Adam Lambert Makes History Atop Billboard Chart


Adam Lambert has made history.

The former American Idol runner-up shot past another famous series alumnus this week and claimed the number-one spot on the Billboard 200 for his latest album, "Trespassing." In doing so, Lambert became the first openly gay man to sit atop the chart.

Yes, Clay Aiken achieved the same status with his 2003 CD, but he did not come out of the closet until five years later.

Adam Lambert in New Jersey

Of course, the important thing is not Lambert's sexuality; it's his success. The eccentric crooner sold 77,000 units of "Trespassing" in the seven days since its release. Well done, Adam!

Here's a look at the Billboard top five:

  1. Adam Lambert, Trespassing: 77,000
  2. Adele, 21: 63,000
  3. Carrie Underwood, Blown Away: 54,000
  4. Norah Jones, Little Broken Hearts: 45,000
  5. Tenacious D, Rise of the Fenix, 44,000

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Food and the Fabulous ? Bacon and Broccoli Chilli Pasta ? Budget ...

Bacon and Broccoli Chilli Pasta ? Budget Meals for Woolworths MasterChef SA Week 10

Budget isn?t the most exciting word. In fact it can be quite depressing and brings to mind all kinds of limits. And Angela Merkel. Yes, far from exciting. However, all of us have to reign in the spending and the world is experiencing one of the most severe economic crises of our time. I am currently in Europe and having just spoken to a range of people in Athens, it brings home more than ever, the severity of the?situation?felt by people all over.

When Woolworths gave me the challenge of preparing a meal for four for R150, a ?budget? meal, I knew three things should into play so that the eater (and the cook) would not feel deprived in any way:

1. Flavour. ?For the main meal I used pasta which is usually a?cupboard?staple and bacon which affords lots of flavour even if you use a little of it. Onions are browned to add depth and chilli gives you a satisfying spice-injection. Broccoli isn?t just nutritious, it also adds some crunchy texture.

2. Easily available ingredients. Everything for this meal should be available at your local supermarket. The worst thing when considering the pennies is to have to go from shop to market to deli to find the ingredients for supper. The instinct then is to opt for cheap, non- nutritious take outs. Leave the leisurely food shopping for when the wallet and the clock allows. I assumed that the cook in this instance is preparing a meal on a busy week day, so I created a quick, easy but nutritious meal.

3. A treat. Even though you?ve had to carefully consider the spend, you can still serve a?refreshing?drink (home made iced tea in this case) as well as dessert. What?s not to love about that?

Cooks Notes

I have assumed that reader would have salt, sugar and vegetable stock liquid or cubes in the grocery cupboard as well as a lemon and an egg in the fridge.

If you prefer, substitute the bacon with a chicken breast or piece of steak pan fried and cut into very thin strips.

If you prefer a vegetarian option, use one large aubergine, cut into slices and pan griddled instead of the bacon.

On a day that you have more time, buy one pack of beef or ostrich mince instead of bacon (relatively same price as the dry cured bacon I purchased) and brown with the onions and slow cook with the tomato, adding water as needed for a bolognaise sauce. Leave out the?broccoli?or add a can of barlotti or red kidney beans towards the end of cooking to bulk the dish up.

?

Bacon and Broccoli Chilli Pasta

Serves 4-6

Preparation time: 5 min, Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

500 g penne pasta,?prepared?according to package instructions *

1 pack dry cured bacon

1 medium onion, finely diced

10 ml vegetable oil

300 g broccoli florets

200 ml vegetable stock

1 red chilli, finely chopped

2 x 400g cans chopped, peeled tomatoes

1/2 t sugar

salt, to taste

Method

Chop the bacon into bite sized pieces, dab dry with kitchen paper towels and fry in an extra wide pan on high heat until it crisps. If you use a teflon coated pan you do not need to use oil. Remove and set aside.

Turn heat down to medium and add oil to same pan. Fry onion until it softens. Allow to brown very slightly ? this will add to the flavour of the dish.

Add broccoli to the pan (this is where using a wide pan comes in handy ? all cooking done in one vessel!). Add salt and fry for 5 minutes, turning.

Add stock to pan and cook for a further 5 minutes. ?Add chillis and stir.

Empty cans of tomato in and mix well. Add sugar and adjust seasoning. Cook for 3- 4 minutes. Add a little water of sauce is too thick.

Add?crispy?bacon to tomato sauce and serve over bowls of just cooked pasta.

* making your own pasta is inexpensive and the taste of fresh pasta is incomparable.

View the post on Woolie?s site here:?http://www.woolworths.co.za/Home/Week-10/Ishay-s-Blog-The-Budget-Challenge-Fe...

Refreshing Iced Tea

Makes 6 glasses

Ingredients

5 rooibos or tea bags of your choice

500 ml hot water

1 l apple juice

1 lemon, cut into slices

Method

Steep tea bags in hot water in a tap pot or heat proof bowl. Allow water to cool. Remove bags.

Add tea to apple juice in a large jug and chill in the fridge.

Adjust sweetness if preferred.

Serve over ice with slices of lemon

Easy Fig Puff Pastry Squares

makes 8-10 mini pastries

Ingredients

1 egg yolk

1 x roll regular puff pastry

1 punnet figs, each sliced in three

?

Method

Preheat oven to 200 ? C.?Grease a baking tray.

Use a fork to mix egg yolk in a bowl.

Unroll the puff pastry on a smooth surface. Cut into squares or rectangles ? size of your choice.

Reserve pastry some to cut into 1 cm strips to add borders to each?square.

Place on tray and leave in fridge for 5 minutes to chill.

Remove and brush pastry with egg yolk.

Add slices of fig to each square. Bake for 10 minutes at 200 ?C.

Lower heat to 180 ? C?and?bake for 15 minutes or until cooked?through.

Cool on wire rack. I prefer to serve these warm with some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if you have.

This post forms part of the series of recipes I am preparing for Woolworths, the food sponsor for MasterChef SA. It is a Food and the Fabulous Endorsed project and I will be remunerated for it

Labels// bacon. chilli. pasta, budget, figs, masterc, puff pastry, Woolworths pantry

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So What Is Your Hyphenate? - RecruitingBlogs

By Jennifer Brownell, Managing Director, Q4B

In the current issue of Fast Company that features the 100 most creative people in business (and no I did not make the list for the fourth year in a row) the word hyphenate was used to describe Ceelo Green and defines it as a ?trendy marker for success, a strung-together mash up of titles made mandatory when no single job description suffices to describe a certain someone?s magnificence.?

After reading this definition I started to think about my job and then about the job of recruiting. Recruiters have a problem when it comes to telling people what they do. If you tell someone that you are a recruiter you can expect to hear?Oh, you mean you?re a headhunter.? Or, you will be asked, ?Can you find me a job?? And too often you end up explaining the type of work you do, the types of people you recruit and how you earn a living. All of this falling on deaf ears when you did not immediately tell the person that you indeed could find him a job.

Some recruiters have dealt with this issue by referring to themselves as consultants, executive recruiters, search consultants, talent acquisition specialists all to no avail. None of these titles adequately describes what recruiters do. None.

Think about everything that recruiters do. We sell opportunities to our candidates and solutions to our client companies. We solve problems, since the only reason that a company is hiring is that they have a problem. We contribute to the success of our client companies as well as the candidates we place. We coach both our clients and candidates. We mentor. We negotiate. We provide market intelligence, competitive analysis and up to date business and career advice. We facilitate offers and negotiate realistic compensation packages and help close deals. We develop long term relationships with clients and candidates. We hand hold. We hold both clients and candidates accountable. We source, screen and help select the best fit candidate for our client?s positions. We check references and use the referenced information as part of our presentation to the client if appropriate. And we do this for every position that we are working to fill.

Wow! I think that you can now see how inadequate the word recruiter is in describing the great job that we do.

I am going to work on my hyphenate so that the next time someone asks me what I do, I can respond and leave little doubt as to how much I do and how important it is that I continue to do it.

I do know one thing though, that in my hyphenate the word serendipitous will certainly appear.

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Laura Prudom: 'American Idol' Finale Recap: Jessica Sanchez And Phillip Phillips Perform Original Songs For The First Time

The end is nigh! After Tuesday's (blissfully truncated) one-hour performance show, a night of furious vote-casting from people who still think that such things make a difference to a potential "American Idol" winner's career, and a fluff-stuffed, two-hour results show on Wednesday night, we will finally have our next champion. Will it be Jessica Sanchez, the 16-year-old prodigy from San Diego, or Phillip Phillips, the 21-year-old pawn shop worker from Leesburg? Or have you given up caring, because your favorite was already eliminated?

The final performance show of the season was staged in three rounds, with the two finalists each performing a song of producer Simon Fuller's choice; their favorite song of the season; and the song they'll release as their first single if they win the show. The judges waited to weigh in until the end of each round, and kept standing ovations to a minimum, for once.

Logic dictates that the show is Phillip's to lose, since he fits into the coveted "Idol" niche of Cute White Guy With A Guitar, the same as the show's last four winners. But he's also divisive, because he doesn't have a whole lot of range and his performances -- while far more distinctive than Jessica's -- have never been all that spectacular. He seems to have coasted through this season by being attractive, musically gifted, and possessing that bluesy, soft-rock, Dave Matthews style that plays very well on the radio. Will that be enough to earn him the title of Idol? That's debatable.

Jessica, on the other hand, has an impressive vocal range, a belting, powerhouse style comparable to any diva, and at 16, she's malleable but still marketable. But is she too malleable? While Phillip undeniably has his own identity as an artist, Jessica relies too much on imitating the artists she's covering. She rarely puts her own unique spin on a song or arrangement, and can manage to sound uncannily like Whitney Houston or Jennifer Hudson during her performances; but is imitation worthy of the top prize? Also debatable.

So, without further ado, let's get to the performances.

Jessica Sanchez
Simon Fuller's Choice: "I Have Nothing"
Given some of Jimmy Iovine's odd choices last week, I expected Simon Fuller to push the contestants out of their comfort zones this week, but a Whitney Houston number is firmly in Jessica's wheelhouse, and at this point, after weeks of returning to the Whitney well, we know she can do these big numbers in her sleep. Was it too much imitation and not enough personality? That's been a concern all season; no matter how beautiful her voice is, what is her first album going to sound like when she's not allowed to rely on what more experienced artists have already done? It was still flawless, just not unique, and I wish we'd had something with a bigger bang to open the show.

Phillip Phillips
Simon Fuller's Choice: "Stand By Me"

Phil-Phil is back behind his guitar, and this was another very comfortable choice. It's nice, easy listening, but it's surprisingly chill for a finale. He sounded pleasant, but I wouldn't buy his album. He seemed comfortable on stage, but his limited range just means it doesn't even feel like a competition at this point. But he's still the Cute White Guy With A Guitar, so I remain convinced he'll win, judging by the shallow voting patterns of the audience for the past few years. He did a good job, graveled and soulful, but if the first round is any indication, neither of the finalists have any intention of trying anything risky or bold this week -- they're clearly both relying on their established fanbases to bring them home.

The Judges: Jennifer Lopez pointed out that it's "a battle of the opposites, how do you compare?" Randy Jackson decided that Round One probably went to Jessica.

Jessica Sanchez
Artist's Choice: "The Prayer"
I won't lie, I had goosebumps from the opening notes. Jessica went a little overboard on the vibrato, as she's wont to do, but the tenderness in her voice was poignant and hauntingly beautiful. I liked it less once she hit the bridge and the musical accompaniment kicked up, but only marginally. The opening verse and chorus were gorgeously understated and really allowed her to showcase her range and impeccable control, and I think that a stripped-down arrangement would've served her better; but it was hard to find fault with any part of the performance. She had time to belt and hit some truly phenomenal grace notes, and in terms of technical ability, she can wipe the floor with Phillip. But as Jennifer pointed out, it's impossible to compare the two when their styles are so different; at this point, it will all come down to personal taste. I also appreciated that she was obviously emotionally affected by the song, with visible tears in her eyes as she ended, since that visceral connection is something that's been lacking in many of her performances.

Phillip Phillips
Artist's Choice: "Movin' Out"

Phillip made a few subtle changes to his earlier Billy Joel performance -- presumably to shift the focus toward his guitar playing -- which illustrates his admirable thoughtfulness when it comes to his craft, even if it failed to up the ante in terms of a powerhouse vocal. Despite his reported health issues, he seemed entirely comfortable on stage (although no more willing to move around than Jessica is), and the audience certainly seemed engaged. I'll admit, I didn't find "Movin' Out" all that electrifying the first time around, so it's probably not the repeat performance I'd have picked, but he sounded good on it, with no real surprises.

The Judges: Steven Tyler gave the second round to Jessica, while Jennifer gave it to Phillip. (I disagree.) Randy called it a draw, just to be diplomatic.

Jessica Sanchez
Potential Winning Single: "Change Nothing"
Good god, what an awful song (as the winner's singles generally are). It further proves that Jessica will likely struggle far more than Phillip if she wins, at least in terms of finding her niche in the industry and material worthy of her gigantic range. She doesn't appear to be a natural songwriter, so she'll be relying on the Jimmy Iovine brain-trust, and since he clearly screwed her with "Change Nothing," I'm dubious that her debut album as a whole would be much better. Still, she did the best with what she was given, and despite a few sharp notes here and there, she once again demonstrated her ability and confidence, blasting out the high notes just like Jennifer Hudson would.

The Judges: Thankfully, none of them liked the song either; Randy praised Jessica for bringing the track to life, but lamented that she wasn't given something more urban that showed her "Beyonc? swagger." Jennifer agreed, noting that Jessica "sang the song really well" but wished it had more of a soul and blues influence than a plain pop ballad. She also (wisely) urged Jessica to make sure that she asserts herself when the 16-year-old records her first album: "Everything has to be you, Jessica." Steven didn't think it was "the proper song for [Jessica] to sing with the voice and the places [Jessica has] taken the world before this." So thanks for nothing, Jimmy.

Phillip Phillips
Potential Winning Single: "Home"

I didn't love the beginning; Phillip was a little pitchy in the first verse, but the song was much more suited for his voice and identity than Jessica's was. He hit his stride by the chorus -- aside from the bizarre marching band wandering across the stage behind him -- and Phillip seemed totally comfortable with the number, unlike Jessica. His song was immediately radio-worthy. It's entirely possible that P.P. won the entire contest on the strength of that one track, while Jessica was stuck with (deliberate?) mediocrity, which is kind of appalling, isn't it?

The Judges: All three were on their feet, making the night's only standing ovation, so, there's that. Randy was in full-on gush mode, bellowing, "I loved the song, I loved you, I loved the production -- everything about that was perfect." Jennifer insisted, "It was so different ... It's a Phillip Phillips song and there's nothing on the radio that sounds like that." Steven was excited enough to wander off into incoherence again: "By virtue of your vulnerability and style, you have made the world your home. You were perfect tonight and I think you are the man." Round Three to Phil-Phil, then.

Who was your favorite performer of the night, and did Jessica's lackluster final song have you calling foul when compared with Phillip's home run? Weigh in with your predictions for tomorrow's results show below!

The winner of "American Idol" Season 11 will be revealed in the results finale show on Wednesday, May 23 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.

?

Follow Laura Prudom on Twitter: www.twitter.com/lauinLA

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Gunmen open fire at rally in Pakistan, 9 killed

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The Secrets of Home Remodeling | Home Improvement

The Secrets of Home RemodelingUpon first inspection your own home appear to need quite a few touch ups, maybe a crack filled here or there and you think you?re okay and prepared for the next project. However this is probably not the reality. A crack might just be indication of any significantly worse and expensive problem that is lurking in the near future. Prior to trying any remodeling project onto your home you would like to have a thorough inspection of each of the cracks, mold, and holes which could are currently in the walls corners and the like. A small crack may not seem like much nevertheless it could well be proof that there?s a far worse problems brewing somewhere in the basics of the home.

This being a house you plan on moving to for a number of years ? It is really well advised and vitally important that you spend your cash and time for them to know your home professionally inspected for every single method of foundation troubles that could require addressing before you should simply fill out the crack and go up with your remodeling project.

Normal cracks and holes are cheap as well as just refill in. However, major cracks could indicate a more drastic problem, for example the requirement for underpinning in the foundation. Fairly often you?ll certainly have no realistic alternative but to get in touch with knowledgeable expert to complete the work right. It truly is one sort of work that would prove costly and very disruptive to future projects.

If you notice patches of loose stucco a novice can generally tackle them quite successfully. However larger areas or complete walls really need someone with qualified experience to do the job right. Sometimes the necessity to save money may in fact be priced extra money by hoping to do these larger home-remodeling projects flying solo. Pride can usually be in the best way and price you more than if you only allow a professional to accomplish certain repairs.

As long as you do reach a place in which you are considering knowledgeable to do some project you?ll want to get at least three bids. The key to remember is the fact that the cheapest bid will not be always the thing that spares you extra money. You do not get anymore of the highest bid either. So, tips on how to choose? You can tell a whole lot by meeting them and seeing how well the communication goes. This may be beneficial to pay a lot more if you find that the contractor in the higher bid gets the ideas of the items you wish better.

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Babe Ruth jersey sells for record $4.4 million

This undated photo provided by SCP Auctions shows a circa 1920 New York Yankees baseball jersey worn by Babe Ruth that sold for more than $4.4 million at auction, Sunday, May 20, 2012. SCP Auctions says the uniform top is the earliest known jersey worn by Ruth and set a record for any item of sports memorabilia. (AP Photo/SCP Auctions)

This undated photo provided by SCP Auctions shows a circa 1920 New York Yankees baseball jersey worn by Babe Ruth that sold for more than $4.4 million at auction, Sunday, May 20, 2012. SCP Auctions says the uniform top is the earliest known jersey worn by Ruth and set a record for any item of sports memorabilia. (AP Photo/SCP Auctions)

This undated photo provided by SCP Auctions shows a circa 1920 New York Yankees baseball jersey worn by Babe Ruth that sold for more than $4.4 million at auction, Sunday, May 20, 2012. SCP Auctions says the uniform top is the earliest known jersey worn by Ruth and set a record for any item of sports memorabilia. (AP Photo/SCP Auctions)

This undated photo provided by SCP Auctions shows a circa 1920 New York Yankees baseball jersey worn by Babe Ruth that sold for more than $4.4 million at auction, Sunday, May 20, 2012. SCP Auctions says the uniform top is the earliest known jersey worn by Ruth and set a record for any item of sports memorabilia. (AP Photo/SCP Auctions)

This undated photo provided by SCP Auctions shows a circa 1920 New York Yankees baseball jersey worn by Babe Ruth that sold for more than $4.4 million at auction, Sunday, May 20, 2012. SCP Auctions says the uniform top is the earliest known jersey worn by Ruth and set a record for any item of sports memorabilia. (AP Photo/SCP Auctions)

Babe Ruth equals big bucks.

A baseball jersey worn by The Bambino sold for more than $4.4 million Sunday, a record for any item of sports memorabilia, according to the buyer and seller.

SCP Auctions, based in California, said the circa 1920 New York Yankees uniform top is the earliest known jersey worn by Ruth and it fetched $4,415,658 at the company's April auction, which ended Sunday. That price broke the previous record of $4,338,500 set in 2010 for James Naismith's founding rules of basketball.

Lelands.com said it submitted the winning bid for the jersey, which had been displayed for years at The Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum in Baltimore. The road top has "New York" written across the front and the Hall of Fame slugger wore it shortly after he was sold to the Yankees by the Boston Red Sox for $100,000 following the 1919 season.

Suzan French, a spokeswoman for Lelands.com, said the company plans to sell the jersey privately rather than re-auction it.

"Such a spectacular piece will find a home with one of our private clients who truly appreciates its historic significance," Lelands.com president Michael Heffner said in a statement.

Ruth retired in 1935 with 714 home runs, the major league record for nearly 40 years. Hank Aaron broke that mark and then was passed by Barry Bonds, who finished with 762.

In addition, Ruth's 1934 New York Yankees cap that was owned by former major league pitcher David Wells sold for $537,278 at auction. The colorful Wells bought the cap for about $30,000 from a collector and famously paid homage to his idol by wearing it on the mound with the Yankees during a game on June 28, 1997.

Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor's New York Giants Super Bowl ring from the 1990 season went for $230,401.

Those items also set records, for a baseball cap and a Super Bowl ring, SCP Auctions said.

"This proves again that Babe Ruth is 'king' in the sports memorabilia world," SCP Auctions president David Kohler said in a statement.

Also included in the auction was the high-end baseball card collection belonging to former big league All-Star Dmitri Young. Top prices were a 1954 Hank Aaron rookie card ($537,954) and a 1955 Roberto Clemente rookie card ($432,690). The proceeds will help Young begin a foundation to help kids and student athletes near his home in Ventura County, Calif., SCP Auctions said.

Other auction highlights included:

? 1924-28 Babe Ruth H&B professional model game-used bat ($591,007).

? 1968 Mickey Mantle autographed New York Yankees game-worn road jersey ($366,967).

? Circa 1931 Lou Gehrig New York Yankees game-worn home jersey ($275,706).

? Bobby Thomson's 1951 "Shot Heard 'Round the World" cap ($173,102).

? Jackie Robinson 1950 All-Star game professional model bat ($133,234).

___

Online: www.SCPAuctions.com.

Online: www.Lelands.com.

Associated Press

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Today's environment influences behavior generations later

[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 21-May-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Michael Skinner
skinner@wsu.edu
509-432-3580
Washington State University

Chemical exposure raises descendants' sensitivity to stress

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and Washington State University have seen an increased reaction to stress in animals whose ancestors were exposed to an environmental compound generations earlier. The findings, published in the latest Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, put a new twist on the notions of nature and nurture, with broad implications for how certain behavioral tendencies might be inherited.

The researchersDavid Crews at Texas , Michael Skinner at Washington State and colleaguesexposed gestating female rats to vinclozolin, a popular fruit and vegetable fungicide known to disrupt hormones and have effects across generations of animals. The researchers then put the rats' third generation of offspring through a variety of behavioral tests and found they were more anxious, more sensitive to stress, and had greater activity in stress-related regions of the brain than descendants of unexposed rats.

"We are now in the third human generation since the start of the chemical revolution, since humans have been exposed to these kinds of toxins," says Crews. "This is the animal model of that."

"The ancestral exposure of your great grandmother alters your brain development to then respond to stress differently," says Skinner. "We did not know a stress response could be programmed by your ancestors' environmental exposures."

The researchers had already shown exposure to vinclozolin can effect subsequent generations by affecting how genes are turned on and off, a process called epigenetics. In that case, the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance altered how rats choose mates.

The new research deepens their study of the epigenetics of the brain and behavior, dealing for the first time with real-life challenges like stress. It also takes a rare systems biology approach, looking at the brain from the molecular level to the physiological level to behavior.

"We did not know a stress response could be reprogrammed by your ancestors' environmental exposures," says Skinner, who focused on the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance and genomics aspects of the paper. "So how well you socialize or how your anxiety levels respond to stress may be as much your ancestral epigenetic inheritance as your individual early-life events."

This could explain why some individuals have issues with post traumatic stress syndrome while others do not, he says.

Crews says that increases in other mental disorders may be attributable to the kind of "two-hit" exposure that the experiment is modeling.

"There is no doubt that we have been seeing real increases in mental disorders like autism and bipolar disorder," says Crews, who focused on the neuroscience, behavior and stress aspects of the paper. "It's more than just a change in diagnostics. The question is why? Is it because we are living in a more frantic world, or because we are living in a more frantic world and are responding to that in a different way because we have been exposed? I favor the latter."

The researchers also saw intriguing differences in weight gain, opening the door to further research on obesity.

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[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 21-May-2012
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Contact: Michael Skinner
skinner@wsu.edu
509-432-3580
Washington State University

Chemical exposure raises descendants' sensitivity to stress

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and Washington State University have seen an increased reaction to stress in animals whose ancestors were exposed to an environmental compound generations earlier. The findings, published in the latest Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, put a new twist on the notions of nature and nurture, with broad implications for how certain behavioral tendencies might be inherited.

The researchersDavid Crews at Texas , Michael Skinner at Washington State and colleaguesexposed gestating female rats to vinclozolin, a popular fruit and vegetable fungicide known to disrupt hormones and have effects across generations of animals. The researchers then put the rats' third generation of offspring through a variety of behavioral tests and found they were more anxious, more sensitive to stress, and had greater activity in stress-related regions of the brain than descendants of unexposed rats.

"We are now in the third human generation since the start of the chemical revolution, since humans have been exposed to these kinds of toxins," says Crews. "This is the animal model of that."

"The ancestral exposure of your great grandmother alters your brain development to then respond to stress differently," says Skinner. "We did not know a stress response could be programmed by your ancestors' environmental exposures."

The researchers had already shown exposure to vinclozolin can effect subsequent generations by affecting how genes are turned on and off, a process called epigenetics. In that case, the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance altered how rats choose mates.

The new research deepens their study of the epigenetics of the brain and behavior, dealing for the first time with real-life challenges like stress. It also takes a rare systems biology approach, looking at the brain from the molecular level to the physiological level to behavior.

"We did not know a stress response could be reprogrammed by your ancestors' environmental exposures," says Skinner, who focused on the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance and genomics aspects of the paper. "So how well you socialize or how your anxiety levels respond to stress may be as much your ancestral epigenetic inheritance as your individual early-life events."

This could explain why some individuals have issues with post traumatic stress syndrome while others do not, he says.

Crews says that increases in other mental disorders may be attributable to the kind of "two-hit" exposure that the experiment is modeling.

"There is no doubt that we have been seeing real increases in mental disorders like autism and bipolar disorder," says Crews, who focused on the neuroscience, behavior and stress aspects of the paper. "It's more than just a change in diagnostics. The question is why? Is it because we are living in a more frantic world, or because we are living in a more frantic world and are responding to that in a different way because we have been exposed? I favor the latter."

The researchers also saw intriguing differences in weight gain, opening the door to further research on obesity.

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APNewsBreak: 22 states join campaign finance fight

HELENA, Mont. (AP) ? Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia are backing Montana in its fight to prevent the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision from being used to strike down state laws restricting corporate campaign spending.

The states led by New York are asking the high court to preserve Montana's state-level regulations on corporate political expenditures, according to a copy of a brief written by New York's attorney general's office and obtained by The Associated Press ahead of Monday's filing.

The Supreme Court is being asked to reverse a state court's decision to uphold the Montana law. Virginia-based American Tradition Partnership is asking the nation's high court to rule without a hearing because the group says the state law conflicts directly with the Citizens United decision that removed the federal ban on corporate campaign spending.

The Supreme Court has blocked the Montana law until it can look at the case.

The Montana case has prompted critics to hope the court will reverse itself on the controversial Citizens United ruling. The 22 states and D.C. say the Montana law is sharply different from the federal issues in the Citizens United case, so the ruling shouldn't apply to Montana's or other state laws regulating corporate campaign spending.

But the states also said they would support a Supreme Court decision to reconsider portions of the Citizens United ruling either in a future case or in the Montana case, if the justices decide to take it on.

Legal observers say don't count on the Supreme Court reconsidering its decision.

"It is highly unlikely that the Court would reverse its decision in Citizens United," said law professor Richard L. Hasen of the University of California-Irvine.

At best, the court would listen to arguments and might agree a clarification is needed to allow the Montana law to stand. But even that is a long shot, Hasen said.

Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock argues that political corruption in the Copper King era led to the state ban on corporate campaign spending. A clarification of Citizens United is needed to make clear that states can block certain political spending in the interest of limiting corruption, he said.

American Tradition Partnership argues that the state bans unfairly restrict the ability of corporations to engage in the political process that also affects them.

Bullock wrote in a brief to be released Monday that the state does not "ban" corporate political speech, rather, it regulates that speech by requiring the formation of political action committees.

The Democrat, who is running for governor, said the upstart political corporations hoping to take advantage of unfettered spending are merely "an anonymous conduit of unaccountable campaign spending."

Montana and the other states are asking the court to either let the Montana Supreme Court decision stand or to hold a full hearing. They argue laws like the one in Montana that bans political spending straight from corporate treasuries are needed to prevent corruption.

The other states, many with their own type of restrictions hanging in the balance, argue local restrictions are far different than the federal ban the court decided unconstitutionally restricted free speech. Further, state elections are at much greater risk than federal elections of being dominated by corporate money, requiring tailored regulation, the states' court filing says.

"The federal law struck down in Citizens United applied only to elections for President and U.S. Congress," New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman wrote on behalf of the states. "By contrast, Montana's law applies to a wide range of state and local offices, including judgeships and law enforcement positions such as sheriff and county prosecutor."

The joining states, unlike Montana, ask the court to go further and reconsider core findings in Citizens United. They argue, for instance, it was wrong for the court to say unlimited independent expenditures rarely cause corruption or the appearance of corruption.

And other critics of the Citizens United decision who believe the court was wrong to grant corporations constitutional rights, have intervened and asked the court to reverse itself.

"There is a growing bipartisan consensus that Citizens United needs to be overturned, and Montana is leading the way," said Peter Schurman, spokesman for a group called Free Speech For People. "The Supreme Court has an opportunity to revisit Citizens United here. That is important because there is evidence everywhere that unlimited spending in our elections creates both corruption and the appearance for corruption."

On Friday, Montana's case was given a boost when U.S. Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-D-R.I., signed on in support. The senators argue evidence following the Citizens United decision, where millions in unregulated money has poured into presidential elections, shows that large independent expenditures can lead to corruption.

The states who filed the brief in support of Montana are New York, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

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Associated Press writer Mark Sherman in Washington contributed to this report.

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