgiving dinner

Joe Biden talks with Marine Lance Cpl. Nathan Jakubisin. (AP/Cliff Owen)

The mouth-watering smells of stuffing and turkey, a crackling fire, guests with bowed heads giving thanks for "second chances"?Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden hosted their fourth Early Thanksgiving for Wounded Warriors on Monday, welcoming servicemen and -women and loved ones to the Naval Observatory.

"Jill and I want to welcome you to the vice president's home. This is your home," Biden said in brief remarks as the 26 guests sat at two large tables in the residence's dining room. He spoke from behind a lectern with the VP's seal on it, Jill Biden at his side. Candles fluttered over their shoulders on the mantelpiece of the fireplace, in which a robust blaze was already crackling. A Navy harpist played before his remarks.

The vice president said he and his wife were "honored and, quite frankly, flattered" to host the dinner. "It's one of the highlights and honors of this job."

"We're just so incredibly proud of you," Biden said. "We can never?and I mean this sincerely?never, ever repay you and your families for the sacrifices you've made."

The wounded warriors are all being treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the vice president's office said. They were chosen "because they have indicated they will likely not be able to leave the D.C. area to be with family for the Thanksgiving holiday." There were five from the Army, four from the Marines and one from the Air Force. Two were in wheelchairs.

Hungry little Oliver Elliott, the 8-month-son of Marine Corps Capt. Tommy Elliott of St. Claire, Ill., sang out a couple of times from his high chair as Biden spoke. "Don't worry about the baby, it's OK," the vice president assured his guests. Oliver grew quiet when his mother, Deborah, gave him his bottle.

Biden paid tribute to military families, noting that his son served in Iraq for a year. He described how, during Beau Biden's deployment, he would find Jill Biden in the kitchen every morning, mouthing a prayer. More than once, he noted that only a tiny percentage of Americans had served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Biden promised the wounded veterans that "the most encouraging thing you're going to see in your lifetime, in the near term, is some incredible, incredible, incredible medical breakthroughs" in everything from prosthetics and treatment for severe brain injuries to help for post-traumatic stress.

Jill Biden, who wore a Blue Star Mother pin signifying that she's a military mom, also cited her son's time in Iraq.

"Our son Beau was deployed four years ago, so I know what it's like to have a loved one who's not at the table," she said. She also highlighted her work with military families.

"As Joe said, I do believe in the power of prayer. And it was prayer that helped me get through that year," she said. "And I think probably for many of you it's prayer that'll help you get through these tough times."

Chaplain Stan Fornea said a prayer, and the assembled diners bowed their heads. He gave thanks for "the gifts of freedom, love, opportunity and second chances."

"The bad news is you guys at this table start off with me," Biden said, drawing laughs from the guests. The Bidens planned to meet all of their guests throughout the meal.

For those curious about what the meal included, here is the menu, provided by the vice president's office:

"Buttermilk Brined Roast Turkey ?w/ Lemon-Parsley Gravy
Country Bread Dressing
Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
Graham Cracker Sweet Potato Gratin
Roasted Vegetable Macaroni & Cheese
Snap Beans w/ Caramelized Shallots & Roasted Mushrooms
Fall Harvest Salad
Apple-Pecan Cranberry Relish
Maple-Ginger Pumpkin Pie?Old Fashioned Lattice Apple Pie?& Thanksgiving Pecan Pie"

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/bidens-host-wounded-warriors-thanksgiving-dinner-005719435--election.html

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How Can I Make a Long Plane or Car Ride Suck Less?

Dear Lifehacker,
I'm about to hit the road for to visit family. It's a really long trip, and since I won't be driving, I'd like to make the most of the time without going crazy from boredom. I could play video games or rip some movies, but that gets boring after a few hours. I want something that works my brain a little more. Do you have any tips?

Sincerely,
Backseat Boredom

Dear Backseat Boredom,
When most people are staring down a long drive, train ride, or flight, they consider it a time to catch up on sleep, do some reading, watch some movies or listen to music, or even play some new mobile games. Preparation for a long trip is key, and we've covered that before. Those are all great ways to pass the time, but they're not the only ways. Here are some suggestions that will turn your long, boring travel plans into something that energizes you, informs you, and keeps you entertained.

Catch Up on Podcasts

If you've been meaning to check out some new podcasts (like ours, for example) or you just have a backlog of podcasts to listen to or watch, a long trip is the best time to do it. Even better, choose some new podcasts that will teach you something new or help you get a new perspective on life. If you're looking for something new to watch or listen to, try looking for some interesting TED Talks, TWiT podcasts, 5by5 podcasts, or Revision3 shows. Each network likely has something to suit your tastes, whether you're looking for something entertaining to pass the time or something interesting and educational to spark your creativity or get you up to speed on current events. Best of all, if you have a long trip ahead, you have plenty of time to listen to multiple shows. Photo by Mingo Hagen.

Plan a Mini Curriculum of Online Classes and Go To School

If podcasts don't really suit you, now might be a great time to download some online courses and set up a little cirriculum of "classes" to take on your long trip. For your sanity's sake, we'd suggest avoiding anything that requires a lot of work, but a few video classes here or there and some downloadable exercises could turn a long and boring plane trip or backseat car ride into something that's educational and helps you learn a new skill or trade. Head over to Lifehacker U to scope out some great classes we've hand-picked, most of which are all-online, and many of which have video components and lessons you can download for offline viewing.

Learn a Specific New Skill for Work (or Play)

In the same vein as taking an online class, maybe those hours in one place are well suited to a good book or set of instructional videos that teach you a specific skill. If you've been meaning to learn a new programming language, study up on a new productivity technique, or maybe learn about a new tool that everyone is migrating to at work, a long trip is a good time to dive into a book or some reference material to get up to speed quickly. If you're traveling and will have internet access while you travel, you can even do your research online. Photo by Shiny Things.

Alternatively, if you want to learn something more for fun than for work, a long trip is a good time to do that as well. Set aside a few chunks of your travel time to really immerse yourself in learning it. You may not be able to break out an Arduino or a Raspberry Pi and get your DIY on while you're riding in the backseat of someone's car, but you can pick up some reading or download some articles to help you get started (like our guide to getting started with the Arduino, and some of our favorite Raspberry Pi hacks and tutorials.) Then you can walk away from your trip ready to get hands-on with the real thing.

Write a Short Story or Start a Blog

We've mentioned before that being a model Internet citizen requires more than just not trolling?contributing your own ideas and thoughts and creating something on your own is essential. If you have hours to kill on a train or plane, why not fire up your favorite text editor and start writing down all of those ideas for that blog you've been meaning to start. You could even write the first few posts just so you'll have something to put up when you build it. If you've read the news lately and have your own opinions, or think you can tackle a topic better?or at a different angle?than someone else did, write your thoughts down. Photo by James Whatley.

Similarly, if you've been meaning to write a short story or your NaNoWriMo entry is a little behind, now is a great time to make up for lost ground. Get your thoughts in order and start writing. If you don't have access to a computer, even brainstorming and outlining on pen and paper will do you a lot of good, and not just for the purpose of finishing a story or starting a blog, but also for turning otherwise boring time into an opportunity to keep your creative juices flowing.

Learn Enough of a New Language to Impress Everyone When You Arrive

Learning a new language will open up possibilities for you that you may never have had, but it also changes your worldview. Even a short trip is enough time to commit to memory enough words in a language you've always wanted to learn that you'll be able to impress your family at Thanksgiving (or at least give them something other than politics to talk about) and get your foot in the door learning something new that you've always wanted to. You can pick up a language-learning podcast from Open Culture or just learn the basics and start practicing, but either way even a few short hours in the back of a car is enough time to learn how to say things like "Hello, my name is," "What's your name?" "Do you speak English?" and "Where's the restroom, please?"

Teach Yourself to Meditate

If none of the above appeals to you, or you know that long trips wreak havoc on your attention span, perhaps a long trip is a good time to plug in your headphones, listen to some ambient music or nature sounds, and teach yourself to relax and meditate. We've discussed how meditation can improve your memory, focus, and productivity, but it can also help relieve stress and improve your health. Even if it's just two minutes of meditation, it can do wonders for you. Check out our guide to meditation for the rest of us for tips. At least on a long trip you won't be able to say you're too busy to meditate. If you need guidance on the go, we even have an app that can help. Photo by RelaxingMusic.

Hopefully we've offered up a few options beyond "read a good book" or "play video games" or "make a travel playlist," although all of those are great things to do on a long trip. They'll help you relax and de-stress, especially if the situation you're traveling to is a stressful one. At the same time however, consider dedicating some of your travel time to something that'll enrich your mind as well as relax your body, and maybe you'll look forward to that 12 hour flight or 6 hour drive a little more. Good luck!

Sincerely,
Lifehacker

Title photo made using Andrey Yurlov (Shutterstock) and Sweet November Studio (Shutterstock).

Have a question or suggestion for Ask Lifehacker? Send it to tips+asklh@lifehacker.com.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/7ecF3V4wseU/how-can-i-make-a-long-plane-or-car-ride-suck-less

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