Ten years and 10,000 fewer premature deaths later

By Jonathan Allen

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg marked the tenth anniversary on Wednesday of his ban on smoking in bars and restaurants with a report saying the ban and subsequent anti-smoking measures had prevented 10,000 premature deaths.

"Ten years ago when New York City prohibited smoking in restaurants and bars, many predicted the end of the hospitality, restaurant and tourism industries," Bloomberg said in a statement.

"Yet ten years later, fewer New Yorkers are smoking, we are living longer, our industries are thriving and nobody longs for a return to smoke-filled bars and restaurants."

Critics of the move feared banning smoking would hurt the restaurant and bar business, but the Health Department report said there are now some 6,000 more restaurants and bars in the city than there were a decade ago.

The city's Smoke-Free Air Act came into effect a little over a year into Bloomberg's first term as mayor in 2003 and prohibited smoking inside bars, restaurants and most workplaces.

The following year, the city began providing free nicotine replacement therapy to smokers trying to quit and in 2011 expanded the smoking ban to the city's parks and beaches.

According to the report released on Wednesday, the proportion of adult smokers dropped by about a third to 15 percent in 2011 from 21.5 percent in 2002. The report, released by the city's Health Department, also said the proportion of youths under age 18 who smoke dropped by about half to 8.5 percent.

Bloomberg's tenure, which will end this year, has been marked by his efforts to improve New Yorkers' health by trying to induce them to eat less salt, trans fats and calories in general, among other measures.

Bloomberg has been criticized by some as paternalistic but his efforts have coincided with an increase in New Yorkers' life expectancy, including a decline in tobacco-related deaths.

Bloomberg's attempt to limit the size of sugary drinks sold in the city was derailed this month only hours before the new rules were to take effect when a judge ruled that they were "arbitrary and capricious". The city is appealing that decision.

A week later, Bloomberg announced his plan to require shops to hide cigarettes and tobacco products from public view, arguing that would shield young people from marketing efforts.

Some shop owners and cigarette manufacturers have criticized the plan as unnecessary extra regulation that would infringe the free speech provision of the U.S. Constitution.

Bloomberg also proposed a minimum price of $10.50 for a pack of cigarettes, in the hope that some smokers would find the habit too expensive to maintain. The two bills are now before the city council.

Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of premature death in the city, according to the Health Department.

Ronald Bayer, a professor of public health at Columbia University, called Bloomberg's health initiatives a "major achievement" and said his efforts to make smoking less socially acceptable were an effective and legitimate use of his office.

He said it remains an open question how much further government could go to discourage smokers to quit.

(Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst)

(In next-to-last paragraph, this story corrects spelling of professor's name to Bayer, not Beyer)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/york-city-marks-tenth-anniversary-smoking-ban-192916192.html

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'Modern Family' Season 4 Episode 18: ?The Wow Factor? | Who Got ...

In tonight?s Modern Family season 4 episode 15, ?The Wow Factor,? Claire and Cam are entrenched in the house flip, but when they hit an impasse on a big landscaping decision, a ?neutral? third party is brought in ? Pam (guest star Wendi McLendon-Covey), the lesbian mom from Lily?s school. Meanwhile, Phil decides to teach the kids basic fix-it skills around the house; Gloria spends some quality one-on-one time with Manny, leaving Jay alone with baby Joe; and Mitch helps Lily deal with a schoolyard bully.

The series is based on a Dutch filmmaker which records the lives of three families, including one he stayed with as an exchange student. In one household, the dad works and the mom stays at home with their kids; in another, a gay couple experiences first-time fatherhood with the Vietnamese child they just adopted; and in the third home a 60-year old man becomes an instant father when he marries a thirtysomething Latina mother. Shot documentary-style. Modern Family won six Emmy Awards, including the one for Outstanding Comedy Series. It also brought home a Peabody Award, Writers Guild Award, Directors Guilds Award and Television Critics Award.

Modern Family stars Ed O?Neill as Jay, Julie Bowen as Claire, Ty Burrell as Phil, Sof?a Vergara as Gloria, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron, Sarah Hyland as Haley, Nolan Gould as Luke, Ariel Winter as Alex, Rico Rodriguez as Manny and Aubrey Anderson-Emmons as Lily.

Modern Family ?The Wow Factor,? airs Wednesday, March 26, 9:00ET on ABC. Spoiler pictures below:

modern-family-season-4-the-wow-factor1

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Source: http://www.whogottherole.com/tv-news/modern-family-season-4-episode-18-the-wow-factor-34377

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Arkansas Senate votes to override veto of voter ID bill

By Suzi Parker

LITTLE ROCK, Ark (Reuters) - The Republican-controlled Arkansas Senate voted 21-12 on Wednesday to override a veto by the state's Democrat governor of a bill that would require voters to show photo identification.

The measure would become law if the Republican-controlled state House of Representatives also votes to override Governor Mike Beebe's veto.

In Arkansas, lawmakers can override a veto by a simple majority in each chamber. This year, state lawmakers have overridden two vetoes of bills that restrict abortion.

The House voted 51-44 to pass the voter identification measure, but it was not clear on Wednesday if there would be sufficient votes to override the veto.

In his veto letter on Monday, Beebe said he "believes that the bill will unnecessarily cost taxpayers money, grow bureaucracy and risk disenfranchisement of voters.

"I cannot approve such an unnecessary measure that would negatively impact one of our most precious rights as citizens," Beebe added.

Supporters of the proposal say it would prevent voter fraud.

"We are pleased that the Arkansas Senate has taken this commonsense measure to ensure the fairness and integrity of our elections in Arkansas," said David Ray, spokesman for the Republican Party of Arkansas.

Should the bill become law, Arkansas would join the nearly three dozen U.S. states that have similar voter ID measures, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Legal challenges to voter ID laws are pending in several U.S. states.

Under current Arkansas law, poll workers can request identifying documents, but voters are not required to show them.

Under the proposed law, photo ID cards would be made by county clerks at no cost for registered voters who do not have other valid forms of identification. The state Bureau of Legislative Research has reported it would cost the state an additional $300,000.

Voters without an ID could still cast a provisional ballot, which would be counted if the voter returned with photo identification.

(Reporting by Suzi Parker; Editing by Corrie MacLaggan, Bob Burgdorfer and Andre Grenon)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/arkansas-senate-votes-override-veto-voter-id-bill-205348845.html

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Boeing 787 faces new risk: limits on extended range: sources

By Andrea Shalal-Esa and Mari Saito

WASHINGTON/TOKYO (Reuters) - As Boeing works to regain permission for its 787 Dreamliner to resume flights, the company faces what could be a costly new challenge: a temporary ban on some of the long-distance, trans-ocean journeys that the jet was intended to fly.

Aviation experts and government officials say the Federal Aviation Administration may shorten the permitted flying time of the 787 on certain routes when it approves a revamped battery system. The plane was grounded worldwide two months ago after lithium-ion batteries overheated on two separate aircraft.

Losing extended operations, or ETOPS, would deal a blow to Boeing and its airline customers by limiting use of the fuel-saving jet, designed to lower costs on long-distance routes that don't require the capacity of the larger Boeing 777. Such a loss could even lead to cancellation of some routes.

"If the FAA approves (only) over-land operations it would be a very damaging blow to the 787 program," said Scott Hamilton, an aviation analyst with Leeham Co in Seattle.

"Depending on how long that restriction remains in place, it would completely undermine the business case for the airplane, which was to be able to do these long, thin intercontinental routes" over water, he said.

Grounding the 787 already has cost Boeing an estimated $450 million in lost income and compensation payments to airlines. Further restrictions on the 787's range could send the airlines' claims - and Boeing's costs - higher.

Until it was grounded on January 16, the 787 was permitted to fly routes that ranged as much as three hours away from an airport. Boeing has asked the FAA to extend that range to 5-1/2 hours. That change would enable airlines to fly many more routes across remote areas such as the North Pole.

Now the jet faces the potential temporary loss of its ETOPS approval or a roll-back to two hours, according to government officials and aviation experts.

"It is completely within expectations for FAA to limit ETOPS for the 787," one regulatory source in Japan told Reuters. He said that reducing the range to two hours would force Japanese airlines to fly more circuitous routes, burning up more fuel and cutting efficiency.

A former senior U.S. government official said there was "a distinct possibility" that Boeing could win the battle over FAA flight certification for the battery only to lose permission for extended operations - at least temporarily.

An FAA spokesperson said it was too early to discuss ETOPS approval since Boeing's battery fix was still being tested.

"It's really premature to talk about what ETOPS certification we would give them right now," said the spokesperson. "We'll be in a better position to answer questions like that after we get through all this battery testing."

Boeing referred questions to the FAA. During a recent news conference in Japan, Boeing executives said there had not been any conversations with regulators about extended range operations. They said the proposed certification plan did not foresee further limitations once the plane was allowed to resume flight operations.

The issue is heating up as Boeing nears the end of testing the new battery system, designed to prevent the meltdowns that occurred in January. Boeing executives say the FAA could approve the new battery system within weeks. The first flight test of the system took place Monday, and a second, final test flight is expected in coming days, Boeing spokesman Marc Birtel said.

Analysts and industry executives say any decision to limit the flying time of the new aircraft would have serious consequences.

The change would not rule out all international routes, but some specific routes, such as Japan Airlines Co's Tokyo-to-Boston flight, might have to be canceled, said the Japanese regulatory source.

The 787's biggest customers so far include All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines , which fly extended routes to the United States and Europe, and Qatar Airways. In the U.S., United Airlines is the only carrier to have taken delivery of 787s. The airlines declined requests for comment on how loss of ETOPS could affect operations.

A step-by-step return to full, extended flight would give regulators more time to study the effectiveness of Boeing's battery fix, and could help the Obama administration prove that it was making good on Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's promise to ensure the plane was "1,000-percent" safe, some experts said.

It would also address concerns voiced by Japanese aviation regulatory authorities in recent weeks.

Nor is it without precedent. Until the late 1980s, the FAA required airlines to fly a certain number of hours over land before it approved extended-range operations over water or remote areas. It started granting permission for those flights in tandem with flight certification when engine safety improved.

But the highly electrical nature of the 787 has raised new questions, said another former U.S. official, noting that the importance of the lithium-ion batteries for the plane's operation made it a bigger risk factor than past batteries.

"In the past, if you lost a battery, or a battery malfunctioned, it wasn't that big of a deal," said that former U.S. official.

"But if Boeing's battery is needed to start the engine - and that battery is susceptible to fire - isn't that a turn back condition? Isn't that something you have to go land at an airport to address? That's the question."

(Additional reporting by Tim Kelly in Tokyo and Tim Hepher in Paris.; Editing by Alwyn Scott and Steve Orlofsky)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boeing-787-faces-risk-limits-extended-range-sources-000633878--finance.html

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Justin Timberlake to Host the Oscars?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/03/justin-timberlake-to-host-the-oscars/

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Suspected Tacoma, Washington gunman in custody after standoff

Ed Troyer / Pierce County Sheriff via AP

Deputies take Mike McBee into custody in Tacoma, Wash. Tuesday, after he allegedly walked down the street firing guns at houses and then barricaded himself in his home. This photo was provided by the Pierce County Sheriff's Dept.

By M. Alex Johnson, staff writer, NBC News

A man who reportedly walked through a Tacoma, Wash., neighborhood spraying gunfire was taken into police custody after a standoff at his residence, Seattle TV station KING 5 reported.

Police had surrounded the home Tuesday afternoon, where the man with at least four high-powered weapons was holed up, a sheriff's official told NBC News.

Pierce County Sheriff's Department told KING that the suspect was 67-year-old Mike McBee, a Vietnam veteran.

No injuries were reported, but Pierce County sheriff's Detective Ed Troyer said several homes were hit by bullets in the neighborhood in Tacoma, about 30 miles of Seattle.

Troyer, speaking before the suspected was named, said the gunman was known to have "mental health issues" and was believed to have been drinking.

Police began firing tear gas into the house early Tuesday evening, KING reported.

KING reported that numerous residents of the neighborhood had been evacuated and that those who remained were asked to stay inside.

Troyer told KING that the suspect had substance abuse issues.

NBC News' Denise Ono and Ian Johnston contributed to this report.

This story was originally published on Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:36 PM EDT

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2a08b563/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C260C174778240Esuspected0Etacoma0Ewashington0Egunman0Ein0Ecustody0Eafter0Estandoff0Dlite/story01.htm

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Docomo Inks Deal With China Mobile To Take Its 'D Game' Gaming ...

NTT Docomo, the largest carrier in Japan, is taking one more step into China today. The company announced that it will offer a localized version of its new ?d game? gaming service on China Mobile. This will be the first time that d game is being exported to any market outside of Japan. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The service will go live on March 26, initially with 20 titles.

As Japan is one of the most mobile-saturated and mature markets for content anywhere in the world, China has huge potential as an emerging, neighboring market for NTT Docomo. Specifically, China Mobile is the world?s biggest operator with 700 million subscribers, so it makes sense that Docomo is increasingly forging partnerships and porting its products across the border.

The move follows other developments for Docomo in China, and specifically with China Mobile. At the end of February, the two carriers, along with KT, agreed on an international NFC roaming service ? meaning that NFC readers in devices sold by each company would work in the other markets, and on specific NFC-based services developed locally. At the same time they also agreed on a WiFi roaming deal.

What?s not clear is whether this latest development to export d game is connected in any way with Docomo?s JV with Baidu, created last year when Docomo invested $22.5 million in the operation to create mobile content for the Chinese market. Instead, this deal is being carried out by D2C China, a subsidiary of D2C, a joint venture between Docomo and advertising giant Dentsu.

The first rush of content will feature some 20 titles, including games but also non-game content including wallpapers and covering well-known publishers such as Capcom, Konami, Tecmo Koei, Square Enix and MTI. More content is coming down the line, Docomo notes. ?Going forward, DOCOMO intends to grow its global content business with a variety of content originally distributed through the company?s dmarket? portal in Japan, providing overseas customers with opportunities to enjoy high-quality mobile content from Japan,? Docomo writes in its statement.

NTT Docomo is Japan???s leading mobile communications company. The number of customers exceeds 50 million in Japan. docomo mainly provides phone, web (i-mode for mobile phones), and mail (i-mode mails, Short Mails, and SMS) services. Docomo???s parent company is NTT, Japan???s biggest telecommunications companies. In a strategic decision to put more emphasis on mobile phone operations, docomo was spun off in 1991 as a wholly self-owned subsidiary. The Japanese government is the top shareholder.

? Learn more

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/25/docomo-extends-reach-in-china-with-d-game-gaming-portal-deal-on-china-mobile/

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