PORTSMOUTH, Va (Reuters) ? President Barack Obama created the first national monument of his presidency on Tuesday, signing a proclamation to preserve a former Army fort that was a safe haven for slaves during the Civil War.
Fort Monroe, in Hampton, Virginia, was the third-oldest Army post in continuous active service until the Department of Defense recommended its closure in 2005.
The U.S. Army earlier this year handed over Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia, to the state and an authority charged with deciding the future of the site.
"Fort Monroe has played a part in some of the darkest and some of the most heroic moments in American history," Obama said in announcing the designation.
In 1861, three escaped slaves were given safe haven at the fort that managed to stay under Union control despite being in a Confederate state. They were declared by Union Major General Benjamin Butler as "contrabands of war" and were not returned to their owner.
According to the Fort Monroe Authority, 10,000 slaves subsequently fled there and were given protection, helping prompt President Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Emancipation Proclamation declaring all slaves free in the states rebelling against the federal government.
Descendants of the contraband slaves lobbied the federal government for the national monument. One of the descendants, Chauncey Brown, 66, of Hampton Roads, Virginia, said he was "ecstatically elated" with the news.
"It means so much not just for us personally, but it also means so much for the (Hampton Roads) area," he said, adding that the monument has great potential as a tourist attraction.
The Antiquities Act, which Obama used to designate the national monument, was first used by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 to designate Devil's Tower in Wyoming
It has been used by 14 presidents since 1906 to protect unique natural and historic features, the White House said. Critics have often viewed it as an overreach of executive power.
Fort Monroe was also where in 1619 Dutch traders first brought enslaved Africans to what would become the United States. Fort Monroe would be Virginia's 22nd national monument and the 396th nationwide.
These Halloween magic tricks for iPad are pretty simple, but fun. Do you have any tablet or smartphone Halloween tricks of your own? Send them to jesus@gizmodo.com. [Mashable] More »
NEW YORK ? Dunkin' Brands Group Inc. said Tuesday its net income plummeted 61 percent in the quarter that it became a public company, as its efforts to pay down debt and big fees to the private-equity firms that used to own it offset revenue gains.
Dunkin' Brands' net income fell to $7.4 million from $18.8 million in the same period a year ago. But excluding these special items, net income climbed to $31.3 million, or 28 cents per share, beating Wall Street estimates of 25 cents.
Revenue grew 9 percent to $163.5 million, which also beat a forecast of $159.3 million predicted by analysts polled by FactSet, as customers visited Dunkin' Donuts' U.S. locations more often and bought more when they did.
The results at Dunkin' Brands, which owns Dunkin' Donuts and the Baskin-Robbins ice cream chain, highlight an underlying trend in the restaurant industry. Even though the weak economy is forcing people to cut back on eating out, experts expect that breakfast and snacks ? the domain of Dunkin' Brands ? will be among the few categories to grow over the next decade.
Dunkin' Brands' revenue growth was driven by a 13.4 percent rise in revenue at Dunkin' Donuts' U.S. unit, which makes up about three-fourths of the company's total revenue. New items like chicken salad sandwiches and frozen lemonade helped drive afternoon sales. New Keurig cups, the coffee pods made for using in at-home brewers, helped boost the average amount that each customer spent.
Dunkin' Brands, which like most companies has been raising prices to deal with higher costs for ingredients like coffee beans and dairy products, also has benefited from the price spikes. Across the company, franchisees raised prices an average of about 2 percent, the company said. Even though some of the costs for raw materials have come down in recent months, many are still above where they were a year ago.
Results weren't as good at the Baskin-Robbins U.S. division, where revenue fell to $12 million from $12.3 million. But executives noted that revenue at stores open at least a year rose 1.7 percent in the unit after falling 5.8 percent a year ago. That measure excludes the impact from closing struggling stores.
CEO Nigel Travis said the Baskin-Robbins U.S. franchisees are engaged with the headquarters and embracing new technology that will make it easier to track sales. Menu changes, like new flavors and single-serve ice cream cakes, will also help reinvigorate the unit, Travis said.
"We are really on the right path and a long way from where we were 18 months ago," Travis said.
Dunkin' Brands is finding its bearings as public company. The company went public in July after being owned for several years by three big-name private-equity firms: Bain Capital Partners, Carlyle Group and Thomas H. Lee Partners. In the quarter, the company paid a fee of nearly $15 million to the private-equity firms as part of going public.
The company announced Tuesday that the three firms, which still own the majority of Dunkin' Brands' shares and hold seats on the board, plan to sell 22 million shares. That represents about 18 percent of Dunkin' Brands' total shares.
Dunkin' Brands wanted to go public to raise money to pay down debt, which would free it to focus on expanding Dunkin' Donuts internationally and in the U.S., outside its home base in the Northeast. It also wants to expand Baskin-Robbins internationally. During the quarter, it paid about $18 million in fees for paying down and refinancing debt, though that will save money in the long-term by lowering interest expenses, the company said.
In a call with analysts, the Canton, Mass., company sketched out more details of its expansion plans. Executives noted that they had started recruiting Dunkin' Donuts franchisees for markets in Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Nebraska. The company also has designs on growing in China, Germany and Spain, adding to its existing stores in the Middle East, South Korea and Japan.
The expansion plans haven't been seamless. In September, Dunkin' Brands announced that its newly hired president of international operations, the first person to hold the title, would leave after four months on the job. The company didn't say why he was leaving and hasn't yet hired a replacement.
Dunkin' shares popped on their first day of trading, closing at $27.85 after an initial pricing of $19. On Tuesday, they were down 7.5 percent to close at $26.92.
ABUJA (Reuters) ? A Nigerian court rejected a challenge to President Goodluck Jonathan's victory in an April election, scuppering demands by the main opposition party for a recount in several areas of the country.
Jonathan was declared winner of the April 16 election with 59 percent of the vote. But his nearest rival, former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, who polled 32 percent, refused to accept the outcome.
Buhari's Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) party filed a petition to challenge the result in May, arguing the vote was marred by irregularities.
"The petition fails in its entirety and is hereby dismissed," Justice Kumai Akaahs told the court on Tuesday, reading out a unanimous decision by five judges.
The CPC said electoral commission computers were rigged to sway the count against Buhari, a northern Muslim, in parts of the north, and that the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) vote was inflated in some of its southern strongholds.
"The result of the election was not successfully challenged," Akaahs said. "The third respondent (Jonathan) scored the majority lawful votes cast at the election."
"It is clear that the burden of proof of the allegations contained in the petition, be it criminal or for substantial non-compliance, rests with the petitioner. The petitioner did not discharge this burden."
The CPC's national chairman Tony Momoh said it would appeal the decision.
But Jonathan urged them to accept the verdict and move on.
"From this day, let us move forward together as we work to deepen the democratic content of our polity," he said in a statement. "The judgment ... is a victory for all Nigerians."
Election observers and most Nigerians say the vote was the most credible for decades in Africa's most populous nation, which had experienced virtually nothing but military rule and rigged elections for the past half-century.
It also highlighted rifts between the predominantly Muslim north and the largely Christian south.
Rioting erupted in largely Muslim opposition strongholds in the north after the victory of Jonathan, a Christian from the south, was announced. Churches, mosques, homes and shops were set ablaze and at least 500 people were killed.
Although Buhari was ahead in almost all of the states in northern Nigeria, Jonathan also picked up millions of votes in the region, giving him a credible national mandate.
Yet the PDP's parliamentary majority has been reduced and it also lost control of several states in governorship races held 10 days after the presidential vote.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? Reality TV star Kim Kardashian filed for divorce on Monday, just 72 days after marrying basketball player Kris Humphries in a lavish wedding that was billed as a "fairytale."
Kardashian, 31, star of the TV show "Keeping Up With the Kardashians", filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court citing irreconcilable differences.
"After careful consideration, I have decided to end my marriage. I hope everyone understands this was not an easy decision. I had hoped this marriage was forever, but sometimes things don't work out as planned. We remain friends and wish each other the best," Kardashian said in a statement.
The court papers show Kardashian has asked the court to confirm that jewelry and other personal items, as well as earnings before and during the marriage, be considered separate property. It also notes the couple has a prenuptial agreement.
Kardashian and Humphries married on August 20 in southern California in a wedding reported to have cost $10 million, after dating for about nine months. More than three million U.S. viewers watched a two-part TV special earlier this month called "Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian event".
But claims of tension in the marriage erupted quickly and have spread across entertainment media for the past week. Some reports have suggested Humphries, a 26-year-old New Jersey Nets basketball player, was reluctant to play his role in the Kardashian brand, and there were differences over where the newlyweds would make their home.
This is the second divorce for Kardashian, who was previously married to music producer Damon Thomas for four years, separating in 2004. Since then, the reality star has had a number of high-profile relationships including R&B singer Ray-J and American football player Reggie Bush.
Kardashian is one of the highest-paid reality stars on U.S. television with 2010 earnings estimated at $6 million from her TV show, clothing line, perfume, jewelry and tanning cream and other product endorsements and appearances.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant and Piya Sinha-Roy; editing by Chris Michaud)
Some answers about orthoticsPublic release date: 31-Oct-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Don McSwiney dmcswine@ucalgary.ca 403-220-7562 University of Calgary
University of Calgary Running Injury Clinic researchers examine effectiveness of shoe inserts
It's one of those mysteries that has baffled runners and running doctors for decades: Why do orthotics work?
Orthotics are commonly prescribed for painful conditions like plantar fasciitis, and, anecdotally, people swear by them, however scientists aren't exactly sure how they work. A recent study by University of Calgary Faculty of Kinesiology researcher Reed Ferber, PhD, published in the Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, suggests that to this point, scientists have been measuring the wrong thing.
"This was the first orthotics study to use a multi-segment foot model," explains Ferber, who is also the Director of the Running Injury Clinic. "We modeled the plantar fascia and measured strain, with and without orthotics. All previous orthotic research has really only involved rear foot motion, putting markers on the heel, and studying the rear-foot. What we found was that an over the counter orthotic reduced plantar fascia strain by 34%. This is the first paper to suggest a potential mechanism by which orthotics work."
The plantar fascia is the thick connective tissue that supports the arch, running from the heel to the ball of the foot. When it becomes inflamed, it is the source of the painful condition plantar fasciitis that affects an estimated one million Canadians annually. Ferber's study modeled the plantar fascia and compared the strain between two points, with and without an over the counter orthotic, (donated and manufactured by SOLE Footbeds.) The study found that 17 out of 20 subjects had an average reduction in strain of 34%.
"This is obviously a significant reduction and I think it's going to help improve treatment," Ferber says. "Right now, a doctor would look at a person's feet and say, 'Oh that's a normal foot, and you're probably not going to do well with a pair of orthotics.' Now we have evidence that they actually would benefit because we know those orthotics are not just designed to control heel motion, they also reduce strain on the plantar fascia," Ferber explains. "The study should also educate the public a little more about the benefits of orthotics and suggests that a $50 pair of orthotics could potentially be as effective as a $400 - $500 pair."
Ferber says that future studies will examine the effects of insoles on people suffering from plantar fasciitis and for people with abnormal arch structure for example people with extremely flat feet.
"This research helps us to optimize our rehabilitation of injured runners," Ferber says. "By understanding the relationship between foot structure, strength, mechanics and flexibility, we can analyze this scientific data and determine the best treatment for you, which is why we do this research in the first place."
###
Reed Ferber is an Alberta Innovates, Health Solutions, New Investigator.
The paper "Changes in multi-segment foot biomechanics with a heat-mouldable semi-custom foot orthotic device" by Reed Ferber and Brittany Benson is available online at: http://www.jfootankleres.com/content/4/1/18
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Some answers about orthoticsPublic release date: 31-Oct-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Don McSwiney dmcswine@ucalgary.ca 403-220-7562 University of Calgary
University of Calgary Running Injury Clinic researchers examine effectiveness of shoe inserts
It's one of those mysteries that has baffled runners and running doctors for decades: Why do orthotics work?
Orthotics are commonly prescribed for painful conditions like plantar fasciitis, and, anecdotally, people swear by them, however scientists aren't exactly sure how they work. A recent study by University of Calgary Faculty of Kinesiology researcher Reed Ferber, PhD, published in the Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, suggests that to this point, scientists have been measuring the wrong thing.
"This was the first orthotics study to use a multi-segment foot model," explains Ferber, who is also the Director of the Running Injury Clinic. "We modeled the plantar fascia and measured strain, with and without orthotics. All previous orthotic research has really only involved rear foot motion, putting markers on the heel, and studying the rear-foot. What we found was that an over the counter orthotic reduced plantar fascia strain by 34%. This is the first paper to suggest a potential mechanism by which orthotics work."
The plantar fascia is the thick connective tissue that supports the arch, running from the heel to the ball of the foot. When it becomes inflamed, it is the source of the painful condition plantar fasciitis that affects an estimated one million Canadians annually. Ferber's study modeled the plantar fascia and compared the strain between two points, with and without an over the counter orthotic, (donated and manufactured by SOLE Footbeds.) The study found that 17 out of 20 subjects had an average reduction in strain of 34%.
"This is obviously a significant reduction and I think it's going to help improve treatment," Ferber says. "Right now, a doctor would look at a person's feet and say, 'Oh that's a normal foot, and you're probably not going to do well with a pair of orthotics.' Now we have evidence that they actually would benefit because we know those orthotics are not just designed to control heel motion, they also reduce strain on the plantar fascia," Ferber explains. "The study should also educate the public a little more about the benefits of orthotics and suggests that a $50 pair of orthotics could potentially be as effective as a $400 - $500 pair."
Ferber says that future studies will examine the effects of insoles on people suffering from plantar fasciitis and for people with abnormal arch structure for example people with extremely flat feet.
"This research helps us to optimize our rehabilitation of injured runners," Ferber says. "By understanding the relationship between foot structure, strength, mechanics and flexibility, we can analyze this scientific data and determine the best treatment for you, which is why we do this research in the first place."
###
Reed Ferber is an Alberta Innovates, Health Solutions, New Investigator.
The paper "Changes in multi-segment foot biomechanics with a heat-mouldable semi-custom foot orthotic device" by Reed Ferber and Brittany Benson is available online at: http://www.jfootankleres.com/content/4/1/18
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
'Hoping they both can find love again in this crazy world,' one MTV reader says of Kim and Kris Humphries. By James Dinh
Kim Kardashian Photo: Kevork Djansezian/ Getty Images
Fans are used to "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" on a weekly basis, so it's only natural that they're sharing their two cents on Kim Kardashian's divorce from basketball player Kris Humphries on Monday (October 31).
Team Kardashian has flooded the comments section of MTV.com, as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages, to dish their thoughts on the 72-day marriage. And with Kim filing for divorce (citing "irreconcilable differences") so soon after their August nuptials, many have been quick to pass judgment on the pair.
However, some fans, like MTV.com user Baby_Girl_2004, have remained hopeful that the Hollywood socialite will one day find her happily ever after. "I'm not one bit surprised about this. I knew it wasn't going to last at all," the reader wrote. "Don't get me wrong she is a beautiful women but they didn't have that spunk like Khloé and Lamar do. But anyways hope it works out for the best.... good luck Kim."
Facebook user Susan Araujo expressed her disappointment in the sudden news, writing, "Nooooo!!! They made such a great couple. Hoping they both can find love again in this crazy world."
Nakia626 stuck up for the TV darling on Twitter, commending her for keeping a positive attitude."He never seemed like a REAL fit for Kim. Good luck to her, glad she's got her chin up!!" she wrote.
In a statement, Humphries said he is "willing to do whatever it takes to make it work," but there's not too many optimists among the Kardashian spectators. "Not surprised at all," MTV.com reader Phoebe said. "Kim was way too high maintenance for Kris, and Kris was happy living an ordinary life away from celebrity, which clearly Kim doesn't want. This is why it's a good idea to date someone for at least 2 years before getting engaged. Most everything'll come out of the woodwork by then."
Amvanillabean took to the MTV.com comments section, writing, "Not surprised at all. I saw this coming a mile away. I believe that they only got married for content on the show. What else would the show be about? Publicity stunt for sure!"
Bamachic425 wasn't too shocked to learn of the news either, speculating that the Kardashian starlet is "looking so hard to find fast love" to compete with sisters Khloé and Kourtney Kardashian. "She needs to take a step back and see what's best for her."
MTV user Rich offered some humor amid the sad news. "Well, at least she got to return him during the 90-day warranty period," he joked.
It's not just fans who are speaking out on the news, but also Kim's sisters, who took to Twitter to defend their sibling. "Reading some these comments r so hurtful," Khloé tweeted. "Im grateful 4our fans who understand & r being respectful. Hate is disgusting. Love is everything. Thank God for family. We are strong and we will only become closer! I love YOU."
Kourtney also took to Twitter to show support for Kim, writing, "Our sister is going through a difficult time but we're a close family and are sticking together like always. We appreciate everyone's kindness and support. @KimKardashian, we love you."
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Public release date: 31-Oct-2011
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