Bananas could be future staple

30 October 2012 Last updated at 20:35 ET By Matt McGrath Science reporter, BBC World Service

Climate change could lead to crops from the banana family becoming a critical food source for millions of people, a new report says.

Researchers from the CGIAR agricultural partnership say the fruit might replace potatoes in some developing countries.

Cassava and the little-known cowpea plant could be much more important food crops as temperatures rise.

People will have to adapt to new and varied menus as traditional crops struggle, say the authors.

Continue reading the main story

?Start Quote

When the farmers see the problems they are having with production, they really are willing to shift?

End Quote Bruce Campbell CCAFS

Responding to a request from the United Nations' committee on world food security, a group of experts in the field looked at the projected effects of climate change on 22 of the world's most important agricultural commodities.

Blooming bananas

They predict that the world's three biggest crops in terms of calories provided - maize, rice and wheat - will decrease in many developing countries.

They suggest that the potato, which grows best in cooler climates, could also suffer as temperatures increase and weather becomes more volatile.

The authors argue that these changes "could provide an opening for cultivating certain varieties of bananas" at higher altitudes, even in those places that currently grow potatoes.

Dr Philip Thornton is one of those behind the report. He told BBC News that while bananas and plantains also have limiting factors, they may be a good substitute for potatoes in certain locations.

"It's not necessarily a silver bullet, but there may be places where as temperatures increase, bananas might be one option that small-holders could start to look at."

The report describes wheat as the world's most important plant-derived protein and calorie source.

But according to this research, wheat will face a difficult future in the developing world, where higher prices for cotton, maize and soybeans have pushed wheat to marginal land, making it more vulnerable to stresses induced by climate change.

One substitute, especially in South Asia, could be cassava - which is known to be tolerant to a range of climate stresses.

But how easy will it be to get people to adjust to new crops and new diets?

Bruce Campbell is programme director of the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security research group (CCAFS) which co-ordinates work among leading institutions around the world. He told BBC News that the types of changes that will happen in the future have already happened in the past.

Protein under pressure

"Two decades ago there was almost no rice consumption in certain areas of Africa, now there is. People have changed because of the pricing: it's easier to get, it's easier to cook. I think those sort of shifts do occur and I think they will in future."

Continue reading the main story

About bananas

• There are hundreds of types of banana plants but not all actually produce fruit
• They grow on plants that are giant herbs and are part of the Musaceae family
• Plantains are starchy like a potato, not sweet like a regular banana
• Organised banana plantations have been traced back to China in 200 AD
• Alexander the Great brought them back from India after his conquest in 327 BC
• Over the centuries they have been called banna, ghana and funana

Source: Dole

One of the big concerns among researchers is how to tackle the need for protein in the diet. Soybeans are one of the most common sources but are very susceptible to temperature changes.

The scientists say that the cowpea, which is known in sub-Saharan Africa as the "poor man's meat" is drought-tolerant and prefers warmer weather and could be a reasonable alternative to soya. The vines of the cowpea can also be used as a feed for livestock.

In some countries, including Nigeria and Niger, farmers have already moved away from cotton production to growing cowpeas.

There are also likely to be developments in animal protein sources says the report, including a shift to smaller livestock.

"This is an example of something that's happening already," said Dr Campbell. "There's been quite a shift from cattle keeping to goat keeping in southern Africa in face of droughts - when the farmers see the problems they are having with production, they really are willing to shift.

"Change is really possible. It's not just a crazy notion."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20126452#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

nike nfl uniforms ben and jerrys free cone day tornado in dallas texas the island president the maldives harper lee mega millions numbers

Copyright case could threaten eBay, garage sales

By Pete Williams, NBC News Justice Correspondent

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a case to be argued Monday, wades into a controversy over federal copyright law that could determine the legal rights of American consumers to sell thousands of used products on eBay and at garage sales and flea markets.

Stelios Varias / Reuters

The legal battle involves Supap Kirtsaeng, a student from Thailand who was surprised by the high cost of academic textbooks when he arrived in the U.S. to attend college.? He asked his parents to search bookstores back home and send him much cheaper versions -- published overseas and sold at a fraction of the price -- of the same texts.?

He was soon running what amounted to a small business out of his apartment, helping to pay his way through school by selling textbooks on eBay. The exact amount of his profit is unclear, but court records say it was around $100,000.?

The textbooks his family shipped him each bore this warning: "Exportation from or importation of this book to another region without the publisher's authorization is illegal," but Kirtsaeng wasn't bothered.? He concluded -- based on a search of articles on the Internet -- that he was in no legal jeopardy.??

The first Monday in October is the traditional start of the Supreme Court's new term. ?Last term was a blockbuster, dominated by health care and immigration. But this one looks like it, too, and will be one of the most important in years.? NBC's Pete Williams reports.

The publisher of some of the books he sold, John Wiley & Sons, didn't see it that way. It sued him in federal court, and a New York jury ordered him in 2009 to pay $600,000 in damages.? When he said he had nowhere near that kind of money, he had to hand over personal property, including his computer, printer and golf clubs. A federal appeals court last year upheld the verdict.?

Kirtsaeng was caught between two federal laws, and he's now asking the U.S. Supreme Court to see it his way.

One longstanding provision says when the holder of a copyright offers a work for sale, its legal interest in that specific copy evaporates as the item is sold. It's called the first-sale doctrine, and it means that if you buy the latest John Grisham novel, you can sell it on a website or give it away to the church library without violating copyright laws.?

But another law prohibits importing works "acquired outside the United States ... without the authority of the owner of copyright."? Applying that statue, the federal courts ruled against Kirtsaeng, reasoning that "the first-sale doctrine does not apply to copies manufactured outside of the United States."???????????

A who's who of companies and groups involved in selling used merchandise is urging the Supreme Court to overturn the publisher's victory.?

EBay warns that leaving the ruling intact would be a blow to "trade, consumers, secondary markets, e-commerce, small businesses, and jobs."? Goodwill Industries says the ruling would have "a catastrophic effect on the viability of the secondary market and, consequently, on Goodwill's ability to provide needed community-based services."?

"There are enough copyright owners out there -- and enough crazy copyright lawsuits," says a group of book store operators in a friend of court brief. "No one should be put to the choice of violating the law and hoping they don't get caught, and losing their business."?

The effect of a victory for the publisher, according to some experts in copyright law, would extend far beyond the market for books and other published materials.? It could also affect sales of thousands of used consumer electronic products made outside the U.S. that contain copyrighted software, perhaps even used cars.?

Kirtsaeng's lawyer makes the same expansive claim in his Supreme Court brief.? "Even cherished American traditions, such as flea markets, garage sales, and swapping dog-eared books are vulnerable to copyright challenge" under the appeals court ruling, argues Josh Rosenkranz of New York.

But could that really be the outcome??

"It doesn't mean you'd have industry enforcers attending yard sales. You'd just be converting a bunch of people into law breakers," says Prof. Rebecca Tushnet, an expert on copyright law at Georgetown Law Center in Washington.?

Most likely, she says, music and book publishers would be visiting stores and Internet sites that sell used materials. "Anything more organized, like eBay sales or craigslist could be disrupted," she says.? "And I do think it's a very serious threat. They are very clearly willing to do this."?

Not so, argues Washington, D.C. lawyer Ted Olson, representing the publisher that sued Kirtsaeng. If such predictions were right, he says, "those consequences should already have occurred in response to 30 years of judicial decisions and commentary."?

However the court decides the case, it will undoubtedly affect a category known as graymarket sales, in which middlemen legally buy products overseas, then make them available for sale by retailers in the U.S. who can offer the products for lower prices.??

Swiss watch maker Omega and discount retailer Costco have been battling in court for years over this issue. Omega claimed Costco was improperly selling its watches acquired overseas through just such a graymarket mechanism.?

Omega says its authorized US dealers charge prices "that are higher than the prices charged in other, less developed and less competitive markets."? It argues that any erosion of copyright protection for overseas sales would limit a manufacturer's ability to tailor prices to global markets.?

But discount retailer Costco is siding with Supap Kirtsaeng, saying it "often sells copyrighted products that, although genuine, were not purchased directly from the copyright owner."

Source: http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/26/14722392-copyright-case-could-threaten-ebay-and-garage-sales?lite

google april fools office space shell houston open mega millions winners anthony davis palm sunday toure

Paul Ryan brings fundraising prowess to Romney presidential bid

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Paul Ryan, the Wisconsin congressman who has breathed new life into Republican Mitt Romney's bid for the White House, also brings his status as a fundraising heavyweight.

During his 14-year career in Congress, Ryan has been propelled by sizeable donations from insurance companies and other players in the financial sector, including notable hedge fund names.

Ryan's campaign has so far reported raising $4.3 million this election cycle, with $5.4 million in cash on hand as of July 25, making it one of the top-raising congressional campaigns this year.

His leadership Prosperity PAC, or political action committee, has collected another $3.7 million this cycle.

The biggest contributors behind Ryan this cycle are family members and employees of Elliott Management, a Wall Street hedge fund run by prominent Republican donor Paul Singer, who has helped raise millions for the party, including for Romney.

Now, as Romney's vice presidential pick for the Republican ticket, Ryan is already energizing donors, especially those in the Wall Street scene.

Anthony Scaramucci, managing partner at alternative investment firm SkyBridge Capital LLC, said people in the hedge fund community with whom he has spoken are "ecstatic" about the Ryan choice.

"Of everybody in the Republican leadership, there's nobody that understands pro-growth economic policies and how massive deficit spending can actually lead to a drag on job creation better than Paul Ryan," said Scaramucci.

Scaramucci, who is one of the eight co-chairs of Romney's National Finance Committee, gave $5,000 last year to Ryan's Prosperity PAC.

BIG NAMES

Ryan, a 42-year-old Washington insider who has spent practically his entire career on Capitol Hill, has in recent years garnered national attention for his dramatic proposals to slash the federal budget.

The campaign money has followed.

Financial firms went all-out for Ryan in the 2010 election cycle, when Republicans swept into the House of Representatives as the majority party and Ryan became chairman of the powerful House Budget Committee.

That year, Ryan received nearly $500,000 from the securities and investment industry, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research group.

Top givers included Elliott employees with $35,419, and Affiliated Managers Group, a Massachusetts-based asset manager, with $22,666.

Ryan also received $23,364 from SAC Capital Advisors, one of the world's biggest and most successful hedge funds that is run by billionaire Steven Cohen.

Representatives for Cohen and Singer declined comment.

Topping the list of Ryan's 2010 donors as well as the list of his biggest donors over his career since 1998 is Northwestern Mutual, a life insurance company based in Milwaukee, in Ryan's home state of Wisconsin, according to a tally by CRP.

Northwestern's PAC and employees have given $89,300 to Ryan's campaign since his first run for Congress in 1998, CRP analysis shows.

"Congressman Ryan - whose district includes our Franklin, Wis., Campus - has always expressed a willingness to listen to our views on public policy matters and appreciates the importance of individuals' planning for their financial security," company spokeswoman Betsy Hoylman said in an emailed statement.

Among Ryan's other top 10 donors over the course of his career are mobile carrier AT&T with $74,850, drug company Abbott Laboratories with $61,700, and health insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield with $58,150.

Ryan has received $65,500, his sixth-biggest donation, from the energy company Koch Industries, run by prominent conservative financiers and big 2012 election donors the Koch brothers.

Many of Ryan's biggest donations came from trade groups, including the National Beer Wholesalers Association at $75,000, National Auto Dealers Association at $68,500, National Association of Home Builders with $67,750 and National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors with $65,000.

WILL SMALL DONOR GIVE?

While Ryan's youthful energy has fired up the Republican Party's conservative base, the fundraising disclosures show Ryan appealing to a similar group of donors - retired professionals, insurance and finance workers - as Romney.

What is less clear is Ryan's ability to attract small donors.

Romney and the Republican Party have outraised President Barack Obama and the Democrats for the past three months in a row, topping $100 million a month largely thanks to his appeal to a disgruntled Wall Street.

But one area where Romney continues to lag is Obama's historic advantage: the small donors, which are seen as a gauge of grassroots enthusiasm and support.

Obama has raised almost 40 percent from donors giving $200 or less as of June 30, compared with Romney's haul of only 15 percent from such donors, according to an analysis by the Campaign Finance Institute.

Some observers argue that Ryan, who plays up his Midwestern roots, could offset Romney's lackluster appeal to less-wealthy Americans.

But Ryan's history hardly indicates an outpouring of grassroots enthusiasm. Ryan has already raised more this election than his 2010 haul of $3.8 million, but no thanks to small donors. Their contributions dropped to 15 percent of his haul from 22 percent in 2010, according to Reuters' analysis of Ryan's campaign donations.

(This story is corrected to show that Northwestern donation number does not include Ryan's leadership PAC)

(Reporting by Alina Selyukh and Alexander Cohen in Washington, and Sam Forgione in New York; Editing by Karey Wutkowski and Xavier Briand)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/paul-ryan-brings-fundraising-prowess-romney-presidential-bid-134946154--sector.html

time magazine person of the year time magazine person of the year la clippers verizon galaxy nexus verizon galaxy nexus lawrence lessig lawrence lessig

Day's best photos: Massive floral carpet and more

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/photos/photos-of-the-day-1340925511-slideshow/

BBC 2016 Olympics TD Bank mountain lion hanley ramirez Christian Bale visits victims Perez Hilton

Top Three Common Dating Faux Pas | Cupid's Pulse: Celebrity ...

Photo: Thomas Northcut/Getty Images

By Kongit Farrell

There?s no doubt that dating can be both fun and meaningful, but everyone knows that it can also be heartbreaking and challenging. If you find yourself getting constantly frustrated by repeated splits and breakups, you might just need to reassess your understanding of dating. To begin to fix your problems, you first have to understand what they are. Start by checking out the following dating faux pas, and what to do to work around them:

Related: Three Dating Mistakes That Prove It?s Time to Use a Matchmaker

1. ?Winging it?: The famous adage ?If you stand for nothing, you fall for anything? also has a place in the realm of dating. Far too many times, people wind up in bad relationships because they entered it without any knowledge of what they wanted. The problem with this approach is that dating is a process, and how you approach it always determines the outcome. For example, if you are seeking a long-term relationship and commitment, rushing into the physical parts of a relationship won?t help. That?s why it?s important to know what you want before you start dating so that you can come up with a dating strategy that will maximize your success. If only someone would have mentioned this to Halle Berry 15 years ago.

2. Not understanding chemistry?s role in love: You meet at a coffee shop and feel this insane connection. You check to see if they feel it too, and low and behold, they do. Don?t rush to assume that it?s love at first sight. That intense connection you feel is a chemical process called limerence. It evolved in humans to help keep men and women together while raising children. It?s not love, but rather one of the main ingredients needed for long-term love. There?s a lot more at play than just limerence, however. Without plutonic compatibility, or similar beliefs and values, you just have friends with benefits, not love. Someone needs to let Jennifer Lopez know that with Casper Smart, it?s not love, it?s limerence!

Related: Top Five Celebrity Love Mistakes We Should Avoid

3. Forgetting your animal nature: The world has changed in many ways that have made dating practices and roles much harder to define. Who opens doors? Who pays for whom? Who wears the pants in the relationship? But at the end of the day, we?re human animals, so the rules of the jungle still apply. Men and women might be equal, but they?re still different, with one key difference being size. Ladies, you?re smaller, so it?s important to make sure that you date men who make you feel safe and comfortable. Men, take extra care to let women know that you aren?t a threat. Speak softly, smile, listen and open the door. This doesn?t have anything to do with your ego, it?s because you are literally larger. Check out Beyonc? Knowles, an intelligent female animal who loves it, as does her husband,?Jay-Z!

Kongit?Farrell?is a Strategic Life & Relationship Coach, and author who specializes in individual and couples counseling. She received her B.S. in Communication from the University of Southern California, and her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. She applied her knowledge while working for the Clinton Administration in the Communication Office.?Kongit?has published numerous articles on mental health, and her first e-book?She?s Worth the Chase won critical acclaim. Most recently,?Kongit?appeared?on Lifetime?s morning show The Balancing Act to discuss her book. She is currently finishing her second book Dating the Natural Way: How to use Biology as a Guide for Healthy and Harmonious Relationships.

Connect With Cupid...

Source: http://www.cupidspulse.com/common-dating-faux-pas/

law abiding citizen golden globes 2012 miss america lana del rey saturday night live focus on the family packers vs giants giants score

Hoke County Emergency Communications gets national certification

Published: 04:51 PM, Mon Aug 13, 2012

Hoke County Emergency Communications gets national certification

RAEFORD - Hoke County Emergency Communications was one of three North Carolina agencies awarded certification from the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials on Monday.

Hoke met or exceeded the minimum training standards for the Association's International Project 33 Training Program Certification-2010, according to a news release. Gaston and Durham counties were also certified.

Public safety agencies use the program to ensure their training meets national standards, the release said.

The agencies will be recognized during the Distinguished Achievers Breakfast at APCO's 78th Annual Conference in Minneapolis later this month.

- Gregory Phillips

Source: http://fayobserver.com/articles/2012/08/13/1196902

dan gilbert david stern david stern julian beever appeasement ian stewart ian stewart

Texas A&M says shooter apprehended near campus

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) ? Texas police took a shooter into custody Monday after receiving reports of multiple injuries near the Texas A&M University campus, officials said.

The university issued an alert on its just before 12:30 p.m. warning of an active shooter near the campus football stadium, Kyle Field. The warning told residents and students to avoid the area, and was later updated with the shooter taken into custody.

College Station Police spokeswoman Rhonda Seaton told The Dallas Morning News that law enforcement officers are among "multiple injuries" at the scene, which she says is within a block or two of campus. Seaton says she does know the extent of the injuries. Multiple calls to Seaton's cellphone from The Associated Press went straight to voicemail Monday afternoon. Text messages and emails also were left for the spokeswoman.

Texas A&M spokeswoman Sherylon Carroll could not confirm any injuries or details about the shooting, but said most students were not on campus Monday and the fall semester does not begin until August 27.

"It appeared to be fairly quiet," Carroll said of campus. "It didn't appear to be a lot of people out and about at that particular time."

College Station is about 90 miles northwest of Houston. Texas A&M is home to more than 50,000 students, according to its website.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-08-13-Texas%20AandM-Shooter/id-257279e07b89423f96b809125a6f36e6

harrison barnes brett ratner stevie nicks anchorman capybara duggars peter facinelli