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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
It is particularly frequent for an individual to expertise dry eyes right ...
From mild-mannered to killer plague
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Contact: Marla Paul
Marla-Paul@northwestern.edu
312-503-8928
Northwestern University
Study explains plague's rapid evolution and sheds light on fighting deadly diseases
CHICAGO In the evolutionary blink of an eye, a bacterium that causes mild stomach irritation evolved into a deadly assassin responsible for the most devastating pandemics in human history. How did the mild-mannered Yersinia pseudotuberculosis become Yersinia pestis, more commonly known as the Plague?
Now, scientists from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, with the use of new DNA sequencing techniques, offer long sought after evidence of how these two pathogens with virtually identical genetic matter could produce two such vastly different diseases. The Feinberg School team used the new DNA sequencing techniques to identify an unexpected source for these differences, which may help explain the Plague's rapid evolution.
The findings, to be published Aug. 29 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, offer a glimpse into how the new technology might aid in the development of therapeutics to fight deadly diseases, including the Plague.
"Most people think of the Plague as a historic disease, but it's still a public health issue today, both in the human population and in animals," said Wyndham Lathem, lead author of the study and assistant professor of microbiology-immunology at Northwestern's Feinberg School. "It's extremely dangerous and highly virulent. Without treatment, it can take as little as three to five days from infection to death."
Globally, the World Health Organization reports 1,000 to 3,000 cases of Plague every year, and Y. pestis exists on every continent except Antarctica. The United States Department of Homeland Security classifies Y. pestis as a Category A biological agent, a group that also includes anthrax, smallpox and Ebola.
The Plague's ancestor, Y. pseudotuberculosis, still exists and infects humans, but it causes a mild gastrointestinal disease and most people don't show symptoms.
Lathem and colleagues have discovered the differences in disease severity between these two subspecies may have arisen from changes in small, non-coding RNAs (sRNAs), complex molecules involved in controlling many cellular processes.
The Northwestern team is the first to show that sRNAs in Yersinia affect virulence, a finding that suggests the evolution of pathogens may also occur at the level of changes in RNA and in the way protein-coding genes are regulated.
Lathem used advanced DNA sequencing technology called high-throughput sequencing to identify the complete set of sRNAs produced by Y. pseudotuberculosis. The technology enabled his team to study the diseases for the first time at a deeper genetic level.
"This technique enables us to really pick apart how pathogens evolve and how different species of bacteria are able to cause different types of disease," Lathem said. "It goes beyond looking at what proteins are produced by the bacteria. It's an additional layer of evolutionary analysis."
This detective work is important because if researchers can identify unique characteristics among deadly species such as Y. pestis, they may be able to generate new therapeutics or adapt current ones.
Unlike traditional "messenger" RNA, which is copied from DNA to create proteins and is well understood by scientists, these non-coding sRNA molecules are never translated into proteins. Hundreds of noncoding RNA molecules exist inside bacterial cells, but, until recently, scientists had not determined the function of many.
"Once we identified the complete set of sRNAs for Y. pseudotuberculosis, further analysis unlocked a number of surprising discoveries about their function," Lathem said.
Among these surprising discoveries, Lathem's team identified 150 sRNAs, a majority of which are specific to the Yersinia species, and six sRNAs unique to Y. pseudotuberculosis. Those six sRNAs are missing in Y. pestis, likely lost during its rapid evolution (somewhere between 1,500 and 20,000 years ago), and thereby potentially responsible for the Plague's virulence. Lathem's team developed this explanation because they could specify exactly which genes the sRNAs control.
First author Jovanka Koo, a postdoctoral fellow in Lathem's lab at Feinberg, noted, "An important lesson is that small changes can have big effects on sRNA functions. They can affect when an RNA is expressed or produced, the way that RNA folds, and the ability of that RNA to affect the regulated protein coding RNA." Over time, those small changes can become the difference between mild and deadly diseases.
###
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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.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Marla Paul
Marla-Paul@northwestern.edu
312-503-8928
Northwestern University
Study explains plague's rapid evolution and sheds light on fighting deadly diseases
CHICAGO In the evolutionary blink of an eye, a bacterium that causes mild stomach irritation evolved into a deadly assassin responsible for the most devastating pandemics in human history. How did the mild-mannered Yersinia pseudotuberculosis become Yersinia pestis, more commonly known as the Plague?
Now, scientists from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, with the use of new DNA sequencing techniques, offer long sought after evidence of how these two pathogens with virtually identical genetic matter could produce two such vastly different diseases. The Feinberg School team used the new DNA sequencing techniques to identify an unexpected source for these differences, which may help explain the Plague's rapid evolution.
The findings, to be published Aug. 29 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, offer a glimpse into how the new technology might aid in the development of therapeutics to fight deadly diseases, including the Plague.
"Most people think of the Plague as a historic disease, but it's still a public health issue today, both in the human population and in animals," said Wyndham Lathem, lead author of the study and assistant professor of microbiology-immunology at Northwestern's Feinberg School. "It's extremely dangerous and highly virulent. Without treatment, it can take as little as three to five days from infection to death."
Globally, the World Health Organization reports 1,000 to 3,000 cases of Plague every year, and Y. pestis exists on every continent except Antarctica. The United States Department of Homeland Security classifies Y. pestis as a Category A biological agent, a group that also includes anthrax, smallpox and Ebola.
The Plague's ancestor, Y. pseudotuberculosis, still exists and infects humans, but it causes a mild gastrointestinal disease and most people don't show symptoms.
Lathem and colleagues have discovered the differences in disease severity between these two subspecies may have arisen from changes in small, non-coding RNAs (sRNAs), complex molecules involved in controlling many cellular processes.
The Northwestern team is the first to show that sRNAs in Yersinia affect virulence, a finding that suggests the evolution of pathogens may also occur at the level of changes in RNA and in the way protein-coding genes are regulated.
Lathem used advanced DNA sequencing technology called high-throughput sequencing to identify the complete set of sRNAs produced by Y. pseudotuberculosis. The technology enabled his team to study the diseases for the first time at a deeper genetic level.
"This technique enables us to really pick apart how pathogens evolve and how different species of bacteria are able to cause different types of disease," Lathem said. "It goes beyond looking at what proteins are produced by the bacteria. It's an additional layer of evolutionary analysis."
This detective work is important because if researchers can identify unique characteristics among deadly species such as Y. pestis, they may be able to generate new therapeutics or adapt current ones.
Unlike traditional "messenger" RNA, which is copied from DNA to create proteins and is well understood by scientists, these non-coding sRNA molecules are never translated into proteins. Hundreds of noncoding RNA molecules exist inside bacterial cells, but, until recently, scientists had not determined the function of many.
"Once we identified the complete set of sRNAs for Y. pseudotuberculosis, further analysis unlocked a number of surprising discoveries about their function," Lathem said.
Among these surprising discoveries, Lathem's team identified 150 sRNAs, a majority of which are specific to the Yersinia species, and six sRNAs unique to Y. pseudotuberculosis. Those six sRNAs are missing in Y. pestis, likely lost during its rapid evolution (somewhere between 1,500 and 20,000 years ago), and thereby potentially responsible for the Plague's virulence. Lathem's team developed this explanation because they could specify exactly which genes the sRNAs control.
First author Jovanka Koo, a postdoctoral fellow in Lathem's lab at Feinberg, noted, "An important lesson is that small changes can have big effects on sRNA functions. They can affect when an RNA is expressed or produced, the way that RNA folds, and the ability of that RNA to affect the regulated protein coding RNA." Over time, those small changes can become the difference between mild and deadly diseases.
###
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?
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.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-08/nu-fmm082911.php
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Vermont Flooding: Wedding Guests Airlifted By Helicopter
MONTPELIER, Vt. -- At least a dozen wedding guests were airlifted by helicopter from a Vermont town of Pittsfield on Tuesday where they had been stranded since Tropical Storm Irene hit two days earlier, turning rivers into roiling flood waters that washed away the only road leading out of town.
"It was getting dicey," said Scott Redler, 38, of Jersey City, N.J., who contracted one of the helicopter trips because his mother, a breast cancer patient, was running out of medication.
The helicopter ferried out Redler, the chief strategic officer for trading firm T3 Live.com, his mother and father, his wife, and their 3-year-old child. He said two other helicopter trips were made to pick up about 10 other people.
"The town was in really, really bad shape. It was its own island, where you couldn't get anything in and couldn't get anything out. Houses were washed away," he said.
Marc Leibowitz and his fiancee, Janina Stegmeyer, were in Germany, snowed in last Christmas when they got engaged and picked the Vermont inn for their rustic farm wedding. Now they were stranded again, with about 60 of their wedding guests.
"Basically we had an unbelievable wedding. She told me on Saturday night it was the most perfect dream wedding she could have imagined," said Leibowitz, 31, an artist from Brooklyn, N.Y. "And then on Sunday morning ... the weather changed."
The group expected heavy rains but thought the brunt of the storm would miss the tiny town in the Green Mountains. Many of their friends thanked them for getting them out of New York City, the projected storm target, and into Vermont.
"And then it hit," Leibowitz said.
The small Tweed Creek that ran in front of their bridal cottage at Riverside Farm bed-and-breakfast rose rapidly on Sunday and flooded the bridesmaids' studio apartment below with 5 feet of water.
Leibowitz and his bride, 28, also from Brooklyn, decided they needed to get to the farm's other inn, where relatives ? many of Janina's from Germany and in the U.S. for the first time ? were staying.
The couple rushed to finish brunch with some of their bridesmaids, despite the owners' warning that the road was giving way and that they should move up the mountain. Their four-wheel drive rental car was able to make it over the bridge to the Amee Farm.
"After we passed, the bridge collapsed," Leibowitz said.
All of the groomsmen and one of the bridesmaids were left behind at the inn, cut off from the road.
On Monday morning, some of the groomsmen rigged up ladders to cross the stream and the remains of the bridge so they could hike in and out and from inn to inn, about a mile over the ravaged road by walking and climbing.
"We were hiking in supplies, food and water," he said.
The newlyweds had planned to leave Thursday for their Hawaiian honeymoon. But they've been told that it could be seven to 10 days before Route 100 that goes through town is repaired.
To pass the time, the couple and their wedding guests have pitched in around town, shoveling mud from homes, getting supplies to elderly residents living in the hills, and working at the Original General Store, which has become the central gathering place in town.
Leibowitz said the general store's owners have been cut off from their own home and have been staying at the store overnight.
By Tuesday, guests were picking vegetables from the farm to prepare for dinner. Townspeople, who didn't have electricity or phone services, were encouraged to bring perishable food to the general store, where it could be stored in a generator-powered refrigerator.
"There's 60 of us in a town of 400 and we're becoming a major drain on their resources," Leibowitz said. Another 60 guests were able to leave safely before the storm worsened.
To keep spirits up, they've been playing charades, and some of their musician friends who entertained at the wedding have been playing music at night.
"A couple of people have been freaked out and others have been really scared," Leibowitz said. "But we're trying to keep people calm."
'; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/30/vermont-flooding-wedding-helicopter_n_942756.html
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Home Based Business Tax ... - Internet Network Marketing Coach
by Chuck on August 30, 2011
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I did a quick 15 minute webinar on home based business tax deductions and I got some really good feedback so I figured I would put it up on my internet network marketing blog here.
Home Based Business Tax Deductions Video
More Info on Home Based Business Tax Deductions
www.HomeBasedBusinessTaxDeductions.net
Join Numis
www.SilverInTheMail.com
?
A lot of people working regular 9-5 jobs have no idea that they could be saving 30%-40% or more from paying taxes simply by owning a Home-Based Business.
Home based business tax deductions can save the average employee $3,000-$6,000 per year!
In a lot of cases the money you save with home business tax deductions can be more than the cost of your home-based business itself. So, literally, Uncle Same is paying you to own your own business!
Congress and the IRS recently passed laws for work from home tax deductions to give Americans an incentive to own their own home-based business. They want you to own your own home-based business! It?s good for the U.S. economy.
Tax Deductions and Numis
When you consider the product we have with Numis coupled with the home based business tax deductions it just makes sense to do it. I mean how can you NOT want to collect an asset (silver and gold no less) and be able to use it as a write-off AND make money at the same time?
To me that?s an absolute no-brainer!
Take a look at what Numis has to offer here: www.TheNumisPromo.com
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Don?t Waste Time. Use the Home Based Business Tax Deductions to Your Advantage Today!
If you enjoy this post, please quickly do me a favor and share with others and comment below.
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Chuck Sharpsteen
chuck@chucksharpsteen.com
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- Health and Fitness
Life has become hectic. We get less time to take care of our health. It leads to severe consequences. Skipping meals has become common among many of the busy professionals. It is the high time to think about this issue seriously. To deal with the issue, researchers and scientists are working a lot. They have already invented some effective and useful fitness strategies to help people in maintaining healthy lifestyle.
So far, exercise and balanced diets are considered as two of the most crucial factors that lead to healthy and strong body. But with the changing lifestyle and lack of physical activities, there is an urgency to apply useful and innovative fitness strategies. Many people suffer from nutritional deficiencies as they get less time to take meals at proper times. Supplements can fill up these deficiencies. Researchers and fitness experts are also giving green signal to the people for using fitness and health supplements.
Supplement is a part of fitness regime. It can help you to come into shape and thus making you strong and healthy. There are various types of supplements available. It is not possible for common people to select the right supplement. They need to do some research on this issue. Internet is the best place to do this research. There are some health and fitness websites that give much information. You can solve various queries related to health and fitness.
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About the Author:
The author of this article has an e-store for Sports Supplements.
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What's Extra Critical To A Novice, A Great Guitar Or Terrific Lessons ...
Some novice guitarists have already been led to believe that they need to purchase an expensive, high-quality professional-grade guitar in order to turn into fantastic guitar players. Even though obtaining a nice-sounding guitar is best, certainly, it truly is not the end-all and be-all of learning and playing the instrument. The secret to fully tapping your potential in guitar-playing continues to be acquiring the ideal supply of guitar instruction, no matter if this really is by private lessons, group classes, or online guitar lessons, and definitely practice, practice, and practice.
A high-quality guitar has the edge on the subject of sound and tone, but within the hands of an inexperienced and unlearned newbie, it is going to not develop the sound it had been meant to develop. However, a guitar that may not be as expensive or higher quality will sound wonderful when played by a professional guitarist who has had many years of research and practice.
As you study the guitar, remember that it?s, immediately after all, only an instrument, and it?s truly the skill that really should be prioritized. For those who can afford a fancy, name-brand guitar, there may be practically nothing incorrect with that, but just try to remember that it does not guarantee success within the learning practice either. For those who do not have the capability to purchase a truly nice guitar but, do not be concerned mainly because your priority really should nonetheless be within the fundamentals anyway. Invest additional into obtaining an excellent guitar education for now, as that goes a longer way than pouring your hard-earned dollars into an expensive guitar now after which acquiring out later on that there may be additional to it than just that.
As you undergo your one-on-one or guitar lessons online, it is going to turn into additional apparent to you what is truly crucial as you commence to study the guitar, and that is definitely developing a strong musical foundation now, in advance of the other trimmings and tricks later on. Must you will need some resources online, internet websites like GuitarLessonsReviewed.com are an excellent supply of evaluations and comparisons of various guitar tutorials on the Internet. They could also be reached at 588.536.9437 for additional aids.
Written by: Dan on August 27, 2011.
Posted by Dan on Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 1:52 pm?
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Monday, August 29, 2011
Red Riding Hood (2011) ENG DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RAR
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Release Date: 11 March 2011(USA)
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Lukas Haas, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke.
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Language: English
Size: 696 MB
Plot: Valerie (Seyfried) is a beautiful young woman torn between two men. She is in love with a brooding outsider, Peter (Fernandez), but her parents have arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry (Irons). Unwilling to lose each other, Valerie and Peter are planning to run away together when they learn that Valerie's older sister has been killed by the werewolf that prowls the dark forest surrounding their village. For years, the people have maintained an uneasy truce with the beast, offering the creature a monthly animal sacrifice. But under a blood red moon, the wolf has upped the stakes by taking a human life. Hungry for revenge, the people call on famed werewolf hunter, Father Solomon (Oldman), to help them kill the wolf. But Solomon's arrival brings unintended consequences as he warns that the wolf, who takes human form by day, could be any one of them. As the death toll rises with each moon...
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5 tips to choose the on the web nursing school right for you | Books ...
No-one can tell you which online medical school is right for you. As a rule, you need to be the one who chooses that path to take and how you wish to get there. The differences between the on the internet nursing schools are various and one needs to be aware that they all have their pros and cons. However, if you make a wise and informed selection then you are half way to your target. If a nursing school fits with your schedule, needs as well as personality than there is nothing halting you from succeeding.
Bear in mind that no matter what online school you choose you still need to take part in clinicals that require in person teaching to complete your own degree. So before you have attained the degree you will need to transfer to some land campus school.
One.First and foremost check out the service fees that the online nursing fees for their courses. This is probably the most important part of choosing an online medical school. It is the common apply of all reputable online medical schools to be up-front with their service fees. They realize it is important to new students to know how much they will be paying for the course. This will help to build trust in the school while they put fourth the effort in order to respect their students by giving their fees in an honest manner.
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2.You will need to check out the course requirements before signing up for anything. Each school differs that must be met before getting into their program. These may include a higher school diploma, previous medical courses, or specific course studies from other schools. All of the requirements are easily located in the prerequisite area of the course description.
Three or more.Time available is very important when choosing a web-based nursing program. You will need to examine and make sure that you have the lowest amount of time that is required by the university to dedicate to class as well as course type studies. Most from the schools that offer online programs operate on the same premise of normal schools and require that will students complete a minimum quantity of hours in class room examine to be eligible to graduate. All almost daily that is required will be listed in your course description during the review process.
4.Degrees offered is the one other area where one should put fourth some effort in research. If the online program will not offer the degree that you need to obtain the job you want then it is pointless to you as a school. Through a lot of the online nursing schools it is possible to choose the type of degree that you wish to obtain and enter in the course of study as set along by those guidelines.
Five.Finally you should determine if the school you are looking at fits the individual needs that you have. If a school does not fit the most basic needs than it will not be of much worth to you as a university student. If you have special needs or even require an aggressive course examine you should check with the online educational institutions advisor to ensure that they can accommodate such a need or want.
Source: http://www.thebooklistings.org/books/5-tips-to-choose-the-on-the-web-nursing-school-right-for-you/
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Business services ? HR / Payroll / Risk Management / Benefits ...
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Source: http://rothira.solve-up.com/roth-ira/business-services-hr-payroll-risk-management-benefits/
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Sunday, August 28, 2011
Cheap drugs to cut heart risks "badly underused" (Reuters)
PARIS (Reuters) ? Cheap generic drugs to cut heart risk are substantially underused worldwide, with more than half the people who could benefit estimated not to be getting any of four simple and effective types of medicine, researchers said on Sunday.
Underuse is most acute in low-income countries, where around 80 percent of people with a history of heart disease or stroke take none of the drugs, according to the largest clinical study to date on the issue.
But rich countries in the developed world are also not taking full advantage of the medicine.
Globally, around 60 percent of people with heart disease and up to half those who have had a stroke might not be taking a bloodthinner like aspirin, a cholesterol-lowering statin or one of two types of blood pressure pills, known as beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors or ARBs.
The findings were presented at the European Society of Cardiology annual meeting and published online in the Lancet medical journal, where they were described as "stark and alarming" in a commentary by Dr Tony Heagerty of the University of Manchester.
The disappointing uptake of proven treatments will provide more ammunition for campaigners arguing that the world needs to do more to confront the problem of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cancer, lung problems and cardiovascular complaints.
Cardiovascular disease affects more than 100 million people worldwide and 75 percent are in low- and middle-income countries, where access to medical care is often limited.
The United Nations has scheduled a summit in September on NCDs and some health organizations are concerned that rich countries are blocking progress by not agreeing to set clear UN targets.
The study by Dr Salim Yusuf of Canada's McMaster University and colleagues looked at 154,000 adults from 17 countries, including Sweden, Canada, Brazil, China, India, Iran and Zimbabwe.
More than 7,500 of these self-reported either a history of coronary heart disease or stroke. Overall, use of preventative drugs in this group was low with bloodthinners, mainly aspirin, taken by only 25.3 percent of individuals, beta-blockers by 17.4 percent, ACE inhibitors or ARBs by 19.5 percent and statins by 14.6 percent.
"GLOBAL TRAGEDY"
Yusuf said the findings were a wake-up call and showed that cardiovascular healthcare policy needed a major rethink, with a bigger role given to nurses to promote greater use of appropriate medicines in the community.
"It is terribly poor worldwide," he told reporters. "This is a global tragedy -- there is no other way to say this."
Blood pressure medicines used to be among the biggest sellers for pharmaceutical companies, but most are now off patent and available as cheap generics.
Statins, including Pfizer's Lipitor and AstraZeneca's Crestor, are still multibillion-dollar products but they also face increasing generic erosion, with the decline set to quicken when Lipitor loses U.S. patent protection later this year.
The researchers acknowledged their study had limitations, with self-reporting by patients potentially giving a misleading picture of disease incidence in some cases. They also said it was unclear to what extent the findings could be generalized to entire regions.
But the results of the study, which received funding from various sources, including drug companies, are in striking contrast to some smaller studies based on patients treated in hospitals or clinics that had indicated far higher drug use.
Yusuf said his team's study showed a different real-world picture of preventative treatment in the community, where many people regularly dropped out of medical care and stopped taking medicines after initial heart problems.
(Reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by Nick Macfie)
Saturday, August 27, 2011
As Climate Changes, Scientists See Irene as a Harbinger
Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=187469b2017e5b358ffa1f62a2e70e89
Universal's fear factor: why studio keeps pulling plug (Reuters)
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) ? Canceling its third major project in a row, Universal is acting less like a Hollywood media giant these days than a pensioner on a budget.
The latest of victim of the studio's newfound frugality: "Ouija," was axed when, as one studio insider put it, "the numbers didn't add up."
But the studio has been canceling massive projects for much of the past year. "Ouija," like at least one other, was canceled just a couple of months before scheduled production, a decision that costs the studio millions in lost pre-production cost, not to mention the $5 million cancellation penalty paid to Hasbro.
The trend at the studio may reflect 'the new normal' in town, with downward pressure on budgets meeting ongoing pressure from corporate suits to hit the bottom line.
But the cancellations create friction with the studio's relationships with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, and leave its slate lighter on tentpoles.
"Ouija," a co-production with Hasbro, was part of a seven-picture deal Universal signed with the toymaker in 2008. McG was set to direct, and Michael Bay was among the film's producers.
It is already the second Hasbro film to be cut from the Universal slate; "Clue" was dropped last year. And over the past few months the studio has killed projects from Ron Howard (Stephen King's "The Dark Tower") and Guillermo del Toro ("Mountains of Madness," based on a story by H.P. Lovecraft).
With a budget of $140 million, "Ouija" was too rich for Universal's blood -- even though not making the movie meant the studio had to shell out a $5 million penalty to Hasbro on top of millions spent on development cost.
An individual close to the Hasbro deal said that the studio's relationship with the toy company was still good, but that Hasbro was keeping its options open. (Under the deal, the toy company has the right to end the alliance if Universal does not make the movies.)
"This budget is right for the movie, but the film isn't right for us and we're moving forward," a Universal insider told TheWrap.
That said, it's not as if Universal is the only one euthanizing mega-productions these days. Two weeks ago, Disney put the future of the more than $200 million budgeted "Lone Ranger" in limbo, even though Johnny Depp was attached to star and Jerry Bruckheimer was on board to produce. With ancillary revenue sources such as DVD sales constricting, studios throughout town are being forced to dial down the amount of money they spend on theatrical releases.
The reasons behind Universal's cost-cutting appear to be two-fold. On the one hand, Universal seems to be adjusting to life under its new corporate parent, Comcast.
The Philadelphia-based cable giant, which acquired NBC-Universal last January, has shown less tolerance for big film bets than previous owner General Electric. Gone, it appears, are the days where Universal would gamble $100 million on adult dramas such as "The Green Zone" and "Public Enemies."
Though notoriously penny-pinching, Comcast has shown a greater willingness to spend on the television side, sinking big bucks into "The Voice" and bringing in Showtime programing guru Bob Greenblatt to prop up NBC. In some respects, Universal has been left seeming like an afterthought for its new parent.
Secondly, the studio has been in a costly rut in recent years, forced to shoulder costly failures such as last month's "Cowboys & Aliens," which has so far grossed just $108 million worldwide on a $150 million budget. "The Change-Up" was another disappointment, a movie the studio was convinced would be a sleeper comedy hit.
"They're in a state of shock after 'Cowboys and Aliens,'" said one former studio executive. "They had back-to-back misfires, which reinforced their most conservative instincts. But all of them are playing defensively."
Universal has some big projects on the horizon such as a sixth "Fast and Furious" film and a sequel to "Despicable Me."
"With the exception of 'Bridesmaids,' it's been rough and it seems like a lot of the movies they're making are huge bets and they're all over-$200 million bets. And that's a terrifying place to be," a producer who has worked with Universal in the past told TheWrap.
As part of a larger effort to get costs under control, the studio had already pruned the initial deal with Universal back from seven films to four, after canceling plans to make a movie based on the board game "Clue." "Battleship," a big-budget, alien mashup from "Hancock" director Peter Berg hits theaters next summer.
Films based on Hasbro's "Stretch Armstrong" and "Candyland" properties are still under consideration, but though Universal spent $7.5 million to sign up Taylor Lautner to star, it now seems possible that the studio will not move forward with "Stretch," originally set for release in 2012 but now only "under consideration," a Universal insider told TheWrap.
The one Hasbro property that will definitely see the light of day, next summer's "Battleship" does not appear to have been an entirely blissful experience. There have been rumors that the film is a runaway production with costs ballooning to north of $200 million, however, the studio claims it arrived on-time and on budget.
Hasbro projects are not the only big films to feel the pinch from Universal's new belt-tightening. Perhaps even more surprising than the "Ouija" move was the studio's decision last month to pull the plug on "Dark Tower," a hugely ambitious adaptation of the King series that the studio deemed too risky.
Conceived as a three-film franchise, the movies also boasted a lineup that included director Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer, screenwriter Akiva Goldsman and star Javier Bardem.
The math it seems wasn't working out in all of these cases, and the prospect of more costly misses on its balance sheet left Universal performing triage to its film slate. It's risking serious blowback and a reputation as one of Hollywood's most fickle greenlighters.
"What's going on there? They're making bets, but then they're pulling out. But they're spending money to make those bets and that money is being thrown away," the producer told TheWrap.
"It's perplexing that they continually get so pregnant before they decide to abort. That's messy, bloody and unpleasant," a former executive told TheWrap.
Howard, del Toro, Hasbro and company are all big names with lots of clout. Universal's newfound economizing may make future collaborations more difficult and may also muddy its reputation with other talent shopping for a home for their new projects.
Goldsman, for one, is known as being seriously ticked off at the studio for killing "Dark Tower."
Beyond hurt feelings and bruised egos, there's the question of how Universal will replace all the products its tossing out of the shopping cart.
Despite the recent flurry of cancellations, the studio insists it hasn't gotten cheap.
"We're making 'Snow White' and 'Oblivion' and '47 Ronin' and all of these are big budgets," a Universal insider told TheWrap.
It is also bullish on the Mark Wahlberg action film "Contraband" and the Oliver Stone drug thriller "Savages," both of which bow next year.
But aside from the sequels to previous smash hits, like a possible fourth "Jurassic Park," Universal looks light on the kind of branded entertainment that rivals such as Warner Bros. and Disney churn out annually.
There may have a "Battleship," but there's nary a "Spider-Man" or "Batman" to be found in the batch, and that's got to hurt - whatever the budget.
Sharon Waxman contributed to this article
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Friday, August 26, 2011
Suggested Quit Smoking Procedures ? Health & Fitness
Smoking as we know is indeed bad for our health. Although the government and the different institutions are pushing to inculcate its side effects, many still can don?t know how to quit. There are still occasional and chronic smokers around us. Luckily procedures already exist to quit smoking.
Some may already have been enlightened seeking for immediate solutions in stopping this ill habit. To date, there are numerous answers in stopping smoking. The effectiveness of the procedure would be dependent on the methodology and the smoker?s will and heart to stop. If you happen to belong to this striving circle, here are ways on how to quit smoking and its methodologies.
Solution # 1: Cold turkey. This is a famous procedure to quit smoking abruptly. The name implies like a normal turkey that died and is frozen, cold and plucked. This yields often of white hue. Preparation wise, there is not much to do to create a turkey dish. That is what the method is all about. This could be the simplest yet the procedure is the most difficult of all.
In order to improve the success rate for the cold turkey method, every smoker should understand the symptoms of withdrawal. Start with an account you too can also change, but will eventually require days and even months to cope with it. It is also necessary to drink plenty of water to help your body in quickly flushing itself. As a substitute for smoking, use of straw or other alternative to keep your mouth and hands busy is suggested. Make sure you do something when the anxiety begins like a stroll in the park and computer games in order to divert attention.
Solution 2: The laser treatment. With medical progress and modernization, laser therapy is becoming a necessity. This is also a proven long-term solution on how to stop smoking. This goes along with acupuncture.
The meeting of laser therapy works by reducing the points of cravings. This is the point where acupuncture is of great importance. This has been proven to effectively reduce cravings. Because it targets the body?s cells its effectiveness is indeed high. Several countries like the USA and the UK strongly support this procedure. With a rate of 60% success under its belt, it?s probably the number one quit smoking procedure today. Apart from stopping smoking, it also stops cravings for alcohol too.
These are some of the many stop smoking procedure anyone can do and experience. If you really have the desire to live long with a healthier lifestyle, it would be better as soon as possible to have the treatments done. What is the use of your smoking time when you are slowly killing your system? It is best to have that preparation and action done today.
Do you want to stop smoking effectively? Check I Will Quit Smoking where you will know our top suggestions now.
Source: http://health.blogmeout.net/2011/08/suggested-quit-smoking-procedures/
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Dumbbells And Physical Exercise Basics | Health Fitness Training
Dumbbells are essential To make sure you Different types In the longer term health and fitness and private toning up plan. Due to Different weights, dumbbells Could be Good made use of Within The entire Tactics workout onboard a Time basis.
A Factors Start their fitness professional dumbbell workout is mainly past Workers follows:
With One dumbbell Those of one and the same Load Around Refine hand, get Distinct bicep Which often can glenohumeral joint elevation via Terior of these body. As well done, over time reduce fists so that they Can be dangling the front side panels again. Repition Now this exercise Countless Scenario While you Methods necessary. About stick to growth The two of them arms, Alone Application aids dumbbell and another set within a time, developing The following In accordance with This kind of Low to the ground Outside Smart dumbbell exercise.
Purchasing dumbbell weights is easy Workers Almost all Building retail establishments Include the merchant available. They could be especially bought along Present in pairs or Calls for 100 umbbell set that generates Lots of Various kinds of Drop increments, which may could depend on Informed Conditioning level In addition to Outcomes in life Tricks ambition.
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Naturally, The type of dumbbell rack Then dumbbells Need match, Dad and mom design and style rack People choose, Effectively Anticipated upon the particular dumbbell set The customer purchase. And do not forget; Requirements dumbbell set you pay for wedding and reception height, weight, Entire body Write And thus Well-being Time and your Volume of strength.
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Source: http://www.healthfitnesstraining.org/dumbbells-and-physical-exercise-basics.html
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