Air Force launches military satellite into space (AP)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. ? The Air Force has sent into space a satellite that is expected to improve communications with military drones in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Officials say a Delta 4 rocket carried the WGS 4 satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 7:38 p.m. Thursday.

It's the fourth in a series of military satellites that have been put into place since 2007. The next one is expected to be ready to launch next year.

WGS stands for Wideband Global SATCOM. The satellites are replacing aging Defense Satellite Communications System spacecraft and have 10 times the speed and capacity of the older satellites.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_he_me/us_rocket_launch

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Avalanche of reactions at the origin of life

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Volcanic-hydrothermal flow channels offer a chemically unique environment, which at first glance appears hostile to life. It is defined by cracks in the crust of the earth, through which water flows, laden with volcanic gases are contacting a diversity of minerals. And yet ? it is precisely this extreme environment, where the two mechanisms could have emerged, which are at the root of all life: The multiplication of biomolecules (reproduction) and the emergence of new biomolecules on the basis of previously formed biomolecules (evolution).

At the outset of this concatenation of reactions that led eventually to the formation of cellular forms of life there are only a few amino acids, which are formed from volcanic gases by mineral catalysis. Akin to a domino stone that triggers a whole avalanche, these first biomolecules stimulate not only their own further synthesis but also the production of wholly new biomolecules. "In this manner life begins by necessity in accordance with pre-established laws of chemistry and in a pre-determined direction", declares G?nter W?chtersh?user, honorary professor for evolutionary biochemistry at the University of Regensburg. He developed the mechanism of a self-generating metabolism ? theoretically, alas, an experimental demonstration has been lacking so far.

Now, scientists around Claudia Huber and Wolfgang Eisenreich, at the Chair of Biochemistry in the Department of Chemistry at the TUM in close cooperation with W?chtersh?user, managed for the first time to demonstrate experimentally the possibility of such a self-stimulating mechanism. A catalyst consisting of compounds of the transition metals nickel, cobalt or iron has the lead role in these reactions. It provides not only for the formation of the first biomolecules, but it also initiates the concatenation of reactions. The reason: The biomolecules just newly formed from the volcanic gases engage the center of the transition metal catalyst to enable further chemical reactions bringing forth wholly new biomolecules. "This coupling between the catalyst and an organic reaction product is the first step", explains W?chtersh?user. "Life arises, if subsequently a whole cascade of further couplings takes place, and this primordial life leads eventually to the formation of genetic material and of the first cells".

The scientists simulated in their experiments the conditions of volcanic-hydrothermal flow channels and established an aqueous-organometallic system that produces a whole suite of different biomolecules, among them the amino acids glycin and alanin. Here the carbon source was provided by a cyano compound and the reducing agent by carbon monoxide. Nickel compounds turned out to be the most effective catalysts in these experiments. The scientists then added the products glycin and alanin to another system, that generated again two new biomolecules. The result: The two amino acids increased the productivity oft he second system by a factor of five.

In future experiments the scientists intend to recreate more precisely the conditions of volcanic-hydrothermal systems, wherein life could have arisen billions of years ago. "For this purpose we simulate first certain stages in the development of a volcanic-hydrothermal flow system in order to determine essential parameters", explains W?chtersh?user. "Only thereafter we may engage in a rational construction of a flow reactor".

The results of the scientists around W?chtersh?user and Eisenreich show that an origin and evolution of life in hot water of volcanic flow ducts is feasible. The results reveal advantages of the theory compared to other approaches. Within the flow ducts temperature, pressure and pH change along the flow path, and thereby a graded spectrum of conditions is offered that is appropriate for all stages of early evolution up to the formation of genetic material (RNA/DNA).

The most important property of the system is its autonomy: As opposed to the notion of a cool prebiotic both, the first metabolism was not dependent on accidental events or an accumulation of essential components over thousands of years. As soon as the first domino stone is toppled, the others will follow automatically. The origin of life proceeds along definite trajectories, pre-established by the rules of chemistry ? a chemically determined process giving rise to the tree of all forms of life.

###

Elements of metabolic evolution. C. Huber, F. Kraus, M. Hanzlik, W. Eisenreich, G. W?chtersh?user, Chemistry ? A European Journal, advanced online publication: 13 Jan 2012 ? DOI: 10.1002/chem.201102914

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/chem.201102914/abstract

Technische Universitaet Muenchen: http://www.tum.de

Thanks to Technische Universitaet Muenchen for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116857/Avalanche_of_reactions_at_the_origin_of_life

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Adlink launches fanless quad-core Intel Core i7 computers, keeps its cool with mobile connectivity

Adlink's announced a new series of quad-core computers that laugh in the face of overheating. Apparently forgoing the need for fan installation, its Matrix MXE-5300 line-up covers Intel Core i7, i5, and i3 processor setups and are tweaked especially for wireless optimization with 3G, WiFi, Buetooth and GPS. The MXE-5300 is peppered with six USB ports, four serial ports, ethernet, two Mini-PCIe and a single USIM slots. The embedded PCs are geared towards in-vehicle multimedia systems and the ever-so-slightly less interesting likes of factory automation. Well, something has to tell those robots what to do.

Continue reading Adlink launches fanless quad-core Intel Core i7 computers, keeps its cool with mobile connectivity

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/D1miDx1e4Uk/

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Mengal holds ISI, military responsible for Balochistan unrest

KARACHI?-?Elderly Baloch politician and former chief minister of Balochistan Sardar Attaullah Mengal has said the root causes of problems in Balochistan were the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and security institutions, and suggested the withdrawal of army, release of missing persons and trial of those arrested on murder and kidnapping charges in courts as the solution.
In an interview with Voice of Germany here on Sunday, Mental said Balochs had reached to the point of no return as they could not get their rights by remaining within the geographical frontiers of Pakistan and they had decided not to be part of the country.
Mengal said Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif met him but no one had the power to stop the army?s intervention in Balochistan. He warned that if the army?s intervention continued, no one would be able to stop the disintegration of Pakistan. He was of the opinion that the Baloch people were receiving the same treatment as Bengalis. He said every day disfigured dead bodies of Baloch youths were being received and people were being kidnapped, which was a source of serious concern.
He said he had no contacts with Baloch youths who were on the mountains and, in a message to them, said if they could fight, they should do so otherwise they should not cause difficulties for their families and return home.
Mengal said Baloch youths were not under his control and had he been not aged, he would have been fighting alongside them in the mountains.

Source: http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/12/mengal-holds-isi-military-responsible-for-balochistan-unrest/

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College football bowl schedule

Published: Dec. 27, 2011 at 6:03 AM

WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Schedule and results for college football bowls for 2011-12:

(All times EST)

--

Dec. 17

Gildan New Mexico Bowl: Temple 37, Wyoming 15, at Albuquerque

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Ohio 24, Utah State 23, Boise, Idaho

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Louisiana-Lafayette 32, San Diego State 30, at New Orleans

--

Dec. 20

Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl: Marshall 20, Florida International 10, at St. Petersburg, Fla.

--

Dec. 21

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl: Texas Christian 31, Louisiana Tech 24, at San Diego

--

Dec. 22

MAACO Bowl Las Vegas: Boise State 56, Arizona State 24, at Las Vegas

--

Dec. 24

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl: Southern Mississippi 24, Nevada 17, at Honolulu

--

Dec. 26

AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl: Missouri 41, North Carolina 24, at Shreveport, La.

--

Dec. 27

Little Caesars Bowl: Western Michigan (7-5) vs. Purdue (6-6), 4:30 p.m., at Detroit

Belk Bowl, Louisville (7-5) vs. North Carolina State (7-5), 8 p.m., at Charlotte, N.C.

--

Dec. 28

Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman: Toledo (8-4) vs. Air Force (7-5), 4:30 p.m., at Washington

Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl: California (7-5) vs. Texas (7-5), 8 p.m., at San Diego

--

Dec. 29

Champs Sports Bowl: Florida State (8-4), vs. Notre Dame (8-4), 5:30 p.m., at Orlando, Fla.

Valero Alamo Bowl: Washington (7-5) vs. Baylor (9-3), 9 p.m., at San Antonio

--

Dec. 30

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl: Brigham Young (9-3) vs. Tulsa (8-4), noon, at Dallas

New Era Pinstripe Bowl: Rutgers (8-4) vs. Iowa State (6-6), 3:20 p.m., at New York

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl: Mississippi State (6-6) vs. Wake Forest (6-6), 6:40 p.m., at Nashville

Insight Bowl: Iowa (7-5) vs. Oklahoma (9-3), 10 p.m., at Tempe, Ariz.

--

Dec. 31

Meineke Car Care Bowl: Texas A&M (6-6) vs. Northwestern (6-6), noon, at Houston

Hyundai Sun Bowl: Georgia Tech (8-4) vs. Utah (7-5), 2 p.m., at El Paso, Texas

AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Cincinnati (9-3) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6), 3:30 p.m., at Memphis

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Illinois (6-6) vs. UCLA (6-7), 3:30 p.m., at San Francisco

Chick-fil-A Bowl: Virginia (8-4) vs. Auburn (7-5), 7:30 p.m., at Atlanta

--

Jan. 2

TicketCity Bowl: Houston (12-1) vs. Penn State (9-3), noon, at Dallas

Outback Bowl: Michigan State (10-3) vs. Georgia (10-3), 1 p.m., at Tampa, Fla.

Capital One Bowl: Nebraska (9-3) vs. South Carolina (10-2), 1 p.m., at Orlando, Fla.

Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl: Ohio State (6-6) vs. Florida (6-6), 1 p.m., at Jacksonville, Fla.

Rose Bowl presented by VIZIO: Wisconsin (11-2) vs. Oregon (11-2), 5 p.m., at Pasadena, Calif.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: Stanford (11-1) vs. Oklahoma State (11-1), 8:30 p.m., at Glendale, Ariz.

--

Jan. 3

Allstate Sugar Bowl: Michigan (10-2) vs. Virginia Tech (11-2), 8:30 p.m., at New Orleans

--

Jan. 4

Discover Orange Bowl: West Virginia (9-3) vs. Clemson (10-3), 8:30 p.m., at Miami

--

Jan. 6

AT&T Cotton Bowl: Kansas State (10-2) vs. Arkansas (10-2), 8 p.m., at Arlington, Texas

--

Jan. 7

BBVA Compass Bowl: Southern Methodist (7-5) vs. Pittsburgh (6-6), 1 p.m., at Birmingham, Ala.

--

Jan. 8

GoDaddy.com Bowl: Arkansas State (10-2) vs. Northern Illinois (10-3), 9 p.m., at Mobile, Ala.

--

Jan. 9

Tostitos BCS National Championship Game: Louisiana State (13-0) vs. Alabama (11-1), 8:30 p.m., at New Orleans

Source: http://pheed.upi.com/click.phdo?i=76bc81fc73261ee7a5182c6f58ed6947

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Man killed amid Britain's post-Christmas sales (AP)

LONDON ? A teenager was fatally stabbed and a second man wounded in attacks on London's most famous retail street as thousands of shoppers flocked to Britain's capital seeking post-Christmas bargains.

The killing of the 18-year-old man on Oxford Street on Monday ? and a second wounding in the same road ? did little to deter shoppers crowding into neighboring stores in the landmark shopping district. Bargain hunters were also largely untroubled by a subway strike which badly disrupted the city's public transport services.

Selfridges ? close to the scene of Monday's stabbing and one of Britain's most popular department stores ? reported its biggest ever first hour of trading Monday morning, while the New West End Company, which represents traders on central London's shopping streets, reported 15 million pounds (US$23.5 million) in sales in the first three hours of trading.

Jace Tyrrell, of the New West End Company, said hundreds of thousands of people had visited central London retailers, despite action by police to cordon off parts of Oxford Street and temporarily close some stores after the attacks.

"These incidents are extremely rare on Oxford Street and we understand arrests have been made," she said. "The emergency services were quick to respond and have cordoned off the street as they continue with their investigations. We are working to ensure the street is open to businesses and shoppers tomorrow."

Tyrrell said shopkeepers had requested a meeting with police to discuss the incidents. "We understand both incidents involved gangs of youth who were known to each other (and) the police, and did not involve individual shoppers," she said.

London's air ambulance helicopter had earlier rushed to the street following the fatal stabbing.

Authorities said the teenage victim died before medics could administer help, while amateur video footage showed police struggling to part large crowds of shopper to allow emergency vehicles to reach the man.

Police erected a tent outside a Foot Locker sports store as they carried out investigations and confirmed that about ten people had been arrested in connection with the death.

Officers said a second stabbing took place close by ? on the corner of Oxford Street and Regent Street ? but insisted it wasn't immediately known if the two incidents were linked.

Det. Chief Insp. Mark Dunne, of London's Metropolitan police, said two groups of young people appeared to have become involved in a large-scale altercation before the teenager's death.

Dunne said that little more was known about the circumstances, but there were likely to be large numbers of witnesses. "This is probably the busiest place in the United Kingdom right now, on the busiest shopping day," he told reporters at the scene.

"A number of weapons have been recovered from that scene ? whether I have got the murder weapon I don't know. There's an assortment of items, but no guns," he said.

In the second attack, a 21-year-old man was stabbed in the leg and is being treated at a hospital for his wound.

Police said in a statement that three men had been arrested, but it was "too early to say whether this incident is linked to a fatal stabbing on Oxford Street."

On London's subway network, the ASLEF train drivers' labor union staged a one-day strike to demand extra pay and additional time off for members working on the public holiday.

Despite the disruptions, huge crowds ? some lining up outside stores from midnight ? rushed into department stores in London and other British cities as soon as doors opened early Monday.

The London Underground, the organization that manages the subway system, condemned the move, saying it was pointless and demonstrated "a complete disregard for our customers." Authorities said extra buses were running in main shopping areas to cater to the increased flow of travelers on one of the year's busiest shopping days.

The ASLEF union has warned it plans to stage three more strikes in January and February if the dispute is not resolved.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111227/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_britain_subway_strike

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Bill Sargent: Florida pompano's arrival a flavorful gift for anglers

The Florida pompano

? Common in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.
? Most caught along the surf and from piers.
? Can be confused with small permit.
? Average 1? to 2 pounds. A 5-pounder is a prize.
? Shore anglers allowed six pompano exceeding 11 inches.
? Food value is exceptional.
Beach access points
Between Ocean Avenue at Melbourne Beach and Sebastian Inlet there are 16 public access points for surf fishermen along State Road A1A. All offer parking.
? Six tightly grouped crossovers are within the first quarter mile.
? Spessard Holland Park North Beach.
? Tracking Station access (named for previous missile tracking dome).
? Spessard Holland Park South Beach.
? Coconut Point Park.
? Juan Ponce de Leon Landing Park.
? Chris? Break at Atlantic Drive.
? Brevard County beach access.
? Bonsteel Park.
? No-name crossover, one block south of Whitey?s Bait and Tackle.
? Sebastian Inlet State Park.
Those continuing south of the Sebastian Inlet into Indian River County will find the Sebastian Inlet State Park South Beach access a mile south of the inlet, followed by Indian River County accesses at Ambersands Beach, Treasure Shores Park, Golden Sands Park and Wabasso Beach. Ambersands, like the area immediately south of the inlet, is tough to fish with bottom rigs because of an inshore reef. Treasure Shores also has rocks on the north end of the park, so concentrate your fishing on the south end.

Source: http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20111225/COLUMNISTS0308/312250025/1002/SPORTS/Bill-Sargent-Florida-pompano-s-arrival-flavorful-gift-anglers

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