Jonathan Martin's Threatening Text Message To Richie Incognito Was This Meme, Claims His Lawyer

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Miami Dolphins guard Richie Incognito (68) and tackle Jonathan Martin (71) stand on the field during practice in Davie, Fla. on July 24, 2013.

Attempting to provide context for his treatment of teammate Jonathan Martin, Richie Incognito claimed he also received a threatening text message. The suspended Miami Dolphins guard made this revelation when he sat down with Jay Glazer of FOX Sports to discuss the Dolphins' bullying scandal involving him and Martin. A second-year offensive tackle, Martin abruptly left the Dolphins on Oct. 28 to receive treatment for emotional distress. Incognito, once named the NFL's dirtiest player in a poll of his peers, was subsequently suspended by the Dolphins on Nov. 2 for unspecified misconduct related to alleged mistreatment of Martin.

"People don't know how John and I communicate to one another," Incognito explained to Glazer. "For instance, a week before this went down, Jonathan Martin texts me on my phone: 'I will murder your whole effing family.' Now, did I think Jonathan Martin was going to murder my family? Not one bit. I knew it was coming from a brother. I knew it was coming from a friend. I knew it was coming from a teammate."

Hours after the interview aired on FOX on Sunday afternoon, David Cornwell, an attorney for Martin, shared a profane Internet meme featuring a smiling woman and a dog on Twitter and indicated this was the message that Incognito mentioned to Glazer.

WARNING: Image Below Contains Strong Language

JMart's text 2 Richie Incognito. U decide..... pic.twitter.com/IrgdNnhGe2

— David Cornwell (@wmdavidcornwell) November 10, 2013

Is that what viewers had in mind as Incognito recalled the text message?

Incognito referenced the text from Martin when asked about the threatening voice and text messages he had reportedly sent that included racial slurs. Speaking with Glazer, Incognito confirmed leaving the following voicemail for Martin, who is bi-racial.

“Hey, wassup, you half n—– piece of [expletive] . . . I saw you on Twitter, you been training ten weeks. [I want to] [expletive] in your [expletive] mouth. [I'm going to] slap your [expletive] mouth. [I'm going to] slap your real mother across the face (laughter). [Expletive] you, you’re still a rookie. I’ll kill you.”

Although he did expressed embarrassment over the voicemail, Incognito cited the text from Martin as evidence that both players traded similar threats in jest. He portrayed a locker room culture where such language was acceptable.

"When I see that voicemail, when I see those words come across the screen, I'm embarrassed by it," Incognito said after he was presented with a transcript of the offensive voicemail he left for Martin. "I'm embarrassed by my actions. But what I want people to know is, the way Jonathan and the rest of the offensive line and how our teammates, how we communicate it's vulgar. It's not right."

[H/T Deadspin]

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'Vodka Samm' Is Totally Sober And Avoiding Social Media (VIDEO)

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Samantha Goudie, better known to Internet denizens as "Vodka Samm," hasn't had a drink since she blew a .341 and tweeted about getting the numbers tattooed on her.

Goudie's name went around the world after her tweets from jail about getting arrested at a University of Iowa football game in August went viral, leading to endorsement offers and concern from her school's administration. University President Sally Mason publicly commented that she was worried for Goudie, and a new story from ABC News reveals the school required her to take three months of alcohol treatment.

"I needed a wake up call and I got one," Goudie told "20/20."

"Vodka Samm" has been totally sober since that epic day when she was busted for public intoxication on Aug. 31.

ABC News explained the reason Goudie was able to tweet from jail is due to a failure by Iowa City police to confiscate her phone when she was placed in a holding cell.

"I was just doing it for my friends," Goudie said of the tweets. "I wasn't thinking 'Oh, this might get picked up.'"

The Daily Iowan's interview with Goudie revealed the Iowa senior overcame an eating disorder, but struggled with depression following the media coverage.

However, Goudie told ABC News that despite social ostracization at the nation's top party school, she's glad she changed.

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World War II Reunions Poignant For Dwindling Veterans

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DAYTON, Ohio -- DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Paul Young rarely talked about his service during World War II — about the B-25 bomber he piloted, about his 57 missions, about the dangers he faced or the fears he overcame.

"Some things you just don't talk about," he said.

But Susan Frymier had a hunch that if she could journey from Fort Wayne, Ind., with her 92-year-old dad for a reunion of his comrades in the 57th Bomb wing, he would open up.

She was right: On a private tour at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force near Dayton, amid fellow veterans of flights over southern Europe and Germany, Young rattled off vivid details of his plane, crewmates, training and some of his most harrowing missions.

"Dad, you can't remember what you ate yesterday, but you remember everything about World War II," his daughter said, beaming.

When Young came home from the war, more than 70 years ago, there were 16 million veterans like him — young soldiers, sailors and Marines who returned to work, raise families, build lives. Over the decades, children grew up, married, had children of their own; careers were built and faded into retirement; love affairs followed the path from the altar to the homestead and often, sadly, to the graveyard.

Through it all, the veterans would occasionally get together to remember the greatest formative experience of their lives. But as the years wore on, there were fewer and fewer of them. According to the Department of Veteran Affairs, just a little over 1 million remain. The ones who remain are in their 80s and 90s, and many are infirm or fragile.

So the reunions, when they are held, are more sparsely attended — yearly reminders of the passing of the Greatest Generation.

—When veterans of the Battle of the Bulge gathered in Kansas City this summer, only 40 came, according to organizers, down from 63 last year and 350 in 2004.

—Of the 80 members of Doolittle's Raiders who set out on their daring attack on mainland Japan in 1942, 73 survived. Seventy-one years later, only four remain; they decided this year's April reunion in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., would be their last, though they agreed to meet Nov. 9 for a final toast in honor of those who have gone before them.

—A half-century ago, when retired Army First Lt. Frank Towers went to his first reunion of the 30th Infantry Division — soldiers who landed at the beaches of Normandy and fought across France and Germany — he was surrounded by 1,000 other veterans.

"Now if I get 50, I'm lucky," said Towers, who is working on plans for a reunion next February in Savannah, Ga. "Age has taken its toll on us. A lot of our members have passed away, and many of them who are left are in health situations where they can't travel."

So why persist?

"It's a matter of camaraderie," Towers said. "We spent basically a year or more together through hell or high water. We became a band of brothers. We can relate to each other in ways we can't relate to (anyone else). You weren't there. These guys were there. They know the horrors we went through."

___

As many as 11,000 people served in the 57th Bomb Wing that flew missions over German-held Europe from North Africa and the island of Corsica during most of the war. Hundreds survive, according to wing historians and reunion organizers. Only nine veterans made it to this fall's event.

George Williams, 90, recalled earlier reunions with his comrades, "having a great time yukking it up and talking about things." No one else from his squadron came to this one.

"All of a sudden, it's lonesome," said Williams, a native of Visalia, Calif., who moved after his wife's death to Springfield, Mo., where his son lives. "All of the people you ran around with are on the wrong side of the grass. You wonder why you're so lucky."

But in a Holiday Inn hospitality suite with patriotic bunting, bowls of pretzels and chips with soft drinks at their tables, the stories flowed easily.

Williams remembered the tension of his first mission, his hand ready at the tag that would release him to bail out if necessary. It went without incident, and upon their return to base, a flight surgeon measured out two ounces of whiskey for each crewman. "Sixty-nine to go," he said then, because 70 missions was considered the tour of duty. Sometimes on later missions, he would pour the two ounces into a beer bottle to save up for a night when he needed numbing.

Robert Crouse, of Clinton, Tenn., is 89 years old, but he remembers as if it happened yesterday the time a shell blew out the cockpit windshield ("you could stick your head through it"), disabling much of the control panel. Another plane escorted the bomber, its pilot calling out altitude and air speed as Crouse's plane limped back to base, riddled with holes.

Young recalled flying a damaged plane back to base, hearing his tail gunner's panicked yells as Plexiglass shattered over him. "You could feel the plane vibrate; you fly through the smoke, you smell the smoke and you hear the flak hitting the plane like hail on a tin roof."

Not all the memories are bad ones. There was the late-war mission when they hit a spaghetti factory instead of the intended target ("Spaghetti was flying everywhere," recalled Crouse, chuckling). There was Williams' first Thanksgiving meal overseas: a Spam turkey, spiced and baked to perfection by an innovative cook.

"I still love Spam," he said.

Then there was R&R in Rome, hosted by the Red Cross. Young men not long removed from high school toured the Colosseum and other historic sites they had read about. They visited the Vatican; some met Pope Pius XII. Williams got a papal blessing of a rosary for his engineer's fiancee.

"It was pretty good," Williams said of his war experience, "except when they were shooting at us."

___

Some of the veterans fear that their service will be forgotten after they are gone. Crouse and others have written memoirs, and many of the reunion groups now have websites, magazines and other publications in which they recount their stories.

"You just hope that the young people appreciate it," said Young. "That it was very important, if you wanted to continue the freedom that we have."

Their children remember. Some are joining them at the reunions; others keep coming after their fathers are gone.

At this year's reunion, Bob Marino led a memorial service and read the names of 42 members of the 57th Bomb Wing who died in the past year. A bugler played "Taps."

Marino, 72, a retired IRS attorney and Air Force veteran from Basking Ridge, N.J., helped organize the gathering. His Brooklyn-native father, Capt. Benjamin Marino, died in 1967 and left numerous photos from the war, and Marino set about trying to identify and organize them. To learn more about his father's experiences, he corresponded with other veterans — including Joseph Heller, who was inspired by his wartime experiences with the 57th to write his classic novel "Catch-22."

"He never talked about any of this," Marino said, turning the pages on a massive scrapbook as veterans dropped by to look at the photos. "Once in a while, something came out. I wish I had sat down and talked to him about it."

This was precisely the gift Susan Frymier received at the reunion in Dayton.

She watched as the father who had long avoided talking about the war proudly pulled from his wallet a well-worn, black-and-white snapshot of the plane he piloted, nicknamed "Heaven Can Wait" with a scantily clad, shapely female painted near the cockpit.

She listened as he described German anti-aircraft artillery fire zeroing in on his plane. "I had to get out of there. All the flak ... they were awfully close." He described "red-lining" a landing, running the engines beyond safe speed. His voice suddenly choked.

"Oh, Dad!" said his daughter, and she hugged him tightly.

___

Contact reporter Dan Sewell at http://www.twitter.com/dansewell

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Panthers Beat 49ers 10-9 For 5th Straight Win

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SAN FRANCISCO -- SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Carolina's swarming, opportunistic defense stopped Colin Kaepernick in his tracks.

Drayton Florence intercepted a pass by Kaepernick in the final minute to seal a 10-9 victory Sunday to snap the San Francisco 49ers' five-game winning streak and give the Panthers their fifth straight win.

Graham Gano kicked a 53-yard field goal with 10:05 remaining that held up as the Panthers (6-3) twice shut down Colin Kaepernick on last-ditch drives with swarming defense.

DeAngelo Williams broke two tackles for a 27-yard touchdown run late in the first half that pulled Carolina within 9-7. Gano missed wide left on a 48-yard field goal in the third period, but came through later.

San Francisco (6-3) got the ball back with 5:25 left at its 1, then again with 1:02 to go.

Phil Dawson kicked a season-best 53-yard field goal among his three for the 49ers, who lost tight end Vernon Davis and rookie safety Eric Reid to concussions.

Carolina fumbled twice in the closing moments, but recovered each time. First, Jonathan Stewart fumbled and Mike Tolbert pounced on the ball. Cam recovered his own bobble.

This was hardly the highly touted showdown between 2011 No. 1 overall pick Newton and Kaepernick, the sixth quarterback drafted that year, in the second round. They roomed together during the scouting combine.

Kaepernick went 11 for 22 for 91 yards with an interception and was sacked six times for a 42.0 passer rating. Newton was only slightly better, going 16 of 32 for 169 yards, an interception and four sacks for a 52.7 rating.

For two teams that have been putting up points at a prolific pace for the past month, the defenses dictated this one.

More than losing the game, the 49ers' losses of Davis and Reid could be troublesome for the reigning NFC champions as they hit the road next week for New Orleans, then go to Washington.

Davis didn't return after sustaining a concussion in the second quarter, then Reid went down on a helmet-to-helmet hit on Mike Tolbert in the third. Earlier, Reid recovered a fumble to give him five takeaways in an already-stellar rookie season that also includes three interceptions.

Frank Gore had 16 carries for 82 yards, accounting for most of San Francisco's 151 total yards.

Dawson put San Francisco ahead on a 53-yard field goal on the team's opening drive, his longest kick of the year. He kicked second-quarter field goals of 43 and 25 yards.

But Kaepernick could never get his team in the end zone in its first game since a bye on the heels of a win over Jacksonville in London.

When San Francisco's Andy Lee had his punt blocked at the end of the first quarter, Florence tried to get out of the way, but went to grab the ball at the last second and it got away from him. Reid wrestled the ball from Josh Thomas for his second fumble recovery of the season and fifth takeaway.

Carolina got going after managing only minus-7 yards passing and 12 total yards in the first quarter. The Panthers finished with 250 total yards.

The 49ers also lost tight end Garrett Celek to a hamstring injury in the first quarter, while defensive tackle Ray McDonald hurt an ankle.

Panthers linebacker Chase Blackburn did not return in the second half because of a foot injury.

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org

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U.S. Dispatches Aid For Philippine Typhoon Recovery

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MANILA, Philippines -- MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A US military plane carrying relief supplies and a contingent of Marines has left the Philippine capital en route to the country's typhoon-devastated eastern seaboard.

The C-130 left Manila's Vilamor air base on Monday loaded with bottled water, generators wrapped in plastic, a forklift and two trucks.

It was the first American relief flight to the region, where thousands are feared dead and tens of thousands more homeless as a result of Friday's typhoon.

The flight was headed for Tacloban, a city badly hit by the storm and in desperate need of assistance.

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'60 Minutes' Apologizes For Benghazi Report: 'We Are Very Sorry'

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"60 Minutes" issued a brief on-air apology and correction on Sunday for its botched and mishandled report on the Benghazi attacks, but gave few details about the failures that led to its retraction of a piece it had staunchly defended.

Speaking about Dylan Davies, the discredited man at the heart of her piece, correspondent Lara Logan told viewers, "We realized we had been misled, and it was a mistake to include him in our report. For that, we are very sorry."

The venerable program was forced into an embarrassing retreat after it had defended itself for a week about the reliability of Davies, a British security officer. On Thursday night, it emerged that Davies—who had already admitted to lying to a superior about his whereabouts on the night of the attack—had also told the FBI he had been nowhere near the American compound when it took place, a statement completely at odds with the detailed, harrowing tale he told "60 Minutes."

It was the second on-air apology delivered by Logan. On Friday, she went on television to say that she was "wrong" to have put Davies on air.

Predictably, her Sunday mea culpa offered little insight into why Davies was chosen as the key source for the report, and why "60 Minutes" had so fervently defended him, even amid mounting evidence of his unreliability. Also unmentioned was what role, if any, corporate ties played in placing Davies at the heart of the piece. A conservative imprint of Simon and Schuster, which is also owned by CBS, had published a book about Benghazi by Davies. That book has since been recalled.

Many media observers pronounced themselves to be less than impressed:

Well, my prediction was accurate. A minimalist correction and apology from @60Minutes tonight. The very least they could admit to.

— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) November 11, 2013

A show w/ reporting legacy of 60 Minutes should have turned its reporting muscle back on itself to explain to viewers what happened, and why

— Gabriel Sherman (@gabrielsherman) November 11, 2013

'Report surfaced. We learned Thursday night. . . ' No mention that other reporters turned those items up. Not classy.

— mark seibel (@markseibel) November 11, 2013

CBS National Guard story: 4 fired producers, 1 demoted anchor, 1 canceled TV show (60 Mins II). Benghazi story? a 90 section 'correction'

— Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) November 11, 2013

"60 Minutes"apology not required.Answers to these questions are: Why did this happen? How will it never happen again? (Well?)

— vernejgay (@vernejgay) November 11, 2013

The retraction feels like it should have been longer, given magnitude of the mistake. Leaves many questions unanwered

— HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) November 11, 2013

mistakes were made #60Minutes

— Blake Hounshell (@blakehounshell) November 11, 2013

Have a feeling 60 Minutes is going to wish that apology had more time devoted to a commitment to act differently and less to sad feelings.

— Linda Holmes (@nprmonkeysee) November 11, 2013

Will be up to other journos to force CBS to do "60 Minutes" probe--clearly CBS terrified of it & where it will lead. http://t.co/huQdAK2NGe

— Greg Mitchell (@GregMitch) November 11, 2013

A few thoughts on 60 Minutes/Lara Logan's feebly bogus "correction" http://t.co/JUedT4SpMK

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) November 11, 2013

Media Matters, which led the charge against the report, issued a statement from its founder David Brock, who called the apology "wholly inadequate and entirely self-serving."

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Texas And 5 Other States Resist Processing Benefits For Gay Couples

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On the morning of Sept. 3, the first day the Pentagon said they could, Alicia Butler and her spouse, Judith Chedville, who is a Texas Army National Guard officer, went to Austin’s Camp Mabry so Ms. Butler could get a military spouse identification card and register for the same federal marriage benefits provided to wives and husbands of heterosexual service members.

Read the whole story at The New York Times

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Cory Booker Goes To Washington A Celebrity And Senator

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WASHINGTON -- WASHINGTON (AP) — When the U.S. Senate passed a bill to ban job discrimination against gay and transgender people, its newest member's first impulse was to yell with joy. Then he remembered where he was.

Instead, Cory Booker reached into his pocket for his phone.

"I got it all out via Twitter," said Booker, who has 1.4 million followers.

Booker, the 44-year-old Democratic former mayor of Newark, N.J., came into Congress as a rare freshman senator with celebrity status. He has been dubbed a rock star mayor by Oprah Winfrey, been called a hero for pulling a neighbor out of her burning home in 2012 and hobnobbed with Matt Damon.

During his first week in Congress, Booker tried to balance immersion in his new job with already standing out from his 99 colleagues on the staid Senate floor. Booker allowed The Associated Press to shadow his comings and goings.

"The model I've encouraged him to follow is Al Franken or Hillary Clinton," said Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, a Democrat and a friend of Booker's. "People who came to the Senate with big national profiles but demonstrated a willingness to do the work, dig in, go visit every corner of their state and really focus on home-state interests."

Coons came into the Senate after a special election in 2010. He is helping Booker, who also won a special election, navigate and knows what it's like to start the job with no orientation and a skeleton staff.

After a swearing-in Oct. 31 filled with media and supporters, Booker has mostly stayed out of the spotlight. He's studying the minutiae of Senate rules and has attended multitudes of meetings. He has worked out at the Senate gym to meet colleagues and attended a bipartisan prayer breakfast.

Known for his soaring oratory and confidence, he is now listening and asking questions, sometimes seeming overwhelmed or confused — and showing glimmers of his cheeky sense of humor amid the business of the day.

In his first committee hearing Wednesday, he joked that "I still have that new senator smell" after telling the leader of the Federal Emergency Management Agency that higher flood insurance rates would devastate parts of New Jersey.

He asked Vice President Joe Biden if he could crash on his couch. And he answered a Twitter question about his thoughts on workplace romances with: "Don't! Especially if u have 99 colleagues in 1 of the world's most august bodies."

He went to the White House twice. He joined a group of Democratic senators Wednesday and, hours after being sworn in, had a private visit with President Barack Obama.

"There was a guy with a football, and I grabbed it, and the president and I had a little catch," said Booker, who played football at Stanford. Obama, he said, complimented his spiral.

Booker was the first to arrive at a Democratic caucus lunch Tuesday, piling his plate with greens and vegetables. He peeled plastic wrap off of a bowl of dressing as Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu arrived. The two headed toward the back of the room and sat down.

"Sen. Menendez came in and said, 'That's my seat.' And of course I panicked," Booker said. "At first I'm like, 'Oh my God, did I really sit in his seat?' And another senator came in and tried to play the same trick on me."

Booker and his mother, Carolyn, met privately with Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. Booker's father, Cary, suffered a stroke in August shortly after moving to Las Vegas and days before Booker's Democratic primary. Reid visited his bedside, and when he died Oct. 10, Reid reached out to Booker and his family.

In many ways, Booker is just another guy getting used to a new job — learning the rules and his colleagues, just as they've all had to do at some point.

He took his first vote minutes after being sworn in and thought votes were cast by pushing a button or pulling a lever. Instead, he learned, "you raise your hand." On one vote, Booker missed his name while chatting with colleagues and flagged down the Senate clerk, voting yes with a thumbs-up.

He brought a congressional directory Thursday morning and watched each speaker intently, occasionally flipping through to match a senator with a photo. He is also learning how to navigate the labyrinth that is the Capitol and its office buildings.

"Is this the way home?" he asked his chief of staff as the two traversed the Senate basement.

He said he plans to advocate for New Jersey residents, hoping to ensure they receive unclaimed earned-income credits and helping victims of Superstorm Sandy. He met with an ethics officer to see how he can leverage private-public partnerships for New Jersey, as he did in Newark — most famously with a $100 million donation from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to the city schools.

And though he's been minding his manners, he's still the same Cory Booker. A stalwart supporter of gay rights, he finally let out that yell upon walking into his office after the job discrimination vote.

"Call everybody in New Jersey," Booker said to his staff, "and tell them we're one step closer to an equal nation."

___

Follow Zezima at www.twitter.com/katiezez

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'Downton Abbey' Renewed For Fifth Season

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NEW YORK -- NEW YORK (AP) — "Downton Abbey" will return for a fourth season in January, but now PBS is announcing the series will be back for at least one more after that.

"Masterpiece" executive producer Rebecca Eaton says Downton fans can "rest easy knowing that a fifth season is on the way."

The celebrated British costume drama focusing on the elite Crawley family will air its fourth season on "Masterpiece" beginning Jan. 5. Michelle Dockery, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern and Jim Carter are among its stars.

Earlier this year, more than 24 million viewers watched the third season of the series in the U.S., making it the most-watched drama in PBS history.

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Will Blackmon Touchdown: Jaguars CB Helps Seal Team's 1st Win Of Season With Fumble Return TD (VIDEO)

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Down 22-20 with 3:13 left in the game, Tennessee had a chance to deny Jacksonville of its first win of the season. That's when Jaguars cornerback Will Blackmon stepped in.

Titans back-up quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick dropped back on 3rd and 9 but immediately faced pressure. Blackmon got around the offensive line, took the ball out of Fitzpatrick's hands and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown.

The Titans scored in the final minute, but it wasn't enough as the Jaguars won their first game of the season, 29-27

“We have the ability. When we do the things we can control, it’s cool when it comes together," Blackmon said after the game, per Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union

ALSO: PHOTOS FROM NFL'S WEEK 10

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NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 10: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints congratulates Darren Sproles #43 following a touchdown during a game against the Dallas Cowboys at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on November 10, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

In this photograph taken with a fisheye lens, a United States flag covers the field at MetLife Stadium as the New York Giants observe the NFL's Salute to Service before a football game between the Giants and the Oakland Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Paul Kazdan)

St. Louis Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin celebrates a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

A man enjoys a beer while watching the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013 in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson, left, makes a touchdown catch as Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson defends during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning fumbles as he is hit by San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Tourek Williams during the third quarter of a NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in San Diego. The Chargers recovered the fumble and scored a touchdown a few plays later. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley (98) celebrates after making a tackle against Chicago Bears during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Chicago. The Lions won 21-19. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green reaches for a bobbled ball for a touchdown to tie the game as Baltimore Ravens cornerback Corey Graham looks during the second half of a NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green (18) celebrates his touchdown with teammate wide receiver Mohamed Sanu during the second half of a NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. Green grabbed a bobbled ball in the end zone to tie the game and send it into overtime. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders wearing Digital Camouflage uniforms in Salute to Service perform during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck fumbles as he's hit by St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn being blocked by tackle Anthony Castonzo during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. The Rams recovered and ran in for a touchdown. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) is sacked by San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks (55) during the first quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo sits on the bench in the second half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 10: Fans pose before a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome between the New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys on November 10, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver David Reed reaches into the end zone for an apparent touchdown after loosing his helmet under St. Louis Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson during the second half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. It was ruled a touchdown on the field but reversed on review. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) makes a touchdown reception against Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton passes the ball during the first half of a NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

Buffalo Bills' EJ Manuel passes during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew (32) gets past Tennessee Titans defenders Karl Klug (97) and Jurrell Casey (99) to score a touchdown on a 6-yard run in the first quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 10: Quarterback Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints takes the field before a game against the Dallas Cowboys at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on November 10, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco reacts to tight end Dallas Clark touch down catch during the first half of a NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Baltimore, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) runs into Atlanta Falcons cornerback Asante Samuel (22) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Denver Broncos tight end Julius Thomas crosses the goal line ahead of San Diego Chargers strong safety Marcus Gilchrist with an 85 yard touchdown reception in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday Nov. 10, 2013 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 10: Jeff Heath #38 of the Dallas Cowboys breaks up a pass intended for Lance Moore #16 of the New Orleans Saints during a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on November 10, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) works against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Robert Mathis, left, and nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin sit on the bench in the final minutes of the second half of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. The Rams defeated the Colts 38-8. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Chad Henne hands the ball off to running back Maurice Jones-Drew (32) in the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. Jones-Drew scored a touchdown on the play with a 6-yard run. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate (81) runs as Atlanta Falcons middle linebacker Omar Gaither (53) hits the turf during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Jacksonville Jaguars' LaRoy Reynolds (56) and J. T. Thomas (52) celebrate as they leave the field after they defeated the Tennessee Titans 29-27 in an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) is sacked by Oakland Raiders outside linebacker Sio Moore (55) and defensive end Jason Hunter (93) during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith can't hang onto a pass under pressure from Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Terence Newman (23) during the first half of a NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Green Bay Packers' Datone Jones tackles Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Chicago Bears defensive end David Bass (91) and teammates warm up near a goal post commemorating the NFL's "Salute to Service" before a football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

New York Giants guard David Diehl (66) gestures toward the crowd as he and teammates leave the field after warming up before an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Green Bay Packers' Clay Matthews wears a club on his hand during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 10: New Orleans Saints cheerleaders perform before a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome between the New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys on November 10, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Pittsburgh Steelers' Ryan Clark runs onto the field before an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers scrambles away from the Denver Broncos defense in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday Nov. 10, 2013 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck throws against the St. Louis Rams during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Detroit Lions wide receiver Kris Durham (18) makes a touchdown reception during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith, right, is tackled by San Francisco 49ers' NaVorro Bowman (53) during the third quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Green Bay Packers' Andrew Quarless is tripped up by Philadelphia Eagles' Roc Carmichael (21) after a catch during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Cassius Vaughn (32) recovers a fumble between \teammate strong safety Antoine Bethea, right, and St. Louis Rams tight end Jared Cook during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Joplo Bartu (59) hits Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Pittsburgh Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger passes during the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Cassius Vaughn, left, celebrates with teammate defensive end Ricky Jean Francois after recovering a fumble by the St. Louis Rams during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Green Bay Packers quarterback Scott Tolzien takes a snap during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Green Bay, Wis. Tolzien replaced an injured Seneca Wallace. (AP Photo/Tom Lynn)

Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) trips over Detroit Lions safety Louis Delmas (26) after making a reception during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) works against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) is sacked by Oakland Raiders outside linebacker Sio Moore (55) and defensive end Jason Hunter (93) during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

St. Louis Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) jumps into the arms of tackle Jake Long as he celebrates a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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'Science Selfies' Spotlight Scientists, Geeks Doing What They Love Best (PHOTOS)

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AppId is over the quota

Science is all around us, and nearly everyone can get involved -- from conducting a critical lab experiment to strolling through a natural history museum to simply browsing through a book on the Big Bang.

Whether you're a science nerd or a Nobel-prize winning scientist, we wanted to highlight YOU doing or simply enjoying science. So we asked readers to share their "science selfies" -- and here are our favorites. Click through and see if you can spot the girl who caught a bat... or the guy holding a real human brain!

Please share your own science selfies by adding them to the slideshow below.

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"Catching crayfish in Scotland."

"For all of my fellow bird nerds out there!"

"When our scientists' hands are busy with science, they get some help with their #scienceselfies." Here, physicist Farid El Gabaly aligns a battery electrode sample for analysis with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Celebrating Halloween at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, CA.

Junior high students experiment with fire in science class.

"I analyzed assimilable organic carbon in drinking water samples! "

A behind-the-scenes look into a quarantine area!

Posing like Einstein at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, CA.

"This is how I spend my holidays, in Costa Rica catching bats +beach time in between!"

"Spent a day doing field work electrofishing for research! A brook trout we caught!"

"Me doing a basic drug extraction!!!"

"Medicine is a science, and therefore I present Jack Sexton, CRNA!"

"Talkin bout autopsies all day."

"Nearby and in the distance exploration. Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. ? Carl Sagan." Taken at the Liberty Science Center.

"Love my job." At the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles.

"Data data data data data today's data data data."

"My kiddos a few years back @ Spark!Lab in DC."

"This #realtimechem video summarizes a standard day in a synth chem lab."

"Oh hi I just extracted a human brain."

"Inside a faraday cage with a human brain."

This is what a lot of science actually looks like... "Reading/correcting the Methods chapter of my student's PhD thesis."

"Imaging my cells on the fluorescent microscope."

"This weekend was spent playing with crayfish and an ROV. The ROV before use."

Taken at the Washington University in St. Louis: "@WUSTLdbbs and @WUSTLmedschool have lots of #scienceselfies."

"I'm a bookworm, a scientist, and world traveler."

In a science classroom.

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Lawrence Rothman's '#1 All Time Low' Video Is The Creepiest Thing You'll See Today

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Lawrence Rothman doesn't do everything the same way you do things. In the video for his lead single, "Montauk Fling," Rothman dressed himself as Elizabeth Taylor and seduced himself in a hotel room, and he returns with the haunting visuals for "#1 All Time Low" -- premiering exclusively on HuffPost Entertainment.

In the new dystopian video, a battered and bruised Rothman meanders through various scenes of a certain type of hell that make the grislier scenes in "Trainspotting" look like "Smurfs 2." Blood, dirty bathwater -- it's all there. David Bowie favorite Floria Sigismondi directed the video for the song.

"What I try to do during the 14 to 17 hours that i'm awake, and are participating in this rat race, is aim to experience shit that blows my mind and rattles the mundane cage of cynical normalcy," Rothman said. "Why? So that when I finally get chewed up and spit out on the other end I can say, 'Fuck it, that was great, those where the days of my life. This idea is the theme of my music."

"This video to cut to the chase, as everyone including myself, attention spam is about as long as a gif," he adds. "It's about me trying to do away with my adult jaded, cynical, self and push through a rebirth of sorts or a actually a reintroduction to my inner 'tween spirit' -- the part of me that doesn't give a fuck and goes with the flow, like when you're a kid and your parents are having a bitch-fest, but it doesn't phase you because you're too enthralled with building LEGO city."

Take a look below and let us know what you think in the comments. Viewer discretion is advised. Select tour dates follow.

10/29 - The Sebright Arms - London, UK
11/5 - Casbah - San Diego, CA (w/ Active Child)
11/23 - El Rey - Los Angeles, CA (w/ Active Child)

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The Republican Plot To Kill Obamacare -- New York Magazine

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New York:

The Republican party has voted unanimously against establishing the Affordable Care Act in the Senate and then in the House of Representatives, then voted some 40 times to repeal or cripple it; it has mounted a nearly successful campaign to nullify it through the courts and a failed presidential campaign that promised to repeal it; and it has used its control of state governments to block the law's implementation across vast swaths of the country, at enormous economic cost to those states. Yet somehow, in the wake of all this, the party is consumed with the question Have we done enough to stop Obamacare?

Read the whole story at New York

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James Franco Gay Jokes During Comedy Central's Roast Discussed On 'The Rubin Report'

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Dave Rubin of "The Rubin Report" took Comedy Central to task over the barrage of gay jokes directed at James Franco during its roast of the Academy Award-nominated actor earlier this month. (WARNING: contains graphic language)

Joining Rubin were comedian Erin Foley and producer Jayar Jackson, both of whom were critical of the event.

"This was just was another example of what happens in comedy clubs across the country -- it's just stupid straight dudes making stupid gay jokes," Foley said. "They don't know James Franco ... honestly, it's absolutely ridiculous."

Jackson minced even fewer words, noting, "Call it a written sh*t talk night rather than a roast."

For his part, Franco doesn't seem to mind the gay speculation. Last week, he told The Daily Beast: "I don’t even care if people think I’m gay, so it was like, 'Awesome!' I mean, I wish I was. … I wish I was gay."

For more on "The Rubin Report," click here.

Also on HuffPost:

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Looking For The Bed Of Your Dreams? Think Outside The Box Spring With These Fanciful Roosts

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We all know a bed should be comfortable. But there's something else a bed should be: welcoming. At the end of a long day, when you walk into your bedroom, your heartbeat should slow as you look at this refuge from a fast-paced world. Maybe I expect too much from my bed; but, unless you're an insomniac, one-third of every day is spent in it. It should be calmingly pretty. Maybe even pretty outrageously cool, pulling you onto it, like a magic carpet ride into your dreams. At least, that's what the following beds do for their owners.

Read the whole story at www.houzz.com

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Kelly Rowland Works On Her Ab-Fab Fitness

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AppId is over the quota

Kelly Rowland has one of the most enviable sets of abs in Tinseltown.

The singer, who made a body-baring splash on this month's cover of Shape, showed how she carves those muscles.

It's all thanks to trainer Jeanette Jenkins! Rowland says the trainer's star plank (which she easily executed above) is one of her favorite moves from Jenkins' latest video.

"The Hollywood Trainer" definitely gets the Destiny's Child diva's seal of approval -- the two teamed up for a workout DVD, "Sexy Abs Cardio Sculpt," which will be released Oct. 1.

Those abs are enough "Motivation" for us. We're sold, Kelly!

Also on HuffPost:

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Getting Off A Train Is Better When Greeted By This Friendly Russian Boy (VIDEO)

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This Russian kid doesn't know any of these people, but that doesn't stop him from greeting every single one of them as they leave the train, and it's pretty cute. He definitely has a future as a politician.

But, uh, what's with that shirtless guy?

Also on HuffPost:

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How World Bank Plans To Eliminate Extreme Poverty, Boost Incomes Of Poorest By 2030

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By Anna Yukhananov

WASHINGTON, Sept 16 (Reuters) - The World Bank, faced with a tight budget and greater competition for development funds, aims to become more selective in its lending, focusing on fragile states, sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and other areas where it can have the greatest impact, according to a draft strategy paper obtained by Reuters.

The 42-page paper, presented to the bank's executive board last week, is the first major strategic review under World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.

It offers the first concrete details of how the World Bank plans to fulfill his twin goals of eliminating extreme poverty by 2030 and boosting the incomes of the poorest 40 percent of the population in each country.

However, the strategy paper is still vague about what exact programs the bank will cut or bolster, and how it will change its budget to reflect new priorities and falling revenue.

When asked for comment, World Bank spokesman David Theis declined to elaborate further on the plan.

Founded after World War II to help rebuild Europe, the World Bank later focused on lending money to developing countries in order to improve the lives of poor people.

The global lender is praised for its worldwide reach, stringent standards and long-term focus. But it has also been criticized for avoiding risks, delaying approval of projects, not responding enough to what countries want, and focusing more on pushing money out the door rather than program outcomes.

Kim, who came to the helm of the multilateral development institution a little over a year ago, has launched a major reorganization to change all that, driving an emphasis on flexibility, measurable impact, and evidence, or what he calls "the science of delivery."

The draft strategy acknowledges the World Bank has become less important to the growth of many middle-income countries, which can rely more on private funding and bilateral loans from emerging markets like China.

The World Bank also admits it has limited funds to tackle the needs of the developing world, where new infrastructure projects alone will require $1.5 trillion in funding a year.

Instead, the World Bank wants to reposition itself as a "solutions" bank, offering not only financing but also its knowledge of how to solve common development challenges.

"The World Bank Group's role in knowledge, convening and global advocacy has increased relative to its role in providing finance," the paper said.

Keeping the bank relevant means focusing on areas where other donors are reluctant to go, such as fragile and conflict-affected states, by 2015 home to half of the world's poorest people.

The World Bank said it also plans to use its projects and global presence to share data and promote better policies in areas like climate change.

To help address countries' needs and better coordinate development policies, the bank also plans to work more closely with other development agencies like the United Nations and with philanthropic organizations.

And it wants to promote more private-public partnerships for basic services like health, education and housing - to the consternation of some non-profit organizations that argue such programs have mixed records for helping the poor.

BUDGET CUTS

As part of the new strategy, the World Bank also plans to make some cuts to its budget. Operating in fragile states, collecting data to measure countries' progress, and ensuring a global presence have strained the bank's administrative funds.

And less lending to middle-income or stable countries also means less revenue, as the bank has made money from interest-bearing loans.

"Maintaining a minimum scale of operations is important if the World Bank Group is to influence the policy agenda and support clients in delivering effective development solutions," the paper said.

"Although the World Bank Group does not face immediate financial concerns, its financial capacity will need to be strengthened," the paper added.

The bank said it will have to be selective in what it does and make cuts to certain programs, without specifying further. It is also considering relying more on fees for advisory services and on money from trust funds, or earmarked funds from governments for specific projects.

Trust funds already account for one of every 10 dollars the bank disburses to governments, according to the paper.

The new budget will be implemented for the next fiscal year, which begins in July 2014, and may be one of the thorniest issues for the bank to resolve as it decides which departments and programs must shrink.

Changing the bank's internal culture may also pose a threat to the success of the new strategy, according to several outside analysts who reviewed the paper.

Part of the new focus means integrating the work of the bank with the activities of its private sector lending arm, the International Finance Corporation, and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, which insures investments in difficult environments.

The three agencies work with different clients and may have different approaches to specific projects, creating conflicts of interest.

The details of how the bank will change its internal organization to align with the new strategy will be presented later in an "Implementation Paper."

For now, the draft strategy will go to the governments of the World Bank's members for approval, before being formally presented during the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in early October. (Reporting by Anna Yukhananov; Editing by Andrea Ricci)

Earlier on HuffPost:

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NBC, CBS Retract Identity Of Navy Yard Shooter

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NBC and CBS were forced to retract initial reports about the identity of the shooter responsible for the deaths and injuries at the Navy Yard in Washington on Monday.

Both networks identified the same man as the shooter, and then had to walk those reports back:

BREAKING. @johnmillercbs advises the initial reports identifying the suspected shooter as Rollie Chance are wrong.

— Charlie Kaye (@CharlieKayeCBS) September 16, 2013

NBC News: we are now NOT reporting name of shooter; retracting that report. deleting those tweets

— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) September 16, 2013

NBC's Pete Williams said the error came from sources who found an ID card that looked like the suspected gunman:

.@PeteWilliamsNBC says name circulating "is not the shooter," but the name of a man who dropped ID card. #NavyYardShooting

— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) September 16, 2013

The false reports were perhaps the most prominent errors in a day filled with confusing and contradictory information.

The shooter was later identified as Aaron Alexis, a 34-year-old from Fort Worth, Texas.

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Health Care Polls Find Obamacare Unpopular On Eve Of Rollout

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The Affordable Care Act is more unpopular than ever, with those who disapprove divided over whether the law should be reformed or scrapped, according to a Pew Research/USA Today poll released Monday.

Forty-two percent of Americans approved of the law, while 53 percent disapproved. That's the highest rate of disapproval that Pew has found since the law's passage in 2010. Attitudes among the uninsured were somewhat more positive, with 49 percent approving and 46 percent disapproving.

An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, also released Monday, found similar opposition, with 44 percent of Americans calling the health care law a bad idea and 31 percent calling it a good idea. NBC posted a range of respondents' explanations for their opinions, from fears about "death panels" and rising costs, to happiness that preexisting conditions are covered and young adults can be covered by their parents' insurance.

HuffPost Pollster's average of all available public polls puts disapproval of Obamacare at about 53 percent.

In the Pew survey, those who disapproved of the health care law split on what lawmakers should do next: 27 percent of all respondents said lawmakers should try to make Obamacare work as well as possible, and 23 percent said they seek to make it fail.

"This strategic question is a particular point of conflict within the Republican Party," the Pew report says. Republicans as a whole were just slightly more likely to want the law to fail than to want it improved, while 64 percent of tea party Republicans wanted the law to fail.

Americans were almost evenly split on which party they trusted more to handle health care. Forty percent said they believe the Republican Party would do a better job dealing with health care, while 39 percent preferred the Democrats. It's the first time a Pew poll has found the GOP ahead on health care since at least 1990. While the size of Democrats' edge has varied widely in the past, a December 2012 poll put them 10 points ahead of Republicans on the issue.

More than three years after the Affordable Care Act was passed, 34 percent still said they didn't have a good understanding of how the law affects them. Just 51 percent knew that a health insurance exchange will be available in their state. Awareness of the exchanges was significantly higher in states that chose to run their own exchanges or partner with the federal government than in states where the exchanges will be run by the federal government.

The NBC/WSJ poll similarly found that only 30 percent said they understand the health care law "very well" or "pretty well."

"As it turns out, that 30 percent has more positive opinions about the health-care law (42 percent good idea, 45 percent bad idea), versus the 34 percent who don't understand it very well (17 percent good idea, 44 percent bad idea)," NBC's Mark Murray wrote.

The Pew/USA Today poll surveyed 1,504 adults between Sept. 4 and Sept. 8, while the NBC/WSJ poll surveyed 1,000 adults between Sept. 5 and Sept. 8. Both used live telephone interviews.

Also on HuffPost:

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Joe Biden Addresses Navy Yard Shooting

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SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Vice President Joe Biden says a shooting Monday at the Washington Navy Yard is a "God-awful reminder" of the need for Americans to stay vigilant.

He says he's confident the nation will get to the bottom of the situation.

Biden says the situation is still unfolding, but that his heart and sorrow goes out to all those affected. He says the tragedy is almost unthinkable.

The shooting rampage in the heart of a U.S. Navy left at least 12 people dead. One shooter was killed, but police were looking for one other possible gunman.

Biden spoke at a port in Savannah during an event highlighting the need to invest in U.S. infrastructure. He was being briefed Monday by his national security team as he visited South Carolina and Georgia.

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A Lot Of People Are Very Upset That An Indian-American Woman Won The Miss America Pageant

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Sunday night Nina Davuluri, Miss New York, was crowned the winner the 2014 Miss America Pageant. She is the first contestant of Indian descent to be crowned Miss America.

When her win was announced, Twitter immediately exploded with hateful tweets, with people calling her Arab.

Read the whole story at BuzzFeed

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Thousands Cited For Having Pot On Federal Land

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TACOMA, Wash. -- Karen Strand didn't think she'd get in trouble for having a small container of medical marijuana when she went hiking in Olympic National Park this summer.

President Barack Obama, she remembered, had said the federal government had "bigger fish to fry" than people who follow state marijuana laws, and Washington state had just legalized pot.

But a ranger pulled her over on a remote gravel road, and Strand wound up as one of at least 27,700 people cited for having pot on federal land since 2009, according to an Associated Press analysis of federal court data. The number of citations is small compared to the hundreds of millions of visitors to national parks, forests and monuments each year.

But it nevertheless illustrates one of the many issues Washington, Colorado and other states face in complying with last month's Justice Department memo that requires them to address eight federal law enforcement priorities if they want to regulate marijuana. Among those priorities is keeping marijuana use and possession off federal property.

State officials have no plans to license pot gardens or stores on federal land, but beyond that, they say, it's not clear what they can do to discourage backpackers or campers from bringing a few joints into Rocky Mountain or Mount Rainier National Park.

"It's not one of the big topics we've talked a lot about," said Jaime Smith, a spokeswoman for Washington Gov. Jay Inslee.

Other concerns on the DOJ's list include keeping marijuana away from kids and cartels, preventing drugged driving and pot-related gun violence, and keeping unregulated marijuana grows from spoiling federal land.

Thousands of people receive tickets every year charging them with having pot on U.S. property – a federal misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a $5,000 fine. The charges typically don't result in jail time, but often do require at least one court appearance. They are frequently negotiated down to an infraction, akin to a traffic ticket, and a fine of up to a few hundred dollars.

Through the first seven months of this year, at least 146 people had been cited in Washington for having pot on federal land, which makes up nearly one-third of the state. At least 135 had been cited in Colorado. Washington's figure is slightly below the same period for the past few years, while Colorado's is roughly on track.

The number of people cited nationally has dropped, from 6,282 in 2009 to 5,772 in 2012, and is on pace to hit about 5,300 this year, according to data from the U.S. Courts Central Violations Bureau. The citations were issued at national parks, seashores, forests, military bases and monuments. There were even 10 tickets issued at the Pentagon.

Officials say the actual numbers are likely greater: Park rangers and other federal agents sometimes simply write on the ticket that the offender had a controlled substance, without specifying the drug.

Defendants say being prosecuted for having tiny amounts of pot on U.S. land – especially in Washington, Colorado and states with medical marijuana laws – belies the administration's assertions that going after people who comply with state marijuana laws is not a priority. The DOJ first announced that position in a 2009 memo, though the fine print also made clear that pot isn't welcome on federal property.

Strand, 36, was pulled over for having a broken taillight, and the ranger reported that he could smell fresh pot. She was ticketed for having 2 grams – far less than the ounce, or 28 grams, allowed by Washington's recreational pot law, or the 24 ounces allowed by the state's medical marijuana law.

"It is exceptionally confusing," she said.

One morning this month, Strand sat in a small, crowded room at the federal courthouse in Tacoma for her initial appearance on charges of marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia – a pipe.

Near her sat her husband as well as several other people caught with weed on federal land, including a 21-year-old man who was accused of having 0.1 grams during a traffic stop on a highway that skirts Mount Rainier National Park.

"I just thought it was legal now," Jonah Hunt said. "I didn't know I was on federal land."

Barbara Sievers, the assistant U.S. attorney handling the cases, informed the defendants their charges would not be dismissed.

"Regardless of whatever happened in the state, it's federal law, and it's federal property," she said.

Former school teacher Melanie Cease, of Seattle, said a park ranger approached her one day in June at a secluded campsite in Olympic National Park. He came to make sure her dog was on a leash, but then saw an empty pipe on the picnic table.

With his hand on his gun, she said, the ranger demanded she turn over whatever pot she had. Cease, 48, was cited for having a "trace amount," according to the ranger's report.

"I've never been arrested in my life, and now I'm being threatened with six months in jail and a $5,000 fine for using my medicine?" she said. "It was my understanding the government was not going to mess with individual patients."

Strand and Cease both pleaded not guilty, and their cases were set for trial in October.

Strand and her husband, Thomas, said they remain troubled by what they said felt like harassment from the park ranger. He repeatedly placed his hand on his gun when speaking to them, they said.

"It's a beautiful place up there," Thomas Strand said. "And I don't know if I'll ever go back."

___

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Peter Pilotto For Target Is The Best News We've Heard All Week

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Best news out of London Fashion Week so far? Peter Pilotto is partnering with Target!

That's right, the London-based design house used its Spring 2014 runway show this afternoon to drop the news that it's designing a line to be sold across the US and Canada at Target. The collection, which will feature women's apparel, accessories and swimwear, will debut Feb. 9th, 2014, and be mostly priced under $60.

Yup, you're going to want to queue up early for this one, folks. Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, the brand's designers, have mastered the art of printed, daring silhouettes and have landed the likes of Kerry Washington, Miranda Kerr and Selena Gomez on best-dressed lists. We can't wait to see what the duo dreams up for Target's spring line, since, unlike their usual pricey fare, we'll actually be able to afford these pieces. (If we have any more money left after purchasing the fall Phillip Lim for Target line, that is.)

And don't think Peter Pilotto's forgotten its international customers; a handful of the pieces will be available on Net-A-Porter.com. So get ready to fight your way through the Target aisles -- or the e-commerce sphere -- come February.

See some stars in Peter Pilotto to get an idea of the brand's aesthetic:

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Want more? Be sure to check out HuffPost Style on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram at @HuffPostStyle.

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Space Tourist Dennis Tito On Using Bathroom In Space: 'I Hadn't Had Toilet Training In 60 Years'

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NEW YORK – As microgravity makes even the most mundane tasks tricky, going to the bathroom in space can be a chore. How astronauts take care of that basic human necessity while in orbit has been a point of perennial fascination for the Earth-bound public.

For a moment during a Sept. 4 talk here at the Explorers Club, two of the world's first space tourists who paid their way to the International Space Station traded stories about their space toilet training, or actually the lack of training.

The Explorers Club was holding an event with former NASA astronaut Owen Garriott and his son, gaming legend Richard Garriott, perhaps best known for creating the Ultima role-playing series. They are the only American father-son team to have both gone to space. [Photos: Space Tourist Richard Garriott, an Astronaut Legacy]

While Owen Garriott flew with NASA aboard U.S. space station Skylab and the space shuttle Columbia, his son became a spaceflyer in his own right in 2008 after using his gaming fortune to buy a multimillion-dollar ticket to the space station aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule.

Adventurer and journalist Jim Clash interviewed the duo in front of a small audience and afterwards gave the night's first question to another private spaceflyer in the room: American businessman Dennis Tito.

A longtime space enthusiast, Tito made his millions in the world of finance, but was once an engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Widely considered the first space tourist, Tito paid the Russians a reported $20 million for his 2001 flight to the space station.

The younger Garriott earlier in the night said he used to look at Tito and think, "That's the guy that got my seat!" Garriott's long-held aspirations to go to space — first dashed when he learned his eyesight was below NASA standards — had to be postponed for a few years after his wealth took a hit in the dot-com crash.

A view of the toilet compartment in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station (ISS).

Tito stood up to ask his question and paused before saying, "One experience that people always ask me about is, 'How do you go to the bathroom in space?'"

As the audience laughed, Owen Garriott jumped in to add: "Elementary school children, usually."

But Tito continued, saying that despite his eight months of training with the Russians, he wasn't all that prepared to go the bathroom in space.

"I guess the Russians really don't like to talk about these things — they have funny attitudes," Tito said. "So I got on board the station and the first thing that happened was Jim Voss, an American astronaut, gave me toilet trailing."

"Now, I hadn't had toilet training in 60 years," Tito added. "So I was wondering, did you get toilet training on the ground?"

Richard Garriott, who trained with the Russians, too, corroborated Tito's story.

"It is hilarious because every other system — everything except the toilet — you use the exact hardware you will use in space on the ground," Garriott said.

Garriott said he had a cheat sheet for which switches to turn on for when he needed to use the space commode, the toilet does not work the same way as it does on the ground.

"Gravity's actually really important for how to separate yourself from your waste and there's no discussion of that," Garriott said.

Richard Garriott as seen in "Man on a Mission," a film by Mike Woolf.

His father chimed in to give a perspective from the U.S. side, and discussed his training with NASA ahead of his 60-day stint in space during the Skylab 3 mission in 1973.

"We did receive proper training," the elder Garriott said. "For urination it's a very simple thing ... Urination is not a problem. Defecation is what you're concerned about."

Garriott said the Skylab astronauts used a simulator toilet mounted over a camera so that they could check their positioning on the ground before using the commode in space. All three Skylab crews out also brought home all of their waste to be examined by scientists, Garriott added, remarking that they never had a single toilet failure while in flight.

"One thing NASA did right," he quipped.

Follow Megan Gannon on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @SPACEdotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on SPACE.com.

Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Also on HuffPost:

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New Genetic Clues to Severe Childhood Epilepsy

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Exome sequencing technique may lead to discoveries about many diseases, researchers say

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

SUNDAY, Aug. 11 (HealthDay News) -- A new technique used to identify genes associated with severe forms of childhood epilepsy could be used to find and confirm other gene mutations that cause neurological disorders, researchers report.

The scientists performed a technique called exome sequencing to search for non-inherited gene mutations associated with epilepsy in 264 children whose parents do not have epilepsy. They identified 25 such mutations in six genes: two new genes and four that had been previously linked with epilepsy.

The two forms of epilepsy associated with these gene mutations are called infantile spasms and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, according to the study, which was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and published Aug. 7 in the journal Nature.

Exomes represent all of a person's genes. Their DNA sequences provide the instructions for building all the proteins made by the body. The study authors said their findings suggest that exome sequencing may be a highly effective way to find and confirm many disease-causing gene mutations.

"It appears that the time for using this approach to understand complex neurological disorders has arrived," study co-leader David Goldstein, director of the Human Genome Variation Center at Duke University Medical Center, said in an NIH news release.

"This moderately sized study identified an unusually large number of disease-causing mutations and provides a wealth of new information for the epilepsy research community to explore," he said.

More than 2 million people in the United States have epilepsy, and infants and children are more likely to have epilepsy than adults. Some studies have identified genes associated with rare inherited forms of epilepsy, but finding genes associated with the majority of epilepsies has been difficult.

"Unlike some diseases, many of the genetic mutations associated with severe childhood epilepsies appear to be new mutations that are not inherited," Randall Stewart, a program director at the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, said in the news release.

The researchers estimated that up to 90 genes could have epilepsy-causing mutations and that many of the mutations associated with epilepsy risk have previously been linked to other neurodevelopmental diseases, including autism.

"It appears that a few pathways may be responsible for many severe pediatric epilepsies," Goldstein said. "If true, then understanding epilepsies will be more manageable and we can find common pathways to target with drugs and other therapies."

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Genetic Overlap Seen in Five Mental Disorders

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Strongest link between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, researchers say

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

SUNDAY, Aug. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Five major mental disorders share common inherited genetic variations, a new study finds.

The overlap is highest between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (15 percent), moderate between bipolar disorder and depression and between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression (about 10 percent), and lowest between schizophrenia and autism (3 percent).

Overall, common genetic variations accounted for 17 percent to 28 percent of risk for the five mental disorders, according to the study published in the Aug. 11 issue of the journal Nature Genetics, which the researchers say is the largest genome-wide study of its kind.

The project involved more than 300 scientists at 80 research centers in 20 countries and was supported by the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

The investigators analyzed the genomes of several thousand people with the five mental disorders and people without the disorders.

"Since our study only looked at common gene variants, the total genetic overlap between the disorders is likely higher," study co-leader Naomi Wray, of the University of Queensland in Australia, said in an NIMH news release. "Shared variants with smaller effects, rare variants, mutations, duplications, deletions, and gene-environment interactions also contribute to these illnesses."

The genetic overlap between schizophrenia and depression could prove important in terms of research and diagnosing patients, according to the study authors. They expected to see more overlap between ADHD and autism, but said the moderate overlap between schizophrenia and autism is consistent with emerging evidence.

"Such evidence quantifying shared genetic risk factors among traditional psychiatric diagnoses will help us move toward classification that will be more faithful to nature," said Bruce Cuthbert, director of the NIMH's adult translational research and treatment development division. Cuthbert is also the coordinator of an NIMH project that is working to develop a mental disorders classification system for research based more on underlying causes.

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Childhood Tummy Aches May Be Tied to Adult Anxiety, Depression

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Study looked at young adults a decade later

By Denise Mann

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Stomach pain is a common childhood complaint, and now a new study suggests it may place some kids at higher risk for anxiety disorders or depression as adults.

The researchers compared 332 young adults, aged around 20, who had abdominal pain as children to 147 participants who did not. Of those who had suffered from stomach pain, 51 percent had an anxiety disorder during their lifetime, and 30 percent had one currently. By contrast, only 20 percent of adults without stomach pain as children had an anxiety disorder.

"A decade later, individuals who had stomach pain continued to have high rates of anxiety disorders, even if they no longer had stomach pain," said study author Lynn Walker, a professor of pediatrics at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

Moreover, 40 percent of young men and women who had abdominal pain as children had depression during their lifetime, compared with 16 percent of adults who didn't have stomach pain, according to the study, which was published online Aug. 12 and in the September print issue of the journal Pediatrics.

Exactly how stomach pain and anxiety are linked is not entirely clear, but "anxiety related to the pain, or even anxiety related to other things in the child's life, can exacerbate the pain and lead to increased suffering and disability," Walker said.

To break the cycle early, parents of children who complain of stomach pain should first take their child to the doctor to see if anything is going on medically, she said.

"If no significant disease is found, parents should encourage their children to continue their regular activities even if they are having pain or anticipate that they might have pain," Walker said. "When children stay home from school and other activities, they get behind in schoolwork and peer relationships, which increases stress, which in turn increases their suffering."

It spirals from there. "As they discontinue activities and isolate themselves socially, they have more time to focus on the pain and worry about it," she said. "As they fall behind their peers, they have additional things to worry about."

In the study, social anxiety disorder -- a paralyzing fear of being judged by others -- occurred among a quarter of children with stomach pain.

Experts agreed that parents should seek help early for kids with recurrent stomach pain to try to reduce the risk of anxiety and depression.

"Parents should take an active role in their child's life by seeking both medical attention and supportive counseling for their child. This will prevent potential worsening of anxiety, and will help children learn better ways of coping with stressors that may exacerbate their pain," said Dr. Scott Krakower, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, N.Y.

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Cigarette Taxes Deter Heavy Drinking, Study Suggests

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Smoking increases risk for problematic drinking, researcher notes

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Aug. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Higher cigarette taxes help reduce drinking among certain groups of people, U.S. researchers say.

To assess the impact that increases in cigarette taxes between 2001-02 and 2004-05 had on drinking behavior, researchers analyzed data from more than 21,000 drinkers who took part in a survey from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

The cigarette tax increases were associated with modest to moderate reductions in drinking among "vulnerable groups," according to the study, which was published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

"Results suggest that increases in cigarette taxes were associated with reductions in alcohol consumption over time among male smokers," corresponding author Sherry McKee, an associate professor of psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine, said in a journal news release. "The protective effects were most pronounced among subgroups who are most at risk for adverse alcohol-related consequences, including male heavy drinkers, young adults and those with the lowest income."

Smoking and heavy drinking occur together at very high rates, McKee said, noting that tobacco can enhance the subjective effects of alcohol and has been shown to increase the risk for heavy and problematic drinking.

Cigarette taxes, meanwhile, have been recognized as one of the most significant policy instruments to reduce smoking, McKee said. "By increasing the price of cigarettes, taxes are thought to encourage smokers to reduce their use of cigarettes or quit altogether, and discourage non-smokers from starting to smoke," she said.

Christopher Kahler, professor and chairman of the department of behavioral and social sciences at Brown School of Public Health, welcomed the new study. "These findings suggest that if states increase taxes on cigarettes, they are not only likely to reduce smoking -- based on a large body of literature -- but they also may have a modest impact on heavy drinking rates among men, those with lower income and those who drink most heavily," he said in the news release.

"In other words, policies that target one specific health behavior may have broader benefits to public health by affecting additional health behaviors that tend to co-occur with the targeted health behavior," he said.

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Asian Tiger Mosquito Could Spread U.S. Disease

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Present in more than half of states, the bloodthirsty parasite transmits a host of viruses

By Alan Mozes

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Aug. 9 (HealthDay News) -- What's striped black-and-white, packs a nasty bite and is a tireless spreader of disease? No, it's not a B-movie horror creature -- it's the Asian tiger mosquito.

And though a relative newcomer to the American scene, experts now warn that this intruder is starting to create a fearsome buzz, with the potential to cause havoc across the United States. So far, however, it hasn't led to widespread disease in this country.

"What we have here is an invasive daytime-feeding, disease-carrying mosquito that, since it first arrived on the East Coast in the 1980s, has been pretty aggressive in mowing down its natural competitors," said Gabe Hamer, a clinical assistant professor in the department of entomology at Texas A&M University. "And now it's really starting to move through the country in full force."

"That makes it, at the very least, a nuisance and an annoyance," Hamer explained. "And at worst, a serious vector for major pathogens."

On its Asian home turf, the mosquito is a well-known carrier of dengue fever, with West Nile fever, yellow fever, and encephalitis among the other debilitating illnesses for which it has been pegged as a transmitter.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the mosquito has so far been identified as a host for five different viruses in the United States. Two of those -- encephalomyelitis and Cache Valley -- can infect humans, while the others are a threat to dogs, cats, birds and other animals.

But U.S. experts are perhaps most alarmed that this mosquito potentially could become a prime North American vector for a particularly nasty joint and muscle pain illness for which there is neither a vaccine nor treatment: the Chikungunya virus.

Such concerns have escalated in light of recent research, such as that funded by the U.S. National Institute for Food and Agriculture, and reported in the January issue of PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, which cautions that an imminent mosquito-driven American outbreak of the Chikungunya virus is a very real threat.

"The ongoing invasion of the Asian tiger mosquito in the U.S.A. represents an important risk," agreed Diego Ruiz-Moreno, a postdoctoral associate in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology at Cornell University, who led the recent study. "Mainly because of the potential for disease to spread."

Otherwise known as Aedes albopictus, the CDC notes that the Asian tiger mosquito was first spotted on the U.S. mainland in 1985. Since that initial Houston sighting, it has spread across 26 states, moving as far north as Chicago, as far east as Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as far west as Nebraska, and across a broad swath of the South, including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.

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Childhood Abuse Linked to Later Thyroid Problems for Women

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Stress hormone in 'fight-or-flight' reaction may be involved, researcher suggests

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Women who suffered physical abuse during childhood are at increased risk for thyroid problems, according to a new study.

"We found a significant association with thyroid disorders for women who were abused during childhood," lead author Esme Fuller Thomson, professor and chair at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Social Work, said in a university news release.

"We originally thought the link would be explained by factors such as daily stress, smoking or alcohol abuse -- characteristics associated with both childhood physical abuse and thyroid disorders -- but even after adjusting for 14 potential explanatory factors, women who had been physically abused in childhood had 40 percent higher odds of thyroid disorders than their non-abused peers," Fuller Thomson said.

Researchers analyzed data from about 13,000 Canadian adults. More than 1,000 of the women reported being physically abused before they turned 18 and about 900 said they had been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder.

The study was published online July 29 in the Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma.

Long-term effects of childhood physical abuse on the thyroid "may be due to the way early traumas change the way an individual reacts to stress throughout life," study co-author Loriena Yancura, an associate professor in the family and consumer sciences department at the University of Hawaii, said in the news release.

"One important avenue for future research is to investigate potential dysfunctions in the production of the 'fight-or-flight' hormone, cortisol, among survivors of abuse," she added.

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Sense of Smell Determined by Genes, Study Says

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Ability to detect certain scents is highly individual, research suggests

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Genetic differences appear to explain why some people can smell certain odors and others can't, researchers say.

Using 10 different odors, the researchers tested nearly 200 people for their smell sensitivity and then analyzed the participants' DNA. For four of the odors tested, there was a link between smell sensitivity and certain genetic variants.

The four odors are malt, apple, blue cheese and violets, according to the findings, published online Aug. 1 in the journal Current Biology.

"We were surprised how many odors had genes associated with them. If this extends to other odors, then we might expect everyone to have their own unique set of smells that they are sensitive to," research team co-leader Jeremy McRae, of Plant and Food Research in New Zealand, said in a journal news release.

"These smells are found in foods and drinks that people encounter every day, such as tomatoes and apples. This might mean that when people sit down to eat a meal, they each experience it in their own personalized way," McRae said.

He and his colleagues also found that people's ability to smell these four odors was the same worldwide. That means that someone in Asia is just as likely to be able to smell one of the odors as someone in Africa or Europe.

The ability to smell one of these odors doesn't predict the ability to smell the others, the study also found. So if someone is good at smelling blue cheese, it doesn't mean they'll be good at smelling an apple next to it.

The genetic variants that affect the ability to smell these four odors are in or near genes that encode odorant receptors. The researchers explained that odor receptor molecules sit on the surface of sensory nerve cells in the nose. When certain chemical compounds float in the air, the nerve cells send a signal to the brain and give you the perception of a smell.

Richard Newcomb, co-leader of the project, said that knowing the compounds that people can sense in foods, as well as other products, will influence the development of future products. "Companies may wish to design foods that better target people based on their sensitivity, essentially developing foods and other products personalized for their taste and smell," he said in the news release.

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Could Dietary Tweaks Ease Type 1 Diabetes?

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Foods rich in amino and fatty acids may help preserve insulin production, study suggests

By Serena Gordon

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Aug. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Eating foods that contain certain nutrients may help people with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes continue producing some insulin for as long as two years, a new study finds.

Although eating such foods doesn't alter the need to take insulin injections to treat type 1 diabetes, foods with leucine -- an amino acid -- and with omega-3 fatty acids may mean that less insulin is needed, according to the new research.

"After the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, a branch-chain amino acid and long-chain fatty acid were related to C-peptide levels, which are important because they've been shown to improve control of glucose, and maybe help prevent complications," said Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, the study's lead author.

This is "very early work," however, and parents of children with type 1 diabetes need to continue to follow their child's doctor's orders with regard to insulin and any other medications, said Mayer-Davis, professor of nutrition and medicine and interim chairwoman of the department of nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Foods containing leucine include dairy products, meat, soy products, eggs, nuts and whole wheat. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fatty fish, especially salmon.

At least one expert wasn't convinced that these foods could make a difference in insulin production in patients with type 1 diabetes.

"Nutrition in type 1 diabetes is very difficult to evaluate," said Dr. Joel Zonszein, director of the Clinical Diabetes Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. "It's possible that nutrition has a small effect, but people have been trying to connect nutrition to type 1 [diabetes] for more than 30 years. This study will not change my practice."

Type 1 diabetes is believed to be an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and eventually destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.

Insulin is a hormone that's necessary to metabolize the carbohydrates in food. When carbohydrates are processed into glucose, insulin helps that glucose get into the body's cells to be used as fuel for the body and brain. Without insulin, glucose can't enter the cells and it builds up in the blood.

People with type 1 diabetes often continue making some insulin, though not enough to nourish their bodies properly, for months or even years after diagnosis, according to background information included in the study. The more beta cells that are preserved and still making insulin, the less the chance of serious complications, according to the study.

To see if nutritional factors might contribute to the preservation of beta cells, Mayer-Davis and her colleagues reviewed data on more than 1,300 young people up to 20 years old who had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Their average duration of diabetes was nearly 10 months.

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