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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Treating stable flies in pastures

Public release date: 2-Jan-2013
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Contact: Sandra Avant
Sandra.avant@ars.usda.gov
301-504-1627
United States Department of Agriculture - Research, Education and Economics

This press release is available in Spanish.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are developing strategies to help livestock producers control stable flies, the most damaging arthropod pests of cattle in the United States.

An economic impact assessment by scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Agroecosystem Management Research Unit (AMRU) in Lincoln, Neb., looked at four sectors of cattle production: dairy, cow/calf, pastured and range stocker, and animals on feed. They found that stable flies cost the U.S. cattle industry more than $2.4 billion each year, due to reduced milk production in dairy cows, decreased weight gain in beef cattle, and lowered feed efficiency.

Stable flies are not only a problem in barnyards and stables for which they are named, but in pastures as well. AMRU entomologist David Taylor and his colleagues showed that this is partly due to the use of large bales of hay placed in fields as supplemental feed for cattle during winter. These feeding sites where wasted hay, manure and urine accumulate produce an ideal habit for stable flies.

To find an easy, inexpensive, quick way to control stable flies, Taylor tested cyromazine, an insect growth regulator that interferes with molting and proper development of an insect's external skeleton. A single application of cyromazine sprinkled on a hay-feeding site reduced the number of emerging adult stable flies by 97 percent. The treatment took 10 minutes, cost $10 per site and was effective for 10 to 20 weeks.

Other potential methods for controlling stable flies include what AMRU entomologist Jerry Zhu calls a "push and pull" strategy. The "push" requires using a repellent to drive flies away from livestock. Treatments contain effective plant-based repellent chemicals like catnip that are low in toxicity. The "pull" involves developing natural attractants or substances associated with the flies' environment to lure and trap them.

So far, Zhu and his team have developed several catnip oil formulations to reduce stable fly field populations. In collaboration with Microtek Laboratories, Inc., of Dayton, Ohio, the researchers are testing a new granular catnip product that prevents stable flies from laying eggs.

###

Read more about this research in the January 2013 issue of Agricultural Research magazine. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jan13/flies0113.htm

ARS is USDA's principal intramural scientific research agency.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

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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.

Treating stable flies in pastures Public release date: 2-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Sandra Avant
Sandra.avant@ars.usda.gov
301-504-1627
United States Department of Agriculture - Research, Education and Economics

This press release is available in Spanish.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are developing strategies to help livestock producers control stable flies, the most damaging arthropod pests of cattle in the United States.

An economic impact assessment by scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Agroecosystem Management Research Unit (AMRU) in Lincoln, Neb., looked at four sectors of cattle production: dairy, cow/calf, pastured and range stocker, and animals on feed. They found that stable flies cost the U.S. cattle industry more than $2.4 billion each year, due to reduced milk production in dairy cows, decreased weight gain in beef cattle, and lowered feed efficiency.

Stable flies are not only a problem in barnyards and stables for which they are named, but in pastures as well. AMRU entomologist David Taylor and his colleagues showed that this is partly due to the use of large bales of hay placed in fields as supplemental feed for cattle during winter. These feeding sites where wasted hay, manure and urine accumulate produce an ideal habit for stable flies.

To find an easy, inexpensive, quick way to control stable flies, Taylor tested cyromazine, an insect growth regulator that interferes with molting and proper development of an insect's external skeleton. A single application of cyromazine sprinkled on a hay-feeding site reduced the number of emerging adult stable flies by 97 percent. The treatment took 10 minutes, cost $10 per site and was effective for 10 to 20 weeks.

Other potential methods for controlling stable flies include what AMRU entomologist Jerry Zhu calls a "push and pull" strategy. The "push" requires using a repellent to drive flies away from livestock. Treatments contain effective plant-based repellent chemicals like catnip that are low in toxicity. The "pull" involves developing natural attractants or substances associated with the flies' environment to lure and trap them.

So far, Zhu and his team have developed several catnip oil formulations to reduce stable fly field populations. In collaboration with Microtek Laboratories, Inc., of Dayton, Ohio, the researchers are testing a new granular catnip product that prevents stable flies from laying eggs.

###

Read more about this research in the January 2013 issue of Agricultural Research magazine. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jan13/flies0113.htm

ARS is USDA's principal intramural scientific research agency.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

[ | E-mail | Share ]
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/usdo-tsf010213.php
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Self Improvement And Empowerment Blog: Even You Need to be ...

Is it possible to Mother yourself when Mom's not available or nearby? I say yes. I think the best thing your mother can do for you is to teach you how to mother and nurture yourself. But let's face it - it's a skill, a talent and a gift. Doing this kind of self care requires commitment like that of a mother. But as an adult it is the #1 thing you need to become adept at.

This Mother's Day while showering or being showered by attention think of how you can become more self reliant in the self nurturing arena.

Secrets to Get YOU Started on Your Nurturing Journey:

Secret #1 -Reflect: Do you have time to reflect and think things through or are you always harried, frazzled and stressed? Well if you spend most of your days in this anxiety prone state you will not be on the road to long term health.

Learning to slow down and say no to all the distractions which take you away from your true self - your true core - will re-generate and honor your beautiful nature and soul.

Sounds like foreign territory? You must learn to nurture yourself by creating time without pressure (one of my new mottos) and taking the time to give to yourself - even just a little.

Secret #2 - Journal: I love to write I find it a source of grounding, clarity and a place where my imagination can run free. I get to work things out on paper. It's a safe and uncrowded place for me to explore and be as honest as I possibly can with myself. I know you may not find this easy to do and may in fact run from the mere mention of sitting down to write out your deep and most private thoughts. You scream out "I have no time, someone might read it, and I'm not much of a writer." Start with small steps. Remember this is a place to get to know yourself better. To get you started you may want to pick up the classic "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron.

Secret #3 Allow Others to do for YOU: Alert, alert! You can not do it all by yourself! I mean you can but at what price? Do you want to constantly feel rundown while feeling virtuous about accomplishing a feat you had set out to do single handedly? Wouldn't you like to have a team helping you out all the way to the finish line? Did you know collaboration comes very naturally to women and is so much more rewarding. Women actually crave it. Better satisfy this craving that your sweet tooth. Your "team or helpers" will also feel special contributing. They will feel a part of something and have a real sense of belonging. Let them! Let go of any martyr or a saint tendencies. Come to terms with the fact that you are a mere mortal with needs and an ability to ask for help (always!).

Secret #4 Make yourself Important: But don't take yourself too seriously. Don't dismiss any thoughts or ideas you have. Value them all - they are a part of you. The worst thing you can do is attack, criticize or demean yourself in any way. You want to be supportive of yourself at all times just like a nurturing mother would be.

Secret #5 Take a Bath: Nothing like a warm, sudsy, comforting, candle-lit bath at the end of a day that says "I love me"! No I don't mean in a narcissistic way but in a loving, mothering, and accepting way.

The warmth of this simple yet soothing activity will go a long way. You will feel calmer, more relaxed and you will sleep better, too. Your calming brain chemicals, specifically Serotonin and Gaba, will be activated ensuring a deep and restful sleep.

Monika Klein, BS, CN. is an award winning clinical nutritionist and weight loss expert. Monika is the "Compassionate and Practical Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach." Her company, Coaching For Health, offers life transforming weight loss and wellness programs, classes and products throughout the world. To learn more about Monika's services and programs, visit coachingforhealth.com. Providing useful self development, self empowerment and self esteem tips and reviews online.

Source: http://selfimprovementandempowerment.blogspot.com/2013/01/even-you-need-to-be-mothered.html

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Kelly a top NFL target again

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) ? One of the first questions Oregon coach Chip Kelly was asked after arriving in Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl was about the possibility of coaching in the NFL.

The are-you-going-to-the-NFL questions haven't let up in the five days since and only figure to pick up after seven coaches were fired Monday.

Deflection has been Kelly's defense since the rumors started and it was no different after all those NFL openings cropped up.

"I've got a game to play," Kelly said during the Fiesta Bowl's media day on Monday. "We're playing in the Fiesta Bowl. That's the biggest thing in my life. If I allowed other things to get into my life, then they would be distractions, but there aren't. Our focus 100 percent is on the Fiesta Bowl."

Kelly has been an intriguing candidate for NFL teams for a few years.

The 49-year-old coach is known as an offensive innovator and his fast-paced, high-scoring offense has led to the most successful stretch in Oregon's history.

The fifth-ranked Ducks have gone to four straight BCS bowl games, a run that includes a trip to the 2011 national championship game, Oregon's first Rose Bowl win in 95 years last season and Thursday night's Fiesta Bowl against No. 5 Kansas State at University of Phoenix Stadium.

The speculation over the past few years has been that Kelly has his eye on an NFL job and he even talked to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year before saying he had unfinished business in Eugene.

The rumors began to pick up this season and followed him to the desert, where he's been asked about the NFL every day he's been here and has given a different version of the same answer every time.

"My heart is to win today and that's it," Kelly said. "I know everybody wants to hear a different answer. And I know that at times when I don't give you guys the answer that you guys want, then I'm being evasive. I'm not being evasive."

One reason that Kelly's stock is so high is that NFL teams are starting to embrace the hurry-all-the-time offense he has nearly perfected in Eugene.

In college, coaches have latched onto the no-huddle offense, with teams across the country employing a version of it.

NFL teams have always seemed to be reluctant to borrow from the college ranks, sticking to smash-mouth football for years even while college offenses had unprecedented success with the spread.

The mindset has changed, at least some, over the past few years as teams have looked for ways to get ahead of the defenses. Several NFL teams have gone the high-octane route on offense, including New England, Seattle, Washington and Green Bay, to a certain extent.

Kelly has been the standard-bearer for the redline approach in college. His Ducks have ranked no lower than sixth in the country in rushing yards since he became offensive coordinator in 2007 and have been in the top 10 in scoring and total offense every year but one.

With success like that, it's no wonder he's become a popular target for NFL teams.

"My whole thing since I've been here is that I'm going to do the best job I can every single day," Kelly said. "If that's good enough that other people look at me sometimes, I don't really care about that. I think too many people live in the future. We live in the moment."

The key this week will be keeping the Ducks in the moment as the rumors swirl.

Kelly is reported to be the top candidate to replace Pat Shurmur with the Cleveland Browns and would be a popular choice for the Philadelphia Eagles now that Andy Reid is gone. Arizona, Buffalo, Chicago, San Diego and Kansas City also are without coaches and could come calling on Kelly as well.

Whatever Kelly does behind the scenes, he's tried to make sure it doesn't become a distraction for his team as it prepares to play another team that had national-championship hopes that lasted deep into the season.

"I never said a word to our guys about it," Kelly said. "They understand what the task is at hand. I don't think about it. They don't think about it, so ..."

So far, it seems to be working.

Kelly's players have taken to his stick-to-what's-in-front-of-you mentality when it comes to games and have done the same thing with the rumors about their coach possibly leaving.

"It's not really distracting," Oregon running back DeAnthony Thomas said. "Our main focus is just winning this game right now and just celebrating as a team."

Celebrating or lamenting, Kelly will likely face a decision not long after it's over.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kelly-top-nfl-target-again-093259275--spt.html

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Storm impedes salvage of grounded drilling ship

This image provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows the Royal Dutch Shell drilling rig Kulluk aground off a small island near Kodiak Island Tuesday Jan. 1, 2013. A Coast Guard C-130 plane and a helicopter were used to fly over the grounded vessel on Tuesday morning. The severe weather did not permit putting the marine experts on board the drilling rig, which is near shore and being pounded by stormy seas. (AP Photo/U.S. Coast Guard)

Shell Oil incident commander Susan Childs, second from right, answers a question about the Monday night grounding of the Shell drill ship Kulluk at a press conference on Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, at the Mariott Hotel in Anchorage, Alaska. Looking on are Shell Alaska spokesman Curtis Smith, standing, Coast Guard Commander Shane Montoya, state on-scene coordinator Alan Wien, and Garth Pulkkinen of Noble Corp., the operator of the Kulluk. The drifting Shell drill ship that broke loose from tow vessels during a severe Gulf of Alaska storm ran aground Monday in shallow water off Sitkalidak Island, company officials said. (AP Photo/Dan Joling)

In this photo provided by the United States Coast Guard, a Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station Kodiak conducts the 13th hoist of 18 crewmen from the mobile drilling unit Kulluk on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, 80 miles southwest of Kodiak City, Alaska. The tug Aiviq suffered problems towing the Kulluk Thursday prompting the Coast Guard to deploy cutters and aircraft to while Royal Dutch Shell dispatched additional tugs.(AP Photo/United States Coast Guard, Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) ? High seas and strong winds prevented crews from boarding an oil drilling ship to check for any damage after the large vessel went aground off an uninhabited island in the Gulf of Alaska.

A Coast Guard plane and a helicopter flew over the Kulluk on Tuesday, but severe weather didn't permit putting marine experts on board the drilling rig, which had grounded on a sand and gravel beach in stormy seas.

Federal on-scene response coordinator Capt. Paul Mehler said the Royal Dutch Shell drilling rig is carrying about 143,000 gallons of diesel and about 12,000 gallons of lube oil and hydraulic fluid, and appeared stable.

"There is no sign of a release of any product," Mehler said during a news conference.

A team of company, Coast Guard and local officials said they were mobilizing spill response equipment and preparing a plan in the event of a spill in the Partition Cove and Ocean Bay areas of the island. The area is home to at least two endangered species, as well as harbor seals, salmon, and sea lions.

The storm eased Tuesday, with gusts up to 35 mph and waves up to 30 feet high, and similar conditions were expected Wednesday. Officials were hoping to get marine experts onboard to take photos and videos, and then come up with a more complete salvage plan once weather permits.

The goal was to get salvagers aboard the Kulluk and the ship refloated, Mehler said.

Mehler said a team of about 500 people was working on a plan, "with many more coming."

A Shell official said the drilling rig was built with a double-sided hull of reinforced steel that is 3 inches thick. It recently had undergone $292 million in improvements before being put into service for a short time this summer in the Beaufort Sea off Alaska's north coast.

It was being towed to Seattle for maintenance last week when it separated from a towing vessel south of Kodiak Island. Repeated attempts to maintain towing lines were unsuccessful as a severe storm passed through the area. By Monday night, tow boats guided the rig to a place where it would cause the least environmental damage and cut it loose. It grounded off the southeast side of uninhabited Sitkalidak Island, which is near the larger Kodiak Island in the gulf.

U.S. Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, expressed his concerns in a statement Tuesday.

"Oil companies keep saying they can conquer the Arctic, but the Arctic keeps disagreeing with the oil companies," Markey said. "Drilling expansion could prove disastrous for this sensitive environment."

Sean Churchfield, operations manager for Shell Alaska, said once the situation is under control, an investigation will be conducted into the cause. He did not know whether the findings would be made public.

The Coast Guard said it would be investigating and would make its findings public.

___

Associated Press staff writers Dan Joling in Anchorage and Donna Blankinship in Seattle contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-02-Shell-Arctic%20Drill%20Ship/id-52fee04bcff749fcbb1191dc88203727

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Texas judge OKs Planned Parenthood funding ban

By Chris Tomlinson, The Associated Press

Texas can cut off funding to Planned Parenthood's family planning programs for poor women, a state judge ruled Monday.

Judge Gary Harger said that Texas may exclude otherwise qualified doctors and clinics from receiving state funding if they advocate for abortion rights.?

The state has long banned the use of state funds for abortion, but had continued to reimburse Planned Parenthood clinics for providing basic health care to poor women through the state's Women's Health Program. The program provides check-ups and birth control to 110,000 poor women a year, and Planned Parenthood clinics were treating 48,000 of them.?

Planned Parenthood's lawsuit to stop the rule will still go forward, but the judge decided Monday that the ban may go into effect for now. In seeking a temporary restraining order, Planned Parenthood's patients could have continued to see their current doctors until a final decision was made.?

"We are pleased the court rejected Planned Parenthood's latest attempt to skirt state law," attorney general spokeswoman Lauren Bean said. "The Texas Attorney General's office will continue to defend the Texas Legislature's decision to prohibit abortion providers and their affiliates from receiving taxpayer dollars through the Women's Health Program."?

Ken Lambrecht, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, said he brought the lawsuit on behalf of poor women who depend on its clinics.?

"It is shocking that once again Texas officials are letting politics jeopardize health care access for women," Lambrecht said. "Our doors remain open today and always to Texas women in need. We only wish Texas politicians shared this commitment to Texas women, their health, and their well-being."?

Planned Parenthood has brought three lawsuits over Texas' so-called "affiliate rule," arguing it violates the constitutional rights of doctors and patients while also contradicting existing state law.?

Republican lawmakers who passed the affiliate rule last year have argued that Texas is an anti-abortion state, and therefore should cut off funds to groups that support abortion rights. Gov. Rick Perry, who vehemently opposes abortion, has pledged to do everything legally possible to shut down Planned Parenthood in Texas and welcomed the court's ruling.?

"Today's ruling finally clears the way for thousands of low-income Texas women to access much-needed care, while at the same time respecting the values and laws of our state," Perry said. "I applaud all those who stand ready to help these women live healthy lives without sending taxpayer money to abortion providers and their affiliates."?

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has spent the last nine months preparing to implement the affiliate rule. But federal officials warned it violated the Social Security Act and cut off federal funds for the Women's Health Program, prompting the commission to start a new program using only state money.?

State officials have also scrambled to sign up new doctors and clinics to replace Planned Parenthood. Women who previously went to Planned Parenthood clinics will now have to use the agency's web site to find a new state-approved doctor.?

On Friday, HHSC officials acknowledged they are unsure whether the new doctors can pick up Planned Parenthood's caseload in all parts of the state.?

Linda Edwards Gockel, a spokesman for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, said Monday that the new state program will launch as planned on Tuesday.?

"We have more than 3,500 doctors, clinics and other providers in the program and will be able to continue to provide women with family planning services while fully complying with state law," she said. "We welcome Planned Parenthood's help in referring patients to providers in the new program."?

Democratic lawmakers continued to question whether women will have to wait longer for appointments and services.?

"I vehemently disagree with the state's efforts to blacklist a qualified provider and, thereby, interfere with a woman's right to choose her own provider," said state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin. "I will be submitting a letter to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, requesting a list of approved providers to gauge the outreach of the new program, and ensure that all qualified women throughout the state have access to its services."?

Another hearing is scheduled with a different judge for Jan. 11, where Planned Parenthood will again ask for an injunction to receive state funding.

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/31/16271081-texas-judge-oks-ban-on-planned-parenthood-funding?lite

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Friday, November 9, 2012

China's Hu says graft threatens state, party must stay in charge

BEIJING (Reuters) - President Hu Jintao warned China's incoming leaders on Thursday that corruption threatened the ruling Communist Party and the state, but said the party must stay in charge as it battles growing social unrest.

In a state-of-the-nation address to more than 2,000 hand-picked party delegates before he hands over power, Hu acknowledged that public anger over graft and issues like environmental degradation had undermined the party's support and led to surging numbers of protests.

In other comments, he promised political reform but ruled out copying Western-style democracy. He also stressed the need to strengthen the armed forces and protect sea territory amid disputes with Japan and Southeast Asian nations.

"Combating corruption and promoting political integrity, which is a major political issue of great concern to the people, is a clear-cut and long-term political commitment of the party," Hu said.

"If we fail to handle this issue well, it could prove fatal to the party, and even cause the collapse of the party and the fall of the state. We must thus make unremitting efforts to combat corruption."

Hu was opening a week-long congress at Beijing's Great Hall of the People that will usher in a once-in-a-decade leadership change in the world's second-largest economy. Despite the high profile of the event and the focus on sensitive issues like reform and graft, the comments were not considered unusual since they mainly reinforced existing ideas and themes.

"It was a rather conservative report," said Jin Zhong, the editor of Open Magazine, an independent Hong Kong publication that specializes in Chinese politics. "There's nothing in there that suggests any breakthrough in political reforms."

The run-up to the carefully choreographed meeting, at which Hu will hand over his post as party chief to anointed successor Vice President Xi Jinping, has been overshadowed by a corruption scandal involving one-time high-flying politician Bo Xilai.

The party has accused him of taking bribes and abusing his power to cover up his wife's murder of a British businessman in the southwestern city of Chongqing, which he used to run.

While Hu did not name Bo - a man once considered a contender for top office himself - he left little doubt about the target.

"All those who violate party discipline and state laws, whoever they are and whatever power or official positions they have, must be brought to justice without mercy," Hu told delegates, one of whom was his predecessor, Jiang Zemin.

"Leading officials, especially high-ranking officials, must ... exercise strict self-discipline and strengthen education and supervision over their families and their staff; and they should never seek any privilege."

The New York Times said last month that the family of Premier Wen Jiabao had accumulated at least $2.7 billion in "hidden riches", a report China labelled a smear.

JIANG'S CLOUT

Hu entered the venue accompanied by Jiang, 86, signaling the former president still wields influence in the party and in the secretive deliberations to decide on the new leaders. As Hu delivered his speech under a massive, golden hammer and sickle, a healthy-looking Jiang sat flanked by senior members, party elders such as Li Peng and incoming leaders such as Xi.

The congress ends on November 14, when the party's new Standing Committee, at the apex of power, will be unveiled. Only Xi and his deputy Li Keqiang are certain to be on what is likely to be a seven-member committee, and about eight other candidates are vying for the other places.

The congress also rubber-stamps the selection of about two dozen people to the party's Politburo, and approves scores of other appointments, including provincial chiefs and heads of some state-owned enterprises.

"We must uphold the leadership of the party," Hu said.

He also named health care, housing, the environment, food and drug safety and public security as areas where problems had "increased markedly".

The meeting is a chance for Hu to cement his legacy before retirement and ensure a smooth handover of power, and his prime-time speech was a chance to push his achievements and perhaps help steer a course going forward.

While Hu promised "reforms to the political structure" and more encouragement of debate within the party, he gave no hint that China would allow broader popular participation.

"We should ... give full play to the strength of the socialist political system and draw on the political achievements of other societies. However, we will never copy a Western political system," said Hu, who mentioned "socialism with Chinese characteristics" no less than 78 times in his speech.

While Hu will step down as party leader, Xi will only take over state duties at the annual meeting of parliament in March.

Just weeks after anti-Japan riots swept city streets following a row over disputed islands, Hu also said China should strengthen the armed forces, protect its maritime interests and be prepared for "local war" in the information age.

"We should enhance our capacity for exploiting marine resources, resolutely safeguard China's maritime rights and interests and build China into a maritime power," he said.

China is also locked in dispute with Southeast Asian neighbors over areas of the South China Sea. Relations with the United States have been bogged down by accusations of military assertiveness in the region from both sides.

The government has tightened security in the run-up to the congress, even banning the flying of pigeons in the capital, and has either locked up or expelled dozens of dissidents.

Security was especially tight on Thursday around the Great Hall and Tiananmen Square next door, the scene of pro-democracy protests in 1989 that were crushed by the military.

Police dragged away a screaming protester as the Chinese national flag was raised at dawn.

The party, which came to power in 1949 after a long and bloody civil war, has in recent years tied its legitimacy to economic growth and lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty.

Hu said China's development should be "much more balanced, coordinated and sustainable", and it should double its 2010 GDP and per capita income by 2020, as previous targets have implied.

But China experts say that unless the new leadership pushes through stalled reforms, the nation risks economic malaise, deepening unrest, and perhaps even a crisis that could shake the party's grip on power.

This year marked the first time Chinese Internet users could discuss the congress on Weibo, China's version of Twitter.

Some microbloggers seized on a remark by Hu: "We will neither walk on the closed and rigid road, nor will we walk down the evil road of changing (our) flags and banners."

Many said this showed a lack of direction as it reflected the gridlock between two factions - the reformists and the leftists, who are critical of a market-based reform agenda.

"Which road to walk on?" a microblogger wrote. "Both the right and left have blocked you to death, so where can you go?"

(Additional reporting by John Ruwitch in Beijing and James Pomfret in Hong Kong; Writing by Nick Macfie; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-opens-party-congress-leadership-change-011151580--business.html

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Disney 4Q profit in line, revenue misses forecast

FILE - In this March 31, 2012 file photo, a firework display lights up the castle of Sleeping Beauty in Disneyland's theme park in Marne-la-Vallee, east of Paris. The Walt Disney Co. said Thursday Nov. 8, 2012, that its net income in the latest quarter rose 14 percent thanks to an uptick in revenue driven by higher consumer spending at its theme parks and on its cruise ships. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The Walt Disney Co. said Thursday that its net income in the latest quarter rose 14 percent thanks to an uptick in revenue driven by higher consumer spending at its theme parks and on its cruise ships.

The results were announced a week after Disney said it would buy Lucasfilm Ltd. and revive the "Star Wars" franchise with a new trilogy starting in 2015.

Net income in the three months to Sept. 29 rose to $1.24 billion, or 68 cents per share, from $1.09 billion, or 58 cents per share, a year ago.

Adjusted earnings of 68 cents per share matched the expectations of analysts polled by FactSet.

Revenue rose 3 percent to $10.78 billion, slightly below the $10.93 billion analysts expected.

The parks and resorts division was helped by the launch of its newest cruise ship, the Disney Fantasy, in March, and the opening of a new section at Disney California Adventure called Cars Land in June.

Movie studio revenue fell as "Brave" failed to perform as well as "Cars 2" a year ago. Revenue at the company's pay TV and broadcast networks grew a modest 2 percent. Smaller audiences and lower ad revenue at ABC slowed the company's momentum. At the same time, ESPN gained more in fees from distributors but saw flat ad revenue as viewers and advertisers turned their attention toward the Olympics on NBC.

The company said losses grew at Hulu, the online video service it owns jointly with News Corp. and Comcast Corp., due to higher programming and marketing costs.

Disney's stock fell $1.04, or 2 percent, to $49 in after-hours trading following the earnings release.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-11-08-Earns-Disney/id-6d7a195827894fffa0f7e9b02cd1a387

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