Tiny DARPA chip has six-axis inertial guidance for military GPS backup

Before satellites, getting from A to B without radio signals involved cumbersome inertial systems found only on advanced civilian and military aircraft. Those are still the best backup for GPS, and working with the University of Michigan, DARPA has found a way to reduce the once fridge-sized units to half the width of your fingernail. The chips contain everything needed for precise navigation including an accurate master clock, a three-axis gyroscope and three accelerometers, all contained in three hair-width layers. If it gets out of the lab, it would give soldiers another option in the event of an enemy GPS attack or when they're in a tunnel, and might even guide you to that Macy's restroom if it ever hits civilian form.

Filed under: GPS, Science

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Via: Gizmag

Source: DARPA

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/kyuXRnl60TA/

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Verizon intros new $35 prepaid plan for basic phones, for those not keen on the 'smart' era

For some time now, Verizon and other carriers have slowly but surely shifted focus from "dumb" handsets to ones that are much more intelligent, with data-driven shared plans being one of the strategies that corroborate this move. Today, however, Big Red's gone back to basics, announcing a novel prepaid plan for folks without a smartphone -- which will go alongside the company's existing $50, all-you-can-have offering. With the new Basic Plan, Verizon's giving would-be customers a $35 option which serves 500 anytime minutes (sorry, no mobile-to-mobile) as well as unlimited mobile data and text messaging. Hey, don't be ashamed, there's definitely nothing wrong with keeping it vintage -- and, above all, saving cash.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Verizon

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Source: Verizon Wireless

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/12/verizon-new-prepaid-basic-plan/

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US couple in jail after fleeing to Cuba with kids

This framegrabbed image provided by Baynews9 shows Joshua Michael Hakken being processed for booking into the Hillsbourgh County Jail early Wednesday morning April 10, 2013. The Florida couple accused of kidnapping their two young sons and fleeing by boat to Havana were handed over to the United States, and were booked into a Florida jail, officials said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Baynews9, Pool)

This framegrabbed image provided by Baynews9 shows Joshua Michael Hakken being processed for booking into the Hillsbourgh County Jail early Wednesday morning April 10, 2013. The Florida couple accused of kidnapping their two young sons and fleeing by boat to Havana were handed over to the United States, and were booked into a Florida jail, officials said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Baynews9, Pool)

This framegrabbed image provided by Baynews9 shows Sharyn Hakken being processed for booking into the Hillsbourgh County Jail early Wednesday morning April 10, 2013. The Florida couple accused of kidnapping their two young sons and fleeing by boat to Havana were handed over to the United States, and were booked into a Florida jail, officials said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Baynews9, Pool)

This photo combination made from undated images provided by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office shows 35-year-old Joshua Michael Hakken, left, and his wife, 34-year-old Sharyn Patricia Hakken. Cuba says it will turn over to the United States the Florida couple who allegedly kidnapped their own children from the mother?s parents and fled by boat to Havana. (AP Photo/Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office)

This undated image provided by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office shows two-year-old Chase Hakken. Authorities are searching for two young boys they believe were kidnapped by their father from their maternal grandparents' Florida home after their grandmother was tied up. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday night April 3, 2013 asked for the public's help in locating the boys, 4-year-old Cole Hakken and 2-year-old Chase Hakken. (AP Photo/Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office)

This undated image provided by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office shows four-year-old Cole Hakken. Authorities are searching for two young boys they believe were kidnapped by their father from their maternal grandparents' Florida home after their grandmother was tied up. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday night April 3, 2013 asked for the public's help in locating the boys, 4-year-old Cole Hakken and 2-year-old Chase Hakken. (AP Photo/Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office)

MIAMI (AP) ? A Florida couple accused of kidnapping their two young sons and fleeing by boat to Cuba were handed over to the United States and imprisoned and their children were returned to their maternal grandparents, who have official custody, authorities said Wednesday.

Joshua Michael Hakken and his wife, Sharyn, were being held at the Hillsborough County Jail on a number of charges including kidnapping, child neglect and interference with custody, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said on its website.

The couple are expected to make their first appearance Thursday in Hillsborough County Court, the sheriff's office said in a statement. It was not immediately known if either of the Hakkens has an attorney. The couple will not face federal charges, said David Couvertier, a spokesman for the FBI in Tampa.

U.S. authorities say Hakken kidnapped his sons, 4-year-old Cole and 2-year-old Chase, from his mother-in-law's house north of Tampa, Florida. The boys' grandparents were granted permanent custody of the boys last week.

"Our grandchildren are safe," the grandfather, Bob Hauser, told a news conference with the sheriff's office late Tuesday. "We had an opportunity to talk with them before they left Cuba."

Bob and his wife, Patricia Hauser, asked the news media to give them at least 24 hours alone with the boys, the sheriff's department said in a statement. They planned to make a public statement possibly by Thursday.

Cuba tipped the State Department off to the Hakkens' presence Sunday, and from that moment "diplomatic contact has been exchanged and a professional and constant communication has been maintained," Cuban Foreign Ministry official Johana Tablada said in a statement.

An AP reporter spotted the couple and the children beside their boat at the Hemingway Marina in Havana on Tuesday. A man who resembled photographs of Joshua Michael Hakken yelled out "Stop! Stay back!" as the reporter approached, but there was no outward sign of tension or distress between the family members.

The family showed no sign they knew a decision about their fate had been made. The four strolled by an outdoor restaurant as security officials kept reporters at a distance. The youngest child was seated in a stroller and the elder boy sat down on a curb.

The U.S. and Cuba share no extradition agreement and the island nation is also not a signatory of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, an international treaty for governmental cooperation on such cases.

Cuba has harbored U.S. fugitives in the past, though most of those cases date back to the 1960s and '70s, when the island became a refuge for members of the Black Panthers and other militant groups. More recently, dozens of Cuban Medicare fraud fugitives in the U.S. have tried to escape prosecution by returning to the island.

But Cuba has also cooperated with U.S. authorities in returning several criminal fugitives in recent years, including Leonard B. Auerbach in 2008. Auerbach was wanted in California on federal charges of sexually abusing a Costa Rican girl and possessing child pornography. He was deported.

In 2011, U.S. marshals flew to Cuba and took custody of two U.S. suspects wanted in a New Jersey slaying.

Hakken lost custody of his sons last year after a drug possession arrest in Louisiana and later tried to take the children from a foster home at gunpoint, authorities said. A warrant had been issued for his arrest on two counts of kidnapping; interference with child custody; child neglect; false imprisonment and other charges.

Hakken entered his mother-in-law's Florida house last Wednesday, tied her up and fled with his sons, the sheriff's department has said. Federal, state and local authorities searched by air and sea for a boat Hakken had recently bought. The truck that Hakken, his wife and the boys had been traveling in was found Thursday, abandoned in Madeira Beach, Florida.

The family's flight to Cuba harkened back to the 1999 child custody case involving Elian Gonzalez, though unlike Gonzalez, the Hakkens had no apparent ties to the island.

In 1999, 5-year-old Gonzalez was found clinging to an inner tube off Florida after his mother and others drowned while fleeing Cuba toward American soil. The boy was taken to Miami to live with relatives, but his father in Cuba demanded the boy be sent back.

U.S. courts ultimately ruled Gonzalez should be sent back, though his Miami relatives refused to return him. In April 2000, U.S. federal agents raided the family's home and he was returned to Cuba soon after. He has since grown into a young man and joined a military academy.

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Associated Press writers Christine Armario, Curt Anderson and Kelli Kennedy in Miami; Kevin McGill in New Orleans; Paul Haven and Peter Orsi in Havana; and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

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Suzette Laboy on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SuzetteLaboy

Paul Haven on Twitter: www.twitter.com/paulhaven

Peter Orsi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Peter_Orsi

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-04-10-Children%20Kidnapped-Cuba/id-fca39b2dcca04d5fa5d9b5c8e7b04bd6

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Health Notes, beginning April 5 | Easton Courier

Health Notes is a weekly feature that highlights health and wellness news in the area. Hospitals and other health related agencies may e-mail items to scappetta@hersamacorn.com.

Caregiver support

Group for family members and others responsible for the day-to-day care of elderly relatives meets first Friday of month, 10-11, Operations Conference Room, Bridgeport Hospital, 267 Grant St., April 5 and May 3; and 5:30-6:30, second Tuesday of the month, Center?s offices, 95 Armory Road, Stratford, April 9 and May 14, 1-888-357-2396.

Also, hosted by Maefair Health Care second Tuesday of the month 2:30-3:30, 21 Maefair Court, Trumbull. Meetings are open to all caregivers in the community. Light refreshments, 203-459-5152.

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Senior driving course

AARP?s Senior Driver Safety Program Saturdays, April 6 and May 11, 9-1, first-floor Administration Conference Room at Bridgeport Hospital, 267 Grant St., $12 AARP members, $14 non-members, covers handouts and instructional materials. To register, call 1-888-357-2396.

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Family support group

For adult patients, family members and friends who are coping with a diagnose of leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and Hodgkin?s Disease, first Tuesday of every month, 4-5:30, St. V?s Elizabeth M. Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care, Level 3 Medical Oncology Conference Room, 2800 Main St., Bridgeport. Next: April 9, 203-576-6158; tmclaugh@stvincent.org.

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Gluten free living

Monthly meeting is Tuesday, April 9, 7 p.m., Greater Valley Chamber, 10 Progress Drive, second floor, Shelton. Guest speaker Karen Goldstein, RN will share breathing, relaxation and visualization techniques to manage stress, pain and illness. A guided meditation will complete the evening.

Reservations: Sharon@vitalizedwellness.com or 203-922-1562.

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Hip/knee pain lecture

A panel of Brigeport Hospital experts will discuss the causes of and treatments for hip and knee pain during the free lecture, ?Hip or Knee Pain? You Can Do Something About It,? Wednesday, April 10, 1-3 p.m., Oronoque Country Club, Stratford. Doors open at 12:30, 1-888-357-2396.

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Prostate cancer screenings

Free prostate cancer screenings offered to all men age 50 and over and to those age 40 and over whom are at higher risk for prostate cancer due to family history or being of African-American decent Wednesday, April 10, 5:30-6:30, Park City Primary Care Center, 64 Black Rock Ave., Bridgeport. Appointments required: 203-576-6158.

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Genetic counseling

Bridgeport Hospital?s Norma F. Pfriem Cancer Institute and Yale Cancer Center provide genetic counseling services by appointment Wednesdays, April 10 and May 8, 5520 Park Ave., Trumbull, 203-764-8400.

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Look Good ?. Feel Better

Free American Cancer Society program helps women with cancer improve their appearance and self-image through hands-on beauty techniques Fridays, April 19 and May 17, 1-3 p.m., Bridgeport Hospital, 267 Grant Street. To register, call 1-888-357-2396.

Also offered April 11, June 6, Aug. 8, Oct. 10 and Dec. 5, 1-3 p.m., Elizabeth Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care adjacent St. Vincent?s Medical Center, 2800 Main Street, Bridgeport. Reservations required: 203-576-6158. Lunch provided.

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Head & neck cancer screening

In recognition of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week, St. Vincent?s Medical Center will hold a free head & neck screening Monday, April 15, 9-12:30, Elizabeth M. Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care (level 3). Ear, nose and throat physicians from St. Vincent?s Medical Center will be on-hand performing the non-invasive physical exams. No appointment is necessary. Smoking cessation information available, 203-576-5435, stvincents.org/ent-screening.

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Breast cancer survivor support

Meets first and third Tuesdays of the month, 5:30-7, Elizabeth Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care, St. V?s, 2800 Main St., Bridgeport. Next: April 16, 203-576-6158, tmclaugh@st.vincentss.org.

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Perinatal grief support

St. Vincent?s ?We Care? Perinatal Grief Support Group for those grieving the loss of a baby through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillborn, or newborn death meets Wednesday, April 17, 7-8:15, Ambulatory Infusion Center waiting area located on level 3 of the Elizabeth Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care, adjacent to the Medical Center, 203-576-5110, 203-576-5716.

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Breastfeeding support

Free breastfeeding support group for new and expectant mothers, first and third Wednesday of the month, 10-noon, 5520 Park Ave., Trumbull, 1-888-357-2396. Next: April 17; May 1 and 15.

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Blood pressure screenings

Screenings offered by Bridgeport Hospital at Fairfield Senior Center, 100 Mona Terrace, Mondays, April 15, May 6 and 20, 9:30-11:30; Stratford Baldwin Center, 1000 West Broad St., Mondays, April 8 and May 13, 9:30-11:30; Shelton Senior Center, 81 Wheeler St., Monday, April 22 and Tuesday, May 28, noon-2. Call 1-888-357-2396.

Also offered by the South End Community Center in collaboration with the Stratford Health Department, first and third Wednesdays of the month, 10-noon, South End Community Center; 203-385-4058; 203-377-0689.

The Mario and Irma D?Addario Hypertension Program at St. Vincent?s Medical Center provides free blood pressure screenings and information to the public every Tuesday, 11:30-3:30, main lobby of St. V?s Medical Center, 2800 Main St., Bridgeport; 1-877-255-7847.

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First aid/safety class

Bridgeport Hospital?s Emergency Care Institute offers the following self-care classes in the duPont Board Room at Bridgeport Hospital, 267 Grant St. To register, call 203-384-4497.

Adult, child and infant CPR/AED two-year certification, Wednesdays, April 3 and May 1, 6-9, $65; Pediatric first aid & safety and adult, child and infant CPR/defibrillator training two-year certification, Saturdays, April 13, May 11 and 25, 8:30-5:30, $100 full class or $70 first aid portion only; Administration of Medicine Class, Tuesdays, April 9 and May 14, 6:30-9:30, $50 full program (three-year certification) or $25 for injectable medications only; Basic life support for healthcare providers, Wednesdays, April 17 and May 15, 6-10, $90 ($65 with unexpired American Heart Association certification card).

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Cancer survivor support

Moving Forward support and educational series for cancer survivors meets Thursdays, April 18 and May 16, 1-3:30, Bridgeport Hospital Administrative Conference Room, first floor, 267 Grant Street. To register, call 203-384-3094.

A free patient and caregiver support program also offered the last Tuesday of the month, 6-7:30, St. Vincent?s Medical Oncology Conference Room, Level 3 of the Elizabeth Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care. Open to all cancer patients and survivors along with their caregivers, family, friends, 203-576-6158.

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Ostomy support

Sundays, April 21 and May 19, 2 p.m., Visiting Nurse Services of Connecticut, 40 Lindeman Drive, Trumbull. Open to anyone who has had or will have an ostomy operation, such as colostomy, urostomy or ileostomy. Spouses welcome. Meetings held third Sunday of month except July and August, Sharon Tilley, 203-384-3209.

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Cancer nutrition and cooking

Free cooking course designed to help attendees prevent and survive cancer through proper diet and nutrition 6-7:45, April 23, May 29, June 26, July 23, Aug. 28, Sept. 25, Oct. 22, Nov. 20, SWIM Center for Cancer Care, St. Vincent?s Medical Center, 2800 Main Street, Bridgeport, 203-576-6158, stvincents.org.

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Better Breathing Club

Meets Fridays, April 26 and May 31, 1:30, Bridgeport Hospital, 267 Grant Street. Open to anyone with chronic respiratory disease. Call 203-336-7375.

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Stroke support

Bridgeport Hospital?s Ahlbin Rehabilitation Centers will host a free Stroke Support Group meeting for recovering stroke patients and their caregivers Tuesday, May 7, 6-7, Shelton outreach site, 4 Corporate Drive, 203-925-4201.

Also offered third Wednesday of the month, 5:30-7, Seton Room, Level C, St. Vincent?s Medical Center, 2800 Main St., Bridgeport, 203-576-5361.

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Al-Anon meetings

Al-Anon is a resource for family members and friends affected by alcoholism.

Al-Anon meets Sundays, 6:30 and Wednesdays, 7:30, St. Ann?s, old convent behind church, Brewster Street, Black Rock; Sundays, 7, St. Charles Church, (Spanish meeting), 391 Ogden Street, Bridgeport; Fridays, 8, Bridgeport Mental Health Center, 1635 Central Avenue, first floor (park & enter from parking deck off Mead Street).

For information about groups in Connecticut, call 1-888-825-2666. For more information about Al-Anon, visit ct-al-anon.org. A free publication is available at Al-AnonFamilyGroups.org.

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Addiction support

Are you dealing with an addiction in your life or the life of a family member? Higher Ground Ministry is non-denominational offering help that is permanent through biblical truths. Weekly meetings are held where one receives support, encouragement and spiritual guidance. Meetings are Thursdays, 7-8:30 p.m., Trinity Baptist Church, 300 North Benson Road, Fairfield.

Also, Sundays, 6-7:30 p.m., Stepney Baptist Church, 423 Main St., Monroe; Mondays, 7:30-9 p.m., Huntington Chapel, 177 Ripton Road, Huntington; Thursdays, 6:30-8 p.m., Christ the King Church at American Legion Hall, 21 Cedar St., Naugatuck; Tuesdays, 6:30-8 p.m. and Fridays, 7-8:30 p.m., First Baptist Church of Shelton, 178 Leavenworth Road, Shelton; Fridays, 7-8:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 235 Prindle Ave., Ansonia; and Tuesdays, 7:30-9 p.m., Grace Baptist Church, 400 Burnt Plains Road, Milford. Information: 203-888-9974; highergroundministry.org.

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Diabetes education

Fourth Thursday of the month, 6-7:30, St. Vincent?s Level 4 Seton Conference Room, 203-576-6168.

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Bereavement support

An eight-week support group facilitated by Ximena? Varas, certified lay minister and chaplain meets Mondays, 7-8:30 p.m at First United Methodist Church, 188 Rocky Rest Road.

Registration required: ximenavaras@umcshelton.org or 203-278-1568.

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Yoga classes

?New ?Mindful Flow? yoga class series offered Fridays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. at 2505 Main St., Suite 224, Stationhouse Square, Stratford, naturesourcecare.com/yoga; 203-895-5534, info@naturesourcecare.com.

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Free yoga for cancer patients

Restorative yoga, chair yoga with breathing and meditation for patients in active treatment or post-surgery, Tuesdays, 10 a.m., The Watermark, 303 Park Ave., Bridgeport; Thursdays, 10 a.m., Yoga Room, Level 3 of St. Vincent?s Elizabeth Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care, adjacent to the Medical Center. Gentle Yoga, for patients in treatment or recently finished, Saturdays, 8:30 a.m., Yoga for Everybody, 27 Unquowa Road, Fairfield. Formal Yoga, for cancer survivors of five years or less, Wednesdays, 4:30 p.m., The Watermark, 3030 Park Ave., Bridgeport, 203-576-6158.

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Healthcare and Medicare information

St. Vincent?s Medical Center is offering a free program of health insurance and Medicare information and counseling to the public every week. Individuals can meet with the health insurance specialist by appointment in the privacy of the Banks Library located on the third level of St. Vincent?s.

To schedule an appointment or for more information call St. Vincent?s Volunteer Office at 203-576-5111.

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Free HIV/HCV tests

The Greater Bridgeport Area Prevention Program and the Stratford Health Department will offer rapid HIV and Hepatitis C testing with results in 20 minutes every first and third Tuesday of the month from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Stratford Health Dept., 468 Birdseye St., Stratford.

To schedule an appointment call 203-385-4058.

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Cancer support group

Ongoing monthly group is focused on giving support to patients and families who have been diagnosed with lung, colon, head and neck, esophageal, GI cancers and other solid tumors. Meetings are the third Wednesday of the month, 9-10 a.m., Elizabeth Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care, third floor conference room, St. V?s, 2800 Main St., Bridgeport. Call 203-576-6158.

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Healthy traveler service

Bridgeport Hospital?s Healthy Traveler Service provides pre-travel consultations, travel vaccines, medications and comprehensive travel information to help prepare for a healthy and safe international trip. For information or to make an appointment, call 203-384-3613.

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Ring for Your Rhythm

Bridgeport Hospital?s ?Ring for Your Rhythm? line provides recorded, step-by-step instructions for taking a pulse reading, to help detect atrial fibrillation (a-fib) and possibly prevent a stroke. Call toll free, 24/7, at 1-855-247-8573.

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Community acupuncture

Led by licensed acupuncturist Gregor Wei, Mondays, 10-2, Norma F. Pfriem Breast Care Center, 111 Beach Road, Fairfield. Call 203-255-5300 to register. Advance registration requested. Private appointments available.

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Massage therapy

Massage is offered for oncology patients undergoing definitive active treatment and for survivors who have completed treatment. Call 203-576-6158 for an appointments. Program takes place on third floor of Elizabeth Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care at St. V?s, 2800 Main St., Bridgeport.

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Fitness classes

Bridgeport Hospital?s Ahlbin Rehabilitation Centers offers weekly fitness classes in Bridgeport and Stratford:

Boot Camp, Mondays and Wednesdays, 5:45-6:45 a.m., 226 Mill Hill Ave., Bridgeport; Saturdays, 10-11 a.m., 3585 Main St., Stratford.

Women?s Strength Training, Tuesdays, 11-noon; Thursdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m., 226 Mill Hill, Bridgeport; Saturdays, 8-9 a.m., 3585 Main St., Stratford.

Zumba, Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m., 226 Mill Hill, Bridgeport; Saturdays, 8-9 a.m., 3585 Main St., Stratford.

$8 per class or $75 for 10 classes. Tickets are available at all Ahlbin Centers locations, or before or after classes. For information or to register, call 203-336-7301 (Bridgeport) or 203-380-4672 (Stratford).

In addition to Bridgeport and Stratford, Ahlbin Centers has outpatient facilities at 4 Corporate Drive, Shelton; 2600 Post Road, Southport; and 2750 Reservoir Ave., Trumbull.

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Health and wellness classes

St. Vincent?s Medical Center, 2800 Main St., Bridgeport offers a variety of health and wellness classes. Most sessions run for 10 weeks with the exception of pilates, which is six weeks; and Y Diabetes Prevention Program and Weight Watchers program, 16 and 17-week sessions respectively. 10-week sessions: $90. Information/registration: 203-576-6267; scollins@stvincents.org.

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Free exercise video program

A new online video program called A-B-E (Activity Bursts Everywhere) for Fitness, designed specifically to help adults meet those recommendations for daily physical activity, is available at abeforfitness.com.

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Kripalu yoga

Beginner and intermediate level, runs weekly, Fridays, 9:15 a.m., Norma F. Pfriem Breast Care Center, 111 Beach Road, Fairfield. Class size limited to six students. Advance registration requested; 203-255-5300; bridgeporthospital.org. Yoga, restorative yoga and teen yoga classes also available. Call for full class schedule.

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Pilates

Weekly, Mondays, 5:30 p.m., Norma F. Pfriem Breast Care Center, 111 Beach Road, Fairfield. Class size limited to six students. Advance registration requested; 203-255-5300.

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Wellness booth

St. Vincent?s Wellness Booth has relocated to the main lobby of the Medical Center, 2800 Main St., Bridgeport. Health screenings and services offered to the public every Tuesday and Wednesday, 11:30-3:30. No appointment required for any of the screenings.

Free blood pressure screenings are performed every Tuesday. On Wednesdays, Cholesterol/HDL ratio/glucose screening, $18; a lipid panel requiring a four-hour fast, $25; blood sugar screening alone requiring a two-hour fast, $1.

For more information call St. Vincent?s toll-free Care Line at 1-877-255-SVHS (7847).

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Heart-disease risk quiz

Bridgeport Hospital offers ?Take 10 for Your Ticker,? a free online heart-disease risk quiz. Quiz is available at bridgeporthospital.org, by clicking on the link in the ?Take 10 for Your Ticker? box.

For those without access to the Internet, a free printed copy of the quiz, with an explanation of results, is available by calling 1-888-357-2396.

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Help for new movers

Bridgeport Hospital?s free Newcomer Concierge Service helps new residents of Bridgeport and surrounding towns locate physicians to meet personal and family health needs. Service also provides information on health-related events and activities. To reach the Newcomer Concierge Service, call 203-330-7462, Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays, 9-3.

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Caregiver support

Atria Stratford Assisted Living, 6911 Main St., offers a support group for family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer?s disease, or related dementia, living at home or in an extended care facility. Group meets first Wednesday of the month, 6-7; 203-380-0006.

Grasmere By The Sea: One Post Road, Fairfield, offers open discussion about Alzheimer?s disease and related dementias, first Thursday of month, 4 p.m.; 203-365-6470.

Jewish Family Service, 2370 Park Ave., Bridgeport, offers support group for family members or friends helping with the care of adults over 60, meets first Wednesday of month, 6-7:30 p.m. RSVP: 366-5438, Ext. 219.

Sunset Shores Adult Day Health Center, 720 Barnum Avenue Cut Off, Stratford, offers a support group for people caring for a loved one with Alzheimer?s disease or a related dementia. Meetings are the second Wednesday of the month, 4-5; 380-1228.

St. Vincent?s SWIM family support group meets first Tuesday of each month, 4-5:30 p.m., Elizabeth Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care at St. V?s, 2800 Main St., Bridgeport. No reservations required; 203-576-6158; tmclaugh@st.vincents.org.

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Prostate cancer survivors

St. Vincent?s SWIM Prostate Cancer Survivors Educational Lecture Series and Support Group meets at Elizabeth Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care, at St. V?s, 2800 Main St., Bridgeport. Call 203-576-6158 or e-mail tmlaugh@stvincents.org for dates and times of lectures. No reservations required.

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Breast cancer wellness

St. Vincent?s Breast Cancer Survivor Wellness program, intended for women who have recently undergone breast cancer surgery and those further along in their recovery, 4:30-5:30, Elizabeth Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care at St. V?s, 2800 Main St., Bridgeport. No reservations required. For dates, call 203-576-6158.

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Breast cancer stories

Bizymoms.com has helped many women with whatever information it is they may be seeking about breast cancer. A panel of cancer experts, women, wives, and mothers are waiting to share their expertise and stories while learning about yours. Visit bizymoms.com/cares/breastcancer.

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Cancer boutique

St. Vincent?s partners with Saxon-Kent Lingerie of Orange to provide special products for women battling cancer. Boutique hours: Monday-Friday, 10-4. Fitting hours for wigs, prosthesis, mastectomy bras, lymphedema sleeves etc: Tuesdays, 2-4; Wednesdays, 10-noon; or by appointment; 203-576-6158; tmclaugh@stvincents.org. Boutique hours: 10-4.

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Breast cancer support

Woman-to-Woman, an American Cancer Society sponsored support group for women who have had breast cancer or who have been newly diagnosed, meets monthly, 2-4 p.m., Cambridge Manor, 2428 Easton Tpke., Fairfield; 1-800-889-3340.

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Cancer resource library

St. Vincent?s SWIM Cancer Resource Library is open Monday-Friday, 9-5, Maureen Ringel Cancer Resource Library, Elizabeth Pfriem SWIM Center for Cancer Care, St. V?s. Medical Center, 2800 Main St., Bridgeport. A representative is available to assist visitors with navigation of web-based searches, cancer clinical trial searches and direct patient referrals to a variety of free resources Monday-Friday, 9-1.

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MS support

Trumbull MS support group meets third Tuesday of each month, 6:30-8, Trumbull Library, 33 Quality St. Ed, 445-0118; 1-800- FIGHT MS; ctfightsMS.org.

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Scleroderma support

The American Society For Scleroderma Research has formed a support group for all afflicted by this disease. The group meets every second Thursday, 6:30-7:30, St. Vincent Medical Center, Main Street, Bridgeport; Aimee Turiano or Joy LoSchiavo, 203-273-2034.

Source: http://www.eastoncourier.com/2913/health-notes-beginning-april-5/

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Calif's 4 a.m. last call bill already fuels debate

Armand Gaerlan, right, and Chris Torio have a drink at Steff's Sports Bar in San Francisco, Wednesday, April 3, 2013. Across California, 2 a.m. is the witching hour for bartenders to issue the last call for drinks. But a proposed state law would give nightlife loving cities the option of allowing their bars and clubs to keep serving drinks for two more hours. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Armand Gaerlan, right, and Chris Torio have a drink at Steff's Sports Bar in San Francisco, Wednesday, April 3, 2013. Across California, 2 a.m. is the witching hour for bartenders to issue the last call for drinks. But a proposed state law would give nightlife loving cities the option of allowing their bars and clubs to keep serving drinks for two more hours. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Bartender Valen West smiles while speaking to reporter at Zare at Fly Trap in San Francisco, Wednesday, April 3, 2013. Across California, 2 a.m. is the witching hour for bartenders to issue the last call for drinks. But a proposed state law would give nightlife loving cities the option of allowing their bars and clubs to keep serving drinks for two more hours. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Kendra Chrysler, from left, Gretchen Puttkamer, Heather Pertel have a drink at Nova Bar and Restaurant in San Francisco, Wednesday, April 3, 2013. Across California, 2 a.m. is the witching hour for bartenders to issue the last call for drinks. But a proposed state law would give nightlife loving cities the option of allowing their bars and clubs to keep serving drinks for two more hours. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? The last call for drinks is 2 a.m. in California, but one lawmaker believes that's just too early to set down the shot glasses and beer steins.

State Sen. Mark Leno's proposal to let the liquor flow until 4 a.m. as a way to draw more tourists ? and with them more revenue and jobs ? is already spawning a sharp debate from Sacramento to watering holes in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Leno said the measure would make the state more competitive with other hotspots like New York, Las Vegas and Miami that serve alcohol later into the wee hours of the morning or 24 hours a day.

Night-spot owners say a later last call will be good for business, but law enforcement officials argue that it increases the chances that cities will see more public drunkenness, violence, drunken driving and possibly fatalities.

Leno's proposal, however, wouldn't set a uniform standard across the state. Instead, it would give each municipality the option to push their last call back to 4 a.m.

"It will be up to the cities whether they want to participate or not," said the San Francisco Democrat, whose district encompasses clubs in the trendy South of Market district. His bill is expected to get its first public committee hearing on April 23.

At Steff's, a sports bar near the San Francisco Giants' AT&T Park, patron Armand Gaerlan liked the idea of a 4 a.m. last call. "I've lived in New York City. If it's working there, it can definitely happen here," said Gaerlan, who thinks the move would allow for making later dinner reservations.

At nearby Nova Bar and Restaurant, customer Kendra Chrysler said it was a bad idea. "I'll pass. I feel like nothing good happens after 2 a.m.," she said.

In Los Angeles, there is a buzz about a later last call, said Barbara Jacobs, chief operating officer at a 1920's-themed downtown nightspot, The Edison. She said the bar is making plans for a midnight breakfast and cocktail menu in case the proposal passes.

"We're creatively driven and so we're going to take advantage of it," she said.

Industry groups such as the California Restaurant Association and the Hollywood Hospitality Coalition are endorsing the 4 a.m. last call.

Los Angeles hosted a record 41.4 million visitors last year, one million more than in 2011. And, the city said, guests spent more than $16 billion in 2012. The San Francisco Travel Association said the city drew 16.5 million tourists who spent nearly $9 billion in 2012, up from the previous year.

Jim Lazarus, a senior vice president for the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, said he believes it will be especially appealing to businesses already with after-hours permits to stay open past 2 a.m. ? without serving alcohol.

"There's clearly a demand," he said. "I think the younger population, especially the young tech workers ? they're working hours that are different from the traditional 9 to 5. They work later, so they party later."

However, law enforcement officials argue that establishments serving alcohol past 2 a.m. will produce significant problems.

John Lovell, a lobbyist for the Sacramento-based California Police Chiefs Association, said an extended last call will further stretch many depleted law enforcement agencies that will be forced to monitor inebriated patrons when the bars close.

"That will be a whole new dynamic with those leaving a bar at 4 a.m. hitting the road when the early commute is in progress," Lovell said. "That brings a whole new danger."

Although San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr said he thinks the extended hours are a bad idea, Leno's bill has the support of Mayor Ed Lee, who said that if the bill becomes law he would seek input from police, local bar owners and neighborhood leaders before the city opts for a late last call.

Leno said he authored a last call bill geared for San Francisco in 2004, which was rejected by the state Assembly. But he expects this one to fare better because it leaves the ultimate decisions with the cities.

Ludwig Chincarini, an associate economics professor at the University of San Francisco, said recent studies in the U.S. and abroad do not provide very clear links between longer last calls and impacts on crime and local economies.

Extended drinking hours may add more tax revenue, particularly from tourists, Chincarini said, but they are unlikely to bring a windfall to major California cities.

"The tourists who already come here could take advantage of possibly drinking for an extra couple of hours, that's all," he said. "I don't think people are going to be traveling to San Francisco and Los Angeles to get the ... Las Vegas experience in terms of extensive drinking and partying."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-04-09-Last%20Call/id-c84603b65a8f484599512a088ffe373f

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PROMISES, PROMISES: Oil imports

FILE -In this Tuesday, March 6, 2012, file photo taken with a long time exposure, a pumping unit sucks oil from the ground near Greensburg, Kan. Propelled by improving technology, high global oil prices and the continued exploitation of enormous reserves in several Western states and in the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. domestic oil production is surging so fast, that it could soon overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's biggest producer. And it is expected to continue to grow. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

FILE -In this Tuesday, March 6, 2012, file photo taken with a long time exposure, a pumping unit sucks oil from the ground near Greensburg, Kan. Propelled by improving technology, high global oil prices and the continued exploitation of enormous reserves in several Western states and in the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. domestic oil production is surging so fast, that it could soon overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's biggest producer. And it is expected to continue to grow. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 21, 2012, file photo, oil field workers drill into the Gypsum Hills near Medicine Lodge, Kan., using a technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking", to coax out oil and gas. The nation's newfound reserves of natural gas can help offset the economic cost of importing oil. Delivery trucks, garbage trucks and some long-haul trucks are beginning to switch to cheaper natural gas and away from oil-derived diesel. And several companies are applying for permits to export natural gas to Europe and Asia. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File)

The issue:

Every president since Richard Nixon has pushed to cut U.S. dependence on imported oil, and President Barack Obama is no exception. Now, though, for the first time in 30 years, oil imports are falling in a significant way.

New drilling technologies perfected in the last several years have unlocked enormous domestic reserves of crude oil and natural gas. Policies that mandate increasing use of renewable fuels and better fuel economy for the nation's cars and trucks have helped slash oil and gasoline demand.

That has translated into a dramatic reduction in oil imports and a dramatic increase in diesel and gasoline exports.

Obama wants the country to go much further. But even if the U.S. succeeds in reducing oil imports even more, it won't reduce the price Americans pay at the pump because oil and gasoline are global commodities.

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The campaign promise:

"We can cut our oil imports in half by 2020," Obama told the Democratic National Convention on Sept. 6, 2012. That would mean net imports of crude and fuels would sink to 3.7 million barrels per day by the end of the decade, from 7.4 million barrels per day last year.

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The prospects:

This is entirely possible. Fuel economy standards adopted during Obama's first term and set to go into effect in 2017 will keep a lid on gasoline demand even if the economy begins to grow fast. Renewable fuel standards adopted in the George W. Bush administration will have a similar effect by requiring ever-increasing amounts of biofuels to be blended into gasoline.

At the same time, domestic oil production is expected to continue to grow, propelled by improving technology, high global oil prices and the continued exploitation of enormous reserves in several Western states and in the Gulf of Mexico.

This trend is already under way. Falling imports of crude and rising exports of gasoline and diesel have helped cut net petroleum imports by one-third since 2008.

The nation's newfound reserves of natural gas could also help. Delivery trucks, garbage trucks and some long-haul trucks are beginning to switch to cheaper natural gas and away from oil-derived diesel. And several companies are applying for permits to export natural gas to Europe and Asia, which would help offset the economic cost of importing oil.

Republicans argue this emerging trend could be sped up if the administration opened more federal land, both onshore and offshore, to drilling. It's possible, but oil and gas companies do not have a shortage of new places to explore, so it's unclear just how much effect this would have, analysts say. Also, while domestic oil production from federal lands dipped in the aftermath of BP's Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill in 2010, oil production on federal lands is up since Obama took office.

Lower imports and higher production help reduce the nation's yawning trade imbalance. And it helps protect the economy from high oil prices because more of the income from those higher prices flows to U.S. companies instead of foreign ones.

But the U.S. economy won't ever be free from the effect of high oil prices. That's because oil and gasoline are crucial to the U.S. economy and the market for them is global. If turmoil in the Middle East disrupts oil production there, prices worldwide ? including for drivers in the U.S. ? will rise, even if the U.S. gets little or no oil from the Middle East. Rising gasoline prices hurt the economy by taking spending money out of consumers' wallets, and consumer spending accounts for 70 percent of the U.S. economy.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-04-08-US-Obama's-IOUs-Energy-Independence/id-12b71850fef04333a3820793a2a72e83

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Despite threats, risks temper Korea war tensions

FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2013 file photo, an unidentified U.S. Marine from 3-Marine Expeditionary Force 1st Battalion from Kaneho Bay, Hawaii, aims his gun during a joint military winter exercise with their South Korean counterparts in Pyeongchang, east of Seoul, South Korea. As tensions rise on the Korean Peninsula, one thing remains certain: All sides have good reason to avoid an all-out war. The last one, six decades ago, killed an estimated 4 million people. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2013 file photo, an unidentified U.S. Marine from 3-Marine Expeditionary Force 1st Battalion from Kaneho Bay, Hawaii, aims his gun during a joint military winter exercise with their South Korean counterparts in Pyeongchang, east of Seoul, South Korea. As tensions rise on the Korean Peninsula, one thing remains certain: All sides have good reason to avoid an all-out war. The last one, six decades ago, killed an estimated 4 million people. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

A North Korean man walks past propaganda posters in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Tuesday, March 26, 2013, that threaten punishment to the "U.S. imperialists and their allies." The U.S. recently tightened sanctions against North Korea after Pyongyang tested a nuclear device in February in defiance of international bans against atomic activity. (AP Photo/Kim Kwang Hyon)

FILE - In this April 4, 2013 file photo, soldiers of the U.S. Army 23rd chemical battalion carry a U.S. and South Korean flag during a ceremony to recognize the battalion's official return to the 2nd Infantry Division based in South Korea at Camp Stanley in Uijeongbu, north of Seoul. As tensions rise on the Korean Peninsula, one thing remains certain: All sides have good reason to avoid an all-out war. The last one, six decades ago, killed an estimated 4 million people. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

FILE - In this April 5, 2013 file photo, South Korean army reservists salute while denouncing North Korea for their escalating threat of war, during their Foundation Day ceremony at a gymnasium in Seoul, South Korea. As tensions rise on the Korean Peninsula, one thing remains certain: All sides have good reason to avoid an all-out war. The last one, six decades ago, killed an estimated 4 million people. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)

TOKYO (AP) ? As tensions rise on the Korean Peninsula, one thing remains certain: All sides have good reason to avoid an all-out war. The last one, six decades ago, killed an estimated 4 million people.

North Korea's leaders know that war would be suicidal. In the long run, they cannot expect to defeat the United States and successfully overrun South Korea. War would be horrific for the other side as well. South Korea could suffer staggering casualties. The U.S. would face a destabilized major ally, possible but unlikely nuclear or chemical weapons attacks on its forward-positioned bases, and dramatically increased tensions with North Korea's neighbor and Korean War ally, China.

Here's a look at the precarious balance of power that has kept the Korean Peninsula so close to conflict since the three-year war ended in 1953, and some of the strategic calculus behind why, despite the shrill rhetoric and seemingly reckless saber-rattling, leaders on both sides of the Demilitarized Zone have carefully avoided going back over the brink.

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THE SEA OF FIRE

Even without nuclear weapons, North Korea has an ace in the hole. Most experts believe its claims to have enough conventional firepower from its artillery units to devastate the greater Seoul area, South Korea's bustling capital of 24 million. Such an attack would cause severe casualties ? often estimated in the hundreds of thousands ? in a very short period of time.

Many of these artillery batteries are already in place, dug in and very effectively camouflaged, which means that U.S. and South Korean forces cannot count on being able to take them out before they strike. Experts believe about 60 percent of North Korea's military assets are positioned relatively close to the Demilitarized Zone separating the countries.

North Korea's most threatening weapons are its 170 mm Koksan artillery guns, which are 14 meters long and can shoot conventional mortar ammunition 40 kilometers (25 miles). That's not quite enough to reach Seoul, which is 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the DMZ. But if they use rocket-assisted projectiles, the range increases to about 60 kilometers (37 miles). Chemical weapons fired from these guns could cause even greater mayhem.

North Korea experts Victor Cha and David Kang posted on the website of Foreign Policy magazine late last month that the North can fire 500,000 rounds of artillery on Seoul in the first hour of a conflict.

Even so, not everyone believes North Korea could make good on its "sea of fire" threats. Security expert Roger Cavazos, a former U.S. Army officer, wrote in a report for the Nautilus Institute last year that, among other things, North Korea's big guns have a high rate of firing duds, pose more of a threat to Seoul's less populated outer suburbs, and would be vulnerable to counterattack as soon as they start firing and reveal their location.

"North Korea occasionally threatens to "turn Seoul into a Sea of Fire," he wrote. "But can North Korea really do this? ... The short answer is they can't; but they can kill many tens of thousands of people, start a larger war and cause a tremendous amount of damage before ultimately losing their regime."

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FIRST STRIKES, PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKES

This is what both sides say concerns them the most.

North Korea says it is developing nuclear weapons and long-range missiles as a deterrent to keep the United States or South Korea from attacking it first. The reasoning is that Washington will not launch a pre-emptive strike if North Korea has a good chance of getting off an immediate ? and devastating ? response of its own.

Along with its artillery aimed at Seoul and other targets in South Korea, North Korea is developing the capacity to deploy missiles that are mobile, thus easier to move or hide. North Korea already has Rodong missiles that have ? on paper at least ? a range of about 1,300 kilometers (800 miles), enough to reach several U.S. military bases in Japan. Along with 28,000 troops in South Korea, the U.S. has 50,000 troops based in Japan.

North Korea is not believed to be capable of making a nuclear weapon small enough to fit on a long-range missile capable of hitting the United States. But physicist David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security, believes it may be capable of mounting nuclear warheads on Rodongs. In any case, Pyongyang is continuing to pursue advancements, apparently out of the belief that it needs nuclear-tipped missiles capable of reaching the U.S. to have a credible deterrent.

The United States rejects the North's claim that such a deterrent is necessary, saying it does not intend to launch pre-emptive strikes against North Korea. At the same time, Washington has made it clear that it could.

During ongoing Foal Eagle military maneuvers in South Korea, two U.S. B-2 strategic stealth bombers, flying from their base in Missouri, conducted a mock bombing run on a South Korean range. The B-2 is capable of carrying nuclear weapons, precision bombs that could take out specific targets such as North Korean government buildings, and massive conventional bombs designed to penetrate deep into the ground to destroy North Korean tunnels and dug-in military positions. One big problem, however, is determining where the targets are.

Amid heightened tensions over North Korea's nuclear weapons program in 1994, President Bill Clinton reportedly considered a pre-emptive strike, but decided the risks were too high.

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CHINA'S DILEMMA

Without China, North Korea wouldn't exist. The Chinese fought alongside the North Koreans in the Korean War and have propped up Pyongyang with economic aid ever since.

Beijing has grown frustrated with Pyongyang, especially over its nuclear program. China and the U.S. worked together in drafting a U.N. resolution punishing the North for its Feb. 12 nuclear test.

But China still has valid reasons not to want the regime to suddenly collapse.

War in Korea would likely spark a massive exodus of North Korean civilians along its porous 1,300-kilometer (800-mile) border, which in turn could lead to a humanitarian crisis or unrest that the Chinese government would have to deal with. The fall of North Korea could pave the way for the United States to establish military bases closer to Chinese territory, or the creation of a unified Korea over which Beijing might have less influence.

China, the world's second-largest economy, also has significant trade with South Korea and the United States. Turmoil on the Korean Peninsula would harm the economies of all three countries.

Patrick Cronin, an Asia expert at the Center for a New American Security and a senior State Department official during the George W. Bush administration, said Beijing is helping set up back-channel negotiations with North Korea to ease the tensions. But he warned that the U.S. isn't likely to win China over as a reliable partner against North Korea beyond the current flare-up.

"There are limits to how far China and the U.S. have coincidental interests with regard to North Korea," he said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-04-07-AS-NKorea-The-War-Calculus/id-820dd95e12884c5ea02ebdcbce3caebb

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