Bell cleared to buy Astral Media, creates a Canadian TV powerhouse

Bell tried to shake up the Canadian media landscape last year by acquiring Astral Media, but it ran into a CRTC-sized roadblock -- regulators didn't want 25 TV stations moving to one provider. After some big concessions, however, Bell has received approval to buy Astral for $3.2 billion. The revised deal gives Bell control of 12 channels that include The Movie Network, HBO Canada's owner. Bell is offloading some important TV content to move forward, though. Corus gets several recognizable channels that include the Cartoon Network and Teletoon, while big stations like Disney XD and MusiquePlus are on the auction block. Not that Bell will complain too loudly when the buyout closes on July 5th, mind you. The merger still gives it 35.8 percent of the English Canadian TV market and 22.6 percent of its French Canadian equivalent, or enough to immediately eclipse rivals like Rogers and Quebecor.

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Vitamin D improves mood and blood pressure in women with diabetes

June 25, 2013 ? In women who have type 2 diabetes and show signs of depression, vitamin D supplements significantly lowered blood pressure and improved their moods, according to a pilot study at Loyola University Chicago Niehoff School of Nursing.

Vitamin D even helped the women lose a few pounds.

The study was presented at the American Diabetes Association 73rd Scientific Sessions in Chicago.

"Vitamin D supplementation potentially is an easy and cost-effective therapy, with minimal side effects," said Sue M. Penckofer, PhD, RN, lead author of the study and a professor in the Niehoff School of Nursing. "Larger, randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the impact of vitamin D supplementation on depression and major cardiovascular risk factors among women with Type 2 diabetes."

Penckofer recently received a four-year, $1.49 million grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research at the National Institutes of Health to do such a study. Penckofer and her Loyola co-investigators plan to enroll 180 women who have type 2 diabetes, symptoms of depression and insufficient levels of vitamin D. Women will be randomly assigned to receive either a weekly vitamin D supplementation (50,000 International Units) or a matching weekly placebo for six months. The study is titled "Can the Sunshine Vitamin Improve Mood and Self Management in Women with Diabetes?

About 1 in 10 people in the United States has diabetes, and the incidence is projected to increase to 1 in 4 persons by 2050. Women with type 2 diabetes have worse outcomes than men. The reason may be due to depression, which affects more than 25 percent of women with diabetes. Depression impairs a patient's ability to manage her disease by eating right, exercising, taking medications, etc.

Many Americans do not get enough vitamin D, and people with diabetes are at especially high risk for vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency. Reasons include limited intake of foods high in vitamin D, obesity, lack of sun exposure and genetic variations.

The pilot study included 46 women who were an average age of 55 years, had diabetes an average of 8 years and insufficient blood levels of vitamin D (18 ng/ml). They took a weekly dose (50,000 International Units) of vitamin D. (By comparison, the recommended dietary allowance for women 51 to 70 years is 600 IU per day.)

After six months, their vitamin D blood levels reached sufficient levels (average 38 ng/ml) and their moods improved significantly. For example, in a 20-question depression symptom survey, scores decreased from 26.8 at the beginning of the study (indicating moderate depression) to 12.2 at six months (indicating no depression. (The depression scale ranges from 0 to 60, with higher numbers indicating more symptoms of depression.)

Blood pressure also improved, with the upper number decreasing from 140.4 mm Hg to 132.5 mm Hg. And their weight dropped from an average of 226.1 pounds to 223.6 pounds.

Penckofer is internationally known for her research on vitamin D, diabetes and depression. In October, she will be inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing for her scientific contributions in improving the health and quality of life of women with chronic disease. And she recently was appointed as the first nurse researcher to the Chicago Diabetes Center for Translational Research.

Co-authors of the study are Todd Doyle, PhD, Patricia Mumby, PhD, Mary Byrn, Mary Ann Emanuele, MD and Diane Wallis, MD.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/DPhOiwJotg4/130625091841.htm

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Hellickson, Rays cool off surging Blue Jays, 4-1

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) ? The Tampa Bay Rays believe they have a star in the making in Wil Myers.

The rookie homered in his home debut Monday night, continuing an impressive first week in the majors and helping Jeremy Hellickson beat the Blue Jays 4-1 to end Toronto's 11-game winning streak.

"He's very comfortable," Rays manager Joe Maddon said about Myers. "He's not overwhelmed whatsoever."

Myers made his major league debut in Boston at the start of a seven-game road trip that ended Sunday. He hit a grand slam off CC Sabathia for his first big league homer during a loss Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

This time, the 22-year-old outfielder hit the second of three straight Tampa Bay homers in the second inning, connecting in his first at-bat at Tropicana Field.

Myers, who's hitting .294 with two home runs, a double and seven RBIs after eight games, received a standing ovation and took a curtain call for a crowd of 11,407 getting its initial close-up view of the key acquisition in the offseason trade that sent pitchers James Shields and Wade Davis to Kansas City for the power-hitting right fielder and other prospects.

"I wasn't sure what really to do but everyone kept cheering so I thought that might be my cue to go out there," Myers said. "Actually, I saw that Zoilo Almonte guy get one (in New York) and everyone got up and kept cheering, so I thought it was the same deal for me."

Myers' drive to center off Esmil Rogers (3-3) was sandwiched between home runs by James Loney and Sam Fuld as Tampa Bay went deep three times in a span of eight pitches. Luke Scott added a bloop RBI double to make it 4-0 in the third, and that was all the support Hellickson needed.

The Rays estimated the ball Myers hit, which caromed off a wall beyond center field, traveled 422 feet before bouncing back onto the field.

"The ball comes off the bat hard with him. It makes a different sound," Maddon said. "He's one of those guys. And the thing that I like is all this stuff is going through the middle of the field."

A night after scoring a season-high 13 runs at home to complete a three-game sweep of Baltimore, the Blue Jays were limited to four singles and five walks. They came up short in their bid to extend the longest winning streak in the majors since Detroit won 12 straight in 2011.

Hellickson (6-3) gave up J.P. Arencibia's single, walked four and struck out four. He allowed only one runner past first base ? in the second inning, when Colby Rasmus walked and moved to third when Arencibia followed with his hit to center field.

The Blue Jays stranded Rasmus, who drew three of Toronto's five walks, when Maicer Izturis grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Toronto finally broke through in the eighth when it loaded the bases with one out against Alex Torres with a pair of singles and a walk. Jose Bautista grounded into a force play to drive in a run before Edwin Encarnacion flied out to end the threat.

Fernando Rodney worked the ninth for the Rays, earning his 16th save in 21 opportunities.

"The three home runs hurt ... but their pitching shut us down. That was the story of the game," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "It was a nice little streak. We'll start another one tomorrow. Losses are never easy, but we've been on a nice little roll."

The Blue Jays' longest winning streak in nearly 15 years matched the best in club history. They also won 11 straight in 1987 and 1998.

The Rays began the day last in the AL East, one percentage point behind the surging Blue Jays, who gained seven games on Tampa Bay during their winning streak.

Despite the loss, Toronto has won 15 of 19 while outscoring opponents 103-57 to get back into the division race led by the Boston Red Sox.

Loney, Myers and Fuld went deep off Rogers with one out in the second, just the second time in franchise history ? first at Tropicana Field ? that Tampa Bay has hit three straight homers. Evan Longoria, Willy Aybar and Dioner Navarro did it on June 9, 2008, against the Angels.

Myers also had a single and was caught trying to steal second base in the sixth inning. He's 10 for 34 overall since being promoted from Triple-A Durham and is the first player in Rays history with seven RBIs in his first eight career games.

"He's got it all. He's got a chance to be a really, really good player," Gibbons said. "It's all in there."

NOTES: Toronto plans to activate SS Jose Reyes (left ankle) from the disabled list Wednesday. ... Blue Jays LHP J.A. Happ, who suffered a skull fracture and a sprained right knee when he fell to the ground at Tropicana Field after being struck behind the left ear by a line drive on May 7, is expected back at the ballpark Tuesday. Gibbons said Happ, slowed by the knee injury, is throwing off a mound at the team's spring training complex in Dunedin, Fla., but still has a ways to go before he pitches again. ... In preparation for his home debut, the Rays had Myers out on the field early to take fly balls in the domed stadium with the lights on and off. ... Blue Jays RHP Brandon Morrow (forearm) has not resumed throwing, while 3B Brett Lawrie (left ankle) is probably a couple of weeks from starting a rehab assignment. ... Rays LHP David Price, sidelined since May 15 by a left triceps strain, is scheduled to make his second rehab start for Class-A Charlotte on Wednesday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hellickson-rays-cool-off-surging-blue-jays-4-020318856.html

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Bruce Jenner's Hearing Loss Leads To Brain Tumor Scare On ...

Keeping Up With the Kardashians??beloved patriarch Bruce Jenner?s hearing loss led to a brain tumor scare for the Olympic legend.

That?s what viewers found out on Sunday night?s episode of the family?s E! show, when the former decathlete went to the doctor after driving wife Kris Jenner and the kids crazy by blasting the TV and not being able to hear their conversations. When Bruce checked out his hearing loss, however, he got the shock of his life ? an ear growth was discovered and he had to undergo an MRI to rule out a brain tumor.

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But luckily, the sports hero, 63, is going to be just fine. With Kris, Kim?and Khloe Kardashian by his side at Dr. Rick Friedman?s office, Bruce learned he didn?t have a tumor. ?Your MRI is clear. Your brain?s good,? Dr. Friedman said, as Bruce?s relieved family members cheered. The doctor said Bruce just needed a hearing aid.

The proud Olympian sighed, ?I don?t want it to be seen,? but when his doctor recommended a tiny one, Bruce said he would consider the idea.

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Before the medical drama, the Kardashian clan poked gentle fun at Bruce for not hearing them speaking to him at the table, with Khloe talking about his bad ears and Scott Disick joking, ?I think he can hear, he just doesn?t want to.?

Bruce claimed although his hearing wasn?t as sharp as it used to be, it was good enough. However, Kim convinced Bruce?s older son, Brandon Jenner, to pressure him on the issue, and the athlete admitted to Brandon irritably, ?I have to get it checked out.?

Dr. Friedman said he had a substantial decline in high frequency sound, then said he had a growth in his ear. But everything ended well for the famous dad!

Meanwhile, in another storyline on the show, Scott and Kourtney battled over her second cousin CiCi, who has had cancer for more than 15 years and needs a bone marrow transplant. Kourtney was going to get tested to see if she was a match, but Scott didn?t want to hear anything about it.

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Later, Kourtney called Scott and said she wanted to arrange a trip to see CiCi in Las Vegas.

?I?m not that good around people who are in bad shape,? reluctant Scott whined.

But Scott also learned a Keeping Up With the Kardashians fan named Josie was very sick and before she died, wanted to meet him.

?It?s kind of ?out there,?? he admitted of the bucket list request, but Kourtney urged him to go hang out with her.

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Later, when Kourtney went wig shopping for CiCi, Scott ran away instead of talking about her ill relative. Kourtney got even more agitated about Scott hesitating to visit his fan, Josie ? and after Kourtney got visibly angry, Scott explained, ?I?m not good at talking about death. I?m not so sure I want to be around someone dying.?

?I think you need to deal with these things and not run away from it,? Kourtney said.

Scott finally decided to visit Josie and her two daughters, ages 10 and 18, at their Ohio home. They put him on a throne like a king but when all the joking ended, Josie told Scott her emotional story of learning in July 2010 that she was sick with lung cancer. Although aggressive chemotherapy and radiation worked for awhile, another scan showed the cancer had returned?in five places.

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Scott shared with the family that his own dad had diabetes and a million other things wrong with him.

?He needs a heart transplant,? Scott said, but added he and his mom tried to live every day like it was his last.

?I don?t really talk about it all that much because it?s hard for me,? the Kardashian clan?s black sheep confided to viewers.

After being hugely inspired by Josie and her equally upbeat friends, however, Scott realized, ?Life is short.?

And although he thought the meeting was going to be extremely sad, it was ?really the opposite,? he said.

Scott gave Josie an expensive Rolex watch as a gift and she broke down in tears. ?I?m not big on giving,? Scott said, but added, ?I feel like I want to give her something.?

The two shared a hug and later, on the phone with Kourtney, Scott said his visit with Josie was ?life changing. You never realize how lucky you are to be healthy.?

After his positive experience with the cancer-ridden woman, Scott vowed he would meet Kourtney in Las Vegas to visit her ill cousin, CiCi.

Meanwhile, the mood was lightened on Sunday?s show with a silly storyline about Scott playing a prank on Kris, making her believe she was being stalked by a man named Todd Kraines. The practical joke had her daughters in stitches, but as the episode ended, Kris was still clueless that the ?creepy? stalker who sent her $200 worth of flowers didn?t actually exist.

?My mom is so gullible,? Kim giggled.

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And in another funny moment on Sunday?s Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Khloe was showing off the new puppy that she and husband Lamar Odom had brought into their home. The couple named the adorable boxer Bernard Hopkins, after the American boxing star and friend of Lamar.

Khloe explained to her family, ?Lamar said he just won the world title, he?s 41 years old and one of the best boxers in the world. But we?re calling [the dog] B-Hop for short!?

The basketball player was shown petting the dog and chanting his name ?B-Hop? at him, and Khloe smiled, ?Lamar really wanted the dog and I?ve always wanted a dog, so we?ve got a dog!?

Will the precious pooch be a child substitute for the famously infertile Khloe? Fans might wonder. Also in the episode, Bruce called Khloe ?baby? and she misunderstood, snapping, ?I don?t have a baby!?

Well, thanks to B-Hop she now has the closest thing to it!

Source: http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2013/06/bruce-jenner-brain-tumor-scare-hearing-loss/

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Profanity, theatrics mark first day of Zimmerman?s trial

SANFORD, Fla.?One of the most anticipated murder trials in recent memory began with a torrent of profanity from the prosecution and a knock-knock joke from the defense.

The state of Florida?s case against George Zimmerman began on Monday with the expected debate about whether the man who shot and fatally wounded 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in February 2012 committed murder or acted in self-defense. What was not expected was a bit of forced humor, which fell jarringly flat.

The lead defense attorney, Don West, declared early in his remarks that ?sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying? and then ventured a joke. He confessed it was ?a little bit weird? to do so and asked the jury to avoid holding the joke against the defendant.

Then he went ahead.

?Knock, knock,? West said, stunning both the jury and the assembled onlookers.

?Who?s there?? he answered himself.

?George Zimmerman.?

?George Zimmerman who??

?All right. Good. You're on the jury.?

There was barely a reaction.

?Nothing?? West said, in genuine surprise.

This was met with some nervous laughter.

It was a deeply strange way to open a trial about a killing that has rattled and vexed an entire nation. The death of Martin, on his way home from buying candy at a local convenience store, has touched a national third rail, launching arguments and protests about race, gun laws and civil rights.

Later, after a lunch recess, West apologized. ?I really thought it was funny,? he said. ?Sorry if I offended anyone.?

A clunky start struggled to find footing as West slogged through a long trail of evidence that lasted more than two-and-a-half hours. The argument meandered, and West admitted as much.

?I don?t know if you follow what I mean,? he told the jury at one point.

West?s statement stood in stark contrast to that of state?s attorney John Guy, who launched immediately into a flurry of storytelling that repeated Zimmerman?s muttered cusswords over and over again.

"'F---ing punks,'" Guy stated right away, quoting Zimmerman in his call to a police dispatcher in the moments before his confrontation with Martin. ?'These a--holes, they always get away.' Those were words in that grown man?s mouth.?

Guy tried to keep the emotion level raised throughout his opening, dipping into a narrative that seemed to come straight from a crime drama.

?As the smoke and the smell of that fatal gunshot rose into a rainy Sanford night,? Guy said, ?Trayvon lay facedown in wet grass, laboring through his final breaths on planet Earth.?

Guy went on to declare that Zimmerman ?followed and murdered an unarmed teenager.? He also promised the jury, ?The truth is going to come directly from his month. Hateful words. Lies he told to police.?

He accused Zimmerman of ?going after? Martin: ?This defendant, riding around in his car, not with candy, not with fruit juice, but with 9 mm semi-automatic weapon.? Thirty minutes of crisp accusations, ushered along with voice modulation and the occasional gesture toward the stone-faced Zimmerman, ended with this:

?We are confident at the end of this trial you will know in your head, heart and stomach that George Zimmerman didn?t shoot Trayvon Martin because he had to. He shot him because he wanted to.?

Guy?s theatrics were offset by West?s scientific approach. One issue in this trial is Zimmerman?s mindset, and whether he was instigating or afraid. Second-degree murder, as defined in Florida, is ?the unlawful killing of a human being, when perpetrated by any act imminently dangerous to another and evincing a depraved mind regardless of human life, although without any premeditated design to effect the death of any particular individual.?

Part of the defense?s goal is to show Zimmerman as calm and rational, motivated by protecting himself and the gated community for which he served as a neighborhood watch ?liaison.? While Guy presented the image of Zimmerman as determined to pursue Martin even though the minor was unarmed, West tried through painstaking detail to show it was Zimmerman who was in trouble, saying he noticed an unknown teenager approaching him, and took no aggressive steps in the minutes between seeing Martin in the dark and pulling the trigger.

?My focus is on the detail,? West told the jury. ?And if I have to sacrifice passion, it?s not because I don?t care. Even if it?s boring or somewhat technical, I want to give you the information.?

And so he went, explaining that Zimmerman obtained a gun because of a neighbor?s unruly dog and learned from an air marshal friend how to use it correctly. ?He was licensed and responsible,? West said. ?He did have the gun, and thank god.?

Throughout the two-and-a-half hours he spoke, West returned often to Zimmerman?s state of mind.

?George Zimmerman cooperated fully,? West said. ?He answered all the questions as many times as they wanted, as many days as they wanted.? This, he added, despite ?tremendous blows to his face and to his head.?

Zimmerman portrayed little emotion throughout the day. He stared straight ahead, stone-faced through Guy?s remarks and even appeared to be on the verge of dozing off during West?s. He hardly reacted to anything, at any point.

Martin?s mother, however, did react. Sybrina Fulton, after becoming emotional during a brief statement before the trial began, left the courtroom before the 911 call of the gunshot that ended her son?s life. She did not return until after the lunch recess.

West?s argument picked up momentum after the break, especially when he said Martin?s father told an investigator that it was not his son?s voice screaming on the 911 call. That will be a major point of contention, as much will ride on who the jury believes was crying for help in the seconds before Martin was shot.

Also at issue is whether Martin was on top of Zimmerman when the fatal shot was fired. West mentioned several pieces of evidence in his opening remarks?including the can of iced tea found on Martin after the shooting?to suggest Zimmerman was in a prone position. The lack of blood on Martin?s hands, noted in the state?s attorney?s remarks, was explained by the wet conditions and perhaps a medical examiner?s mistakes. As for the absence of Martin?s DNA? West said that ?doesn?t necessarily prove anything.? West even closed by countering the prosecution?s statement that Martin was unarmed.

?What the evidence will show you,? West said, ?is that?s not true. Mr. Martin armed himself with the concrete sidewalk. That is a deadly weapon.?

It left the jury with at least the idea that Martin, not Zimmerman, was the aggressor. And it was a sure signal that in such a sobering and troubling trial, there will be no more canned jokes.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/profanity-theatrics-joke-day-1-george-zimmerman-murder-212736939.html

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New poll shows growing Arab trust in regional press

A poll by Northwestern in Qatar, due out tomorrow, shows growing trust in regional news outlets across the Arab world.

By Ariel Zirulnick,?Staff writer / June 17, 2013

Palestinian journalists are seen through a glass window at the offices of the Arabic news channel Al Jazeera in the West Bank city of Ramallah July 2009. Arabs say the quality of their regional media is on the rise, led by Al Jazeera, which is making inroads in the US as its profile soars, a new poll shows.

Fadi Arouri/Reuters/File

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Although American trust in media has plummeted according to poll after poll, Arabs say the quality of their regional media is on the rise, led by Al Jazeera, which is making inroads in the US as its profile soars.?

Skip to next paragraph Ariel Zirulnick

Middle East Editor

Ariel Zirulnick is the Monitor's Middle East editor, overseeing regional coverage both for CSMonitor.com and the weekly magazine. She is also a contributor to the international desk's terrorism and security blog.?

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According to a sweeping Arab world public opinion survey by Northwestern University in Qatar that will be released tomorrow, 61 percent of respondents said that the "quality of reporting in the Arab world" has improved in the last two years. But while regional media basks in goodwill, less than half of respondents (48 percent) consider their own country's media credible and only 43 percent say the media can report without interference.

Twenty-six percent of respondents ranked Al Jazeera as their top news source. Broadcaster Al Arabiya trailed at 15 percent. After that, news consumption fragments to a handful of international and local news organizations.?

Northwestern in Qatar's first major regional survey since opening its doors in 2008, polled roughly 1,250 people each in eight countries (Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates) on issues of the Internet and the media in the Arab world. The findings will be presented at the International Communications Association conference in London tomorrow. (Editor's note: The paragraph has been edited to make clear that 1,250 people were surveyed in each of the eight countries.)

Northwestern in Qatar receives funding from the Qatar Foundation, founded by Qatar's ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, who also funds Al Jazeera.

Everette Dennis, dean and CEO of Northwestern in Qatar, said that he has seen the regional media improve by leaps. Major broadcast networks like Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya are "doing a more detailed job of covering their own region" and "Some of the newspapers that were more kept cats or very cautious, subsidized media, are doing a better job, a more transparent job."

What propelled them forward may have been the arrival of hordes of members of the international media during the Arab uprisings, which exposed regional and local journalists to high-quality coverage on a part of the world they knew well, Mr. Dennis says.

"When you see outsiders doing a better job covering your region than yourself, that's embarrassing," he says.?

Puff pieces

Even before then business magazines, which used to be filled with press releases and "self-serving puffery" had become more critical, he says.?The wealthier Arab countries are becoming much more a part of the global economy, but they couldn't be there if their business publications were not publishing more accurate information, he says.?

The survey also shed light on the region's complicated opinions on freedom of expression.?Sixty-one percent of respondents agreed with the statement "It is okay for people to express their ideas on the Internet, even if they are unpopular," but?less than half (46 percent) think they should be able to criticize their government online.?

While people in the region may agree with freedom of expression on the internet in the abstract, practically speaking many support greater regulation. Half (51%) of the participants in the study believe there is not enough awareness of the ?laws, regulations and moralities that control one?s activities on the internet?, and, perhaps consequently, half (50%) also feel the internet in their country should be more tightly regulated than it is now.

Perhaps even more telling, only 16% overall disagree that the internet in their country should be more tightly regulated, ranging from a low of 7 percent disagreement in Egypt to a high of just 25 percent disagreeing in Bahrain. These low levels of disagreement suggest that there is no strong opposition to internet regulation in any of the eight countries under study.

"There is a paradox between?people saying they wanted almost absolute freedom of expression online ... and at the same time saying there ought to be regulation in some instances," says Dennis.?

While poll respondents often favor something in the abstract, when it is brought down to a personal level the answer often changes, he says. And it comes down to more than that in this region, he says.?

"The meaning is much deeper in the Arab world," he says. "I?think it's a tension between tradition and modernity."

"The younger, presumably more modern people do tend to favor almost unlimited expression online. They say ?Let it rip.? ? Their?parents, people who are older, tend to say yes, there should be a lot more freedom, but not in the case of criticizing Islam, for example.?

The survey did not include followup questions that allowed the university to get at the root of the contradictions; Dennis says they plan to explore it in a future survey.

An interactive website with the full survey results can be found at?menamediasurvey.northwestern.edu.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/WLJB5AKdRm0/New-poll-shows-growing-Arab-trust-in-regional-press

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Soprano talks of her 'sabbatical' from opera

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Her character Antonia literally sings herself to death in Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann," but in real life Natalie Dessay says her own upcoming break from opera is not so irrevocable.

"I'm going to take a sabbatical, and then we'll see," the French soprano said in an interview. "The truth is my repertoire is shrinking. I'm not a young woman anymore, so I don't feel adequate for roles where I'm the girl in love for the first time. I don't want to eternally redo Lucia or Ophelie or even Manon. I want some new challenges."

So after the curtain falls on her last performance in "Hoffmann" at the San Francisco Opera on July 6, Dessay will vanish for a time from American opera stages. Her last scheduled operatic performances anywhere are in Massenet's "Manon" this fall in Toulouse, France.

After that, no opera, at least through 2015. But that hardly means Dessay is giving up singing. She has several concert tours planned with pianist Philippe Cassard, who will accompany her in songs by, among others, Clara Schumann, Brahms, Debussy and Duparc. She also will tour with Michel Legrand, using a microphone while singing works by a composer known for his popular songs and jazz.

"So I won't be doing opera ? but I will be doing things to earn money," Dessay said.

And she'd like to fulfill a lifelong dream by breaking into theater. In fact, she started out as a drama student. Singing came about almost by accident because she had to do some for a role in a student play, and "people said, 'Oh, you have a nice voice.'"

That nice voice ? agile and bell-like up to the soprano stratosphere ? catapulted her to international stardom in the early 1990s in such comic roles as Zerbinetta in Richard Strauss' "Ariadne auf Naxos" and the mechanical doll Olympia in "Tales of Hoffmann."

More serious dramatic parts followed ? the title role in Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor," Ophelie in Thomas' "Hamlet" and Violetta in Verdi's "La Traviata."

But now, at age 48, she no longer can manage the highest notes, and her voice never grew big enough for heavier lyric roles like Mimi in Puccini's "La Boheme."

"For example, I'd like to be able to do Blanche (the heroine of Poulenc's "Dialogues of the Carmelites"), but that's not for my voice," she said. "It would be possible in a small hall, but in a big house it's not a good idea. I've done Melisande (in Debussy's "Pelleas and Melisande") in a small house, but I couldn't do it at the Metropolitan Opera."

Still, based on her performance as Antonia on Thursday night, Dessay seems an unlikely candidate for early retirement from the opera stage. Vocally she sounded in fine shape, her delicate soprano perhaps a bit small for the role but fitting perfectly with her character's fragile state. And dramatically she was as compelling as ever.

One casualty of her planned time away from opera is the role of the emotionally unstable Elvira in Bellini's "I Puritani." She had agreed to do it in Paris and at the Met, but ended up canceling both engagements.

"The music is wonderful, but I just don't see myself playing her," she said. "She becomes crazy in exactly 30 seconds, then she's not crazy anymore, then she's crazy again.

"I mean, the libretto is really too stupid," she said, wrinkling her nose.

A new part she is considering after her sabbatical is the wily maid Despina in Mozart's "Cosi fan tutte." It might seem a surprising choice, since it's by no means the lead role in the opera.

"The Met offered it to me, and I think it's a good idea," she said. "It's maybe not that interesting to sing, but it would be wonderful to play."

The role she most regrets never performing is the title character in Berg's atonal masterpiece "Lulu."

"I couldn't learn it," she said. "It's just horribly long. Musically, I'm not a good reader. And I don't have perfect pitch. It would have taken me two years."

Even though she'll be doing concert tours, Dessay is looking forward to spending more time at home in France with her family ? husband bass-baritone Laurent Nouri and their two teenage children. As of June, she had been on the road non-stop since February.

"I think they are very happy, because they will see me more," she said, adding with a smile, "of course, they may regret that after a few months."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/soprano-talks-her-sabbatical-opera-145442429.html

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Stuntwoman, pilot killed in Ohio air show crash

CINCINNATI (AP) ? A budget analyst with a daredevil streak, Jane Wicker knew she was taking a risk when she signed up to entertain thousands of spectators at the Vectren Air Show near Dayton.

She said in a TV interview she felt confident of her ability and said on her website that lots of practice makes her signature stunt a "managed risk." She planned to hang underneath the plane's wing by her feet and sit on the bottom of the airplane while it was upside-down.

It wasn't clear Saturday what went so wrong. The biplane glided through the sky, rolled over, then crashed and exploded into flames, killing the wing walker and the pilot, authorities said. No one else was hurt.

A video posted on WHIO-TV shows the small plane turn upside-down as the performer sits on top of the wing. The plane then tilts and crashes to the ground, erupting into flames as spectators screamed.

Ian Hoyt, an aviation photographer and licensed pilot from Findlay, was at the show with his girlfriend. He told The Associated Press he was taking photos as the plane passed by and had just raised his camera to take another shot.

"Then I realized they were too low and too slow. And before I knew it, they hit the ground," he said.

He couldn't tell exactly what happened, but it appeared that the plane stalled and didn't have enough air speed, he said. He credited the pilot for steering clear of spectators and potentially saving lives.

"Had he drifted more, I don't know what would have happened," Hoyt said. He said he had been excited to see the show because he'd never seen the scheduled performer ? wing walker Jane Wicker ? in action.

The show was canceled for the rest of the day, but organizers said events would resume Sunday and follow the previous schedule and normal operations. The National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating the crash.

On the video, the announcer narrates as the plane glides through the sky and rolls over while the stuntwoman perches on a wing.

"Now she's still on that far side. Keep an eye on Jane. Keep an eye on Charlie. Watch this! Jane Wicker, sitting on top of the world," the announcer said, right before the plane makes a quick turn and nosedive.

Federal records show the 450 HP Stearmans was registered to Wicker, who lived in Loudon, Va. A man who answered the phone at a number listed for Wicker on her website said he had no comment and hung up.

One of the pilots listed on Wicker's website was named Charlie Schwenker. A post on Jane Wicker Airshows' Facebook page announced the deaths of Wicker and Schwenker, and asked for prayers for their families.

A message left at a phone listing for Charles Schwenker in Oakton, Va., wasn't immediately returned.

Dayton International Airport spokeswoman Linda Hughes and Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Anne Ralston confirmed that a pilot and stunt walker had died but declined to give their names. The air show also declined to release their identities.

Another spectator, Shawn Warwick of New Knoxville, told the Dayton Daily News that he was watching the flight through binoculars.

"I noticed it was upside-down really close to the ground. She was sitting on the bottom of the plane," he said. "I saw it just go right into the ground and explode."

Thanh Tran of Fairfield said he could see a look of concern on the wing walker's face just before the plane went down.

"She looked very scared," he said. "Then the airplane crashed on the ground. After that, it was terrible, man ... very terrible."

Wicker's website says she responded to a classified ad from the Flying Circus Airshow in Bealeton, Va., in 1990, for a wing-walking position, thinking it would be fun. She was a contract employee who worked as a Federal Aviation Administration budget analyst, the FAA said.

She talked to WDTN-TV in an interview this week about her signature stunt.

"I'm never nervous or scared because I know if I do everything as I usually do, everything's going to be just fine," she told the station.

Wicker wrote on her website that she had never had any close calls.

"What you see us do out there is after an enormous amount of practice and fine tuning, not to mention the airplane goes through microscopic care. It is a managed risk and that is what keeps us alive," she wrote.

In 2011, wing walker Todd Green fell 200 feet to his death at an air show in Michigan while performing a stunt in which he grabbed the skid of a helicopter.

In 2007, veteran stunt pilot Jim LeRoy was killed at the Dayton show when his biplane slammed into the runway while performing loop-to-loops and caught fire.

Organizers were presenting a trimmed-down show and expected smaller crowds at Dayton after the Air Force Thunderbirds and other military participants pulled out this year because of federal budget cuts.

The air show, one of the country's oldest, usually draws around 70,000 people and has a $3.2 million impact on the local economy. Without military aircraft and support, the show expected attendance to be off 30 percent or more.

___

Thomas reported from Philadelphia. Associated Press writers Kerry Lester in Chicago and Randy Pennell in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

___

Online:

Raw video of crash: http://bit.ly/11Vf7JA

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stuntwoman-pilot-killed-ohio-air-show-crash-073948128.html

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Rebound in UK retail sales signals solid second quarter

By Olesya Dmitracova and David Milliken

LONDON (Reuters) - British retail sales bounced back much more than expected in May, adding to evidence of accelerating economic growth in the second quarter and easing some of the pressure on the central bank to boost the economy.

The Office for National Statistics said on Thursday sales volumes grew 2.1 percent on the month, after posting the sharpest fall in a year in April. May's rise was the biggest since February. Compared with a year earlier, sales rose 1.9 percent, again the fastest increase since February.

The pound pared losses against the dollar while British government bonds fell further, as the release backed views the Bank of England is unlikely to ease monetary policy soon.

However, some economists questioned whether the latest figures pointed to a broad-based return to health and said they still left open the possibility that incoming BoE governor Mark Carney will push for another cash injection for the economy after he takes over from Mervyn King next month.

"I wouldn't view these data as being inconsistent with calls for more stimulus in the UK," said David Tinsley, economist at BNP Paribas.

"There is a genuine debate to be had as to whether the second-quarter figures are part of a sustained recovery or just in some respects an erratically strong quarter," he added.

Retail sales were mainly lifted by discounting at supermarkets and online shopping, the ONS said. Food sales grew by 3.5 percent from April, the strongest rise in two years, while non-store retailing grew by 4.3 percent.

The overall sales figures were also flattered by a poor showing in April, when unseasonably cool weather dented demand.

"Either there was a big influence from the poor weather, the timing of Easter caused some distortions or the whole country was on a crash diet in April," said Alan Clarke at Scotiabank.

Consumers' willingness to spend will largely determine whether the British economy can build on signs of a recovery, such as strong industry surveys, and achieve solid expansion after two years of stagnation.

King cautioned late on Wednesday that "adequate" growth was not yet assured and that the economy needed more support from the central bank, although a slow recovery appeared underway.

Pointing to Britain's patchy economic activity, industry data showed on Thursday that British car production fell 8.4 percent in May from a year ago due to weak euro zone demand.

Some economists also raised doubts that retail sales can maintain the current pace of growth, with wage growth still far behind inflation.

(Additional reporting by William Schomberg and Christina Fincher/editing by Chris Pizzey)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rebound-uk-retail-sales-signals-solid-second-quarter-104227503.html

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Lots of Americans Want Health Care Via Their Smartphone - Health ...

By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) ? Plenty of Americans are eager to use their mobile phones and tablet computers to better manage their health care, a new poll finds ? though the nation has a way to go before we?re all consulting Dr. Smartphone.

In a Harris Interactive/HealthDay survey released Tuesday, more than one-third of respondents who are online said they were ?very? or ?extremely? interested in using smartphones or tablets to ask their doctors questions, make appointments or get medical test results.

Similar numbers of respondents were eager to use mobile phones and tablets for actual health-care services ? such as monitoring blood pressure or blood sugar, or even getting a diagnosis. Such phone and tablet apps are, however, either just getting off the ground or not yet on the market.

The survey results show that the demand for digital assists to health care is ?strong and likely to grow,? said Humphrey Taylor, chairman of The Harris Poll.

But he added that big questions remain: What types of services will consumers be able to get with their mobile devices, and when?

?The devil will surely be in the details,? Taylor said, ?and these are very big details.?

An expert in health-care information agreed. ?Right now, we?re looking at a patchwork system,? said Titus Schleyer, who heads the Center for Biomedical Informatics at the Regenstrief Institute, based at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis.

Companies are developing a number of apps that, along with equipment attached to your phone or tablet, can help diagnose everything from ear infections and eye diseases to irregular heartbeats and malaria. One goal is to bring better health care to remote parts of the world.

But there are already apps out there designed for the masses ? including ones to manage your blood pressure or blood sugar readings, for example. You take the reading via a monitor that plugs into your smartphone, and the app records all the information, which can then be e-mailed to your doctor or sent to your electronic health record, Schleyer said.

Of course, your doctor has to have the systems in place to do something with that information. And, Schleyer added, depending on where you live, and what health system you?re in, that may or may not be the reality.

Schleyer said he has first-hand experience with the obstacles. His wife found an app that let her record and organize her blood pressure readings, only to discover that her smartphone ?couldn?t talk? to their health-care system?s portal.

She ended up just bringing her smartphone to her doctor?s visit.

?This poll shows us that the public is interested in using these apps,? Schleyer said. ?But the health-care system has to make it easier for them to do it.?

Taylor said that in some other countries, services like these are more widely used because they are required or doctors are compensated to employ them. ?But in this country,? he said, ?most doctors and hospitals have little or no incentives to provide them. They are unlikely to offer them until it is in their interest to do so.?

Another poll finding was that, not surprisingly, younger adults are more eager to use their smartphones and tablets than older adults. Only one-quarter of people aged 65 and older were very interested in using the devices to help manage their blood pressure, for instance ? compared to 38 percent of younger people.

On one hand, Schleyer noted, older adults could stand to benefit the most from such technology, because they?re more likely to have chronic health conditions and need more contact with their doctors.

On the other hand, they may simply not be as comfortable with smartphones and tablets as younger generations are, he said.

Despite the interest in tapping into smartphones and tablets for health care, some poll respondents had some misgivings. They were less inclined to want e-mail or text ?reminders? to exercise, quit smoking, or take medication, for example.

Schleyer said that may be because it?s a bit like having your mom nag you electronically. Plus, many Americans are already inundated with e-mails and texts. ?People may feel there?s already too much digital information flying at them,? he said.

Poll respondents were also worried about the security of their electronically transmitted medical information: 47 percent were ?somewhat confident? it would be secure, while roughly 40 percent were ?not very? or ?not at all? confident.

That?s a valid worry, Schleyer said. However, he also doubts that a hacker would have much interest in the blood pressure readings you?re sending to your doctor. ?They?re probably more interested in your credit card number.?

Schleyer thinks there?s a lot of promise for technology to improve health care for Americans ? if, for instance, consumers can get not only test results sent to their phones, but also user-friendly information on what those results mean.

?But right now, none of this is mature yet,? he said.

The poll results are based on an online survey of 2,050 Americans aged 18 and older, conducted between May 22-24.

More information

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has more on health information technology.

Source: http://news.health.com/2013/06/18/lots-of-americans-want-health-care-via-their-smartphone/

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Independence Party role in '14 Minn. gov race: TBD (Star Tribune)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/313121086?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Healthy dessert recipe ideas - sofeminine

These healthy desserts are the perfect way to end a dinner party on a sweet (low calorie) note.

Although most people avoid puddings when watching their weight, with these healthy dessert recipes you shouldn?t feel bad about indulging that sweet tooth just a little.

So finish your evening in style with these healthy dessert recipe ideas, which are high on flavour but surprisingly low in calories. Double win!

Source: http://www.sofeminine.co.uk/desserts/healthy-dessert-recipe-ideas-som2296.html

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Rupert Murdoch files for divorce from Wendi Deng

FILE- In this Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012, file photo, Rupert Murdoch and his wife Wendi arrive at the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles. Murdoch filed Thursday, June 13, 2013, for divorce from Wendi Deng Murdoch, his wife since 1999.(AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

FILE- In this Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012, file photo, Rupert Murdoch and his wife Wendi arrive at the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles. Murdoch filed Thursday, June 13, 2013, for divorce from Wendi Deng Murdoch, his wife since 1999.(AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch has filed for divorce from Wendi Deng Murdoch, his wife since 1999, citing a breakdown in the relationship. The matter doesn't alter the succession plan for the media company, which the 82-year-old founder controls through a family trust.

Murdoch filed a one-page document Thursday indicating that he was opening a divorce case in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan.

A News Corp. spokesperson confirmed the filing.

A sealed document with the filing says, "the relationship between the husband and wife has broken down irretrievably," according to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter was personal.

The couple are parents to two daughters, Grace and Chloe, ages 11 and 9. The girls have no voting stake in the company, but they are beneficiaries of 8.7 million non-voting shares that are held in a trust. Wendi Deng Murdoch, 44, also has non-voting shares.

Murdoch controls nearly 40 percent of the voting shares of News Corp. through a separate family trust. He has four other children from two previous marriages, including three who have active roles within the company: James, Lachlan and Elisabeth.

All four children, including Prudence, his child from his first marriage, have equal votes in electing trustees. That means that upon Murdoch's death, his four eldest children will continue to have the most say in who controls News Corp.

Rupert Murdoch's lawyer, Ira Garr, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The divorce filing comes just a week before the company begins the process to split in two. One company will contain a publishing division and Australian TV assets. A separate company will house global TV and movie businesses.

Markets appeared to be unfazed by the announcement. After starting the day in negative territory, News Corp.'s widely traded non-voting shares were up 1.4 percent at $31.37 by late afternoon.

Born in China, Wendi Deng Murdoch is a Yale graduate who went on to work as a junior executive at News Corp.'s subsidiary Star TV in Hong Kong. Deng was introduced to Murdoch at a Hong Kong cocktail party in 1997. She left Star TV before marrying the media mogul in June 1999 aboard Murdoch's private yacht, in New York.

She produced the movie "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," which was released in 2011 by News Corp.'s Fox Searchlight. According to entertainment website IMDb, The movie did not recoup its $6 million budget.

Wendi Deng Murdoch leapt into the spotlight during a July 2011 British parliamentary hearing into phone hacking by News Corp. newspapers. She jumped up to smack a protester who was throwing a cream pie at her husband.

___

Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz in New York contributed to this report

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-06-13-Rupert%20Murdoch-Divorce/id-b978d8fe362045c6b53ac9e5b9b69c68

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Consultant Instructor - Windows Server 2012 - Exceptional Solutions Limited - United Kingdom

Learning Tree International, a market leading global IT and Management training provider, is expanding its instructor force. Their instructors don't just teach the best practices, industry trends and cutting edge solutions, they create them!

Learning Tree instructors are actively practicing subject matter-expert professionals who work hands-on with the very same technologies and practices taught within the classroom, remote or business environment. They apply their real-world experience gained within their commercial working environments to deliver Learning Tree course materials, either in the Training Centres or on customer sites. Working as an Instructor for only 6-10 weeks per year means the best of both for individuals within the team; being able to maintain their current portfolio whilst also having opportunity to engage with professionals and support delivery of excellent training.

Opportunities currently exist for self motivated, engaging professionals within Windows Server 2012. Requirements for experience and knowledge include:

• Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7+8 operating systems
• Expert Knowledge of Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS)
• Demonstrable experience of File Server Resource Manager (FSRM)
• Working with PowerShell v.3 and scripting administrative tasks
• Remote Desktop Services and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

The prerequisites sought are a current practical expertise, an ability to communicate with diverse audiences and a minimum availability of 6-10 weeks per year. Previous training experience is not essential however could be beneficial. With a current growth area being within the EMEA area, it should be noted that international travel is sometimes required.
In return for expertise and sharing of knowledge, Learning Tree offers industry leading remuneration, comprehensive training, full logistical and operational support, a Continuous Development Programme, the opportunity to network with top IT and Management professionals from FTSE 100 companies and immediate access to the latest advances in software and hardware.

Should you be interested in working with the Instructor Team with this leading global training provider, please do apply now or contact us directly for a confidential discussion.

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Source: http://www.indeed.co.uk/job/Consultant-Instructor-at-Exceptional-Solutions-in-United-Kingdom-3e2f3c48adbf3ece

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Will Smith Seduced M. Night Shyamalan With 'After Earth' Pitch

Director explains how signing onto 'After Earth' was like saying 'yes' to a date with your crush.
By Todd Gilchrist

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1708267/after-earth-will-smith-m-night-shyamalan.jhtml

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