Zubeidat Tsarnaeva may stay out of American custody because the US and Russia do not have a bilateral extradition treaty, despite efforts by Moscow to negotiate one.
By Fred Weir,?Correspondent / April 28, 2013
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva at a news conference in Dagestan, Russia, on Thursday. Her sister Maryam, right, is with her.
Musa Sadulayev/AP
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The mother of the two Boston bombing suspects, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, has become a focus of interest after it emerged that her name had been added to a key terrorist watchlist in 2011 and fresh materials, including wiretaps, handed over to the US by the Russians showed her "vaguely discussing" jihad with her elder son two years ago.?
Skip to next paragraph Fred Weir
Correspondent
Fred Weir has been the Monitor's Moscow correspondent, covering Russia and the former Soviet Union, since 1998.?
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Ms. Tsarnaeva, a naturalized US citizen who moved back to Russia a few years ago, has best been known until now as the most passionate defender of her two sons, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar, up to the point of insisting that they were "framed" because they were Muslims. Now investigators may want to look into what role she may have played, if any, in the radicalization process that may have led her two sons to carry out the Boston Marathon bombing almost two weeks ago.
Tsarnaeva was reportedly added to the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE)?database in 2011 at the request of US intelligence agencies. That list, which held about 750,000 names at the time, is used to compile the consolidated Terrorist Watchlist?used as the main reference tool by airlines and law enforcement agencies. It is believed her name, and that of her son Tamerlan, were appended to the list after the Russian FSB security service appealed for more information about the pair to the FBI and the CIA and warned of their growing radicalization.?
In recent days the Russians have also turned over wiretaps of conversations between Tsarnaeva, who was by that time back living in her native Dagestan, and her son Tamerlan in Boston. In one they reportedly discuss "jihad" in a general way. In another, Tsarnaeva is recorded talking with someone who is under FBI investigation in an unrelated case.
In his annual town hall meeting with the Russian public last Thursday, President Vladimir Putin called for stepped up security cooperation?between the US and Russia in the wake of the Boston tragedy. He downplayed any links between Russia and the Boston bombers, and added "to our great regret" Russian security forces lacked any "operative information" that they might have shared with US law enforcement in the run up to the attack.
Tsarnaeva is an ethnic Avar, one of the largest groups in Russia's multi-national, but solidly Muslim, mountain republic of Dagestan?which abuts the Caspian Sea. Dagestan has been wracked for over a decade by a growing Islamist insurgency that has made parts of the republic a no-go zone even for law enforcement.
Today, Amazon continued the trend, still finding itself in a bit of a hangover after missing expectations in Q4. The eCommerce giant reported earnings from Q1 after the market closed this afternoon, in which it saw cash flow increase 39 percent to $4.25 billion, compared to $3 billion for the prior year, while net sales increased 22 percent to $16.07 billion in Q1, compared to $13.18 billion in first quarter 2012.
Just because something?s tough doesn?t mean it?s strong. In fact, finding materials that are both tough and strong is one of the biggest obstacles facing those who design everything from bridges to bicycles and bullet-proof vests.
But a new nanofiber from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) could be the well-rounded material long sought after by engineers. This structural nanofiber ? a type of synthetic polymer related to acrylic ? fulfills both the strength and toughness requirements needed for building objects that are simultaneously resilient and light-weight.
In structural materials, strength and toughness are usually mutually exclusive qualities, with strength often occurring at the expense of toughness. Strength refers to a material?s ability to carry a load. A material?s toughness refers to the amount of energy needed to break it.
Take, for example, a ceramic plate. It can carry quite a bit of food to the dinner table, but if you drop it on the way there, it will shatter. Ceramic plates are strong, not tough.
A rubber ball, on the other hand, can easily be squished out of shape, but it?s hard to break. Rubber balls are tough, though not particularly strong.
But the new process discovered by Yuris Dzenis, professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at UNL, and his colleagues creates a structural nanomaterial that is both tough and strong.
The technique, known as electrospinning, involves applying high voltage to a polymer solution until a small jet of liquid ejects, resulting in a continuous length of nanofiber.
Dzenis and his team knew that making their material thinner would also make it stronger. However, they were surprised to learn that thinning out the nanofiber also made it tougher.
Dzenis suggested that this added toughness could be a result of the nanofiber?s low crystallinity. Most advanced fibers are high in crystallinity, meaning that they have a very rigid and clearly defined internal structure.
But the new nanofiber is structurally unorganized. Its amorphous regions allow for more slipping in the material?s molecular chains, allowing it to absorb more energy without breaking. This toughness makes the nanofiber a great candidate for use as a building composite.
?If structural materials were tougher, one could make products more lightweight and still be very safe,? said Dzenis.
Airplanes, for example, are made of many composite materials that, if broken, could lead to devastating crashes. To compensate for the composite?s lack of toughness, engineers use more of these materials, making airplanes safer, but also much heavier.
Body armor is another example of a product that could be improved upon with the help of this new advancement in nanotechnology.
?To stop the bullet, you need the material to be able to absorb energy before failure, and that?s what our nanofibers will do,? Dzenis said.
?Whatever is made of composites can benefit from our nanofibers."
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Miami Heat's LeBron James, top, goes to the basket as Milwaukee Bucks' Ersan Ilyasova (7) looks on during the first half of Game 1 of their first-round NBA basketball playoff series in Miami, Sunday April 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
Miami Heat's LeBron James, top, goes to the basket as Milwaukee Bucks' Ersan Ilyasova (7) looks on during the first half of Game 1 of their first-round NBA basketball playoff series in Miami, Sunday April 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade (3) congratulates Chris Andersen (11) after Andersen scored against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half of Game 1 of their first-round NBA basketball playoff series in Miami, Sunday April 21, 2013. The Heat won 110-87. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade (3) shoots as Milwaukee Bucks' Monta Ellis (11) defends during the first half of Game 1 of their first-round NBA basketball playoff series in Miami, Sunday April 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
Milwaukee Bucks power forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute practices before Game 1 of their first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Miami Heat in Miami, Sunday, April 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
Milwaukee Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings arrives at the American Airlines for Game 1 in the first round of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Miami Heat in Miami, Sunday April 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
MIAMI (AP) ? LeBron James has never taken fewer shots in a playoff game than he did on Sunday night, which at first glance might seem like a good thing for the Milwaukee Bucks.
It was not.
James scored 27 points on 9 for 11 shooting ? finishing two assists shy of a triple-double ? while Ray Allen scored 20 off the bench and the defending champion Heat picked up where they left off in the NBA playoffs a year ago, never trailing on the way to beating the Bucks 110-87 in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference first-round series.
"All I care about is the win," James said. "I didn't even know my stats. I just knew that we were playing efficient offensively besides the turnovers. We want to try to keep that going."
Dwyane Wade scored 16, Chris Bosh added 15 and Chris Andersen finished with 10 on 4 for 4 shooting for the Heat, who opened their title defense by holding Milwaukee to 42 percent shooting and outrebounding the Bucks 46-31.
Brandon Jennings scored 26 points and Monta Ellis added 22 for the Bucks, who have not won the opening game of a playoff series since May 2001.
Game 2 is Tuesday in Miami.
"We've got nothing to lose," Jennings said. "Nobody should be scared or anything. Let's just hoop."
James had taken only 11 shots in a playoff game twice before, and his postseason per-game average entering Sunday was just under 21 tries. But with the way he controlled the game Sunday, he didn't exactly need to shoot.
That's probably not the best of signs for the Bucks.
"Obviously, incredibly efficient," Bucks coach Jim Boylan said. "When you have a game like that, what can you do?"
Milwaukee came into the series with Jennings predicting his team would oust the reigning champions in six games.
They'll have to win four of five now for that to happen.
And with James playing like this, the odds would seem particularly slim. He had 10 rebounds and eight assists ? both game-highs. His assist total was only six shy of what the Bucks managed, combined.
"That's about as efficient as you can get," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Made that look easier than it was."
The 23-point margin notwithstanding, it was far from a perfect night for Miami. The Heat shot only 30 percent from 3-point range, plus turned the ball over 19 times ? giving Milwaukee 22 points ? and still won with ease.
Milwaukee had 10 offensive rebounds in the first half, zero in the second half.
"I think we played good basketball in stretches," Ellis said. "They're a great team. They capitalized on our mistakes. I think they were more aggressive towards the end. In the third and fourth, they never looked back."
The Bucks said coming into Game 1 that they would brace for Miami to come out flying, and the Heat more than delivered on that expectation. Miami scored on its first five possessions and after back-to-back scores at the rim by James ? the first of those a vicious one-handed slam after Wade set him up on a 3-on-1 break ? the Heat were up 21-8 early.
Milwaukee settled down quickly, getting within 26-24 at the end of the first, with Jennings scoring 10 in the period. And the Bucks hung around for the remainder of the first half, with the Miami lead just 52-45 going into intermission.
"I thought in the first half we played with some good energy, had some good ball movement, created some turnovers and took advantage of that," Boylan said. "In the third quarter they came out a little bit more focused ... with a little more purpose, I think."
Ellis ? who compared himself to Wade earlier this season, saying he had everything the Heat guard had besides the wins and two championships ? opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer, getting the Bucks within four.
Then came the second big Heat flurry of the night, and the Bucks had no more answers.
An 11-1 Miami run immediately followed that 3-pointer by Ellis, stretching the lead to 14, and the Heat were off and running. Miami closed the quarter with seven straight points ? James started that burst with a left-handed slam, then set up Andersen for another dunk. Another dunk by Andersen, this time when he soared in for a two-handed flush of a missed 3-pointer by Shane Battier, sent the building into overdrive, with people in the "White Hot" crowd waving their giveaway T-shirts in unison.
Anderson flapped his arms ? he's called "Birdman" for a reason ? and the Heat improved to an uncanny 40-3 when he plays.
"He brings us a lot of energy and effort plays," James said. "He flies above the rim and we're so happy to have him."
The fourth quarter took on a familiar feel as several Heat regular-season games did, with the only question being if James would get a triple-double, as he got in the clinching Game 5 of last season's NBA Finals.
He finished a bit short, and left with a broad smile.
"It's a great way to start the series," Bosh said. "They're a feisty team over there. We wanted to make sure that we played good on defense and keep doing what we've been doing."
NOTES: Miami outrebounded Milwaukee 22-9 after halftime. ... The Heat stayed with what was their normal regular-season rotation, with Udonis Haslem starting and allowing Bosh to play more away from the basket ? which paid off by him making a pair of 3-pointers in the first 4 minutes. ... Rihanna was in attendance. ... Miami paid tribute to Army Spc. Eddie Romero before the game, continuing their tradition of welcoming a soldier who serves abroad back to South Florida. ... In Milwaukee's last trip to Miami, only Jennings was in double figures. This time, only Jennings and Ellis scored at least 10. ... Miami's bench outscored Milwaukee's reserves 43-25.
Teotihuacan, an ancient, abandoned city about an hour north of Mexico City, was once one of the largest cities in the world. It collapsed in the centuries ago (thanks either to an internal uprising or foreign invaders, depending on who you ask), but it's never been completely deserted, since the ruins have always been a magnet for squatters, archeologists, and hordes of tourists. More »
A sign is seen on a car window as residents wait to enter a damaged neighborhood Saturday, April 20, 2013, three days after an explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas. The massive explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. Wednesday night killed 14 people and injured more than 160. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A sign is seen on a car window as residents wait to enter a damaged neighborhood Saturday, April 20, 2013, three days after an explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas. The massive explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. Wednesday night killed 14 people and injured more than 160. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Texas and U.S. flags hang from a fire truck ladder above the West Volunteer Fire Department Saturday, April 20, 2013, three days after an explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas. The massive explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. Wednesday night killed 14 people including numerous first responders and injured more than 160. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
WEST, Texas (AP) ? On the first Sunday after a fertilizer plant explosion leveled much of a tiny Texas town, pastor John Crowder stood atop a long flatbed overlooking a hayfield and spoke to his congregation.
Crowder's First Baptist Church in West remains blocked off as investigators work on the scene of Wednesday's blast that killed at least 14 people and injured 200. So about 100 people sat in white folding chairs Sunday morning, while others carried their own.
"We have lost our friends and neighbors," Crowder told the audience. We have lost the safety and comfort of our homes. But as scary as this is, we don't have to be afraid."
Authorities have not yet identified what caused the blast, which was so powerful it registered as a small earthquake. Assistant state fire marshal Kelly Kistner said all fires have been extinguished at the explosion scene and the remaining fertilizer tanks at West Fertilizer Co. are not a danger.
The explosion destroyed about 50 homes and severely damaged a nursing home and other buildings nearby. Residents have taken in affected neighbors and volunteered around the clock.
Some of the people who attended Sunday's service wore T-shirts calling on others to "pray for West."
"Every time I close my eyes, all I can think about is the explosion," said Edi Botello, a senior at West High School. "People running around. People evacuating. There was one point I couldn't even talk. I just stuttered."
The town of 2,800 people was previously known in Texas for its deep Czech heritage ? from the designs of storefronts in the town center and the names of streets and businesses to the "Czech Stop" bakery selling kolaches and other pastries to drivers exiting Interstate 35.
At the largest Roman Catholic church in town, the Rev. Boniface Onjefu's congregation included firefighters and emergency workers who could be spotted in bright yellow jackets.
The explosion reportedly killed 10 first responders, many of them volunteer firefighters who came after initial reports of a fire at the plant. A memorial service for first responders is scheduled for Thursday on the campus of Baylor University in nearby Waco.
"I stopped at the nursing home," Onjefu said. "I noticed a lot of people trapped. I assisted. I prayed with some and held the hands of some that needed comfort. I saw him in the eyes of everyone."
"God heard our prayers and prevented another tank from exploding."
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1.?? Avianca LifeMiles 100% Purchase Bonus
Via View from the Wing, Avianca is selling LifeMiles at a 100% bonus up to April 30, 2013.? This works out to ~1.5 cents per mile.? Avianca is a Colombian airline, but is a Star Alliance member, so you can use Avianca miles to fly on other Star Alliance airlines such as United, Lufthansa etc.
100% Bonus on Purchases of Avianca LifeMiles
The most miles that can be purchased in one transaction is 75,000 and their Terms & Conditions explicitly state that you must have been a LifeMiles member by April 8, 2013.? So sign-up now for a LifeMiles account so that you can take part in the next promotion (likely in a few months).
This may be a good choice if you want a Star Alliance award because you can book (some) flights on-line and are not blocked from Lufthansa First Class like you would be with US Airways (the other airline which frequently sells miles).
And as One Mile at a Time reports, if you have 40% of the miles required for an award, you can essentially use a cash and miles option, with the miles being purchased at a rate of 1.37cents each.
But the Avianca frequent flyer program has its shortcomings.
The biggest drawback to me is that Avianca does not allow mixed cabin awards.? So, if you find award availability in Business Class on one segment, it cannot be combined with Economy on other segments (even though you don?t mind flying in economy).? So you?d have to book another flight back home!
This means that if your home airport is served by a regional jet with only economy seats, you won?t be able to book a seat on it if you?ve used Avianca miles to book a business class award!
In addition, they do not allow a connection of more than 12 hours (most airlines allow you up to 24 hours for connections), and have less-than-ideal customer service when it comes to making reservation changes.
2.?? Earn Double Points on Hertz Rentals for $13.49/Day!
Deals We Like reports that Hertz is offering a double take - rates from $13.49 per day and Double Hertz Rewards points.? To be eligible, first register here, then follow her tips for getting a great deal on a Hertz rental.
Through this offer, you will receive double points on rentals through June 22, 2013, starting with your second rental booking.
Double Points on $13.49 Hertz Rentals
3.? Save 50% on Flying Blue Award Redemptions
The Points Guy writes that Flying Blue (the Frequent Flier program for Air France, KLM, and Air Europa) has new Promo Awards.? These feature up to 50% discount for award travel on select routes.
Flying Blue Promo Awards
Eligible North American departure cities include:
Air France ? Detroit, New York (JFK) and Toronto through April 30, 2013.? And Montreal through June 30, 2013.
KLM ? Washington DC through April 30, 2013. Also Chicago, Dallas, and New York (JFK) through June 30, 2013.
Air Europa ? New York (JFK) through June 15, 2013.
Economy Class, Premium Economy, and Business Class availability may vary.? See the Flying Blue Promo Awards page for more details.
Remember that fuel surcharges and ticketing fees on Flying Blue award redemptions can easily add up to $400 to $500.? Still, half price award tickets in business class could be a good value.? Paying half the regular mileage price and taxes and fees is usually not a good value, but do the math for your specific situation.
You can transfer AMEX Membership Rewards points to Flying Blue instantly in a 1:1 ratio.
4.?? Air Canada Offering Bonus for Converting Points to? Aeroplan Miles
Loyalty Lobby reports that now through May 13, 2013, Air Canada is offering bonus miles for converting other loyalty program points into Air Canada?s Aeroplan miles.
Convert Points to Aeroplan Miles
Eligible loyalty programs for this bonus are listed below.
Eligible Aeroplan Transfer Partners
The bonus through this offer is between 20% and ~27%, dependent on the number of points transferred, as follows:
Converting 5,000 Points -??? 1,000 Miles (20% Bonus)
Converting 10,000 Points -?? 2,000 Miles (20% Bonus)
Converting 20,000 Points -? 4,000 Miles (20% Bonus)
Converting 50,000 Points -? 10,000 Miles (20% Bonus)
Converting 100,000 Points ? 25,000 Miles (25% Bonus)
Converting 150,000 Points ? 40,000 Miles (26.7% Bonus)
Aeroplan Transfer Bonus
You get a higher bonus from transferring over 100,000 points.
Aeroplan charges fuel surcharges for many routes, so I wouldn?t transfer points unless you needed to top off for an award.
* If you liked this post, why don?t you join the?10,000+ readers?who have signed-up to receive?free blog posts?via?email?(only 1 email per day!) or in a?RSS reader??because then you?ll?never miss?another update!
A chicken vendor in Kabul, Afghanistan expresses sympathy for Bostonians after the marathon attack.
By Ron Mott, Correspondent, NBC News
KABUL ? After more than three decades of war, you would think Afghans would be desensitized to violent attacks like the Boston Marathon explosion. A Boston-based documentary filmmaker found just the opposite.
Instead of disregard, she found empathy among Kabul's residents for the three killed and more than 170 injured in the twin bomb blasts at the center of Boston 6,500 miles away. And she has the images to prove it.?
In the wake of the attacks, Beth Murphy awakened Tuesday morning in Afghanistan to a confounding text message from her husband.
"I thought at first I was re-reading my own message to him saying, 'Yes, I'm OK'," said Beth Murphy. She was referring to a text message she had sent her husband about a large-scale Taliban attack in western Afghanistan on April 3 that left more than 40 people dead.
"But it said, 'It's OK, we're safe.' So I did a double-take.
Courtesy Beth Murphy / Principle Pictures
A man with a donkey carriage in Kabul, Afghanistan relates to the victims of violence in Boston.
"I immediately went online before I even got back to him and saw what was happening in Boston, and [got] that overwhelming feeling of helplessness and sadness and feeling so far away. I thought, 'I'd really like to be home right now.'"
Murphy's husband, Dennis, and 5-year-old daughter were fine. But as a runner who had felt the joy and pain of crossing the finish line of the Boston Marathon, she felt compelled to do something.
In an effort to show solidarity with the city she calls home, Murphy set off for her day's work on a documentary project in Kabul armed with a simple sign she made that read: "To Boston From Kabul With Love."
Courtesy Beth Murphy / Principle Pictures
A bookseller in Kabul, Afghanistan expresses sympathy for Bostonians after the violent marathon attack.
Her initial plan was to photograph herself holding the sign and post it online but reactions from Afghans to the unfolding tragedy in Boston prompted a change of plans.
"As I started to talk with people here about what was happening, I saw the expressions on their faces change," she said. "They experience things like this here all the time. You might expect that they'd be desensitized to it or talk about it with a lack of compassion, but it was the exact opposite. There was this shared experience of pain and suffering, and the way people expressed that to me was really beautiful."
Those expressions led Murphy to ask permission to photograph them holding her sign ? a spontaneous idea that quickly spread around the world and went viral on the Internet.
Beth Murphy, a Boston filmmaker currently in Kabul Afghanistan, was so moved by the marathon violence she wanted to send some love to her home city from 6,500 miles away. She explains the "incredible connection" and "shared experience of pain and suffering" Afghans expressed for Bostonians.
Murphy published a series of black and white photos rich with the color of everyday life here: a bookseller crouched before his wares, a chicken vendor with a trio of whole fryer birds hanging over his shoulder, a little girl's largely expressionless face starkly contrasted by those of her shrouded female relatives in the distance.
Courtesy Beth Murphy / Principle Pictures
Beth Murphy, a Boston-based documentary film maker set out on the streets of Kabul after the Boston Marathon attacks with a simple sign that read: "To Boston From Kabul With Love." She was overwhelmed with the expressions of sympathy by Afghans for Bostonians.
And the common thread binding the images and the people in them is a collective nod of empathy for the people of Boston.
"I've been really overwhelmed by the response," Murphy said. "It certainly wasn't anything that I anticipated. I'm happy that the pictures resonated because I think they speak to a common humanity that we all share."
Related links:
What's next: The interrogation of the Boston bombing suspect
Secret weapon: How thermal imaging helped catch bomb suspect
Parents of suspects say their children were framed
Family of dead suspect's wife: 'Our hearts are sickened'
On social media, Tsarnaev's mixed religious fervor, whimsy
Slain MIT officer's family mourns: 'Our only solace is Sean died bravely'
Obama: 'We've closed an important chapter in this tragedy'?
ST. LOUIS (AP) ? A powerful spring storm system stretching from southern Texas to northern Michigan unleashed a wave of weather extremes on the Midwest Thursday and threatened to bring its mix of hard rains, high winds and severe thunderstorms to the East by the weekend.
The massive system was wreaking havoc from the Rockies to the Rust Belt. Up to a foot of snow was expected in parts of Minnesota and the Dakotas. Snow and ice closed highways in Colorado and Wyoming. Rivers surged beyond their banks from downpours in Missouri, Iowa and Illinois. Tornadoes caused scattered damage in Oklahoma. Hail caused a wreck that injured a high school teacher and her students. Lightning temporarily knocked out a nuclear power plant. Rain caused a sinkhole that devoured three cars in Chicago.
In the Plains and Midwest, seemingly every community was under some sort of watch or warning.
Alex Sosnowski, a meteorologist for AccuWeather, said the storm's biggest punch had come from its intense rainfall: "There's been a general 3 to 6 inch swath of rain from portions of Oklahoma all the way up to southern Wisconsin."
The system will thin out as it heads east but could still spell trouble in the Appalachian Mountain region Friday and in some spots along the East Coast by Friday night, Sosnowski said.
Midwesterners will be glad to see it go.
In Clarksville, Mo., a small, scenic Mississippi River town about 60 miles north of St. Louis, some 100 people were working feverishly to build a makeshift levee of gravel, plastic overlap and sandbags in a bid keep downtown dry. The heavy rain caused a sudden surge in the river, with a crest expected by early Sunday.
"I'm confident it will work, but I'm not confident we're going to get it done in time," Clarksville resident Richard Cottrell, 64, said of the sandbag levee. "It's a race against the clock."
City Clerk Jennifer Calvin said the Federal Emergency Management Agency was bringing in 500,000 additional sandbags, but the nearest available gravel had to be trucked in from nine miles away, and there weren't enough available trucks to expedite the effort.
The Mississippi is expected to crest 8 to 12 feet above flood stage at several spots in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. The Missouri River was also expected to exceed flood stage by up to 10 feet at some Missouri locations.
Other rivers were rising quickly, too.
The town of Wyoming, Mich., evacuated about 25 homes in the path of the flooding Grand River. The Grand Rapids suburb called in all available police, firefighters and public works employees to help with sandbagging.
In suburban Chicago, Nick Ariano helped rescue a friend's grandmother, who became trapped in a home filling with water after a branch of the flooding DuPage River spilled over its levee.
Ariano, his friend and another man raced to a sporting goods store to buy inflatable rafts, then paddled out to the home and got Mille Andrzejewski, in her mid-80s, to safety. The three friends got some enjoyment out of the raft ride, despite the eeriness of floating over submerged cars and mailboxes.
"As kids growing up we used to raft down the river," Ariano said with a laugh.
About 60 miles southwest of Chicago, Morris Hospital in Grundy County began evacuating 44 patients to other hospitals after a nearby creek and the Illinois River rose and water crept into the basement, spokeswoman Janet Long said. Elective surgeries scheduled for Friday were canceled, although the emergency department remained open, the hospital said on its website.
In Gary, Ind., a flood-fighting drill scheduled for Friday was canceled ? because of real flooding. Sandbagging operations were under way along the Little Calumet River.
Flash flooding was common. In Utica, Ill., the fire department evacuated a mobile home park. In Marshall County, Ill., boats were needed to rescue trapped morning commuters.
In Ava, Mo., a school bus carrying several children stopped because of water on the road. The driver turned around to go back, only to find flooding behind him, too. The driver and kids waited at a nearby home until help arrived.
Perhaps the storm's most bizarre scene came in Chicago, where a massive sinkhole opened and swallowed two parked cars and one that was driving through. The driver was hospitalized but was expected to survive.
Flooding from all-night rain storms forced authorities to close sections of several major expressways around Chicago, canceled classes at some schools and scrapped around 550 flights at O'Hare International Airport.
The storm-swollen Chicago River was being allowed to flow into Lake Michigan, in part to relieve sewer backups. Meanwhile, workers were furiously filling sandbags and putting up barricades along the Chicago River's north branch. The river was diverted away from the lake more than a century ago to keep pollution out of the lake, the source of the city's drinking water.
Winds, possibly from a tornado, damaged dozens of homes in Spavinaw, Okla., injuring one person. Another twister damaged a few buildings near Paris, Mo. High winds also blew two tractor-trailers off a highway near Monroe City, Mo.
In Kansas, large hail was blamed for an accident that injured six high school students and their teacher. The Kansas Highway Patrol said the wreck happened Wednesday on Interstate 70 near Russell. The group was returning to school from an art exhibition when the teacher lost control of the SUV and struck a car.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said a lightning strike knocked out power to a northern Illinois nuclear plant for several hours Wednesday night, but emergency generators kicked in to keep the site running. Exelon Generation said reactors will remain offline until safety checks and procedures are completed.
Up to a foot of new snow was expected in northern Minnesota. Duluth has already received 24 inches of snow this month, and the additional snowfall could push it past the April record of 31.6 inches set in 1950
Snow and ice forced closure of sections of Interstate 70 and Interstate 25 in Colorado. The Wyoming Department of Transportation warned drivers to watch for black ice.
The snow didn't bother 63-year-old Bill Zubke, a retired motivational speaker who was relaxing in the lobby of a downtown Sioux Falls, S.D. Zubke, from Watertown, S.D, described the unpredictable weather as "just April in South Dakota," though temperatures ordinarily reach into the 60 this time of year.
"We're South Dakotans," he said. "We can handle it."
___
Keyser reported from Chicago. Associated Press writers Maria Sudekum in Kansas City, Mo., Dirk Lammers in Sioux Falls, S.D., and Tammy Webber in Chicago contributed to this report.
___
Watch The Associated Press' video her: http://bit.ly/13rcncw
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Opens in same window by default.","tag":"snapback","useoption":"0","example":"[snapback]100[/snapback]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"topic":{"id":"5","title":"Topic Link","desc":"This tag provides an easy way to link to a topic","tag":"topic","useoption":"1","example":"[topic=1]Click me![/topic]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"Enter the topic ID","menu_content_text":"Enter the title for this link","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"post":{"id":"6","title":"Post Link","desc":"This tag provides an easy way to link to a post.","tag":"post","useoption":"1","example":"[post=1]Click me![/post]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"Enter the Post ID","menu_content_text":"Enter the title for this link","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"spoiler":{"id":"7","title":"Spoiler","desc":"Spoiler tag","tag":"spoiler","useoption":"0","example":"[spoiler]Some hidden text[/spoiler]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"Enter the text to be masked","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"acronym":{"id":"8","title":"Acronym","desc":"Allows you to make an acronym that will display a description when moused over","tag":"acronym","useoption":"1","example":"[acronym='Laugh Out Loud']lol[/acronym]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"Enter the description for this acronym (EG: Laugh Out Loud)","menu_content_text":"Enter the acronym (EG: lol)","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"hr":{"id":"12","title":"Horizontal Rule","desc":"Adds a horizontal rule to separate text","tag":"hr","useoption":"0","example":"[hr]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"1","optional_option":"0","image":""},"php":{"id":"14","title":"PHP Code","desc":"Allows you to enter PHP code into a formatted/highlighted syntax box","tag":"php","useoption":"0","example":"[php]$variable = true;\n\nprint_r($variable);[/php]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"html":{"id":"15","title":"HTML Code","desc":"Allows you to enter formatted/syntax-highlighted HTML code","tag":"html","useoption":"0","example":"[html]\n \n[/html]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"sql":{"id":"16","title":"SQL Code","desc":"Allows you to enter formatted/syntax-highlighted SQL code","tag":"sql","useoption":"0","example":"[sql]SELECT p.*, t.* FROM posts p LEFT JOIN topics t ON t.tid=p.topic_id WHERE t.tid=7[/sql]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"xml":{"id":"17","title":"XML Code","desc":"Allows you to enter formatted/syntax-highlighted XML code","tag":"xml","useoption":"0","example":"[xml]\n \n Test\n \n[/xml]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"member":{"id":"31","title":"Member","desc":"Given a member name, a link is automatically generated to the member's profile","tag":"member","useoption":"1","example":"[member=skyhawk133] runs this site.","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"Input Username of Member","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"1","optional_option":"0","image":"memberbbcode.png"},"extract":{"id":"33","title":"Extract Blog Entry","desc":"This will allow users to define an extract for an entry. Only this piece of the entry will be displayed on the main blog page and will show up in the RSS feed.","tag":"extract","useoption":"0","example":"[extract]This is an example![/extract]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"blog":{"id":"34","title":"Blog Link","desc":"This tag provides an easy way to link to a blog.","tag":"blog","useoption":"1","example":"[blog=100]Click me![/blog]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"entry":{"id":"35","title":"Blog Entry Link","desc":"This tag provides an easy way to link to a blog entry.","tag":"entry","useoption":"1","example":"[entry=100]Click me![/entry]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"twitter":{"id":"36","title":"Twitter","desc":"A tag to link to a user's twitter account","tag":"twitter","useoption":"0","example":"[twitter]userName[/twitter]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":"twitter.png"},"inline":{"id":"37","title":"Inline Code","desc":"Formats code inline instead of in a seperate code box. ","tag":"inline","useoption":"0","example":"[inline]style=\"font-size: 12px;\"[/inline]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"il":{"id":"38","title":"Abbreviated Inline (IL)","desc":"Abbreviated version of the [inline] tag. ","tag":"il","useoption":"0","example":"[il]Code Here[/il]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":"il2.png"},"code":{"id":"41","title":"Code","desc":"Allows you to enter general code","tag":"code","useoption":"1","example":"[code]$text = 'Some long code here';[/code]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"1","image":""}}) ); ipb.vars['emoticon_url'] = "http://cdn.dreamincode.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/default"; //Search Setup ipb.vars['search_type'] = 'forum'; ipb.vars['search_type_id'] = 15; ipb.vars['search_type_2'] = 'topic'; ipb.vars['search_type_id_2'] = 318931; //]]>
is the cypher = key[placeofkey] + text[placeoftext]; not accessing the ASC11 value? If so, why not? Any help/hint is much appreciated.
Is This A Good Question/Topic? 0
Replies To: Getting garbled char when doing ASCII math
#2 jimblumberg ?
Reputation: 2946
Posts:8,955
Joined:25-December 09
Re: Getting garbled char when doing ASCII math
Posted Yesterday, 08:51 PM
Quote
is the cypher = key[placeofkey] + text[placeoftext]; not accessing the ASC11 value?
This is adding the two characters 'b' + 'h' which is actually 98 + 104 or 202.
However your printf() function is using an incorrect format specifier. The "%c" specifier is only used for a char, not an int. The correct specifier would be "%d" to print the int cypher.
Jim
#3 Skydiver ?
Reputation: 1801
Posts:5,370
Joined:05-May 12
Re: Getting garbled char when doing ASCII math
Posted Yesterday, 09:17 PM
As an aside: it is ASCII with two i's. Not with two 1's.
Contact: Patrick Regan regan@tum.de 49-016-242-79876 Technische Universitaet Muenchen
Scientists probe the source of a pulsing signal in the sleeping brain
New findings clarify where and how the brain's "slow waves" originate. These rhythmic signal pulses, which sweep through the brain during deep sleep at the rate of about one cycle per second, are assumed to play a role in processes such as consolidation of memory. For the first time, researchers have shown conclusively that slow waves start in the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain responsible for cognitive functions. They also found that such a wave can be set in motion by a tiny cluster of neurons.
"The brain is a rhythm machine, producing all kinds of rhythms all the time," says Prof. Arthur Konnerth of the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM). "These are clocks that help to keep many parts of the brain on the same page." One such timekeeper produces the so-called slow waves of deep sleep, which are thought to be involved in transmuting fragments of a day's experience and learning into lasting memory. They can be observed in very early stages of development, and they may be disrupted in diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Previous studies, relying mainly on electrical measurements, have lacked the spatial resolution to map the initiation and propagation of slow waves precisely. But using light, Konnerth's Munich-based team in collaboration with researchers at Stanford and the University of Mainz could both stimulate slow waves and observe them in unprecedented detail. One key result confirmed that the slow waves originate only in the cortex, ruling out other long-standing hypotheses. "The second major finding," Konnerth says, "was that out of the billions of cells in the brain, it takes not more than a local cluster of fifty to one hundred neurons in a deep layer of the cortex, called layer 5, to make a wave that extends over the entire brain."
New light on a fundamental neural mechanism
Despite considerable investigation of the brain's slow waves, definitive answers about the underlying circuit mechanism have remained elusive. Where is the pacemaker for this rhythm? Where do the waves start, and where do they stop? This study based on optical probing of intact brains of live mice under anesthesia now provides the basis for a detailed, comprehensive view.
"We implemented an optogenetic approach combined with optical detection of neuronal activity to explore causal features of these slow oscillations, or Up-Down state transitions, that represent the dominating network rhythm in sleep," explains Prof. Albrecht Stroh of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Optogenetics is a novel technique that enabled the researchers to insert light-sensitive channels into specific kinds of neurons, to make them responsive to light stimulation. This allowed for selective and spatially defined stimulation of small numbers of cortical and thalamic neurons.
Access to the brain via optical fibers allowed for both microscopic recording and direct stimulation of neurons. Flashes of light near the mouse's eyes were also used to stimulate neurons in the visual cortex. By recording the flux of calcium ions, a chemical signal that can serve as a more spatially precise readout of the electric activity, the researchers made the slow waves visible. They also correlated optical recordings with more conventional electrical measurements. As a result, it was possible to watch individual wave fronts spread like ripples from a rock thrown into a quiet lake first through the cortex and then through other brain structures.
A new picture begins to emerge: Not only is it possible for a tiny local cluster of neurons to initiate a slow wave that will spread far and wide, recruiting multiple regions of the brain into a single event this appears to be typical. "In spontaneous conditions," Konnerth says, "as it happens with you and me and everyone else every night in deep sleep, every part of the cortex can be an initiation site." Furthermore, a surprisingly simple communication protocol can be seen in the slow wave rhythm. During each one-second cycle a single neuron cluster sends its signal and all others are silenced, as if they are taking turns bathing the brain in fragments of experience or learning, building blocks of memory. The researchers view these findings as a step toward a better understanding of learning and memory formation, a topic Konnerth's group is investigating with funding from the European Research Council. They also are testing how the slow waves behave during disease.
###
This research was supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) through IRTG 1373, the TUM Institute for Advanced Study, and the Excellence Cluster SyNergy (Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology); the Friedrich Schiedel Foundation; and the European Commission (Project Corticonic, under the 7th Framework Program).
Publication:
Making Waves: Initiation and Propagation of Corticothalamic Ca2+ Waves In Vivo
Albrecht Stroh, Helmuth Adelsberger, Alexander Groh, Charlotta Ruehlmann, Sebastian Fischer, Anja Schierloh, Karl Deisseroth, and Arthur Konnerth.
Prof. Arthur Konnerth
Institute of Neuroscience
Technische Universitaet Muenchen
T: +49 (0)89 4140 3351
E: arthur.konnerth@lrz.tu-muenchen.de
W: http://www.ifn.me.tum.de/new/
Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) is one of Europe's leading universities. It has roughly 500 professors, 9,000 academic and non-academic staff, and 32,000 students. It focuses on the engineering sciences, natural sciences, life sciences, medicine, and economic sciences. After winning numerous awards, it was selected as an "Excellence University" in 2006 and 2012 by the Science Council (Wissenschaftsrat) and the German Research Foundation (DFG). In both international and national rankings, TUM is rated as one of Germany's top universities and is dedicated to the ideal of a top-level research-oriented entrepreneurial university. The university's global presence includes offices in Beijing (China), Brussels (Belgium), Cairo (Egypt), Mumbai (India) and So Paulo (Brazil). The German Institute of Science and Technology (GIST - TUM Asia), founded in 2002 in Singapore, is the first research campus of a German university abroad.
http://www.tum.de
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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.
Contact: Patrick Regan regan@tum.de 49-016-242-79876 Technische Universitaet Muenchen
Scientists probe the source of a pulsing signal in the sleeping brain
New findings clarify where and how the brain's "slow waves" originate. These rhythmic signal pulses, which sweep through the brain during deep sleep at the rate of about one cycle per second, are assumed to play a role in processes such as consolidation of memory. For the first time, researchers have shown conclusively that slow waves start in the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain responsible for cognitive functions. They also found that such a wave can be set in motion by a tiny cluster of neurons.
"The brain is a rhythm machine, producing all kinds of rhythms all the time," says Prof. Arthur Konnerth of the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM). "These are clocks that help to keep many parts of the brain on the same page." One such timekeeper produces the so-called slow waves of deep sleep, which are thought to be involved in transmuting fragments of a day's experience and learning into lasting memory. They can be observed in very early stages of development, and they may be disrupted in diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Previous studies, relying mainly on electrical measurements, have lacked the spatial resolution to map the initiation and propagation of slow waves precisely. But using light, Konnerth's Munich-based team in collaboration with researchers at Stanford and the University of Mainz could both stimulate slow waves and observe them in unprecedented detail. One key result confirmed that the slow waves originate only in the cortex, ruling out other long-standing hypotheses. "The second major finding," Konnerth says, "was that out of the billions of cells in the brain, it takes not more than a local cluster of fifty to one hundred neurons in a deep layer of the cortex, called layer 5, to make a wave that extends over the entire brain."
New light on a fundamental neural mechanism
Despite considerable investigation of the brain's slow waves, definitive answers about the underlying circuit mechanism have remained elusive. Where is the pacemaker for this rhythm? Where do the waves start, and where do they stop? This study based on optical probing of intact brains of live mice under anesthesia now provides the basis for a detailed, comprehensive view.
"We implemented an optogenetic approach combined with optical detection of neuronal activity to explore causal features of these slow oscillations, or Up-Down state transitions, that represent the dominating network rhythm in sleep," explains Prof. Albrecht Stroh of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Optogenetics is a novel technique that enabled the researchers to insert light-sensitive channels into specific kinds of neurons, to make them responsive to light stimulation. This allowed for selective and spatially defined stimulation of small numbers of cortical and thalamic neurons.
Access to the brain via optical fibers allowed for both microscopic recording and direct stimulation of neurons. Flashes of light near the mouse's eyes were also used to stimulate neurons in the visual cortex. By recording the flux of calcium ions, a chemical signal that can serve as a more spatially precise readout of the electric activity, the researchers made the slow waves visible. They also correlated optical recordings with more conventional electrical measurements. As a result, it was possible to watch individual wave fronts spread like ripples from a rock thrown into a quiet lake first through the cortex and then through other brain structures.
A new picture begins to emerge: Not only is it possible for a tiny local cluster of neurons to initiate a slow wave that will spread far and wide, recruiting multiple regions of the brain into a single event this appears to be typical. "In spontaneous conditions," Konnerth says, "as it happens with you and me and everyone else every night in deep sleep, every part of the cortex can be an initiation site." Furthermore, a surprisingly simple communication protocol can be seen in the slow wave rhythm. During each one-second cycle a single neuron cluster sends its signal and all others are silenced, as if they are taking turns bathing the brain in fragments of experience or learning, building blocks of memory. The researchers view these findings as a step toward a better understanding of learning and memory formation, a topic Konnerth's group is investigating with funding from the European Research Council. They also are testing how the slow waves behave during disease.
###
This research was supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) through IRTG 1373, the TUM Institute for Advanced Study, and the Excellence Cluster SyNergy (Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology); the Friedrich Schiedel Foundation; and the European Commission (Project Corticonic, under the 7th Framework Program).
Publication:
Making Waves: Initiation and Propagation of Corticothalamic Ca2+ Waves In Vivo
Albrecht Stroh, Helmuth Adelsberger, Alexander Groh, Charlotta Ruehlmann, Sebastian Fischer, Anja Schierloh, Karl Deisseroth, and Arthur Konnerth.
Prof. Arthur Konnerth
Institute of Neuroscience
Technische Universitaet Muenchen
T: +49 (0)89 4140 3351
E: arthur.konnerth@lrz.tu-muenchen.de
W: http://www.ifn.me.tum.de/new/
Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) is one of Europe's leading universities. It has roughly 500 professors, 9,000 academic and non-academic staff, and 32,000 students. It focuses on the engineering sciences, natural sciences, life sciences, medicine, and economic sciences. After winning numerous awards, it was selected as an "Excellence University" in 2006 and 2012 by the Science Council (Wissenschaftsrat) and the German Research Foundation (DFG). In both international and national rankings, TUM is rated as one of Germany's top universities and is dedicated to the ideal of a top-level research-oriented entrepreneurial university. The university's global presence includes offices in Beijing (China), Brussels (Belgium), Cairo (Egypt), Mumbai (India) and So Paulo (Brazil). The German Institute of Science and Technology (GIST - TUM Asia), founded in 2002 in Singapore, is the first research campus of a German university abroad.
http://www.tum.de
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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.
Thatcher opponents have driven the song 'Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead' to the top of Britain's pop charts. Was the 'retaliatory' promotion of a 1979 punk song fanned by fans - or a good capitalist moment?
By Jason Walsh,?Correspondent / April 13, 2013
Two songs are battling to the top of the British music charts in memory of Margret Thatcher. One is, her supporters say, in bad taste, but the one adopted by fans of the late Conservative prime minister isn't quite what it seems, either.
Skip to next paragraph Jason Walsh
Ireland Correspondent
Jason Walsh has been the Monitor's Ireland correspondent since 2009, dividing his time primarily between Belfast, Northern Ireland and?Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. During that time he has reported on stumbling blocks in the peace process, the dissident republican threat,?pro-British unionist riots, demands for abortion legislation and Ireland's economic crash.
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Opponents of Thatcher have campaigned successfully to have "Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead", a song from the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz" composed by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg, to reach the top spot Britain's official charts.
The response from Conservative Party supporters was swift, with newspapers including The Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph demanding that the BBC refuse to play the song. The BBC has said it will play a five-second clip of the song along with a news item explaining why during its official chart rundown on Radio One, Sunday.
Equally irritated, though less outraged, Tories had another plan: counter Ding Dong with a song of their own. They chose the little-known 1979 punk number "I'm in Love with Margaret Thatcher" by the Notsensibles.
The British press loved it ? and why not? It's a good story, in a silly sort of way: a bit of political argy-bargy in a fun and digestible package.
The media didn't exactly work hard to uncover the truth of the story, such as it is. A phone call to the band's former frontman, Michael Hargreaves, was all it took to discover that the campaign predated the Tories' adoption of it.
Hargreaves himself started the campaign with a Facebook page on Wednesday that soon garnered 8,000 likes. Surprisingly, though, by Friday it had been adopted by Conservative Party supporters as a counter to "Ding Dong." Facebook, Twitter and Tory blogs lit-up with requests that people buy the song in order to keep the anti-Thatcher song from reaching the top spot in the hit parade.
Former Conservative lawmaker Louise Mensch, now based in New York, was among those who urged her Twitter followers to buy the song twice: once from Amazon and once from Apple's iTunes.
Would Maggie be proud?
In some press interviews, Hargreaves has implied, rather unconvincingly, that he is a supporter of Mrs. Thatcher. But if the song is a hit, the royalty checks may represent some private enterprise Margaret Thatcher would approve of.
Hargreaves, an ex-punk rocker who now works with adults with learning disabilities, is an unlikely figure for adoption by Conservative Party members, though he did say "Ding Dong" was disrespectful. (Read a in-depth profile of Margaret Thatcher here.)
"My grandfather was [both] a Christian and a communist. I'm a fat, 50-year-old punk. You make your mind up about my political sensibilities," he says.
Hargreaves, who is due to perform with his old band on BBC television news in Manchester on Monday, says he doesn't really mind how high the song charts in the end, but that the experience has been fun.?"We dunked a pebble in the lake and there seems to be a few ripples."
Eighty-five seconds of the song were previously featured in the 2011 biopic movie "The Iron Lady," starring Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher.
"I find it hilarious that Tories have adopted it," he says. "The song is a sort-of tribute and sort-of not."
The official chart will be announced on Sunday afternoon, but by today it had already reached No. 6 in the iTunes chart.
Today, Amazon continued the trend, still finding itself in a bit of a hangover after missing expectations in Q4. 
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Public release date: 18-Apr-2013
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