Reign Check: Abundant Rainfall May Have Spurred Expansion of Genghis Khan's Empire

News | Energy & Sustainability

It is generally thought that changing precipitation patterns impacted the rise of the Mongols and their domination of the Eurasian continent in the 13th century--but was it rain or drought?

By Charles Q. Choi ?| March 21, 2012

A Siberian pine in Mongolia. Image: Amy Hessl

The Mongol hordes led by Genghis Khan carved out the largest contiguous land empire history has ever witnessed, reaching at its apex from Asia's Pacific coast to eastern Europe and down into Persia and southeastern Asia. Although conventional wisdom suggests drought may have pushed them across the steppe to conquer more bountiful lands, ancient, long-dead trees discovered in a forbidding lava field in Mongolia give evidence that unprecedented rains might actually have helped fuel their expansion.

The Mongols took the Old World by storm in the 13th century. Their invasions and expansion are often attributed to the unstable climate they experienced on the steppes, "with them preying on others because they did not have a constant set of resources," says geographer Amy Hessl at West Virginia University. "Now, we agree they experienced a variable climate. However, this idea of drought driving the Mongols to expand their territory isn't really based on any climate data from that time, but on inferences based on modern conditions there."

In 2010 Hessl was on a National Geographic?sponsored mission there with forest ecologist Neil Pederson at Columbia University's Lamont?Doherty Earth Observatory to look at the climate history of Mongolia and how climate change might affect the area's wildfire risks. Driving by the Orkhon Valley, the original seat of the Mongol empire, they saw a huge lava field that had been produced by a volcanic eruption 7,000 years ago and checked it for ancient wood. Tree rings can shed light on a region's history ? fat rings suggest abundant water that promoted growth, thin ones mean years with less water and growth; the number of rings is linked with how many years a tree has lived ? and the live Siberian pines they saw in the area can live about 700 years. ?

The researchers also took samples from dead wood in the lava field because it can be much older than any living tree there, given how the cold, dry conditions can slow decay. Pinpointing a dead tree's age can be difficult, but a unique growth pattern of fat and thin rings in a living tree might act as a "bar code" to identify wood alive during a specific period such as the 15th century. Seeing the same pattern in living and dead wood of a certain species from the same area reveals that both were alive during the same historical period. Determining the dead wood's age then involves counting back all the rings before that span of time.

All in all, the research team of U.S. and Mongolian scientists sampled 17 trees. "We felt if we got records going back 500 years, that would be fantastic," Pederson recalls. Unexpectedly, they instead discovered two samples with tree rings dating back to A.D. 658, now the longest climate record for this part of the world? and with further research, "we might be able to find tree rings going back maybe 2,000 years," Pederson adds. "We collected these samples as an afterthought when we were exhausted and sick. To find they might go back that far is unbelievable."

Surprisingly, their preliminary findings based on the tree ring data suggest the Mongol empire actually rose during a time of abundant rain. These would have turned grasslands there extraordinarily lush, enabled the Mongols to raise vast numbers of horses and other livestock. "There are actually massive wetlands in the area, and during a warm, wet period, they might have been incredibly productive," Hessl says. "There's actually quite a lot of evidence that the Mongols were practicing agriculture around there in the early 1200s, contrary to this image of Mongols as only herders and these horseback hordes."

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=15c3f5abe3fd38470a282168c3135004

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Exclusive: UAW steps up bid to organize VW U.S. plant: sources

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn./DETROIT (Reuters) - The United Auto Workers union is soliciting signatures of support from workers at Volkswagen AG's U.S. factory, an escalation of its effort to establish a foothold outside the Detroit automakers.

In early March, the UAW started passing out authorization cards for workers to sign in an early formal step needed for union representation, workers at the factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, told Reuters.

UAW President Bob King has said organizing U.S. plants run by foreign automakers, known in the industry as transplants, is crucial for the union's survival.

After three decades of declining membership, the UAW faces a financial crunch that has been exacerbated by the U.S. economic downturn. This has forced America's richest union to sell assets and dip into its strike fund to pay for activities.

For the past several months, the UAW has met informally with workers at VW's U.S. plant. King has also sought support from German union IG Metall.

U.S. labor laws stipulate that a union must submit signature cards from at least 30 percent of the workers at a plant to hold a representation election.

Not all VW hourly employees have been approached by the union, workers said. The UAW has not told the German automaker about its effort to collect signatures, a VW employee said.

"It's hard to know how much real momentum they have," the person said of the UAW.

Separately, another person familiar with the UAW said it may make an announcement on its organizing efforts in early April. The source did not know if that would involve VW.

The sources asked not to be named discussing the UAW's confidential plans. VW and the UAW declined to comment.

CLOSED-DOOR MEETING

The UAW's efforts were discussed during a closed-door meeting with employees and VW executives at the Chattanooga plant on Thursday morning. Executives were there to announce the addition of 800 jobs at the U.S. plant, where VW builds the Passat sedan.

During the meeting, workers in the audience asked VW executives, including Jonathan Browning, head of North American operations, about the UAW's increased organizing efforts, according to people who attended.

Browning and other executives said the choice for UAW representation was up to the workers, repeating the company's long-held stance. One worker, addressing the crowd, said the plant did not need a union, which was met with loud applause and cheers, people at the meeting said.

"Not too many people around here want a union," said one worker who attended the meeting.

VW's Chattanooga plant employs more than 2,700 people, including salaried employees. About 2,200 were hired by VW and the rest are on contract with staffing company Aerotek.

Newly hired VW workers earn $14.50 an hour and can make up to $19.50 an hour within three years.

A General Motors Co spokesman said the average pay for entry-level GM workers is $17.50 an hour. Veteran workers at GM make an average of $29 per hour.

Historically, plants the American South have been hostile to unions. In 2001, workers at Nissan Motor Co's plant in Smyrna, Tennessee rejected UAW representation two-to-one.

But more than a decade later, King is eager to show a new UAW has emerged from the wreckage of Detroit and that the union can be a better partner with management.

He has cited the union's four-year labor contracts with GM, Ford Motor Co and Chrysler Group LLC last year as an example of the UAW 's flexibility.

(Reporting by Bernie Woodall in Chattanooga and Deepa Seetharaman in Detroit; Additional reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit; editing by Gary Hill and Andre Grenon)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-uaw-steps-bid-organize-vw-u-plant-002320329.html

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Acupuncture Weightloss Chicago Packages For Old Patients | Article ...

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Source: http://www.articlelistings.net/health-fitness/acupuncture-weightloss-chicago-packages-for-old-patients/

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Can an Aspirin a Day Keep Cancer Away?

A daily aspirin may cut your risk of cancer, new research suggests. But doctors advise that there's no reason for everyone to start taking it -- at least not yet.

In three studies published in the Lancet and the Lancet Oncology on Tuesday, British researchers analyzed data from more than 50 studies and found that those who took daily aspirin for at least three years were less likely to develop cancer -- and if they did, it tended to be less advanced. Patients who took daily aspirin were 36 percent less likely to be diagnosed with metastatic cancer, or cancer that had already spread throughout their body.

Additionally, individuals taking aspirin for five years or more were 15 percent less likely to die from cancer. Previous research had only shown such benefits for patients taking aspirin for longer periods of time.

Nowhere was the evidence stronger than it was for colon cancer. Researchers found that patients who were diagnosed with localized colon cancer while taking daily aspirin halved the chance that their disease would spread.

Aspirin is a relatively inexpensive and easy-to-take medication that millions of Americans already use. The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommends men between the ages of 45 and 79 take aspirin daily to prevent heart disease, and they also recommend that women aged 55 to 79 take a daily aspirin to ward off stroke. The notion that this same medication may be able to prevent cancer is significant.

Dana Garmany of Scottsdale, Ariz., was not part of this study -- but he did have cancer. At the time of his diagnosis with advanced colon cancer, he said, his doctors advised him to keep taking the aspirin that he had been taking for about a year due to his family's history of heart disease. Today, 40 months after having the tumor removed and receiving chemotherapy, he remains disease-free.

Garmany said he did not know for sure whether it was the aspirin that prevented his cancer from spreading earlier. But he said taking the aspirin has been easy, and since it may have helped him in his cancer battle as well as his heart health, he added, "I feel like I'm getting two-for-one."

Cancer experts contacted by ABC News said they are excited about what these findings might mean for future research and treatment.

"This is very encouraging information," says Dr. Roy Herbst, Chief of Medical Oncology for the Yale Cancer Center in New Haven, Conn. "It suggests that aspirin could play a very important role in cancer prevention."

"I am intrigued by the consistency of the findings and this is something that can be implemented quickly that people are not opposed to," said Dr. Kristen Moysich, professor of oncology at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y. "It is an easy thing to do."

But precisely how patients like Garmany and others might benefit from aspirin has yet to be fully understood, doctors say.

"No one knows exactly what the mechanism is of how aspirin helps prevent cancer," said Asad Umar, chief of the Gastrointestinal and Other Cancers Research Group of the National Cancer Institute.

Umar said aspirin's anti-inflammatory action might have something to do with the benefits that researchers have seen. Others, like Jay Whelan, suggest aspirin may interfere with the processes in the body that cause tumors to grow.

"Aspirin also probably works in ways that we don't quite understand," said Whelan, who heads the Department of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. "We don't know the mechanism, and it is very difficult to make a blanket public health statement without knowing the mechanism.

"While this backs everything up, I think people should consult their physicians."

The research may not be the last word on aspirin and cancer. Previous studies -- including the large Women's Health Study and the Physicians' Health Study -- have suggested no link between aspirin consumption and reductions in cancer occurrence or cancer-related death. The researchers behind the current study wrote that they excluded these major pieces of research because patients in these studies did not take aspirin on a daily basis.

Even then, the conclusions of the new research do not support a specific dose of aspirin -- so even if there is an effect, those who hope to benefit from it may find themselves at a loss over how much to take.

And although aspirin is a commonly used medicine available over the counter, it is not necessarily safe. People taking aspirin have an increased risk of bleeding, including bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. This can be very dangerous, and the risk of it happening increases with higher doses.

Most agreed that before medical experts can make any concrete recommendations, further study is needed.

"Because these results are new, it will take time for the broader scientific community to evaluate the data in the context of existing knowledge and to consider whether the clinical guidelines should be changed." said Eric Jacobs, strategic director of Pharmaco-Epidemiology at the American Cancer Society, Inc.

"It is important for patients to follow colon cancer guidelines already in place and get their recommended colon cancer screening tests."

ABC News' Lisa Stark contributed to this report.

Also Read

Source: http://gma.yahoo.com/aspirin-day-keep-cancer-away-224644903--abc-news.html

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A Spirit Like No Other ? BUSINESS, INNOVATION ...

(Blog entry from 3/16/12)

Today we had our last meeting of the trip with John Medved, former (as of 2 days) CEO of Vringo. Coming into the meeting, I expected him to discuss how the company got started, what the company did, etc. However, instead he gave us a great lecture summarizing everything we have learned on this trip ?from Israel?s position in the global market to the geopolitical controversy. Hearing everything one last time after seeing many businesses first hand and being in Israel as the Gaza Strip was under attack really made me start thinking about my overall experience of this trip.?

?

After the speech, we did a tour of the Jewish quarter. During the tour we saw the room, which supposedly was the spot of the Last Supper. We then went down to the tomb of David, and ended our tour at the Western Wall. We returned to the Western Wall at night to see it during Shabbat, but unfortunately it was raining and there were not many people there. However, I snuck a view through the barrier separating the men?s side and the women?s side and saw a circle of soldiers dancing and singing, even in the rain.

?

After the wall, we had Shabbat dinner at a Washington University alumni?s house. During the dinner, I sat next to their fourteen-year-old son who told me about the difference between life in St. Louis and life in Jerusalem. He also told me that he already knows what division of the army he hopes to be in when he turns 18.

?

I am still processing everything I learned this trip. Israel is an amazing country that is full of culture, religion and life. Yet, there are fourteen-year-old boys planning their future in the military. I can?t help but think about when September 11^th happened in the United States, people across the country came together and foreign countries showed their support. But in Israel, terrorism has become acceptable to the rest of the world and so common that people have no choice but to go on with their daily activities. Life in the north continues normally when about 200 missiles hit the south in a country about the size of New Jersey. ?To me, regardless of your religion or beliefs, whether you like Israel or not, this should not be tolerated.

?

Unfortunately, I don?t have the power (or the articulation) to change the views of the world. But what I did realize, what made me fall in love with the country, was that despite all of this, the country flourishes and has a spirit that nowhere else in the world has. I am not talking about a religious spirit; I am talking about a spirit that comes from the fact that these people are not afraid to fail, they are not afraid to die, in fact, they are not afraid of anything.? If they are, though, they do not let it stop them. I hope that one day, all people, Jewish or not, are able to see the amazing culture and life thriving from this tiny country, and Israel can one day live in peace. In the meantime, I know they will continue to fix the problems of the world with their brilliant start-ups.

?

Jamie ? Olin Business School ? Freshman ? Florida

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Source: http://olinbizinisrael.wordpress.com/2012/03/19/a-spirit-like-no-other-2/

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Jade Goody's Cervical Cancer Drive Seeming to Wear Off ...

It has been recently revealed in a report that the cervical cancer screening drive that had been launched in the memory of the reality TV star Jade Goody has finally come to an end.

There was an awakening about the need for getting tested against cervical cancer, after the death of the star. There were many women who became aware about the cause and got themselves screened for the same. The awakening seems to have withered away with time and there have been fewer women coming to get screened for the disease than the number that was seen in the years 2008-09, while Goody herself was spreading awareness about the cause.

Recently, the number of women getting them screened for cervical cancer has decreased and this is a worrisome situation. It was revealed by one of her friends and business partner, Julia Morris, that if she were to know the current scenario of decreasing women for the screening, she would be crestfallen.

She really wanted to make an impact with everyone else's life,? She told everyone that when you are told do this, doctors aren't writing pen on paper for no reason. You must do what they tell you to do... go when they tell you to?, she said further.

Jade has revealed her own experience with the disease. She had revealed how she was ignoring pains in her abdomen, until she was finally diagnosed of the killer disease in the year 2008. It was further found that her cancer had spread towards her liver, groin and bowel.

It was only weeks after marrying Jack Tweed that Jade died due to her illness, on mother?s day in the year 2009.

There is need for more and more women to learn from the example and become a part of the cervical cancer screening drive. This would be able to help them in steering clear from the terrible disease in the time to come.

Source: http://topnews.us/content/246990-jade-goody-s-cervical-cancer-drive-seeming-wear

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Best Home Budgeting Tools

Budget March 19th, 2012

Best Home Budgeting Tools

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You Need A Budget (YNAB) ? Personal Finance Software $62.00 Praised across the internet as hands-down the ?best budgeting software?, You Need A Budget (YNAB) cuts to the chase with your finances. The software focuses you on the foundation of your finances: the Budget. Experience has shown that when your budget is intact, and functioning correctly, everything else takes care of itself (the bills are paid on time, retirement contributions are made, and unnec?

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[mage lang="en|es|fr|en" source="Article Base" backup="article"]Best Home Budgeting Tools[/mage]
Maverick 88 ? Budget Shotgun Review

HP Platinum Financial Calculator $79.99 Break through mental barriers with the help of this financial calculator that?s ideal for real estate, banking and finance, as well as home budgeting.

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Home Designer Landscape & Deck 2012 ? Windows $79.99 As you stare out your kitchen window into your backyard, you feel like something?s missing. Then ideas start to pop into your head a lovely, multilevel deck where you can barbecue and entertain, a beautiful pool where the kids can spend warm summer days and even your very own rose garden where you can relax and unwind. The only drawback is that you haven?t taken any design classes and are afraid of how much those projects would cost. With Home Designer Landscape & Deck 2012, the tools to enhance the landscape of your lot and create the patios or decks of your dreams are just a click of the mouse away. Visualize, design and plan your ideal outdoor living space easily with the simple-to-use tools of Home Designer Landscape & Deck 2012. With point-and-click controls and predesigned landscaping beds, templates and more, Home Designer lets you quickly and easily plan the look and feel of your backyard, deck, patio or other outdoor project. Choose from more than 3,600 realistic plants, trees and shrubs that you can add to your design, all with information regarding bloom time, water and sun needs, height and more so you can be sure to find the best foliage for your space, climate and lifestyle. Design the deck of your dreams by choosing from single- or multilevel decks, including free-standing, tiered and post-and-beam. Use automatic deck framing tools for more complicated deck designs, add details like borders, planking direction, overhang and planking gap and insert stairs, ramps, covered patios and deck railings that include panels, cable, glass and more. Receive a breakdown of costs, materials and plants before you break ground. Transform your dreams into reality with the tools in Home Designer Landscape & Deck 2012.

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Home Designer Suite 2012 ? Windows $99.99 You?ve been meaning to tear down those crooked old cabinets for years. Your mother-in-law constantly comments about your kitchen?s outdated colors and materials. You look at your neighbor?s luxurious deck with envy and longing. But planning a remodeling or design project is just too involved isn?t it? Consultants, trips to the store and overwhelming color and fabric samples can be a headache. But what if you could do all the work of creating the perfect home design right from your computer? Transforming your current space into a catalog-worthy retreat that you?ll love to come home to is as simple as the click of a mouse once you have easy-to-use tools, material and color choices, room designs and countless home-enhancing objects at your fingertips. All this and more are just a click away with Home Designer Suite 2012. Delve into your remodeling or designing project with the confidence and ease of a seasoned professional with help from the step-by-step training of this comprehensive Home Designer software. Whether you?re tearing down a wall, refreshing your bathroom cabinets, updating your kitchen or building a lounge-ready deck, beautifully rendered 3D and elevation views, virtual tours and helpful cost estimations let you fully assess your project from start to finish before even setting foot in a hardware store. As you make choices about the different aspects of your new design, Home Designer is there to help with home style templates, item and appliance libraries, a color- and texture-testing Material Painter, deck-framing tool and more, all with the convenience of a drag-and-drop interface. If you?re ready to turn your kitchen into a masterpiece, your living room into a haven and your yard into a beautiful oasis, you don?t have to wait any longer with this home-improving suite, you?ll become your own Home Designer.

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Source: http://budgetingyourmoney.org/best-home-budgeting-tools/

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