BrickStreet remains king of workers' comp market - News - The ...

BrickStreet Insurance President and CEO Greg Burton (right) and Vice President T.J. Obrokta Jr. stand in the lobby of the company's offices next to the Charleston Town Center mall. The company, which was West Virginia's sole provider of workers' compensation insurance after the state privatized the system, still has more than half of the state's workers' comp business.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- More than 240 insurance companies have filed to carry workers' compensation insurance in West Virginia, but one company maintains half of the business in the state.

That would be BrickStreet Insurance, the Charleston-based company formed as a quasi-private company when the state decided to privatize its workers' comp business.

For a couple of years, BrickStreet was the only game in town, and all of the state's workers' comp business went there. Since July 2008, other companies have been allowed to participate in the workers' comp market. As of mid-August, 241 workers' comp carriers had filed with the state Insurance Commission.

But as of the end of last year, BrickStreet still handled 50 percent of the workers' comp premiums in the state, according to the Insurance Commission.

BrickStreet officials say the privatization has been a rousing success. They say employers' workers' comp costs have been cut in half, and workplace injuries are reported more quickly.

"Claimants are also receiving quicker care and better care today," said Greg Burton, BrickStreet's president and CEO. ?

"In 2006, only 10 percent to 15 percent of claims came in within 48 hours after the accident. Today, it is 50 percent," Burton said. "Medical costs are also going down. BrickStreet is working with health-care providers to get people back to work more quickly."

T.J. Obrokta Jr., BrickStreet's senior vice president and general counsel, said, "The old system generated a lot of litigation. Today, that litigation has dropped by 70 percent."?

Protests about claims decisions have also dropped, Obrokta said, from about 25,000 protests in 2006 to only a projected 5,000 this year.

Both Burton and Obrokta worked for the old state Workers' Compensation Division, and moved to BrickStreet under privatization. The move was initiated under former Gov. Bob Wise and completed under former Gov. Joe Manchin.

Sue Howard, a Wheeling lawyer who has represented workers' comp claimants for many years, believes privatization "has become problematic for claimants dealing with Workers' Comp insurance carriers who are out of state and not well-trained in West Virginia law.

"It has been a nightmare for certain claimants who get claims mangers who don't properly administer their claims.

"There needs to be more information provided to injured workers about how to file complaints with the Insurance Commissioner when conduct is improper," Howard said.

"When BrickStreet started operating [in 2006], it was able to hire a lot of claims adjusters from the old West Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission, who had more experience and training. I see fewer problems with BrickStreet than with other private carriers. I think it is a training issue," Howard said.

BrickStreet also has its critics. Charleston lawyer James Humphreys, a former Democratic state senator and congressional candidate, opposed the privatization of workers' comp in the Legislature.

"BrickStreet has made an ungodly amount of money," Humphreys said. "Workers' compensation should not be about profits for a corporation. It should be about protecting and supporting injured workers.

Last year, BrickStreet collected $250.6 million in premiums and incurred $102.3 million in losses, according to its annual statement filed on Dec. 31, 2011. The company's net income was $47.1 million

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- More than 240 insurance companies have filed to carry workers' compensation insurance in West Virginia, but one company maintains half of the business in the state.

That would be BrickStreet Insurance, the Charleston-based company formed as a quasi-private company when the state decided to privatize its workers' comp business.

For a couple of years, BrickStreet was the only game in town, and all of the state's workers' comp business went there. Since July 2008, other companies have been allowed to participate in the workers' comp market. As of mid-August, 241 workers' comp carriers had filed with the state Insurance Commission.

But as of the end of last year, BrickStreet still handled 50 percent of the workers' comp premiums in the state, according to the Insurance Commission.

BrickStreet officials say the privatization has been a rousing success. They say employers' workers' comp costs have been cut in half, and workplace injuries are reported more quickly.

"Claimants are also receiving quicker care and better care today," said Greg Burton, BrickStreet's president and CEO. ?

"In 2006, only 10 percent to 15 percent of claims came in within 48 hours after the accident. Today, it is 50 percent," Burton said. "Medical costs are also going down. BrickStreet is working with health-care providers to get people back to work more quickly."

T.J. Obrokta Jr., BrickStreet's senior vice president and general counsel, said, "The old system generated a lot of litigation. Today, that litigation has dropped by 70 percent."?

Protests about claims decisions have also dropped, Obrokta said, from about 25,000 protests in 2006 to only a projected 5,000 this year.

Both Burton and Obrokta worked for the old state Workers' Compensation Division, and moved to BrickStreet under privatization. The move was initiated under former Gov. Bob Wise and completed under former Gov. Joe Manchin.

Sue Howard, a Wheeling lawyer who has represented workers' comp claimants for many years, believes privatization "has become problematic for claimants dealing with Workers' Comp insurance carriers who are out of state and not well-trained in West Virginia law.

"It has been a nightmare for certain claimants who get claims mangers who don't properly administer their claims.

"There needs to be more information provided to injured workers about how to file complaints with the Insurance Commissioner when conduct is improper," Howard said.

"When BrickStreet started operating [in 2006], it was able to hire a lot of claims adjusters from the old West Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission, who had more experience and training. I see fewer problems with BrickStreet than with other private carriers. I think it is a training issue," Howard said.

BrickStreet also has its critics. Charleston lawyer James Humphreys, a former Democratic state senator and congressional candidate, opposed the privatization of workers' comp in the Legislature.

"BrickStreet has made an ungodly amount of money," Humphreys said. "Workers' compensation should not be about profits for a corporation. It should be about protecting and supporting injured workers.

Last year, BrickStreet collected $250.6 million in premiums and incurred $102.3 million in losses, according to its annual statement filed on Dec. 31, 2011. The company's net income was $47.1 million

In 2010, BrickStreet reported $263.8 million in premiums, $171.1 million in losses and $52.8 million in net income.

In the 2011 annual report, Burton said the A.M. Best Co., a credit-rating group that helps the financial services industry, gave BrickStreet an A-minus rating. He said that "places our company among the most financially secure insurance providers in the nation."

"Most of the lawyers who were representing injured workers seeking workers' comp have gotten out of it today. They don't do it anymore," Humphreys said.

But Ross Johnson, who owns Mountain State Insurance in Charleston, praises the company.

"The primary thing BrickStreet has done is to reduce the cost of workers' compensation. It has done that in three ways. They reduced premiums, improved workplace safety and improved claims outcomes."

Johnson, whose company has been in business since 1917, said BrickStreet's "adjusters are focused on minimizing the cost of claims and expediting medical care. They also work to create safe workplace environments.

"If there is a person gone from work, it slows production down. If employers can avoid claims to begin with, and have the claims that do happen have a shorter duration, it makes the business run more seamlessly.

As other companies make inroads into the West Virginia workers' comp market, BrickStreet has expanded its business to other states.

In April, the company acquired a small workers' comp insurer headquartered near Pittsburgh. BrickStreet has an office in Chicago and is opening up another regional office in Charlotte, N.C.

"A West Virginia business may have a plant or a mine in Kentucky or Virginia," Obrokta said. "We have to be licensed in those states to sell them workers' comp coverage."

He said BrickStreet is licensed, or has applied to be licensed, in Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama.??

"But we are domiciled in West Virginia. This is our core business," Burton said. "We are writing $250 million in insurance in West Virginia. Between $60 million and $65 million is out of state."

Obrokta believes BrickStreet has done better than many people thought it would after it started back in 2006.

"The state gave us a $200 million loan and 10 years to pay it back. We paid it off in 3 1/2 years," he said.

Reach Paul J. Nyden at pjny...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5164.

?

?

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T-Mobile USA sales training videos pitch Windows Phone, Android, BlackBerry and more

1. wendygarett posted on yesterday, 18:48 4 6

Please tmo, please release the iPhone 5 already..

3. PapaSmurf posted on yesterday, 20:04 2 1

Sorry but I rather not have the iPhone on my network.

4. PersianHobo posted on yesterday, 20:26 6 1

I've had a few customers this week bring in their iphone 5, buy an S3 instead...then heading over to apple to return that junk

5. Whodaboss posted on yesterday, 20:32 0 0

As a TMobile customer for more than 10 years - their Windows pitch goes something like this "This is a Windows device, but have you seen the latest Android phone...." :) Now I just purchase my phones online if I need a new device. Because 8/10 the stores seldom ever had a working Windows device and the sales person always tried to steer you away from Windows devices. But truth be told that may have changed, because like I stated previously I now just go online if I want a new device.

6. PersianHobo posted on yesterday, 20:41 2 0

I think once the htc 8x comes out, that will definitely change if it is true

7. PapaSmurf posted on 50 min ago 0 0

Pretty much. 8X is simply beautiful.

T-Mobile USA sales training videos pitch Windows Phone, Android, BlackBerry and more

Source: http://www.phonearena.com/news/T-Mobile-USA-sales-training-videos-pitch-Windows-Phone-Android-BlackBerry-and-more_id35021

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Seahawks fan's gesture rebuffed by Green Bay mayor

By The Associated Press

Sept. 29, 2012

Green Bay - A Seattle Seahawks fan is trying to smooth things over with Wisconsin after the disputed touchdown call that decided Monday night's Packer game.

Rudy McCoy-Pantoja Jr., a landscaper in Seattle, says he wanted to send local beer, smoked salmon and kringles to Green Bay's mayor, but Jim Schmitt wouldn't accept it.

His office says the mayor doesn't participate with gift exchanges during the regular season.

So McCoy-Pantoja Jr. put his finger on his globe to find a different Wisconsin city and decided on Delavan in southeastern Wisconsin.

Delavan Mayor Mel Nieuwenhuis agreed to exchange gifts. He plans to send six or 12-pack of Miller High Life, cheese and fresh venison he hunted himself.

McCoy-Pantoja tells the Green Bay Press-Gazette someone needed to be positive on this story.

? 2012, Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/seahawks-fans-gesture-rebuffed-by-green-bay-mayor-5g721qf-171954071.html

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Welcoming Your New Life With Unlimited Potential | Rob Moore ...

Personal development requires that you educate yourself. This will ensure that your personal growth will be efficient. There are tons of ways to jumpstart your personal growth, and below you?ll find some excellent ones with which to begin.

Make a decision about where you want to go in life and stick with it. Sitting and thinking about the life you want will not get you that life. Identify your goals and take the necessary actions to make it happen.

Recognizing your limits when performing physical tasks can actually help you meet your goals. While exerting your best effort is admirable, recognize when you have reached your limit. You need to be careful about your physical health even while you are striving to achieve your goals. If you sacrifice the needs of your body, it will greatly hinder your self improvement.

To become a champion, you need an excellent coach. Someone to help guide you is always helpful. Everyone who has ever been good at anything has had help from a coach or mentor. Every person should help others find the way. Without someone to teach them the right way of doing things, it?s impossible to expect them to be able to properly succeed. Everyone who is a great success had a great coach.

You can?t please all of the people, and there?s no use in trying. Please yourself first! This does not mean privileging your happiness to a fault, but it does mean that you must take responsibility for your own happiness. If what you?re doing is true to both your ethics and yourself, then you can be healthier with your path to personal development.

When you are pursuing your personal development goals, having setbacks can be discouraging and make you feel like a failure. Failure is just a learning experience incognito. It shows you what your strengths and your weaknesses are. So, in a way, each failure can be viewed as an opportunity to gather important information of use in your personal development efforts.

If you have extensive personal development goals, consider enlisting the help of a therapist. While self-help books help to a certain degree, seeing a therapist has more personalized substance to it. Sometimes, the best solution comes about through the simple act of talking with a trained therapist. Books can?t talk back like a trained professional, after all.

Encouraging faith by love will lead to a higher level of self improvement. Faith cannot exist without love. You cannot consider your faith satisfactory if you do nothing to express it. Help out those in need, and make sure that your faith really means something by showing love to your peers and yourself.

Perhaps stress is keeping you from feeling happy. You are harming yourself mentally and physically when there is too much stress in your life. Eliminating stress is essential for thinking clearly and achieving goals. Make time in your schedule each day to take a few minutes alone and clear your mind. Having a time to refresh can give you peace and improve your self-image.

Moving toward your goal and meeting your personal needs demands that you do one specific thing to be successful. It is important to play an active role in your own life story, instead of just watching it pass by. Sitting back and watching will make you dull and unhappy.

Dealing with situations rationally is a skill that you can learn from others or teach yourself. Stay graceful under fire, and you will gain confidence that helps in your day to day life. Take the time to reflect on the situation, breathe deeply and relax.

If you are anxious about social interactions, try just going to a movie with a friend. You will be out and about but you don?t have to talk a lot or even see who you?re with most of the time. Eventually, it will be second nature to be around a large amount of people.

Every morning when you wake up, tell yourself that you are going to make today better than yesterday. Try to see each day as a way to improve. Set a goal to do something you couldn?t do yesterday, or improve on something you were able to do.

Getting Rid

By being a leader, you can help improve your personal development. Leadership has many definitions, but many people think of it as ?influence.? Take a look at your leadership journey. Are there events that have had major impacts on your life? How did the events that took place have an effect on you? Which one of your attributes is most influential in making you a good team player? If you explore the possible answers to these inquiries, you will become more capable of functioning effectively in a team setting.

Are you an alcohol abuser? Are you a smoker, or do you regularly engage in something that is bad for you? You should treat your body like a temple, because that?s what it is. Try getting rid of your bad habits; it can be important to making your life better. Look at your life, and decide if you have any bad habits that you need to work on getting rid of.

Treat everyone with respect, no matter what they can do or how much power those people may have. The way you behave toward others has more to do with your personality than with anything they say or do.

Instead of talking up all of your trophies and accomplishments, ask other people about their notable achievements and proudest moments. You?ll be able to find out about the wonderful things the people you know have accomplished, bringing about a new-found respect and admiration for them.

You should know the values that bear importance to you prior to planning a personal development program. Focus on those areas first to make the positive changes that are most important to your happiness. Instead, work on aspects of your life you want to improve that mesh well with your individual beliefs. This will help you make significant changes to your life, both at home and at work.

Having a better life often happens because of willpower, and keep in mind that the things you wish for others might have an effect on you. If you seek a healthy, happy environment, make sure to provide one for others. If you try to remain positive in all aspects of your life, you will not be as likely to get dragged down by sadness, anger and other negative feelings.

One part of depression you may not thought of to look at is your diet and increasing the amount of complex carbohydrates that you consume. A lack of complex carbs can lead to a shortage of serotonin, a significant factor in depression. You can do this by eating more raw veggies, fruits, nuts, brown rice, whole grains and assorted beans.

You should create a list of goals as part of your self improvement efforts. One thing a lot of people lack and what you might want to write down is to have more confidence. The next step is to seek different ways to grow that skill or trait. Once you know what you need to do, you need to put yourself in an environment where you make those things happen. When you tackle it methodically, you give yourself a better chance at succeeding.

You should try to find and read books that tell you about personal development. The best personal development books can give you new ideas and advice that could change your life forever. Try to pick a volume that has already been well-received by others because poorly done books in this category are fairly common.

As stated in the introduction, personal development consists of expanding your knowledge. Gaining this knowledge is important, but it must also be applied. The avenues open to you for self-improvement are many. Your confidence should improve if you apply some of the tips mentioned in this article

Find texts that help you. Some people may look to a religious text, while others might look for inspiring quotes. You may need help staying on top of life and keeping your mind clear, and a trusted book whose words have meaning to you is a great resource to fall back on.

Click The Button Below To Learn How To Make An Extra $400 To $1000 Daily Working From Home

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?Now Is Your Time To Show Up Step Out & Shine?

Source: http://therobmoore.com/2012/09/28/welcoming-your-new-life-with-unlimited-potential/

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Thousands pray for US at 'America for Jesus' rally

Dharma Bohall, 13, extends her arms in prayer during the America for Jesus prayer rally, Friday Sept. 28, 2012, on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. Christian conservatives who blame ?moral depravity? for everything from the recession to terrorism are converging on Philadelphia for a rally they hope will spark a religious revival as Election Day nears. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

Dharma Bohall, 13, extends her arms in prayer during the America for Jesus prayer rally, Friday Sept. 28, 2012, on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. Christian conservatives who blame ?moral depravity? for everything from the recession to terrorism are converging on Philadelphia for a rally they hope will spark a religious revival as Election Day nears. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

People participate in the America for Jesus prayer rally, Friday Sept. 28, 2012, on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. Christian conservatives who blame ?moral depravity? for everything from the recession to terrorism are converging on Philadelphia for a rally they hope will spark a religious revival as Election Day nears. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

People participate in the America for Jesus pray rally, Friday Sept. 28, 2012, on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. Christian conservatives who blame ?moral depravity? for everything from the recession to terrorism are converging on Philadelphia for a rally they hope will spark a religious revival as Election Day nears. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

People participate in the America for Jesus prayer rally, Friday Sept. 28, 2012, on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. Christian conservatives who blame ?moral depravity? for everything from the recession to terrorism are converging on Philadelphia for a rally they hope will spark a religious revival as Election Day nears. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

Donna Shuler, center, participates in the America for Jesus prayer rally, Friday Sept. 28, 2012, on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. Christian conservatives who blame ?moral depravity? for everything from the recession to terrorism are converging on Philadelphia for a rally they hope will spark a religious revival as Election Day nears. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) ? Thousands of conservative Christians gathered Saturday on Independence Mall in Philadelphia to pray for the future of the United States in the weeks before the presidential election.

Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson and Family Research Council president Tony Perkins topped a full day of speakers at "The America for Jesus 2012" prayer rally.

Robertson, a former Republican candidate for president, called the election important, but didn't mention either major political party or candidate by name.

"I don't care what the ACLU says or any atheists say. This nation belongs to Jesus, and we're here today to reclaim his sovereignty," said Robertson, 82, who founded the Christian Coalition and Christian Broadcasting Network, and ran for president in 1988.

Organizers plan another prayer rally Oct. 20 in Washington, D.C., two weeks before President Barack Obama faces Republican Mitt Romney in the presidential election.

Perkins asked the crowd to pray for elected officials including Obama.

"We pray that his eyes will be open to the truth," Perkins said.

A number of event organizers, though, have been vocal critics of the Democratic president.

Steve Strang, the influential Pentecostal publisher of Charisma magazine, which was distributed at the rally, recently wrote in a blog post that America is under threat from a "radical homosexual agenda." He also said Obama "seems to be moving toward some form of European socialism."

And speaker Cindy Jacobs has blamed a mysterious Arkansas bird-kill last year on Obama's repeal of the policy known as "don't ask, don't tell," which allows gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.

Speakers throughout the day condemned abortion, gay marriage and population control as practiced by Planned Parenthood. Christian rock music filled the historic mall as speakers challenged the crowd to overcome the seven deadly sins: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and slothfulness.

The rally was held outside of Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed. Pennsylvania is also where evangelist George Whitefield preached during the first Great Awakening, the 18th-century religious revival that spread through the American colonies.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-09-29-Prayer%20Rally/id-c552bdcb5d10433c89bfe9cdc6f736ba

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Burden of epilepsy in developing world described

ScienceDaily (Sep. 27, 2012) ? The burden of epilepsy in poorer parts of the world could be readily alleviated by reducing the preventable causes and improving access to treatment, according to a review article published September 27 in the Lancet.

The researchers call for greater recognition from international and national health agencies to address the management of epilepsy in the developing world.

Despite being one of the most cost-effective disorders to treat, there are twice as many people living with epilepsy in low- and lower-middle-income countries than higher income nations and more than 60% of those affected in these regions are not accessing any appropriate treatment.

Lead author Professor Charles Newton, who works in the Wellcome Trust programmes in Tanzania and Kenya, said: "Epilepsy needs to be brought into the agenda of non-communicable diseases. It was not mentioned in the UN General Assembly Meeting in New York to address the global burden of non-communicable diseases, and yet it represents a substantial burden of ill health."

Epilepsy is a common disorder, particularly in poor areas of the world, but deriving accurate figures on the epidemiology of epilepsy in low- and lower-middle income countries is very difficult. There have been very few surveys to gather appropriate data and such studies tend to be expensive, especially for countries whose health research funding is likely to be very limited.

Professor Newton and Professor Hector Garcia, both Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellows, conducted a comprehensive review of academic articles about epilepsy in developing countries in order to piece together a picture of the burden of the disease in poorer parts of the world.

They conclude that the high number of people with epilepsy in these regions is likely caused by the higher incidence of risk factors, such as head trauma, complications during childbirth, and parasite infections such as pork tapeworm (neurocysticercosis), and river blindness (onchocerciasis).

The study also reveals the enormity of the treatment gap in poorer nations, with over 60% of people living with epilepsy in low- and lower-middle-income countries not accessing appropriate care. This is partly due to poor adherence to prescribed treatment but there remain huge barriers to accessing care, particularly in rural areas. The stigma associated with the disorder and cultural beliefs around causation is identified as a major problem, along with distance from a health-care facility and inadequate skilled manpower.

The epilepsy burden could be easily reduced by addressing some of the risk factors, say the authors. They highlight several ways in which epilepsy care could be improved at low cost, including by engaging traditional healers who for many people are the only point of care for epilepsy. Given the lack of expertise in management of epilepsy in poorer areas, they suggest that neurologists and psychiatrists should combine to set up services for the management of epilepsy in these regions.

"Sadly, adequate facilities for diagnosis, treatment and on-going management of epilepsy are virtually non-existent in many of the world's poorest regions. Many people with epilepsy or their families do not even know that they have a disorder that can be controlled with biomedical treatment, so it is vitally important that awareness is raised and medical care improved in these regions," added Professor Newton.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Wellcome Trust, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Charles R Newton and Hector H Garcia. Epilepsy in poor regions of the world. The Lancet, Volume 380, Issue 9848, Pages 1193 - 1201, 29 September 2012 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61381-6

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/EQa5c1Zcd2g/120927205459.htm

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Source: http://funclub24.com/2012/09/27/why-you-should-have-cpanel-as-part-of-your-respective-internet-hosting-treatment/

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Rihanna Tweets Prayers to Chris Brown Before Court Hearing

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/09/rihanna-tweets-prayers-to-chris-brown-before-court-hearing/

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New research in Science shows it's not too late for troubled fisheries

Public release date: 27-Sep-2012
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Contact: Ashley Simons
ashley@spitfirestrategies.com
415-412-7957
Bren School at UCSB
University of Washington
California Environmental Associates

Study sheds new light on data-poor fisheries and how recovery can boost seafood supply

A study published in Science magazine contains new population assessments for thousands of fisheries around the globe, providing insight on the health of data-poor fisheries that account for more than 80 percent of the world's catch. The research confirms suspicions that these fisheries are in decline, but it also highlights hope for the future: most of these fisheries have not yet collapsed. If we act quickly to prevent overfishing and allow depleted stocks to recover to sustainable levels, they could provide more seafood over the long-term. This could increase the amount of fish brought to shore by 8-40 percent on average - and more than double it in some areas - compared to yields predicted if we continue current fishing trends.

"Until now, our sense of how fisheries are doing has been based on a minute fraction of the world's fisheries the large, valuable stocks for which we have lots of data," says UCSB scientist Steve Gaines. "This represents only a few hundred of over 10,000 fish stocks. It's a tiny slice that can give us a skewed view."

"For most fisheries, we simply didn't know how many fish were out there and whether their populations were trending up or down," adds lead author and economist Christopher Costello. "Without good information on fish populations, managing sustainably can be a hard thing to do. It's like trying to decide how far you can drive your car without knowing how much gas is in the tank."

The study provides a new global status report that includes these previously unmeasured fisheries. It brings thousands of what managers call "unassessed" fisheries into focus, using new methods to estimate fish populations. The results show that over half the world's fisheries are in decline. Across the globe, stocks with robust data are doing better than those less-studied, regardless of the country that manages them.

"If we look at assessed stocks we can be pretty satisfied that fishery management systems are generally working to assure long term sustainability," says University of Washington scientist Ray Hilborn, a co-author of the study. "For unassessed stocks, this doesn't appear to be true."

The scientists found that for large-scale fisheries, the stocks that we measure and track are at similar levels as those that we have not formally measured. However, under current fishing pressure their futures look very different: the assessed stocks are starting to show signs of recovery, while large, data-poor populations continue to decline. In small scale fisheries, the data-poor or "unassessed" stocks are in far worse shape than their studied counterparts, and many are plummeting at alarming rates. These fisheries are critical to local food security in many parts of the world.

"Without good population estimates, political pressure tends to dominate decision making, and we end up catching too much," says Costello. "Over time, this can lead a fishery to collapse."

"The impact on food security is most significant for local-level fisheries in poorer countries, but this isn't just a developing world problem," explains UCSB ecologist, Sarah Lester. "Small, unassessed fisheries in the U.S. and Europe are often in as bad a shape as those in the developing world."

The scientists caution that the new method cannot take the place of formal assessment programs for individual fisheries, but their approach provides accurate global and regional information that they hope will inform fisheries management decisions. "At a regional scale, we can gain up to 80 percent of the insights of traditional assessment approaches with just 1 percent of the cost," says Gaines.

The Benefits of Recovery Environmental and Economic Gains

The closer a fishery is to collapse, the harder and more uncertain its recovery. However, the researchers say that with prompt action the majority of the world's fish populations could still rebound.

"Strong management could increase the number of fish in the ocean by over 50 percent," says Gaines. "When fish populations are healthy they produce more young. It may seem paradoxical, but we can get more fish on our plates by leaving more in the water."

The gains expected from recovery are most pronounced for small scale fisheries, many of which are in countries that face rapid population growth and depend on fish for local food security. Even in North America and Europe, recovery would bring both economic and environmental benefits.

"The good news here is that it's not too late," explains Costello. "These fisheries can rebound. But the longer we wait, the harder and more costly it will be to bring these fisheries back. In another ten years, the window of opportunity may have closed."

Getting to Recovery Changing the Race for Fish to a Race for Sustainability

The new study in Science is embedded in a larger study, Charting a Course to Sustainable Fisheries, released this week by the consulting firm, California Environmental Associates. This broader study evaluates the successes and gaps in fishery management and conservation programs around the world. It points to the fact that we know how to bring back dwindling fisheries, but political battles often trump putting these concepts into action.

"We know what works. Fishery management policies and practices have been tried, tested, and proven," says report author Matthew Elliott.

In the U.S., for example, many large fisheries are starting to recover. The report's analysis shows that these gains result from a combination of efforts: relying on strong science to set total allowable fishing levels, closing some areas to allow for rebuilding, and using sustainable seafood markets and policies that help fishermen have secure access to a proportion of catch. While there is not a one-size-fits-all solution to eliminate overfishing, the report shows that many of the same principles are applied in successful, local management efforts around the world.

"The key is to use and share these practices more broadly," says Elliott. "In many areas of the world, particularly in the tropics and sub-tropics, we see fisheries expanding quickly with little in the way of management. This research fills an important information gap for these fisheries. We hope it will draw more international attention to fisheries management in the many parts of the world that we have historically ignored."

The scientists and economists involved in the research echo this call for international collaboration. "This isn't something where we need another twenty years of science," says Gaines. "We know what it takes."

"Healthy ocean fisheries hold the potential to feed a growing population without destroying the supporting ecosystems to the point where they no longer produce seafood," adds Elliott. "Within our lifetime, we can make sustainable global fisheries the norm rather than the exception."

###

This work was supported by the Waitt Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and the Oak Foundation. For more information, visuals, or help with scheduling interviews, please contact Ashley Simons ((415) 412-7957, ashley@spitfirestrategies.com), or contact the authors directly:

Steve Gaines Professor and Dean, Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California Santa Barbara. (805) 680-1814 or gaines@bren.ucsb.edu.

Christopher Costello Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics, Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California Santa Barbara. (805) 450-9919 or costello@bren.ucsb.edu.

Matthew Elliott Principal, California Environmental Associates. (415) 820-4420 or matthew@ceaconsulting.com.

Ray Hilborn Professor, Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington. (206) 543-3587 or rayh@u.washington.edu.

Sarah Lester Project Scientist, Sustainable Fisheries Group, University of California Santa Barbara. (805) 893-5175 or lester@msi.ucsb.edu.

---

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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.

Public release date: 27-Sep-2012
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Contact: Ashley Simons
ashley@spitfirestrategies.com
415-412-7957
Bren School at UCSB
University of Washington
California Environmental Associates

Study sheds new light on data-poor fisheries and how recovery can boost seafood supply

A study published in Science magazine contains new population assessments for thousands of fisheries around the globe, providing insight on the health of data-poor fisheries that account for more than 80 percent of the world's catch. The research confirms suspicions that these fisheries are in decline, but it also highlights hope for the future: most of these fisheries have not yet collapsed. If we act quickly to prevent overfishing and allow depleted stocks to recover to sustainable levels, they could provide more seafood over the long-term. This could increase the amount of fish brought to shore by 8-40 percent on average - and more than double it in some areas - compared to yields predicted if we continue current fishing trends.

"Until now, our sense of how fisheries are doing has been based on a minute fraction of the world's fisheries the large, valuable stocks for which we have lots of data," says UCSB scientist Steve Gaines. "This represents only a few hundred of over 10,000 fish stocks. It's a tiny slice that can give us a skewed view."

"For most fisheries, we simply didn't know how many fish were out there and whether their populations were trending up or down," adds lead author and economist Christopher Costello. "Without good information on fish populations, managing sustainably can be a hard thing to do. It's like trying to decide how far you can drive your car without knowing how much gas is in the tank."

The study provides a new global status report that includes these previously unmeasured fisheries. It brings thousands of what managers call "unassessed" fisheries into focus, using new methods to estimate fish populations. The results show that over half the world's fisheries are in decline. Across the globe, stocks with robust data are doing better than those less-studied, regardless of the country that manages them.

"If we look at assessed stocks we can be pretty satisfied that fishery management systems are generally working to assure long term sustainability," says University of Washington scientist Ray Hilborn, a co-author of the study. "For unassessed stocks, this doesn't appear to be true."

The scientists found that for large-scale fisheries, the stocks that we measure and track are at similar levels as those that we have not formally measured. However, under current fishing pressure their futures look very different: the assessed stocks are starting to show signs of recovery, while large, data-poor populations continue to decline. In small scale fisheries, the data-poor or "unassessed" stocks are in far worse shape than their studied counterparts, and many are plummeting at alarming rates. These fisheries are critical to local food security in many parts of the world.

"Without good population estimates, political pressure tends to dominate decision making, and we end up catching too much," says Costello. "Over time, this can lead a fishery to collapse."

"The impact on food security is most significant for local-level fisheries in poorer countries, but this isn't just a developing world problem," explains UCSB ecologist, Sarah Lester. "Small, unassessed fisheries in the U.S. and Europe are often in as bad a shape as those in the developing world."

The scientists caution that the new method cannot take the place of formal assessment programs for individual fisheries, but their approach provides accurate global and regional information that they hope will inform fisheries management decisions. "At a regional scale, we can gain up to 80 percent of the insights of traditional assessment approaches with just 1 percent of the cost," says Gaines.

The Benefits of Recovery Environmental and Economic Gains

The closer a fishery is to collapse, the harder and more uncertain its recovery. However, the researchers say that with prompt action the majority of the world's fish populations could still rebound.

"Strong management could increase the number of fish in the ocean by over 50 percent," says Gaines. "When fish populations are healthy they produce more young. It may seem paradoxical, but we can get more fish on our plates by leaving more in the water."

The gains expected from recovery are most pronounced for small scale fisheries, many of which are in countries that face rapid population growth and depend on fish for local food security. Even in North America and Europe, recovery would bring both economic and environmental benefits.

"The good news here is that it's not too late," explains Costello. "These fisheries can rebound. But the longer we wait, the harder and more costly it will be to bring these fisheries back. In another ten years, the window of opportunity may have closed."

Getting to Recovery Changing the Race for Fish to a Race for Sustainability

The new study in Science is embedded in a larger study, Charting a Course to Sustainable Fisheries, released this week by the consulting firm, California Environmental Associates. This broader study evaluates the successes and gaps in fishery management and conservation programs around the world. It points to the fact that we know how to bring back dwindling fisheries, but political battles often trump putting these concepts into action.

"We know what works. Fishery management policies and practices have been tried, tested, and proven," says report author Matthew Elliott.

In the U.S., for example, many large fisheries are starting to recover. The report's analysis shows that these gains result from a combination of efforts: relying on strong science to set total allowable fishing levels, closing some areas to allow for rebuilding, and using sustainable seafood markets and policies that help fishermen have secure access to a proportion of catch. While there is not a one-size-fits-all solution to eliminate overfishing, the report shows that many of the same principles are applied in successful, local management efforts around the world.

"The key is to use and share these practices more broadly," says Elliott. "In many areas of the world, particularly in the tropics and sub-tropics, we see fisheries expanding quickly with little in the way of management. This research fills an important information gap for these fisheries. We hope it will draw more international attention to fisheries management in the many parts of the world that we have historically ignored."

The scientists and economists involved in the research echo this call for international collaboration. "This isn't something where we need another twenty years of science," says Gaines. "We know what it takes."

"Healthy ocean fisheries hold the potential to feed a growing population without destroying the supporting ecosystems to the point where they no longer produce seafood," adds Elliott. "Within our lifetime, we can make sustainable global fisheries the norm rather than the exception."

###

This work was supported by the Waitt Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and the Oak Foundation. For more information, visuals, or help with scheduling interviews, please contact Ashley Simons ((415) 412-7957, ashley@spitfirestrategies.com), or contact the authors directly:

Steve Gaines Professor and Dean, Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California Santa Barbara. (805) 680-1814 or gaines@bren.ucsb.edu.

Christopher Costello Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics, Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California Santa Barbara. (805) 450-9919 or costello@bren.ucsb.edu.

Matthew Elliott Principal, California Environmental Associates. (415) 820-4420 or matthew@ceaconsulting.com.

Ray Hilborn Professor, Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington. (206) 543-3587 or rayh@u.washington.edu.

Sarah Lester Project Scientist, Sustainable Fisheries Group, University of California Santa Barbara. (805) 893-5175 or lester@msi.ucsb.edu.

---

[ | 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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-09/ss-nri092412.php

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Goodell: 'Never want to see a game end like that'

Getty Images

With the Eagles at 2-1 but feeling like a team that can?t get out of its way, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said Thursday that he hopes quarterback Mike Vick will do more to stay out of the way of defensive players.

?Maybe he needs to move,? Mornhinweg told the media.? ?About half of the time the quarterback needs to move.? It might be subtle or a slide.? It might be up and out, in a full scramble, front door or back door ? all these type of movements.?

Vick seemed to reach a new level two years ago because he was moving less.? Patient in the pocket, Vick waited for opportunities to develop.? This year, it seems like he?s simply waiting to get blasted by a blitzing linebacker.

The hits Vick has taken, coupled with his alarming turnover rate, has prompted calls for the team to spend more time running the ball, especially with LeSean McCoy on the roster.? Mornhinweg doesn?t sound sold on that approach.

?We go after people now,? Mornhinweg said regarding the possibility of making the running game a priority.? ?Look, I tell the players that we?re going to be aggressive.? Again, you can be aggressive in the running game or the pass, but we?re going to be aggressive.? I want them to be aggressive and want them to play without the fear of making a mistake. If you make a mistake, you find the solution and then you correct it fast.? Once you get that thing motoring pretty good, and I think we are closer than it appears, then you?re in pretty good shape both run and pass.

?Normally, many of your runs come in the second half, whether you are close, you are even, or you are up, and with us most of the time.? Not all of the time, but most of time.? Philosophically, I don?t care as much about balance in any particular game.? If we have to run the ball 50 times to win the game, that?s what we?ll do.? If we need to pass the ball 50 times in any particular game, that?s what we?ll do.? Now, you take the whole season and you?d rather be somewhere around 60-40ish, usually a little higher than 60ish maybe 60-65 percent pass.?

It sounds good in theory, but every pass play lately has had Eagles fans holding their breath for the next hit on Mike Vick.? Sooner or later, he?ll absorb a hit that keeps him from continuing.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/09/27/roger-goodell-certain-that-regular-refs-are-ready-to-go/related/

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Netanyahu Calls for 'Clear Red Line' on Iran's Nuclear Program (Voice Of America)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/251520162?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Measuring the universe?s 'exit door': For the first time, an international team has measured the radius of a black hole

ScienceDaily (Sep. 27, 2012) ? The point of no return: In astronomy, it's known as a black hole -- a region in space where the pull of gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. Black holes that can be billions of times more massive than our sun may reside at the heart of most galaxies. Such supermassive black holes are so powerful that activity at their boundaries can ripple throughout their host galaxies.

Now, an international team, led by researchers at MIT's Haystack Observatory, has for the first time measured the radius of a black hole at the center of a distant galaxy -- the closest distance at which matter can approach before being irretrievably pulled into the black hole.

The scientists linked together radio dishes in Hawaii, Arizona and California to create a telescope array called the "Event Horizon Telescope" (EHT) that can see details 2,000 times finer than what's visible to the Hubble Space Telescope. These radio dishes were trained on M87, a galaxy some 50 million light years from the Milky Way. M87 harbors a black hole 6 billion times more massive than our sun; using this array, the team observed the glow of matter near the edge of this black hole -- a region known as the "event horizon."

"Once objects fall through the event horizon, they're lost forever," says Shep Doeleman, assistant director at the MIT Haystack Observatory and research associate at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. "It's an exit door from our universe. You walk through that door, you're not coming back."

Doeleman and his colleagues have published the results of their study this week in the journal Science.

Jets at the edge of a black hole

Supermassive black holes are the most extreme objects predicted by Albert Einstein's theory of gravity -- where, according to Doeleman, "gravity completely goes haywire and crushes an enormous mass into an incredibly close space." At the edge of a black hole, the gravitational force is so strong that it pulls in everything from its surroundings. However, not everything can cross the event horizon to squeeze into a black hole. The result is a "cosmic traffic jam" in which gas and dust build up, creating a flat pancake of matter known as an accretion disk. This disk of matter orbits the black hole at nearly the speed of light, feeding the black hole a steady diet of superheated material. Over time, this disk can cause the black hole to spin in the same direction as the orbiting material.

Caught up in this spiraling flow are magnetic fields, which accelerate hot material along powerful beams above the accretion disk The resulting high-speed jet, launched by the black hole and the disk, shoots out across the galaxy, extending for hundreds of thousands of light-years. These jets can influence many galactic processes, including how fast stars form. 'Is Einstein right?'

A jet's trajectory may help scientists understand the dynamics of black holes in the region where their gravity is the dominant force. Doeleman says such an extreme environment is perfect for confirming Einstein's theory of general relativity -- today's definitive description of gravitation.

"Einstein's theories have been verified in low-gravitational field cases, like on Earth or in the solar system," Doeleman says. "But they have not been verified precisely in the only place in the universe where Einstein's theories might break down -- which is right at the edge of a black hole."

According to Einstein's theory, a black hole's mass and its spin determine how closely material can orbit before becoming unstable and falling in toward the event horizon. Because M87's jet is magnetically launched from this smallest orbit, astronomers can estimate the black hole's spin through careful measurement of the jet's size as it leaves the black hole. Until now, no telescope has had the magnifying power required for this kind of observation.

"We are now in a position to ask the question, 'Is Einstein right?'" Doeleman says. "We can identify features and signatures predicted by his theories, in this very strong gravitational field."

The team used a technique called Very Long Baseline Interferometry, or VLBI, which links data from radio dishes located thousands of miles apart. Signals from the various dishes, taken together, create a "virtual telescope" with the resolving power of a single telescope as big as the space between the disparate dishes. The technique enables scientists to view extremely precise details in faraway galaxies.

Using the technique, Doeleman and his team measured the innermost orbit of the accretion disk to be only 5.5 times the size of the black hole event horizon. According to the laws of physics, this size suggests that the accretion disk is spinning in the same direction as the black hole -- the first direct observation to confirm theories of how black holes power jets from the centers of galaxies.

The team plans to expand its telescope array, adding radio dishes in Chile, Europe, Mexico, Greenland and Antarctica, in order to obtain even more detailed pictures of black holes in the future.

Christopher Reynolds, a professor of astronomy at the University of Maryland, says the group's results provide the first observational data that will help scientists understand how a black hole's jets behave.

"The basic nature of jets is still mysterious," Reynolds says. "Many astrophysicists suspect that jets are powered by black hole spin ... but right now, these ideas are still entirely in the realm of theory. This measurement is the first step in putting these ideas on a firm observational basis."

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The original article was written by Jennifer Chu, MIT News Office.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Sheperd S. Doeleman, Vincent L. Fish, David E. Schenck, Christopher Beaudoin, Ray Blundell, Geoffrey C. Bower, Avery E. Broderick, Richard Chamberlin, Robert Freund, Per Friberg, Mark A. Gurwell, Paul T. P. Ho, Mareki Honma, Makoto Inoue, Thomas P. Krichbaum, James Lamb, Abraham Loeb, Colin Lonsdale, Daniel P. Marrone, James M. Moran, Tomoaki Oyama, Richard Plambeck, Rurik A. Primiani, Alan E. E. Rogers, Daniel L. Smythe, Jason SooHoo, Peter Strittmatter, Remo P. J. Tilanus, Michael Titus, Jonathan Weintroub, Melvyn Wright, Ken H. Young, and Lucy Ziurys. Jet-Launching Structure Resolved Near the Supermassive Black Hole in M87. Science, 2012; DOI: 10.1126/science.1224768

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/WBh_ukb1cjY/120927144526.htm

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Unusual Indian Ocean Earthquakes Hit at Tectonic Breakup

April 2012 quakes occurred away from plate edges, suggesting formation of a new boundary

By Helen Shen

At least four faults within the Indo-Australian plate ruptured simultaneously in April 2012, resulting in two magnitude-8 earthquakes within two hours. (Red stars indicate the epicentres.) Image: Keith Koper, University of Utah Seismograph Stations

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  Showcasing more than fifty of the most provocative, original, and significant online essays from 2011, The Best Science Writing Online 2012 will change the way...

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By Helen Shen of Nature magazine

A pair of massive earthquakes that rocked the Indian Ocean on 11 April 2012 may signal the latest step in the formation of a new plate boundary within Earth?s surface.

Geological stresses rending the Indo-Australian plate apart are likely to have caused the magnitude-8.6 and magnitude-8.2 quakes, which broke along numerous faults and unleashed aftershocks for 6 days afterwards, according to three papers published online today in Nature.

Seismologists have suspected since the 1980s that the Indo-Australian plate may be breaking up. But the 11 April earthquakes represent ?the most spectacular example? of that process in action, says Matthias Delescluse, a geophysicist at the Ecole Normale Sup?rieure in Paris and lead author of the first paper. Worldwide, ?it?s the clearest example of newly formed plate boundaries,? he says.

According to prevailing theories of plate tectonics, the Indo-Australian plate began to deform internally about 10 million years ago. As the plate moved northwards, the region near India crunched against the Eurasian plate, thrusting the Himalayas up and slowing India down. Most scientists think that the Australian portion forged ahead, creating twisting tensions that are splitting the plate apart in the Indian Ocean.

Delescluse and his team inferred the presence of these seismic stresses by modeling stress changes from shortly before the 2012 earthquakes. They found that two earlier earthquakes along the eastern plate boundary ? the magnitude-9.1 tremor in 2004 that unleashed a massive tsunami across the Indian Ocean, and another quake in 2005 ? probably triggered the 2012 event by adding to pent-up stresses in the plate?s middle region.

Gregory Beroza, a seismologist at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, says that the model is a likely explanation. ?The 2004 and 2005 earthquakes by themselves would not have caused this other earthquake. There had to be other stresses,? he says.
Slip-sliding away

Most large earthquakes occur when two plates collide at their boundaries, and one plate slides beneath the other. By contrast, when plates or portions of plates slip horizontally along a fault line, this usually results in smaller, 'strike-slip' earthquakes.

However, the first 11 April event defied expectations as the largest strike-slip earthquake on record, and one of the strongest to occur away from any conventional plate boundaries.

In the second study, researchers found that the accumulated stresses spread over the plate?s interior broke free in the first 11 April event, resulting in one of the most complex fault patterns ever observed. Unlike most earthquakes that shake along a single fault, this one ruptured along four faults, one of which slipped as much as 20?30 meters.

?This earthquake, it was a ?gee whiz?,? says study author Thorne Lay, a seismologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Previous work had already identified multiple strike-slip faults for the magnitude-8.6 earthquake, but no other study had analyzed the slip amounts in such detail. Beroza says that Lay and his team ?do a splendid job of picking apart this very important earthquake? in their paper.

Lasting impressions
Although much attention has focused on how the earthquakes played out, some researchers are also studying the after-effects of the giant tremor. In a third study, scientists found that for six days following the event, earthquakes of magnitude 5.5 and greater occurred at almost five times their normal rate all around the world.

?Aftershocks are usually restricted to the immediate vicinity of a main shock,? says lead author Fred Pollitz, a geophysicist at the US Geological Survey in Menlo Park, California. He says that the 11 April example should challenge conventional definitions of how soon and how close aftershocks can occur to large earthquakes.

?Every earthquake is important to study, but this earthquake is rather unique,? says Hiroo Kanamori, a seismologist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. With so many unusual characteristics to examine, the 11 April earthquake sequence may continue for some time to expand researchers? ideas of how earthquakes can occur.

This article is reproduced with permission from the magazine Nature. The article was first published on September 26, 2012.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=16826bd19df90a89b9fb47eaa3f4ac9e

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Is This the Most Stunning Shuttle Flyover Ever? [Image Cache]

I don't know if it's the most stunning or not—NYC was pretty awesome—but Endeavour looks absolutely magnificent flying over Los Angeles en route to LAX. The sense of scale is absolutely fantastic. What a beautiful shot. Click to see the ultra-HD version. [APOD] More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/UfHOjMcQG_o/is-this-the-most-stunning-shuttle-flyover-ever

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Countdown Starts for Daredevil Space Jump [Video]

October 8th. That's the final launch date for fearless Felix Baumgartner, the daredevil that is going to jump from the edge of space. The 42-year-old Baumgartner is eager to attempt the record-breaking super-sonic parachute jump. He says that he feels like wild animal in a cage right now. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/fPAYIcjhQaQ/countdown-starts-for-daredevil-space-jump

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