Sports help teens cope with cancer battles - KansasCity.com

High school seniors Ray Saari of Oak Park and Max Galeassi of Harrisonville have never met, but they share a common bond.

The same three words changed both athletes? lives. You have cancer.Saari, the leading scorer on the Oak Park boys soccer team, was diagnosed with testicular cancer on Nov. 19, 2010, when he was 16.Galeassi, a linebacker on the Harrisonville football team, learned of his diagnosis ? also testicular cancer ? on June 12 of this year. He was 17.Neither knew a thing about cancer ? Saari generalized it as an ?old man?s disease? ? but they knew they were scared.Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in males between the ages of 15 and 35, and the numbers are slowly increasing. But it is also one of the most curable kinds when detected early.In an effort to raise awareness, Saari will lead Oak Park onto the field tonight when the Northmen face district rival Park Hill at Livestrong Sporting Park. The game, which will follow Sporting Kansas City?s Major League Soccer match against Chicago, was organized by Saari and his Oak Park coaches.The severity of testicular cancer wasn?t lost on the two teenagers, who separately figured those three words were the equivalent of a death sentence.Describing himself as one of the most competitive people you will ever meet, Saari recalls his first thought after learning he was in for the battle of his life.?Wow,? Saari said matter of factly. ?I?m going to die.?

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Galeassi turned 18 on Tuesday.Two weeks removed from his latest ? and perhaps last ? chemotherapy treatment, he celebrated adulthood by putting on his football pads for the first time this season.His Harrisonville No. 13 jersey fit neatly over the pads, and he donned a skull cap that hid his bald head.Six weeks into Harrisonville?s football season, Galeassi has yet to play a game. He attempts to practice but is easily fatigued. Still, he is determined to get back on the field.?It?s my senior year,? said Galeassi, who was fourth on the team in tackles last year as a junior outside linebacker. ?I don?t want to miss it.?Galeassi rushed home after being diagnosed with testicular cancer and scoured the Internet for more information. What he found was mostly good news. It was treatable and, most likely, curable.Satisfied he would eventually survive an encounter with an ugly disease, Galeassi turned his attention back to football.?I knew my chemo was going to cause me to miss a lot of football,? he said. ?I didn?t like that.?Although Saari?s cancer was much more advanced ? it had spread to his lungs, which developed tumors that were later surgically removed ? he too relied on sports as a means of maintaining some normalcy.?It wasn?t long before I didn?t think about dying anymore,? Saari said. ?I thought about when I would be able to play next.?For awhile, that (soccer) was all I really thought about.?Against his doctors? wishes, Saari played pickup soccer games between chemotherapy treatments. By March 2011, only four months removed from his diagnosis, he was again playing in games for his club team, Billy Goat FC. He played all of last season for Oak Park, including a cancer-awareness match against Staley that raised $2,600 for charity. The idea for tonight?s game was inspired by the support they received last year.?I couldn?t keep him off the field. The kid doesn?t hear ?No,??? said Billy Goat FC manager Abdullah Parker. ?And you know what? After (four) rigorous rounds of chemo, he was still one of the best players on the field.?

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Saari will walk onto the Livestrong Sporting Park soccer field tonight for the second time. When Sporting Kansas City?s stadium opened on June 9, 2011, Saari accompanied Lance Armstrong onto the field. Armstrong was 25 when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996. He survived the disease, which spread to his lungs and brain, and recovered to win the first of seven Tour de France titles three years later.Saari and Armstrong shared similar fights. They now share outcomes, too.As he did a year ago, Saari leads the Northmen in scoring with 10 goals. He scored 26 after his return last season. He plans to graduate after this semester and then make an early departure to the University of Tulsa, where he will play soccer on an athletic scholarship.?Being on the soccer field makes me feel like everything is behind me,? Saari said. ?I never think about (my cancer) when I?m playing.?Galeassi yearns for a similar moment. He won?t play tonight when Harrisonville hosts Grain Valley.Still, students have rallied around Galeassi in the same way others have rallied for Saari. Harrisonville fans plan to wear T-shirts tonight in support of Galeassi?s ongoing fight ? ?Live life to the MAX,? they will read. Many of his teammates wear wristbands with the same message.?He?s very close with his football family,? Harrisonville coach Chuck Lliteras said. ?I think it?s really brought up the caring and compassion of everyone on this team. Max never has a negative thing to say, and that?s kept our spirits high, too.?

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There are moments that cancer patients don?t forget ? the day they?re told of their diagnosis, or their first round of chemotherapy.Karen McWhirt remembers the day that doctors told her son, Ian Drazick, that he was going to die of testicular cancer. In fact, she will never forget the exact words Drazick said to her after being told his disease, which was detected after it had spread to his brain, would ultimately prove fatal.?Mom, I want you to write a book about me,? McWhirt remembers Drazick asking in 2005, ?so other guys will know about this cancer, and they will have a better chance than I had of surviving it.?A former Lee?s Summit High School football player, Drazick was gone less than a month later, one month after his 20th birthday.Galeassi?s parents heard Drazick?s story on a local news broadcast. Two weeks later, Galeassi began to feel an aching pain in his scrotum.?The only reason I went to the doctor is because it ached,? Galeassi said. ?And that only happens in 10 percent of the cases.?Galeassi and Saari were both originally misdiagnosed. Each was told he was likely too young to have testicular cancer.Saari went through bags of cough drops every day to soothe a cough that wouldn?t go away. Galeassi took antibiotics for his pain.Weeks later, they received their correct diagnoses.?I was embarrassed,? Saari said. ?At first I didn?t want to talk about it.?Shame is a common reaction ? especially among younger males ? and perhaps the main reason testicular cancer is rarely spoken about.McWhirt is trying to change that. She has written the book her son requested ? ?Together We Will Win: What Happens When We Don?t Talk About Testicular Cancer? ? and hopes it will shed more light on the disease.She also receives donations for a college scholarship in Drazick?s honor. McWhirt gives the annual award to a Lee?s Summit football player at a banquet each May.?People are afraid to talk about that part of a guy?s body. They get embarrassed,? McWhirt said. ?That?s something that frustrated Ian to no end. He couldn?t figure out why, if this was common in young men, why isn?t anyone talking about it??

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Saari considers himself one of the lucky ones. Even through four rounds of chemotherapy, the only side effect he experienced was hair loss. Of course, it fell out in the middle of a high school exam.But his brown locks are back now, and the cancer, as far as he?s concerned, is behind him. Saari?s cancer is clinically in remission.?His mother and I could never be prouder of the way he fought this,? said Ray Saari?s father, John Saari, his voice breaking. ?He did better with it than we did, especially better than I did. I was very angry with God. Ray, though, he never got angry. He accepted it and moved on with his life.?The battle is far from over for Galeassi, who still can?t build up enough stamina to return to the sport he loves.While going through chemotherapy, he attempted to join his teammates during practice, but he wound up vomiting under the stadium bleachers.?I run about 100 feet,? Galeassi said. ?And it feels like I ran eight miles.?Even so, Galeassi?s outlook remains positive. His maturation over the past four months is evident in his lack of negativity, said his mother, Renee. Saari beams with the same upbeat attitude.But while Saari has found his breakthrough moment ? returning to the soccer field ? Galeassi is still waiting for his.?When I walk onto the field, it?s going to feel like I accomplished something ? like I climbed a mountain,? Galeassi said. ?It?s been really hard, but I think I?m more positive after it. I think it?s easier to be positive and appreciate the minor things in life when you go through this.?

To reach Sam McDowell, send email to smcdowell@kcstar.com.

Source: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/27/3837320/sports-help-teens-cope-with-cancer.html

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France gives Syria "liberated zones" aid, mulls weapons: source

PARIS (Reuters) - France has started helping rebel-held parts of Syria so these "liberated zones" can run themselves and is considering the possibility of supplying heavy artillery to protect them from government attacks, a diplomatic source said on Wednesday.

Paris said last week it had identified areas in the north, south and east that had escaped President Bashar al-Assad's control, creating a chance for local communities to govern themselves without residents feeling they had to flee Syria.

"In zones where the regime has lost control, such as Tal Rifaat (40 km north of Aleppo), which has been free five months, local revolutionary councils have been set up to help the population and put in place an administration for these towns so as to avoid chaos like in Iraq when the regime pulls back," the source said.

The source said France, which last week promised an extra 5 million euros ($6.25 million) to help Syrians, had started giving aid and money on Friday to five local authorities from three provinces - Deir al-Zor, Aleppo and Idlib. The areas are home to about 700,000 people.

Civilians in rebel-held parts of Syria have suffered frequent deadly air strikes from Assad's forces and questions have been raised on how Paris proposes to protect civilians and deter them from fleeing to neighboring countries.

The source admitted some areas still faced sporadic bombardments from Syrian forces, but there was little prospect of them falling back into government hands. He said people in these areas had asked for anti-aircraft weapons.

"It's a subject that we are working on seriously, but which has serious and complicated implications. We aren't neglecting it," the source said.

No-fly zones patrolled by foreign aircraft could protect rebel-held areas, but there is little chance of securing a U.N. Security Council mandate for such action, given opposition from veto-wielding members Russia and China.

European powers have also said they will not supply weapons to lightly-armed Syrian rebels, who have few answers to attacks by Assad's planes and helicopter gunships. However, the source implied there may be a shift in Paris' thinking.

"It's not simple. There have been transfers of weapons which then ended up in different areas such as in the Sahel so all that means we need to work seriously, build a relationship of trust to see who is who so that then an eventual decision can be taken. It takes time," the source said.

Paris has increased its dialogue with opposition fighters over the past few weeks, although at this stage no French military advisers are helping them, the source said, adding that France was working to develop links between Syria's political opposition, defectors and rebel fighters.

"It's not especially technical advice, but first and foremost to get them to speak to each other to agree on working together," the source said.

"I think we can hope that in days and weeks to come we will see better co-ordination between these different structures."

(Reporting By John Irish; Editing by Pravin Char)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/france-gives-syria-liberated-zones-aid-mulls-weapons-184922593.html

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One-on-one interview with Tammy Baldwin at DNC | FOX6Now.com ...

Posted on: 9:45 pm, September 4, 2012, by Mike Lowe, updated on: 10:15pm, September 4, 2012

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina ? It?s Tommy vs. Tammy in the heavyweight matchup for Wisconsin?s open U.S. Senate seat ? as Republican former Governor Tommy Thompson and Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin battle for the seat. Last week, FOX6?s Mike Lowe sat down with Thompson at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, and this week he spoke with Baldwin at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.

Baldwin is looking to make history by becoming the first woman ever elected in the history of Wisconsin. If that happens, she would also be the first openly gay Senator in U.S. history.

Baldwin says this election won?t hinge on those issues. Instead, she says the focus will be on the economy.

?As Congress is debating what to do in response in to the financial meltdown, our duty and the duty going forward is to tell the American public this will never happen again, and I don?t think we?re quite there yet,? Baldwin said.

FOX6?s Mike Lowe: ?Who is responsible for the economic crisis??

?I look at several major factors.The Bush 2001, and Bush 2003 tax cuts were heavily weighted to the very wealthiest. That contained perverse incentive to outsource jobs. I look at two wars on the credit card ? that has trillions of dollars of impact.? I look at an unfunded change in Medicare, for the sweetheart deal for the pharmaceutical companies. You just add up those five things that happened in the Bush years and you?re talking really trillions of dollars,? Baldwin said.

Mike Lowe: ?The day President Obama was inaugurated, he also inherited a $1 trillion deficit and an economic crisis, so you have the looming fiscal crisis looming off in the distance with the debt and the deficit, and then you have the economic crisis ? credit markets that are frozen, and a recession basically in its infancy on day one.? His solution was the stimulus package which was nearly $800 billion worth of spending. In retrospect was that the right solution??

?You know, I think its saved us from going into a depression like what was experienced by our great grandparents,? Baldwin said.

Mike Lowe: ?There?s a real sense that there?s unfairness in this economy.? To what extent do you see that unfairness and how do you solve it??

?That?s probably the major theme of my campaign for the United States Senate, because I think about the simple proposition that if you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to get ahead in this society.? That?s the American Dream.? That?s the dream of the middle class.? Well, people are working hard, they?re playing by the rules and they?re not getting ahead.? That?s because we have two sets of rules,? Baldwin said.

Mike Lowe: ?Republicans last week were trying to make the case that it has been President Obama?s polices that have kept us in the morass.? How do you counter that??

?I just think they?re plain wrong,? Baldwin said.

Baldwin said she wants to talk about how her vision for the economy would be better for the middle class than the Republicans when she addresses the Convention on Thursday night ? ahead of President Barack Obama.

CLICK HERE for additional Democratic National Convention coverage via FOX6Now.com.

Source: http://fox6now.com/2012/09/04/one-on-one-interview-with-tammy-baldwin-at-dnc/

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'Every Smile a Lie' featured on Cat Pause's podcast/radio show ...

I totally forgot to mention that I was invited to talk about my fat activism Tumblr blog, Every Smile a Lie: a living while fat journal, by Cat Pause on Friend of Marilyn, a podcast and radio show. Probably because even though it felt right once we finished recording, I hoped I didn?t say anything stupid?

Despite all the public speaking I?ve done in my life, both creative and academic, I still had bad nerves over it, though Cat was really nice.

I was like, ?New Zealand? I can?t even get people in the United States to listen to me or read my work. -__-? I mean people follow me on all my blogs, but I am unaware of whether they actually read anything that I write until they message me or respond to a post, whether it matters or not. I don?t get a lot of mail unless it?s hate mail.

Cat invited me to join her on the show again if there?s anything I wanted to talk about. After I was off the phone with her, I immediately thought of my position as a creative writer and my obsession of writing fat positive heroines/heroes, having a segment about that as a project for fat artist and body positive artists for fat activism. I am also the mod for ?Fatter Than Fiction?, which is still not very active since I haven?t had time to hunt for fat positive creativity?

I haven?t had a chance to listen to the Friend of Marilyn podcast shows yet but I?ve subscribed on my little device. Will you?

Don?t forget to check out the Tumblr blogs, too.

~queens

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Source: http://fromonherthrone.wordpress.com/2012/09/02/every-smile-a-lie-featured-on-cat-pauses-podcastradio-show-friend-of-marilyn/

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Texas Insurance Expert Says Hurricane Isaac Should Make Every ...

Source: Insurance Agency Texas

Katy, TX, September 02, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Texas flood insurance specialist says Hurricane Isaac should be a warning for homeowners and businesses to purchase flood insurance.

Frank Hursh, owner of Katy, Texas based Insurance Agency Texas (http://insuranceagencytexas.com) said home and business owners in Texas and the Gulf Coast should not wait until there is hurricane heading towards the region to look for flood insurance.

?Now is the best time to buy flood insurance. If home and business owners wait until there is hurricane in the gulf, it is too late. Not only will it be very expensive to buy flood insurance then, you may not be able to find an agent willing to sell them flood insurance then,? he said in his office earlier today.

Reacting to the flooding in New Orleans, Louisiana and other Gulf Coast states, Hursh said damages from flood can run in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for individual homeowners and businesses.

?Look at what is happening with Hurricane Isaac in New Orleans, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. So many homes and businesses are flooded. Texas residents and businesses need to learn from that and purchase flood insurance today,? Hursh said in Katy Texas.

?This is not the time to procrastinate. Not having flood insurance can be very costly,? he added.

Hursh also reminded Texans that flooding can occur even when the home or business is not in the flood zone.

?Flooding can happen to you whether you are in the designated Federal Flood Zone or not. Flood insurance covers flooding no matter the cause. Besides the building, flood insurance also covers the contents and replacement cost,? Hursh added.

Regular homeowner insurance does not cover flooding and individuals and businesses without flood coverage have to bear the cost of repairs and replacement.

?Many people mistakenly believe that the U.S. government will take care of their financial needs if they suffer damage due to flooding. The truth is that Federal disaster assistance is only available if the President formally declares a disaster. Even if you do get disaster assistance, it's often a loan you have to repay, with interest, in addition to your mortgage loan that you still owe on the damaged property,? Hursh said.

Katy, TX based Insurance Agency Texas has offices in Katy, The Woodlands, Houston, Fulshear and Round Rock, Texas.

The company has been helping customers purchase the best flood insurance coverage for their homes and businesses for decades. They are available at (281) 398-1010, toll-free (877) 952-1010 or on the web at http://www.insuranceagencytexas.com.

Contact Information:
Insurance Agency Texas
Frank Hursh
(281) 398-1010
Contact via Email
insuranceagencytexas.com
21430 Provincial Blvd
Katy, TX 77450
Toll-Free - (877) 952-1010

Click here to read the full story: Texas Insurance Expert Says Hurricane Isaac Should Make Every Texas Homeowner Get Flood Insurance Now

Press Release Distributed by PR.com

Source: http://www.execdigital.com/press_releases/texas-insurance-expert-says-hurricane-isaac-should-make-every-texas-homeowner-get-flood-insurance-no

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Cellular Phone Monitoring Software: The Latest Cellular Application

Cellular phones didn?t exist a few many years ago. In fact, cell phones started to be applied when this writer was nicely in his 20s and by now researching university. Just before then, we only had cellphone booths to speak to home and folks ended up unreachable after they had been from the office environment or house.

These days, likely out of dwelling with out a cellular is nearly unthinkable. We sense we want to become achieved and able to reach other people wherever we have been at virtually any time of day. The truth is, when we forget our cell in the home, plenty of people would favor to go back and obtain it and arrive late somewhat than go devoid of it.

Not simply will be the mobile a means for making calls, nonetheless it is also now a smaller computer with various programs, this kind of as texting, MMS, video and audio recording, social networking, etcetera. And more and more applications for cellular phones are now being produced as we communicate.

The most recent one and one that is speedily starting to be more and more popular is mobile phone spy software package. For anyone of you who don?t know, cellular phone spy program is an application that allows you to monitor the calls and text messages of a smartphone, these for a BlackBerry or an iPhone.

So as to do this, you have to link the mobile cellular phone (and only a cellular mobile phone that you possess!) into a laptop and log right into a web site. Then, it is a make a difference of uploading the mobile cellular phone spy software on cell phone tracking. The term ?spy? (that is utilized for advertising and marketing reasons, a lot just like the expression ?power? in electrical power drinks) refers for the undeniable fact that the phone gives no indication that this sort of computer software has long been installed on it. A cellular with mobile cell phone spy program on it won?t exhibit any icons, beeps, logos, or any indication or any form which may tip off the user.

Finally, due to the fact mobile cell phone spy application is just not meant to become illegal, internet sites that sell it make you indicator an agreement that states you will only set up the software on mobiles that you simply legally possess. What?s more, even with what lots of people imagine, you can?t use mobiles which have the application set up on them to spy on other mobiles.

Learn about how to track a cell phone by visiting http://howtotrackacellphone.org.

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Source: http://theaffordablecellphoneaccessories.org/2012/09/03/cellular-phone-monitoring-software-the-latest-cellular-application/

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Overactive bladder linked to sleep apnea in women

ScienceDaily (Sep. 2, 2012) ? Sleep apnea in women has been linked to overactive bladder syndrome in a new study.

The research, presented Monday (Sept. 3, 2012) at the European Respiratory Society's Annual Congress in Vienna, has provided new evidence suggesting a connection between the two conditions.

Overactive bladder syndrome is characterised by an increased frequency to urinate along with incontinence and frequent awakening periods during night time to use the toilet (nocturia). The need to urinate during the night is also a common symptom of sleep apnea, but little research has been carried out to investigate any links between the two conditions.

Researchers from the Hospital del Mar in Barcelona, Spain, analysed 72 female patients referred to a sleep disorders clinic with suspected sleep apnea. All patients completed a questionnaire asking them about four symptoms associated with their bladder control; urgency and frequency of urination, incontinence and nocturia. They were also asked to rate their discomfort with each of these symptoms.

The results from the questionnaires were then analysed and rated on two scales in order to evaluate both the severity of symptoms and discomfort for each of the four variables, scoring from 0 to 3 for each of these four items.

The analysis showed that 62 of the women were diagnosed with sleep apnea. The people within this group showed significantly higher scores for the prevalence of symptoms associated with bladder control and their discomfort with these symptoms.

Within the group diagnosed with sleep apnea, the symptoms were rated a median average score of 5, out of a possible total of 12, compared to a score of 3 in the group not diagnosed with the condition. The median average score for discomfort with bladder control symptoms was 4 out of 12, compared with a score of 1 in the group of women who weren't diagnosed with sleep apnea.

Lead author, N?ria Grau from the Hospital del Mar in Spain, said: "Overactive bladder has a prevalence of 16% among people over 40 years in Europe and it is a difficult condition to live with, affecting a person's quality of life. The findings of this study provide evidence that bladder control could be linked to sleep apnea, although we do not know whether one of the conditions causes the other.

"The next step in our research is to investigate the role of continuous positive airway pressure therapy in these patients and its impact on the symptoms of overactive bladder."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by European Lung Foundation.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/xR903DgH8Ko/120902184917.htm

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Calico - Eva - Medium - Adult - Female - Cat | Austin | eBay - Kijiji

Calico - Eva - Medium - Adult - Female - Cat

Eva is a city pound rescue on 8/10/12. This little girl is a sweet cat who is a little overwhelmed at MCHS. She will be spayed on 9/4/12. She would be a great addition to a family that is looking for a mellow, lap cat. To see Eva or any of our other cats, please visit during one of our open houses on Tues from 4:30 to 6 or Sun from 2 to 4PM. All of our cats have tested neg for feline leukemia, FIV, heartworm, are spayed or neutered, are current on shots and are social cats. We adopt to INDOOR homes only and our adoption fee for Eva is $50. THANKS for checking our website.

CHARACTERISTICS:
Breed: Calico
Size: Medium
Petfinder ID: 23932365

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Pet has been spayed/neutered

CONTACT:
Mower County Humane Society | Austin, MN | 507-437-9262

For additional information, reply to this ad or see: http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=23932365

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Biden says Romney favors war with Syria, Iran while ignoring middle class (Star Tribune)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

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US scales down military exercise with Israel

Washington: The United States has significantly scaled down a planned joint military exercise with Israel most likely because of disagreements on how to deal with Iran?s nuclear ambitions, Time magazine has reported on its website

Citing ?well-placed sources in both countries,? the magazine said Washington was slashing by more than two-thirds the number of US troops going to Israel, and reducing the number and potency of missile interception systems that will be used in the exercise dubbed Austere Challenge 12, which is scheduled for October.

Instead of approximately 5,000 US troops, the Pentagon will send between 1,200 and 1,500. Patriot anti-missile systems will arrive in Israel as planned, but the crews to operate them will not, according to the report.

Instead of two Aegis Ballistic Missile Defence warships, the new plan calls for sending just one, and even the remaining vessel is listed as a ?maybe,? the report said.

Article continues below

Basically what the Americans are saying is, ?We don?t trust you,? a senior Israeli military official is quoted by Time as saying.

Time said the official explanation was budget restrictions. But the reductions coincided with growing tensions between the administrations of President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Israel?s threats to launch an airstrike on Iran over its nuclear programme.

But the Pentagon rejected the media report portraying the decision as a sign of US mistrust.

?Austere Challenge-12 remains the largest-ever ballistic missile defence exercise between our nations and a significant increase from the previous event in 2009,? said Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Jack Miller, a Pentagon spokesman.

?The exercise has not changed in scope and will include the same types of systems as planned. All deployed systems will be fully operational with associated operators,? Miller said.

Miller said US-Israeli ties were strong and Austere Challenge ?is a tangible sign of our mutual trust.?

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, declined to say how many US personnel would be involved in the exercise but said the reported figures were wrong and the change in scale was far smaller than indicated.

An Israeli defence official briefed on the exercise told Reuters the drill ?will be held on a similar scale as when it was last held, two years ago.?

The Israeli official said the size of the exercise initially was slated to be larger but added that ?the changes are within the framework of the drill?s requirements and nothing more.?

?These things are planned over a long time and changes are not uncommon,? the official said.

Miller said the exercise initially was planned for May but earlier this year Israeli defence officials approached the United States about shifting the date until the late autumn.

?When the exercise was moved, the United States notified Israel that due to concurrent operations, the United States would provide a smaller number of personnel and equipment than originally planned. Israel reiterated to postpone until late fall,? Miller said.

Source: http://gulfnews.com/us-scales-down-military-exercise-with-israel-1.1068837?localLinksEnabled=false&utm_source=Feeds&utm_medium=RSS&utm_term=%3C!%5BCDATA%5BNews_RSS_feed%5D%5D%3E&utm_content=1.1068837&utm_campaign=%3C!%5BCDATA%5BUS_scales_down_mil

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New 'Seahorse' sees scallops in new way

BOSTON (AP) ? A new underwater explorer hit the seas this summer, armed with cameras, strobes and sonar and charged with being a protector of sorts to a half-billion dollar resource ? the Atlantic scallop catch.

The stainless steel Seahorse, which gets its nickname from its s-shaped silhouette, traces its roots to a conversation a decade ago between a biologist and a fisherman who was seeking a better way to track the scallop population.

This summer, the instrument was towed over miles of seafloor, from Virginia to Cape Cod, taking millions of images and capturing details about marine life and the ocean floor that stretched beyond just the number of scallops.

The Seahorse revealed previously unseen ocean topography, predators stalking prey, and even the furrows left where fishing gear was pulled along the bottom.

Marine scientists just don't get this kind of look into the darkness on the ocean floor, said Dvora Hart, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration mathematical biologist who leads the federal sea scallop assessment.

"We've been kind of blind before having this type of information," Hart said.

The Seahorse is the fourth version of HabCam, an instrument originally created to better count scallops. Former scalloper Richard Taylor had seen scallop industry's worst times around 1994, when the prime fishing areas were closed to protect depleted groundfish and scallop populations.

But by 1996, scientists discovered that areas that had been shut down to protect certain fish species were rich with scallops. The industry has been thriving since the late 1990s, after regulators installed a plan to cut down fishing days and rotate fishing between different areas, to allow the stock to replenish in untouched regions.

Last year, the Atlantic sea scallop catch was worth $580 million in revenues, and the industry's best-known port of New Bedford has been the nation's top fishing revenue port for 11 years running.

Back around 2002, Taylor knew things were going well, but also knew how quickly they can go bad. He was particularly concerned about the inefficiency of the primary method for sampling scallops for use in population estimates ? using a dredge to scoop them up. A dredge misses varying percentages of the scallops it goes over, and Taylor worried the flawed information could eventually lead to the overfishing or underfishing that can drag down the resource and the fishermen.

Taylor talked with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution biologist Scott Gallager, whom he had worked with on scallop issues. "We need a better tool," he told Gallager.

They helped develop the Seahorse, along with the Deep Submergence Laboratory at Woods Hole. It's an advance over previous versions of HabCam because it's equipped with strobes and two cameras, instead of one, enabling it to take 3-D pictures at a rate of 10 overlapping images per second. It has side sonar to give high resolution images of the surrounding topography, and also equipment to measure variables such as temperature and water color.

The Seahorse is towed at about 7 mph, and moves 6 feet above the ocean floor. The instrument, about 10 feet long and about 3 feet wide, is controlled by joystick by an operator in the towing vessel.

Since 2010, NOAA has spent $856,000 to develop, test and deploy the Seahorse.

Researchers have made a first pass through the 7 million images, studying 1 of every 200, and the data is being used in management decisions, Hart said. A more detailed look is planned, she said.

The voluminous detail the Seahorse collects has application well beyond scallops and their habitat. Hart notes, for instance, that the Seahorse captured pictures of the struggling yellowtail flounder, and may contribute to research in that fishery. Its images of the effects of fishing gear can inform the hot, yet data-poor debate about whether fishing gear is wrecking the ocean bottom.

The Seahorse can't replace the dredge as a sampling tool. Scientists need to actually pull up scallops to get key information, such as by studying rings on the shells (much like tree rings) to learn about their growth rates.

And Taylor cautioned that new data from the Seahorse doesn't necessarily mean much when it comes to managing fisheries.

"I'm somewhat skeptical," he said. "Just because you have better data, doesn't mean automatically that better decisions are made."

Scalloper Paul Rosonina runs a vessel that's towed the Seahorse and has been part of its development for years. Scallop industry regulators can't do the right thing without good information, and that's what the Seahorse is about to him.

"You think I don't want my son to have a future?" he said. "I want my grandson to have a future; I want my great grandson to have a future. I don't want this to die. ... I think it should be around forever."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/seahorse-sees-scallops-way-184403600.html

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