Over the past couple of decades, the NSA has gone to crazy lengths to tap into computer networks of friends and enemies, alike. Backdoors, shell companies, repurposed hacktivists—they've tried it all, and to great success. That is, until Edward Snowden blew the lid off it all
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Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/vLZRYaITMrA/the-nsas-elite-hacker-squad-is-suffering-in-the-post-s-1446367592San Jose Sharks watch as teammate Dan Boyle is placed onto a stretcher during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, in St. Louis. Boyle suffered a head injury. The Sharks won 6-2. (AP Photo/Bill Boyce)
San Jose Sharks watch as teammate Dan Boyle is placed onto a stretcher during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, in St. Louis. Boyle suffered a head injury. The Sharks won 6-2. (AP Photo/Bill Boyce)
San Jose Sharks' Dan Boyle, on stretcher, is taken from ice during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Bill Boyce)
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — St. Louis Blues forward Maxim Lapierre has been offered an in-person hearing for his hit that knocked out San Jose defenseman Dan Boyle.
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced Wednesday that Lapierre is suspended pending his hearing. Players have an opportunity for an in-person hearing for any suspension that could exceed five games.
Lapierre was given a game misconduct for hitting Boyle from behind in the first period of San Jose's 6-2 win Wednesday night. Boyle was knocked out on the play and taken off the ice on a stretcher before spending the night at the hospital.
The Sharks say Boyle will return to San Jose later Wednesday for treatment and further evaluation. He will miss at least Thursday's game in Dallas.
Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-10-16-HKN-Blues-Lapierre-Hearing/id-6a3f53fbe9884ac0b3d6602f349e33ccU.S. homebuilders are feeling less confident in the housing market, reflecting their uncertainty over the budget impasse in Washington.
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index released Wednesday fell to 55 in October. That's down from a reading of 57 in September. September's reading was revised one point lower from its initial estimate.
Measures of current sales conditions for single-family homes, builders' outlook over the next six months and traffic by prospective buyers all declined in October.
The partial government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, has made it harder for some buyers to close on their mortgages, raising concerns that a prolonged shutdown could undercut the strength of the housing recovery. The survey was conducted from Oct. 1 through Oct. 11.
Still, builders remain optimistic that the recovery will endure. Any reading above 50 indicates more builders view sales conditions as good, rather than poor.
"Once this government impasse is resolved, we expect builder and consumer optimism will bounce back," said David Crowe, the NAHB's chief economist.
The association estimates that builders broke ground on single-family homes in September at a seasonally adjusted annual rate between 620,000 and 630,000 homes last month, in line with the August pace of 628,000. Official estimates from the U.S. Census haven't been released because of the government shutdown.
"Single-family starts dipped in July but rebounded in August, and we expect continued strength in September," Crowe said.
Builders' confidence in the market for newly built homes has improved steadily since national measures of home sales and prices began to recover early last year.
But some builders reported a slowdown in sales this summer as mortgage interest rates began to tick up in May, stoking worries that rising rates could hinder the housing recovery.
Rates began to increase after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke signaled the central bank might reduce its $85-billion-a-month in bond purchases. The bond buys are intended to keep longer-term interest rates low, including mortgage rates.
But the Fed held off last month, and since then mortgage rates have moved lower.
Last week, the average rate on a 30-year loan edged up to 4.23 percent from 4.22 percent a week earlier, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. Those are both the lowest averages since July.
Now, the partial government shutdown and uncertainty over a possible U.S. debt default are weighing most on builders' confidence.
Furloughs at the Federal Housing Administration are slowing the agency's processing of loan guarantees for some low- to moderate-income borrowers and first-time homebuyers. About 30 percent of U.S. home mortgages are insured by the FHA. And some lenders are having a hard time getting confirmation of applicants' income tax returns and Social Security data because of government agency closures, delaying some mortgage closings.
In addition to the uncertainty over the federal government's budget battle, the survey also highlighted concerns over the cost and availability of construction labor.
The latest survey, which is based on 261 respondents, a measure of current sales conditions for single-family homes fell two points to 58, while a gauge of traffic by prospective buyers dipped two points to 44. Builders' outlook for single-family home sales over the next six months also slid two points to 62.
Though new homes represent only a fraction of the housing market, they have an outsize impact on the economy. Each home built creates an average of three jobs for a year and generates about $90,000 in tax revenue, according to data from the homebuilders association.
Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-10-16-Builder%20Sentiment/id-71e20f49cf4a484394e728015277edfaFormer Secretary of State Hillary Clinton poses onstage for a photograph with Elton John ( R) after receiving her Founders award during the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 12th Annual "An Enduring Vision" benefit gala at Cipriani Wall Street on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Carlo Allegri/Invision/AP)
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton poses onstage for a photograph with Elton John ( R) after receiving her Founders award during the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 12th Annual "An Enduring Vision" benefit gala at Cipriani Wall Street on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Carlo Allegri/Invision/AP)
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks as Elton John ( R) and his partner David Furnish (L) look on, after receiving her Founders award during the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 12th Annual "An Enduring Vision" benefit gala at Cipriani Wall Street on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Carlo Allegri/Invision/AP)
Billy Joel arrives at the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 12th Annual "An Enduring Vision" benefit gala at Cipriani Wall Street on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Carlo Allegri/Invision/AP)
Elton Elton arrives at the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 12th Annual "An Enduring Vision" benefit gala at Cipriani Wall Street on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Carlo Allegri/Invision/AP)
Alexis Roderick and Billy Joel arrive at the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 12th Annual "An Enduring Vision" benefit gala at Cipriani Wall Street on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Carlo Allegri/Invision/AP)
NEW YORK (AP) — Elton John honored Hillary Rodham Clinton for her work to help those affected by HIV and AIDS at an annual event for his foundation.
Clinton was excited as she accepted the first founders award from the Elton John AIDS Foundation Tuesday night in New York City. The former secretary of state told the crowd at Cipriani's restaurant that "we still have so far to go" when it comes to helping those affected by HIV and AIDS.
"There are so many challenges in front of us," Clinton said. The former senator added that she wants to see an "AIDS free generation" and that accomplishing that must be "our north star."
"I thank you, but I know there's more for us to do," she said. "Humans may discriminate, but viruses don't."
Billy Joel, Alec Baldwin, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Lisa Marie Presley and Courtney Love also attended John's "An Enduring Vision: A Benefit for the Elton John AIDS Foundation" event. Recent Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Heart performed a dozen songs, including the hits "What About Love" and "Alone."
"One of my favorite bands of all time," John yelled before Heart hit the stage.
John was passionate throughout the night, urging the attendees that there should be AIDS "treatment for everyone, treatment for all."
"We must never give up on anyone," he said, adding that those who want to help have to be "stubborn" when it comes to finding ways to assist those affected by AIDS.
The event raised $1 million through an anonymous donor and more funds through an auction, which included a lunch with Anderson Cooper for $12,000 and a one-hour tennis lesson with Novak Djokovic for $60,000. Two different signed photos of John taken by Terry O'Neill went for $26,000 and $27,000, respectively.
Matt Lauer hosted the gala, filling in for Anderson Cooper who was on assignment in Washington, D.C. He provided laughs at the start of the event, but received helped from John's partner, David Furnish, who also worked to facilitate the program.
John's foundation is celebrating its 20th year. Before presenting Clinton with her award, John paid tribute to Furnish.
"We are a week away from our 20th anniversary," he said to gushes from the crowd.
John added that he was touched by Clinton's speech in Geneva, when she declared that "gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights."
John told the AP before the event that he hopes Clinton runs for president in 2016.
"She's a great human rights campaigner for people of color, for people of sexual orientation," he said. "She's made our fight easier by being such a staunch supporter of AIDS and for people's human rights."
Clinton also headlined a New York fundraiser on Tuesday night for Terry McAuliffe, a longtime family friend who is running for Virginia governor.
The former secretary of state has largely avoided political events this year but is helping McAuliffe and New York mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio, a former campaign aide. Mrs. Clinton plans to publicly endorse McAuliffe at a campaign event in Falls Church, Va., on Saturday.
___
Associated Press entertainment producer John Carucci contributed to this report.
Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-10-16-Elton%20John-Hillary%20Clinton/id-c8d97e4ddc994ff48ab8c81f2476ee30WASHINGTON (AP) — Bank of America Corp. says its third-quarter profit surged as it saw increases from investments and interest charged on loans.
The second-largest U.S. bank reported Wednesday that it earned $2.5 billion in the July-September period, up from $340 million a year earlier. On a per-share basis, earnings were 20 cents, beating the 19 cents expected by financial analysts.
Bank of America has been slimming down and cutting jobs since CEO Brian Moynihan took over in early 2010. The strategy is meant to make the bank easier to manage and to reduce riskier businesses.
Third-quarter revenue slipped to $22.2 billion from $22.5 billion.
The bank, based in Charlotte, N.C., said it cut expenses by about $1 billion from a year earlier, to $16.4 billion. Bank of America cut 24,651 full-time jobs in the third quarter.
Bank of America said it had strong growth in lending in the third quarter as well as improved quality of outstanding loans and high deposit balances. The amount set aside for potential losses on loans dropped sharply to $296 million from $1.8 billion a year earlier.
Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-10-16-Earns-Bank%20of%20America/id-b9b38cdab8a748f486d8ac52d9b08b1cFILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, file photo, Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts speaks at the National Retail Federation's annual convention in New York. Apple said Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, that Ahrendts, who used technology to drive a remarkable turnaround at Burberry, will take charge of Apple's expansion plans and retail operation, as she will become a senior vice president at the company next spring. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
FILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, file photo, Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts speaks at the National Retail Federation's annual convention in New York. Apple said Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, that Ahrendts, who used technology to drive a remarkable turnaround at Burberry, will take charge of Apple's expansion plans and retail operation, as she will become a senior vice president at the company next spring. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
LONDON (AP) — Apple said Tuesday that Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts, who used technology to drive a remarkable turnaround at her luxury fashion house, will take charge of the company's expansion plans and retail operation.
Ahrendts, who will become a senior vice president at Apple next spring, is credited with helping transform Burberry from an established if stodgy brand known for its iconic trench coats to one of the fashion world's leading companies. Together with chief creative officer Christopher Bailey, Ahrendts championed melding digital and mobile technology with the runway.
"She shares our values and our focus on innovation, and she places the same strong emphasis as we do on the customer experience," Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said in a statement.
Bailey, who will become Burberry CEO on Ahrendts' departure, live-streamed his catwalk shows to fans worldwide through online channels like Twitter. Shoppers who wanted the runway's coats, shoes and bags could point and click — staking a claim to the hottest fashions months ahead of the items appearing in stores.
The pair proved a powerful team, with Ahrendts presiding over the head office while Bailey oversaw creative marketing, store design and consumer technology, helping complete a turnaround started by another American executive, Rose Marie Bravo.
Burberry was rewarded with growth, particularly in Asia, where luxury and classic British craftsmanship proved a highly successful combination. The company's share price has consistently outperformed the FTSE 100 stock index, and she has proved one of country's most prominent female executives.
Burberry on Tuesday reported first-half sales rose 14 percent to 1 billion pounds ($1.6 billion).
The move to Apple Inc. marks another step in the career of Ahrendts, a native of New Palestine, Indiana, who also served as executive vice president at Liz Claiborne Inc. and president of Donna Karan International.
Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-10-15-Apple-Burberry/id-2cfa65b01efc4a77a260e203b770764a![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_t9895CbwaF_LA8y8wZRNSTuUBmoziPfM4SmvAXWHZr5wM5Q37u2XFDUZ6UXeOrSoYj_Qmw4qnJGKppu9oZ0hQG0Ix23WLOQOHyewDJVw8=s0-d){kind=small}
ShareContact: Morgan Kelly
mgnkelly@princeton.edu
609-258-5729
Princeton University
A class of molecules called microRNAs may offer cancer patients two ways to combat their disease.
Researchers at Princeton University have found that microRNAs small bits of genetic material capable of repressing the expression of certain genes may serve as both therapeutic targets and predictors of metastasis, or a cancer's spread from its initial site to other parts of the body. The research was published in the journal Cancer Cell.
MicroRNAs are specifically useful for tackling bone metastasis, which occurs in about 70 percent of patients with late-stage cancer, said senior author Yibin Kang, Princeton's Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis Professor of Molecular Biology. During bone metastasis, tumors invade the bone and take over the cells known as osteoclasts that normally break down old bone material as new material grows. These cells then go into overdrive and dissolve the bone far more quickly than they would during normal bone turnover, which leads to bone lesions, bone fracture, nerve compression and extreme pain.
"The tumor uses the osteoclasts as forced labor," explained Kang, who is a member of the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and adviser to Brian Ell, a graduate student in the Princeton Department of Molecular Biology and first author on the study. Kang and Ell worked with scientists at the IRCCS Scientific Institute of Romagna for the Study and Treatment of Cancer in Meldola, Italy, and the University Cancer Center in Hamburg, Germany. In this video, Ell describes his research on using small RNAs for treating and monitoring bone metastasis.
MicroRNAs can reduce that forced labor by inhibiting osteoclast proteins and thus limiting the number of osteoclasts present. Ell and his colleagues observed that bones exhibiting metastasis developed significantly fewer lesions when injected with microRNAs. Their findings suggest that microRNAs could be effective treatment targets for tackling bone metastasis and also may help doctors detect the cancer's spread to the bone, Kang said. Samples collected from human patients revealed a strong correlation between elevated levels of another group of microRNAs and the occurrence of bone metastasis, the researchers found.
In a commentary accompanying the study in Cancer Cell, researchers who were not associated with the work wrote, "This [study] represents significant insight into our understanding of the organ-specific function and pathological activity of miRNAs, which could lead to improvements in diagnosis, treatment and prevention of bone metastases and elucidates a unique aspect of the bone microenvironment to support tumor growth in bone." The commentary was authored by David Waning, Khalid Mohammad and Theresa Guise of Indiana University in Indianapolis.
Kang said he ultimately hopes to extend mice experimentation to clinical trials. "In the end, we want to help the patients," he said.
###
[Images can be seen at http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S38/18/50A40. To obtain high-res images, contact Princeton science writer Morgan Kelly, (609) 258-5729, mgnkelly@princeton.edu]
The research was supported by the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, grant BC123187 from the U. S. Department of Defense, grants R01CA134519 and R01CA141062 from the National Institutes of Health, and the Brewster Foundation. The research was also supported by the Preclinical Imaging and Flow Cytometry Shared Resources of the Cancer Institute of New Jersey (P30CA072720). Collaborators were supported by the Champalimaud Foundation, the European Research Council, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and the German Minister of Education and Research.
Share
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
ShareContact: Morgan Kelly
mgnkelly@princeton.edu
609-258-5729
Princeton University
A class of molecules called microRNAs may offer cancer patients two ways to combat their disease.
Researchers at Princeton University have found that microRNAs small bits of genetic material capable of repressing the expression of certain genes may serve as both therapeutic targets and predictors of metastasis, or a cancer's spread from its initial site to other parts of the body. The research was published in the journal Cancer Cell.
MicroRNAs are specifically useful for tackling bone metastasis, which occurs in about 70 percent of patients with late-stage cancer, said senior author Yibin Kang, Princeton's Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis Professor of Molecular Biology. During bone metastasis, tumors invade the bone and take over the cells known as osteoclasts that normally break down old bone material as new material grows. These cells then go into overdrive and dissolve the bone far more quickly than they would during normal bone turnover, which leads to bone lesions, bone fracture, nerve compression and extreme pain.
"The tumor uses the osteoclasts as forced labor," explained Kang, who is a member of the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and adviser to Brian Ell, a graduate student in the Princeton Department of Molecular Biology and first author on the study. Kang and Ell worked with scientists at the IRCCS Scientific Institute of Romagna for the Study and Treatment of Cancer in Meldola, Italy, and the University Cancer Center in Hamburg, Germany. In this video, Ell describes his research on using small RNAs for treating and monitoring bone metastasis.
MicroRNAs can reduce that forced labor by inhibiting osteoclast proteins and thus limiting the number of osteoclasts present. Ell and his colleagues observed that bones exhibiting metastasis developed significantly fewer lesions when injected with microRNAs. Their findings suggest that microRNAs could be effective treatment targets for tackling bone metastasis and also may help doctors detect the cancer's spread to the bone, Kang said. Samples collected from human patients revealed a strong correlation between elevated levels of another group of microRNAs and the occurrence of bone metastasis, the researchers found.
In a commentary accompanying the study in Cancer Cell, researchers who were not associated with the work wrote, "This [study] represents significant insight into our understanding of the organ-specific function and pathological activity of miRNAs, which could lead to improvements in diagnosis, treatment and prevention of bone metastases and elucidates a unique aspect of the bone microenvironment to support tumor growth in bone." The commentary was authored by David Waning, Khalid Mohammad and Theresa Guise of Indiana University in Indianapolis.
Kang said he ultimately hopes to extend mice experimentation to clinical trials. "In the end, we want to help the patients," he said.
###
[Images can be seen at http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S38/18/50A40. To obtain high-res images, contact Princeton science writer Morgan Kelly, (609) 258-5729, mgnkelly@princeton.edu]
The research was supported by the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, grant BC123187 from the U. S. Department of Defense, grants R01CA134519 and R01CA141062 from the National Institutes of Health, and the Brewster Foundation. The research was also supported by the Preclinical Imaging and Flow Cytometry Shared Resources of the Cancer Institute of New Jersey (P30CA072720). Collaborators were supported by the Champalimaud Foundation, the European Research Council, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and the German Minister of Education and Research.
Share
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
