There's a passage in the Old Testament's Deuteronomy that says if a case too difficult to decide comes before the courts, it should be brought to the Levite priests who will render a verdict in God's name. However, one University of Alberta researcher says that may be taking religious freedom a step too far. Sarah Hamill, a doctoral student in the Faculty of Law, recently published an article in response to a premise that said judges who lack direction-setting precedence in cases should use religious-based reasoning. Hamill contends that—aside from being a serious breach ...

KINGSTON, R.I. – August 2, 2012 – A postdoctoral researcher at the University of Rhode Island has observed a never-before-seen defensive strategy used by a small species of deep-sea squid in which the animal counter-attacks a predator and then leaves the tips of its arms attached to the predator as a distraction. Stephanie Bush said that when the foot-long octopus squid (Octopoteuthis deletron) found deep in the northeast Pacific Ocean "jettisons its arms" in self-defense, the bioluminescent tips continue to twitch and glow, creating a diversion that enables the squid ...

In science fiction novels, evil overlords and hostile aliens often threaten to vaporize the Earth. At the beginning of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, the officiously bureaucratic aliens called Vogons, authors of the third-worst poetry in the universe, actually follow through on the threat, destroying the Earth to make way for a hyperspatial express route. "We scientists are not content just to talk about vaporizing the Earth," says Bruce Fegley, professor of earth and planetary sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, tongue firmly in cheek. "We want to understand ...

Last year, astronomers discovered a quiescent black hole in a distant galaxy that erupted after shredding and consuming a passing star. Now researchers have identified a distinctive X-ray signal observed in the days following the outburst that comes from matter on the verge of falling into the black hole. This tell-tale signal, called a quasi-periodic oscillation or QPO, is a characteristic feature of the accretion disks that often surround the most compact objects in the universe -- white dwarf stars, neutron stars and black holes. QPOs have been seen in many stellar-mass ...

Durham, NC – What makes some species more prone to extinction? A new study of nearly 300 species of New Zealand birds — from pre-human times to the present — reveals that the keys to survival today differ from those of the past. The results are important in light of the growing number of studies that try to predict which species could be lost in the future based on what kinds of species are considered most threatened today, said lead author Lindell Bromham of Australian National University. In the roughly 700 years since humans arrived in the remote islands that make ...

Jeanne Romero-Severson, associate professor of biological sciences at the University of Notre Dame, and her collaborators, are tracking the evolution of the live oaks of eastern North America, seeking to understand how the trees adapted to climate change during glacial periods. When the ice advanced, the oaks retreated. When the ice retreated the oaks advanced, spreading from tropical to temperate zones, up from Central America and Mexico into the Piedmont Carolinas. The researchers expect the study of live oak migrations and phylogeny will provide clues to the success ...

Computer-generated characters have become so lifelike in appearance and movement that the line separating reality is almost imperceptible at times. "The Matrix" sequels messed with audiences' perceptions of reality (in more ways than one) with action scenes mixing CG characters and real actors. Almost a decade later, superheroes and alien warriors dominate the multiplex. But while bipeds and quadrupeds have reigned supreme in CG animation, attempts to create and control their skeleton-free cousins using similar techniques has proved time-consuming and laborious. Georgia ...

On the classic TV show "I Love Lucy," Ricky Ricardo was known for switching into rapid-fire Spanish whenever he was upset, despite the fact Lucy had no idea what her Cuban husband was saying. These scenes were comedy gold, but they also provided a relatable portrayal of the linguistic phenomenon of code-switching. This kind of code-switching, or switching back and forth between different languages, happens all the time in multilingual environments, and often in emotional situations. In a new article in the July issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal ...

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Treating chronic venous leg ulcers with a topical spray containing a unique living human cell formula provides a 52 percent greater likelihood of wound closure than treatment with compression bandages only. That's the conclusion of a new study conducted in part at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and published online by The Lancet this week. The Phase II clinical trial, which investigates the efficacy of HP802-247 from Healthpoint® Biotherapeutics, was designed to determine effectiveness of certain cell concentrations and dosing ...

Our planet's changing climate is devastating communities in Africa through droughts, floods and myriad other disasters. Using detailed regional climate models and geographic information systems, researchers with the Climate Change and African Political Stability (CCAPS) program developed an online mapping tool that analyzes how climate and other forces interact to threaten the security of African communities. The program was piloted by the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law at The University of Texas at Austin in 2009 after receiving a $7.6 ...

VIDEO: Gary Crameri, part of CSIRO’s bat virus team, discusses Cedar virus. Click here for more information. Australian scientists have discovered a new virus in bats that could help shed light on how Hendra and Nipah viruses cause disease and death in animals and humans. The new virus - named 'Cedar' after the Queensland location where it was discovered - is a close relative of the deadly Hendra and Nipah viruses. However, CSIRO's initial studies have discovered ...

http://www.AutismSeminarsOnDemand.com, a website created by Dr. Kurt Woeller featuring a compilation of his lecture presentations on biomedical autism intervention, announced today that it's offering drastically reduced pricing for the month of August. Dr. Woeller's ability to provide detailed information regarding diagnostic testing, therapies, and protocols that is understandable for all parties makes his information unique in the world of autism education. Each seminar available via the website is a presentation Dr. Woeller has previously given on a specific topic ...

With more than 25 years of experience in franchising, FASTSIGNS International Inc., the worldwide franchisor of FASTSIGNS visual communications, signage and graphics centers, was recently recognized for its strides in franchising by the Franchise Yardstick Index and 1851 Magazine. Listed alongside some of the franchise industry's biggest players, including Dunkin Donuts, Super 8 Motels and Subway, FASTSIGNS has been recognized as No. 3 on Franchise Yardstick Index's 2012 400 list. The ranking, which compared 20 different criteria, acknowledges FASTSIGNS for its consistent ...

You've done all your planning, purchased all your toiletries and linens and you think you are ready to send your child off to school. But did you think about the mattress he would sleep on? Of course, this may be provided by the dorm, but it is often a cheap mattress that is lumpy and worn. Wouldn't you feel better knowing that your child is getting the rest he needs to keep up with his demanding schedule? Due to the unique situation of living in a dormitory, you should take a few things into consideration before purchasing a dorm mattress: - Consider the space! Since ...

Members of the US Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, including athletes from The United States of America Adaptive Bobsled Team (USAABT) and the US Paralympic Bobsled & Skeleton Association, Inc. located in Park City, Utah are scheduled to participate in 5 international driving schools this upcoming winter season. Teams will then compete in races across the US and Canada. A fundraising event will be held Friday, August 24, 2012 from 7-10pm at Molly Blooms Restaurant and Pub located at 6180 Ute Boulevard, Park City, Utah to raise funds to build a new modified bobsled. Driving ...

Werner Co., the world's leading ladder manufacturer, today announced a national sweepstakes with a chance to win an amazing, three-day adventure at Cabin Bluff, a world-class hunting and fishing destination located near Cumberland Island, Georgia. All outdoor adventure enthusiasts can now enter the contest by going to http://us.wernerco.com/adventuresweeps between August 1, 2012- September 28, 2012. "Werner is a brand that offers the best climbing solutions for both pros and consumers. Our products are rugged and durable and we want to give away an experience that ...

Create Abilities For Kids offers a unique solution to busy parents looking for ways to maximize quality time with their young children. Our art activity kits include everything you need to create a "masterpiece" with your little one. You won't need to shop around for anything. Our age-appropriate art kits are designed for ages three, four, or five. These all-inclusive kits will be delivered to your mailbox each month. This means you save time in planning, getting the materials, and doing the prep work because we've already done all of that for you. The art ...

Interior designing is greatly affected by the change in the designs of curtains. It is said that the introduction of designer curtains has affected the way Interior designers deal with designs and planning. The introduction of designer curtains caused a great change for interior designers. Most of them studied again to apply the new way of designing the interiors of houses and establishments. Basically, the designer curtains nowadays are now part of the designing process. Some experts said that that the Interior designers had a tough time organizing their traditional ...

Onepath Systems, LLC, a Marietta-based leading technology solutions provider, announced that it has acquired the coveted Gold Certification from Cisco Systems. The Cisco Channel Partner program provides Onepath with the resource framework to develop an expertise to sell, plan, design, implement and operate Cisco networking solutions. To earn Gold certification, Onepath was required to meet or surpass the rigorous service, support, customer satisfaction and networking competency requirements set forth by Cisco. "Receiving the Gold Partner status is a great achievement ...

Management of regional growth and development often brings stress to the business and residential communities involved. Long Island has a number of regional development organizations that work to create plans that can help resolve and relieve challenges faced by communities as they grow. John J. Roe III, a partner with Roe Taroff Taitz & Portman, LLP, has returned to the helm of the Patchogue Business Improvement District (BID); a group that helps the Long Island municipality manage regional growth and development. Mr. Roe was instrumental in the development of the ...

Graphite Design, maker of some of the most widely played premium golf shafts on the PGA TOUR, announced today that the winner and second place finisher of the Web.com Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational both played Graphite Design Tour AD DI shafts in their drivers. "Congratulations to this young player on his victory in his first professional event," said Tak Yamada, President, Graphite Design, "This is a great way to start his professional career and we wish him continued success throughout his career." The winner shot a 12-under 272 ...

Magic Ruby, dedicated to solving the complex puzzle of Social TV, launches today. A business unit of Second Screen Solutions, Inc. backed by Technicolor, Magic Ruby combines best of breed second screen technology with advertising expertise to provide the fast-growing social television industry with application development bridging content, distribution and advertising network platforms. The company has offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. Magic Ruby leverages MediaEcho, the second screen media platform developed by Technicolor, which deepens viewer engagement ...

Every year, Club Industry Magazine, the highly respected fitness business publication, ranks U.S health club companies by total corporate revenues. Urban Active made the 9th place with reported $107.5 million revenue (up 7%), meeting their goal of making it into the Top 10 position of this year's Club Industry's "Top 100 Clubs List." This is a notable leap from last year's #11 ranking. Club Industry Magazine reported that "The encouraging news for the industry is that more companies reported double-digit growth percentages this year than last, and six ...

The New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera (Verismo Opera) invites the public to attend an open house on Wednesday, September 5, 7:00 p.m., at 44 Armory Street in Englewood, New Jersey. Learn more about the fall season of the only grand opera company located in North Jersey and based in Fort Lee, New Jersey under Artistic Director and former Met Opera star Lucine Amara. Hear renowned Verismo Opera Music Director/Principal Conductor Anthony Morss, Chorus Director Mara Waldman, and Stage Director Evelyn La Quaif describe the opera company's mission, vision, and the new ...

CDM Media extended an invitation to CIOs and IT executives today to speak at the upcoming Mobility Summit, to be held Aug. 30-31, 2012, in Scottsdale, Ariz. The Mobility Summit is an opportunity for attendees to make new business contacts, have in-depth conversations with C-level peers and learn about the latest mobility best practices and solutions during think tanks, panel discussions, analyst Q&As and more. A few of this year's agenda session titles: - Mobile and the Post-PC Enterprise - The Flexible Organizational Structure - Addressing Mobile Security ...