Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/307618614?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Friday, May 24, 2013
Thursday, May 23, 2013
DNA damage: The dark side of respiration
May 22, 2013 ? Adventitious changes in cellular DNA can endanger the whole organism, as they may lead to life-threatening illnesses like cancer. Researchers at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich now report how byproducts of respiration cause mispairing of subunits in the double helix.
The DNA in our cells controls the form and function of every cell type in our bodies. The instructions for this are encoded in the linear sequence of the four subunits found in DNA, the bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T). Random changes in the sequence can lead to cell dysfunction, and may result in unrestricted cell proliferation and malignancies. Mutations can be induced by a variety of agents. For example, cellular respiration, i.e. the reduction of inspired oxygen to water, which powers cell function, also generates highly reactive oxygen species that can damage DNA, with the purine bases G and A being particularly susceptible to this kind of attack.
"Reactive oxygen species are responsible for two different sorts of DNA damage, as they induce formation of both 8-oxo-G and FaPy-G," says Professor Thomas Carell of the Department of Chemistry at LMU. In 2004, work done by Carell and his team defined how 8-oxo-G generates mutations. However, the basis for the mutagenic effect of FaPy-G has remained obscure -- until now. In their latest publication, Carell and his colleagues describe how FaPY-G leads to mispairing of bases in the double helix.
Pernicious partner swapping One G in one strand of the double helix normally matches up with a C on the other, forming a G:C pair. But as a consequence of damage by reactive oxygen species, the guanine base may be transformed into FaPy-G, so that we get a FaPy-G:C base pair. "We have now shown that, in the course of DNA replication prior to cell division, FaPy-G interacts with adenine, leading to the formation of FaPy-G:A base pairs. This partner swap is unusual, since unmodified guanine normally does not team up with adenine," Carell notes.
FaPy-G is subsequently recognized as abnormal and is removed by DNA repair enzymes. The missing base is replaced by a T -- which is the usual partner for A. The net result is that the original G:C base pair has been converted into an A:T pair, and the base sequence has undergone a potentially dangerous mutation.
This outcome is made possible by the fact that the cell's damage-control systems find it surprisingly difficult to distinguish the normal guanine base from its aberrant derivative FaPy-G during DNA replication. "That this defect then leads to mispairing with adenine is one of the main reasons for the spontaneous development of tumors," says Carell. "So with every breath we take, our risk of getting cancer goes up by a teeny-weeny bit." Further insights into the reasons why FaPy-G often eludes the cell's detection and correction systems could help to improve the treatment of cancer, as the inhibition of DNA repair processes in tumor cells increases their sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs.
The study was supported by DFG grants awarded to Collaborative Research Centers 646 and 749 and the Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), an Excellence Cluster.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/K_DveC7YrDs/130522085333.htm
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Scherzer retires 22 straight, Tigers top Indians
By TOM WITHERS
AP Sports Writer
Associated Press Sports
updated 10:26 p.m. ET May 21, 2013
CLEVELAND (AP) - Other than the first inning, Max Scherzer was flawless.
At the perfect time for the Tigers.
Scherzer retired 22 straight after giving up two hits and a run in the first and Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer, leading Detroit to a 5-1 win over Cleveland on Tuesday night to stop the Indians' winning streak at five and trim their lead in the AL Central.
Scherzer (6-0) gave up two singles - one a broken-bat bloop - in the first before shutting down baseball's hottest team for eight innings. The right-hander walked just one and struck out seven, including the final four he faced.
Scherzer's 118th and last pitch was his fastest - a 98 mph heater to fan Drew Stubbs.
"He knew that was going to be it for him," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "He really cranked it up. That was pretty impressive. He did a terrific job."
Cabrera's laser shot in the sixth inning, his 12th homer and fourth in two games, off Corey Kluber (3-3) helped the Tigers win for just the second time in six games. The defending AL champions also moved within 1 1-2 games of the first-place Indians, who have won 18 of 23 since April 28.
"That was a dominant performance," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "His last pitch was 98, and when you're up around 115 or 120 pitches and you have that left in the tank, that's saying a lot."
Scherzer gave the Tigers a much-needed outing and set the stage for Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, who will pitch Tuesday night.
Andy Dirks hit a solo homer in the sixth and had two RBIs as Detroit won the first game of the short, showdown series.
In the first, Scherzer was touched for a leadoff single by Michael Bourn, a one-out base hit by Asdrubal Cabrera and a hard-hit sacrifice fly by Michael Brantley before he made the Indians look silly. He mixed his pitches, had Cleveland's hitters off-balance and grew stronger as the game went on.
"He had his good stuff all the way around from his fastball, a good slider and a good changeup," Bourn said. "He came out and dominated."
Scherzer, who won five straight starts before getting a no-decision in his last outing against Houston, didn't get much support but was so good he didn't need it.
He struck out seven of the last 12 batters, and felt better on his last pitch than the previous 117.
"I definitely had the adrenaline going in that situation," he said. "You know that's your last inning and you throw the ball as hard as you can."
Before the game, Francona said there's a danger in trying to pitch around Cabrera because Detroit has plenty of other dangerous hitters in its lineup.
"I guarantee you if you pitch around him all day, they're going to score," he said.
Kluber went right at Mr. Triple Crown his first two times up, and retired Cabrera on a grounder to third in the first and routine fly to center in the fourth.
But in the sixth, Cabrera, who homered three times in a loss at Texas on Sunday, did what he does best.
Dirks opened the inning with his fifth homer, a drive into the right-field seats to tie it 1-all. Torii Hunter followed with a double that one-hopped the wall in right, bringing up Cabrera with first base open.
Francona elected to have Kluber to pitch to Cabrera, who rocketed an 0-1 fastball over the center-field fence to give the Tigers a 3-1 lead.
Francona said he didn't walk Cabrera because Prince Fielder, Victor Martinez and Jhonny Peralta could have made things worse.
"Nobody out, you're asking for trouble," Francona said. "If you walk him and you have first and second with nobody out, you're putting your pitcher in a tough spot."
Leyland marveled at Cabrera's ability to hit Kluber's pitch.
"The pitch was down and away and he got extended on it," Leyland said. "There aren't many guys who can do that. That's why he is who he is."
Detroit added two runs in the ninth on RBI singles by Dirks and Fielder.
The Indians were missing first baseman Nick Swisher, who was placed on the paternity list before the game after his wife, JoAnna, gave birth to the couple's first child.
With Swisher out, Brantley batted cleanup for the first time this season and his sacrifice fly in the first gave the Indians a 1-0 lead.
Bourn led off with a grounder through the box off Scherzer and raced to third on Asdrubal Cabrera's broken-bat single with one out. Brantley followed with a liner to right-center that was run down by Hunter but was deep enough to score the speedy Bourn easily.
That was it for the Indians, though, as Scherzer shut them down.
NOTES: Cabrera's 195th homer with the Tigers moved him into a tie with Kirk Gibson for 10th place on the franchise list. ... Indians closer Chris Perez has deactivated his Twitter account following two bad outings and harsh comments from some followers. ... A moment of silence was observed before the game for victims of the Oklahoma tornado. ... Leyland said OF Austin Jackson (pulled left hamstring) will likely go on a minor league rehab assignment before he comes off the disabled list. Jackson has been on the DL since May 12. ... RHP Octavio Dotel (sore elbow) is playing catch in Florida. He's been on the DL since April 20. ... The crowd cheered when it was announced the Cavaliers had won the NBA draft lottery for the second time in three years.
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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More newsManager swapping in Los Angeles?
??Mike Scioscia has earned plenty of respect for his performance over the years, but if the Angels cut ties with him, don't expect the Dodgers to be the only suitor.
Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/51959740/ns/sports-baseball/
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Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Zooligans Game Review (prepublished version) ? Father Geek
GD Star Rating
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Please Take Note: This is a review of the game?s final prototype. The art, game bits, and the rules discussed are all subject to change. The game is being reviewed on the components and the rules provided with the understanding that ?what you see is not what you might get? when the game is published. If you like what you read and want to learn more, we encourage you to visit the game?s Kickstarter campaign. Now that we have all that disclaimer junk out of the way, on with the review!
The Basics:
- For ages 8 and up
- For 1 to 6 players
- Approximately 30 minutes to complete
Geek Skills:
- Active Listening & Communication
- Counting & Math
- Logical & Critical Decision Making
- Reading
- Pattern/Color Matching
- Cooperative & Team Play
- Hand/Resource Management
- Auctioning, Bidding, & Trading
Learning Curve:
- Child ? Easy
- Adult ? Easy
Theme & Narrative:
- Gather the right animals to make exciting exhibits to draw in large crowds!
Endorsements:
- Gamer Geeks rejected!
- Parent Geek approved!
- Child Geek approved!
Overview
Do you remember your first time to the zoo as a child? That moment when you looked into an exhibit and felt like you were magically teleported to the African?savanna?or a tropical rain forest? Zoos have?fascinated?us for generations and serve not only as a wonderful way to learn about the diversity of life on our planet, but also to spark an interest in the?welfare?of animals that have led many to dedicate their lives to protect them. Start your own journey at your gaming table and build a zoo!
Zooligans,?a game designed by?Gregory Hingle and?Dustin Oakley?and to be published by 800 Steps, will reportedly be comprised of 66 Animal cards, 12 Auction cards, 12 Exhibit Goal cards, 6 Zoo Bonus cards, and 6 Continent cards. As this is a review of a prebublished game, we will not comment on the game component quality or layout. Heck, the game components that we have listed are already incorrect based on the overfunding goals that have been reached. You know what? Forget about what we suggest is in the game because we simply don?t know.
Game Set Up
Note: the following game set up is for the standard game only. Refer to the Game Variants section below for details on the different ways to play?Zooligans.
To set up the game, first?separate?all the cards into their individual decks by card type. In total, there should be 5 decks. Each card type (Animal, Auction,?Exhibit Goal,?Zoo Bonus, and Continent) have a specific colored back. This makes the process of?separating?the cards a quick and easy one. Once all the cards are placed into their?individual?decks by card type, shuffle each deck?thoroughly.
Second, deal out 2 Zoo Bonus cards and read them out loud to the table. Set the Zoo Bonus cards to one side of the playing area, face-up, and place the remaining Zoo Bonus cards back in the game box.
Third, deal 1 Continent card to each player, face-down. Players should look at this card, but never show it to any of their opponents, as these cards are used at the end of the game to score additional points. Any unused Continent cards are placed back in the box. Make sure no players see what Continent cards are removed from the game.
Fourth, take the Auction deck and place it in front of a player, face-down. This player will be the first ?Auctioneer?. If playing with 5 o r 6 players,?deal 2 Auction cards at random and remove them from the game without showing them to any player.
Fifth, deal 3 Animal cards to each player. The Animal deck is then placed in the middle of the playing area, face-down.
Sixth, deal 3 Exhibit Goal cards to the middle of the playing area face-up in a row. Place the Exhibit Goal deck next to the Animal deck, face-down.
That?s it for game set up. Let?s play!
Building a Zoo
The game is played in 12 or less turns that are comprised of several phases. All the players at the table participate in each phase simultaneously. These phases are summarized here.
Note that a player will have 3 different locations of play during the game. The first is their hand which contains any Animal cards they have not yet played. The second is the Animal cards they have played to the table but are not yet assigned to an exhibit. The third is the stack of Animal cards that are under the Exhibit goal cards they have completed.
Phase 1: Auction
The first phase?imitates?an auction of a special group of animals (including a Great White Shark). None of the animals in the Auction deck are necessary to win the game. Indeed, a player might or might not even care for the animal that is revealed if it?weren?t?for the fact that each of the Animal cards in the Auction deck are found all over the world. This is important because at the end of the game players will be awarded additional points for Animal cards in exhibits that match the player?s Continent card. Any Animal card that is ?worldwide? will count as points!
The player who is the current auctioneer will flip over and reveal the top card on the Auction deck and place it down in front of them, face-up Then, starting with the auctioneer, each player has an opportunity to bid on the animal shown on the Auctioneer card. This is done by using the Animal cards that list a coin value on the card?s upper left corner face. The player calls out the card?s value and places it in front of them, face-up. The next player in?turn?order sequence now must either call out a bid using 1 Animal card that is equal to or higher than the last coin value played or pass. Any player who passes is out for the duration of this phase. When all but one player have ?passed, the action phase ends and the Auction card is awarded to the player who won the bid, placing it into their hand and discarding all the Animal cards they used to win the bid. Everyone else?retrieves?their Animal cards.
If there is a tie or no one bids, the Auction card is discarded.
Once the auction is completed, the Auction deck is passed to the next player in turn order sequence to be used by them during the next turn.
Phase 2: Play
The second phase allows each player to play 1 card from their hand to their zoo. This Animal card is placed face-down in front of them. Once every player has a face-down card in front of them, all the played cards are revealed simultaneously. Note that Animal cards are not automatically assigned an exhibit. Thematically speaking, the card being played signifies that the player?s zoo will be?receiving?the animal in question.
Phase 3: Add to Exhibit
The third phase allows the players to?attach their Animal cards to existing exhibits and create new exhibits for their zoo.
Each of the Exhibit Goal cards lists the type of exhibit and the necessary animals that are needed to complete it. Animals are never put into an exhibit until the player has enough to fully complete the exhibit in question. For example, if an exhibit?required?4 birds, the player couldn?t play to the exhibit until they had 4 bird Animal cards. Further complicating the job of each player whilst?planing?their zoo is that each Animal can only be assigned one exhibit, meaning a player needs to determine how best to showcase each of their Animal cards for maximum points (recorded as ?Visitors?) at the end of the game.
When a player has enough Animal cards showing to complete an Exhibit Goal card, they take the Exhibit Goal card and place it in front of them and then place all the Animal cards assigned to it underneath it in a pile. Animals placed in the exhibit cannot be used for anything else in the game, but more Animal cards can always be added to the exhibit.
This exhibit is now complete. If more than one player can successfully complete an Exhibit Goal, the player who can provide more than the minimum number of animals?required?to the exhibit will be able to retrieve the Exhibit Goal card. For example, if 2 players have the 4 bird Animal cards necessary to complete an exhibit, it will only go to one of the two players if one of them chooses to play 5 or more bird Animal cards to it.
When an Exhibit Goal card is completed and claimed, it is?immediately?replaced so there are always 3 Exhibit Goal cards showing. The newly played Exhibit Goal card can be claimed during this phase.
Phase 4: Assign Zoo Bonuses
The fourth phase allows players to assign or move existing zoo bonuses based on any newly acquired or updated exhibits. The two Zoo Bonus cards in play are assigned to the exhibits that best meet the bonus card?s?criteria.?For example, the Most?Endangered?Animals Zoo Bonus card is awarded to the player who currently has the most endangered animals safely guarded in completed exhibits. The Zoo Bonus cards are placed next to the player who gets them. If there is a tie, the Zoo Bonus card remains in the same position it currently is in (either with a player or not yet claimed).
Phase 5 : Trade
The fifth phase allows the players to trade the played and revealed Animals cards that are not yet assigned to an exhibit. If a player wants to participate, they take their hand of cards and place them face-down next to them to signify they are willing to trade. Players now talk among themselves and make as many trades as they like using only the Animal cards that are on the table but not yet assigned to an exhibit. There is no limit to the number of Animal cards that can be traded or how many times a single Animal card can trade hands. When traded, the Animal card switches owners and is placed in front of the new owner along with any other Animal cards they might have.
When a player is done trading, they pick up their hand of cards to show the table that they are no longer interested in trades.
Phase 6: Discard & Draw
The sixth and final phase allows each player to discard any cards in their hand to the discard pile and then draw back up to a maximum of 3 Animal cards. If the Animal deck is ever exhausted, shuffle the discard pile to create a new Animal deck to draw from.
This completes the turn. A new turn now begins with the new auctioneer starting with phase 1 above, unless the endgame has been triggered.
Ending the Game
The game can end several different ways.
- When the last Auction card is played, complete the turn through all the phases and then proceed to final scoring.
- If the final Exhibit Goal card is claimed, all players can now move all their Animal cards that qualify to existing ?exhibits if possible and the Zoo Bonus cards are reassigned where applicable. The Trade and Discard & Draw phases are skipped and the players go immediately?to final scoring.
Final scoring is completed using the following steps.
- Discard all cards still in the players? hands and any Animal cards not yet assigned to an exhibit.
- Add the Visitor number values noted on each of the Exhibit Goal cards and any Zoo Bonus cards.
- Reveal Continent cards and score an additional visitor for each Animal card that meets the Continent card criteria.
Players add up all their visitors and the player with the most visitors has the most successful zoo, winning the game.?Congratulations!
Game Variants
Zooligans comes with several game variants. They are summarized here.
Easy Version
This version of the game is recommended for new players not familiar with?Zooligans or for younger Child Geeks. Only the Animal cards and the Exhibit Goal cards are used (meaning there are no auctions to worry about, no bonuses to fight over, and no continental theme to work towards). This makes the game fast to play and exceedingly light, but it?s very easy to introduce the other decks into the game. For example, the teacher of the game could start with the Animal and Exhibition Goal cards for the first game and then introduce the Continent cards for the second.
Solo Play
Zooligans can be played as a?solitaire?experience. The Zoo Bonus cards are not used and the auction phase is a bit different. When the Auction card is flipped over and revealed, the player decides which one of their Animal cards they will use to bid (bidding is mandatory). The player then flips over the top Animal card from the Animal card deck. If the coin value on the player?s card is higher than or equal to the coin value shown on the flipped over Animal card from the Animal deck, they win the Auction card and discard their card they used in the bid. Otherwise, the Auction card is discarded. Endgame and final scoring is the same as the standard game.
Team Play
Team play allows 4 or 6 players to play in pairs as a single team. Teams sit across from each other and are welcome to share what cards they have in their hand and their Continent cards. Teams can also talk among themselves at anytime during the game to help them make decisions. Team members cannot trade Animal cards among themselves, however. Game play is the same as the standard game, but points are added together from both members of the team to create the team?s score. The team with the highest score wins the game.
Challenge Play
This game variant allows for tournament style game play. The standard game rules apply, but the players will be playing multiple games. After the first game, the player with the least amount of points is dismissed from the table and the remaining players start a new game. After the second game is over, players count their scores and add them to the previous scores from their last game. Again, the player who has the least amount of points is dismissed from the table. Game play continues in this fashion until only one player remains.
To learn more about?Zooligans,?visit the game?s Kickstarter campaign.
Prediction
Zombies and zoos. Two game themes that always tend to draw people to the table. As different as the day is long, and yet they both seem to instantly appeal to players. I can understand the zombie appeal, and it?s perhaps the wonderment that we felt as children that never truly left us as adults that makes us gravitate towards animal games. Or it could be that owning a zoo is the next best thing to owning your very own?amusement?park or candy factory. Regardless of an individual?s personal reasons, zoos and animals always seem to be a hit more than a miss. Even when the ?zoo? theme is more or less pasted on. And for those games where zoos and animals are as much a part of the game as the game itself, the game is even more enjoyable.?Zooloretto Mini is an excellent example of a game where the players are working towards building a zoo, breeding animals, and attempting to (essentially) ?load balance? within a limited space.
I predict?Zooligans will do very well with the Child and Parent Geeks. The game rules describe what sounds like a fast and meaningful game playing experience. There appears to be enough of a challenge in card selection and hand management to make?Zooligans?a card game that demands more from their players than other family friendly card games, which should appeal to the Parent Geeks ? especially those who enjoy more complex games. But?Zooligans is not complex by any means. The icons are easy to match and the means in which players collect points is easy to understand and to utilize. This should make the learning curve a small one for all involved.
For the Gamer Geeks, I think they will ?tolerate??Zooligans at best. The game designers clearly know how games work and have introduced a number of more complicated game mechanism into the game?s overall design. The Gamer Geeks will?immediately?recognize them and then most likely be disappointed. The level of complexity that is introduced through the game mechanisms falls well short of what any Gamer Geek would suggest requires anything more than a brief moment of analysis. Even so, I do not see anything in?Zooligans that will cause the Gamer Geeks to rage against the game. It looks to be solid. All that it appears to lack is enough depth of play to keep the Gamer Geeks interested.
Teaching?Zooligans is best done by dealing a hand and demonstrating each phase. This is because each phase of the game seamlessly blends into the next, but individually is difficult to understand without describing it within the context of what came before it and what comes after it. I?suggest?you also take a moment to ensure that all the players understand how the exhibits are collected and used. Most of our questions were focused on how players could make points and then keep making points throughout the game. You should also make certain players recognize that they will never really know how many points their opponents have because the Animal cards underneath the exhibits are hidden under the card. This fact usually got a few sly smiles from our players.
After teaching the game to my oldest little geek, he felt very comfortable with it and most of his question were about the cards and making sure he understood what I told him.?Zooligans is a game that requires some reading, but not a lot. Depending on your Child Geek?s reading skill level,?Zooligans might or might not be playable by them. For the most part, the icons used in the game will be sufficient. Do invite them to join you at the table as a partner if they cannot read on their own and do take the time to simply read the cards to your Child Geeks. Each Animal card has a lot of neat animal-related information and are fun to talk about. And so, after answering all my little geek?s questions, I asked him his thoughts on?Zooligans so far.
?Got it. I was a bit confused about the Animal cards and how they scored points, but I understand it now. Let?s build a zoo!? ~ Liam (age 8)
His confusion was his misunderstanding of what the coin value and the visitor count values were and meant. To my little geek?s credit, he?s played enough games now to instantly recognize ?money? as often times being points towards the end of the game. Not the case for?Zooligans. Let?s play the card game and see if it allows us to build a zoo full of fun!
Final Word
The Child Geeks had a great time playing?Zooligans and really got into adding?different?animals to their exhibits. They demonstrated a solid understanding of the game rules, but always terribly overbid on the animals in the auction. Never to a point where they lost all their cards, mind you, but it was obvious that many times over they were bidding on animals because they were ?cool? rather than attempting to win them for points. Which, you know, is perfectly fine. It?s hard to tell a player ?you are doing it wrong? if they are enjoying themselves?thoroughly? Best of all, a number of the Child Geeks would take the deck of cards and just read them to learn more about the animals long after the game was over. Zooligans is very easy to understand, and we never saw any of the Child Geeks get lost or confused during the games. At most, they pouted when an exhibit they were looking to claim was grabbed before they had a chance to claim it for their own. And don?t even get me started about how cool they thought the Great White Shark was.?Zooligans was?eagerly?approved by the Child Geeks.
My little geeks reads the facts about his newest animal addition to his growing zoo
The Parent Geeks enjoyed the game on a number of different levels. First, they were in full agreement with the Child Geeks that?Zooligans was a fun game to play. They found it to be very casual and social. They really appreciated that the game play included everyone from the very start. With their peers, the Parent Geeks found?Zooligans to be a bit too simple, but a fun time and an easy game to play with non-gamers or in loud rooms. With their Child Geeks, the Parent Geeks found?Zooligans to be a very worthwhile and educational family game that provided entertainment and knowledge. When the Parent Geeks went to trade with the Child Geeks, they always made it a point to have the Child Geeks read the Animal card out loud and then everyone would comment about how ?cool? or ?awesome? or ?radical? the animal was. According to one Parent Geek,??This is an excellent game to introduce to new players. Lots of neat game rules to play with, and because it?s about animals and zoos, it?s something that everyone can relate to!? Very true. The Parent Geeks? judged the game to be ?OK? at the least and ?Great Fun? at the most. Al the Parent Geeks voted to approve it.
The Gamer Geeks voted to not approve the game.?Zooligans is a very tight and well structured, but it lacks a great deal of the necessary depth,?strategy? and tactics that Gamer Geeks always look for. According to one Gamer Geek, ?This game is very well designed and it?s clear that the game designers knew what they were doing, but ? (long pause) ? it just isn?t a game that I would want to play with other Gamer Geeks.? Another Gamer Geek suggested that it was ?the best animal-themed card game I have ever played.? Despite not getting the coveted Gamer Geek approval, the game was awarded solid nods of respect. They found?Zooligans to be a good game, but would not suggest that it was a card game for the gamer elitist.
Zooligans is a very well thought-out game. Each phase is meaningful, keeps all the players active, and the entire game playing experience is very smooth. The game also promotes conversation and education regarding the many wonderful and highly diverse animals that populate our planet. The only other game I have played that provided so much conversation about animals was?Fauna, which remains one of my more favorite family board games to bring out with mixed groups.
The game simply ?works?, which is great, but it fails to keep more advanced players?interested. As noted by the Gamer Geeks,?Zooligans lacks depth and I agree with the Gamer Geeks and their suggestion that?Zooligans?doesn?t? have much in the way of strategy or tactics. Clearly, players do need to think through their turn, but I believe the game requires a great deal of logical thinking and critical decision making and not an?in-depth?analysis of game play to derive a winning strategy and?competitive?tactics. How to win the game is very straight forward, and there is nothing a player can do to stop other players from getting points other than just being faster.
Even so, I think?Zooligans is a wonderful game. It introduces entertaining game?mechanisms?that are easy to learn and fun to play with. After playing the game a number of times, I am pleased to report that every session left me feeling like I played a game that was worth my time. As far as family focused and casual card games go,?Zooligans certainly fits the mold but does not break it. While it did not please the Gamer Geek in me, I am very pleased with the game from a Parent Geek perspective. If building zoos of your own and learning about animals is your thing, do take a look at?Zooligans.
This game was given to Father Geek as a review copy. Father Geek was not paid, bribed, wined, dined, or threatened in vain hopes of influencing this review. Such is the statuesque and legendary integrity of Father Geek.
Zooligans Game Review (prepublished version),Source: http://fathergeek.com/zooligans_prepub/
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Ready for an all-new iMore show? It's coming your way tomorrow!
The iMore show has been an overwhelming success, reaching more of you, in more ways, then many of us here on the site could have possibly imagined. However, it didn't include you as much as any of us have wanted. Increasingly the iMore show had become more about awesome interviews and less about our even more awesome community.
So, tomorrow, we're changing that. A lot.
Now, the current iMore show isn't going to go away. It too will change. It'll get a new name, and become something closer akin to Debug and Iterate. More on that later, though! For now, here's what's happening with the NEW iMore show:
We're changing the day and time. We're moving it back to Wednesday and we're moving it to the afternoon, Eastern Time. We're still working out the details, and we'll announce the exact time tomorrow. That's right, no more conflict with Game of Thrones, Mad Men, or whatever else you were watching!
Peter Cohen will be our new, fairly consistent co-host, but other members of the iMore and Mobile Nations families will be joining us from week to week as well. Also, we're not going to be abandoning guests entirely. We aim to have some fantastic folks join us as well to help round out the shows and keep up the variety.
And yes, that mean's we're changing the format. As much as being able to do a one man show is important as a last-ditch backup, and as much as I enjoy interviews, what makes iMore great are the many voices we have here. So, we're switching back to the panel-type format we used to use, and that our other site-shows like Android Central and CrackBerry use.
The subject matter we cover will expand from mostly news and hot topics to a better balance of news, apps, accessories, and... Q&A. Yours, the communities, is the most important voice we have and part of our new panel will be YOU. What that means is that we'll be using the chatroom more than ever before, but what's more -- you'll be able to send us audio and video questions or comments and we'll play them live during the show.
Want to be on the new iMore show tomorrow? Here's what you need to do RIGHT NOW:
- Grab your iPhone, iPad, or the device of your choice and record a short (30 second) video asking us your question. Upload it to the internet, and send us the link -- Don't send the video file itself, just the YouTube, Dropbox, or other video hosting link -- to imoreshow@imore.com.
- While we prefer video -- it's a video show! -- audio is fine as a fallback. Just use Voice Memo on iOS, or whatever recording app you like best, ask the question, and email the audio file to <imoreshow@imore.com).
That's it! That's all you need to do to be on the all new, all encompassing iMore show!
We'd also love to hear any other suggestions you may have for the show as well. So, run -- don't walk -- to the comments and let me know. If you could have your dream iMore show, what would it be? What segments would we include? What guests would we invite on? What kind of Q&A would we do?
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/1lU9kNl96aQ/story01.htm
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Cancer Society hits 100 as US cancer rate falls
FILE - In this Nov. 15, 1979 file photo, United States Surgeon General Dr. Julius B. Richmond, at the microphones, kicks off the third annual "Smokeout" rally sponsored by the American Cancer Society in Washington, D.C. as a part of the "Great American Smokeout Day." (AP Photo)
FILE - In this Nov. 15, 1979 file photo, United States Surgeon General Dr. Julius B. Richmond, at the microphones, kicks off the third annual "Smokeout" rally sponsored by the American Cancer Society in Washington, D.C. as a part of the "Great American Smokeout Day." (AP Photo)
This undated photo provided by the American Cancer Society shows Dr. George Papanicolaou, inventor of Pap test, foreground, and his wife, who was also his research partner, in their lab. In the late 1940s, the American Cancer Society advocated wide adoption of the Pap test, which has resulted in a 70 percent decrease in uterine and cervical cancer. (AP Photo/American Cancer Society)
This undated photo provided by the American Cancer Society shows a mammogram procedure. In 2003, the cancer society stops recommending monthly breast self-exams, but continues to urge annual mammograms for women over 40. (AP Photo/American Cancer Society)
In this circa 1936 photo provided by the American Cancer Society, a Women's Field Army volunteer prepares surgical dressings. The cancer society says the Women?s Field Army, an organization of women who took to the streets to educate people about cancer and raise money to save lives, helped build the American Cancer Society and the cancer movement. (AP Photo/American Cancer Society)
FILE - In this Dec. 23, 1971 file photo, President Richard Nixon addresses a gathering in the White House State Dining Room after signing the National Cancer Act, a $1.6 billion federal crusade to find a cure for cancer. Behind the president, from left to right: Rep. Paul Rogers, D-Fla. (in front of flag); Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.; and Rep. William L. Springer, R-Ill. Others are unidentified. (AP Photo)
NEW YORK (AP) ? The American Cancer Society ? one of the nation's best known and influential health advocacy groups ? is 100 years old this week.
Back in 1913 when it was formed, cancer was a lesser threat for most Americans. The biggest killers then were flu, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and stomach bugs. At a time when average life expectancy was 47, few lived long enough to get cancer.
But 15 doctors and businessmen in New York City thought cancer deserved serious attention, so they founded the American Society for the Control of Cancer. The modern name would come 31 years later.
The cancer society's rise coincided with the taming of infectious diseases and lengthening life spans. "Cancer is a disease of aging, so as people live longer there will be more cancer," explained Dr. Michael Kastan, executive director of Duke University's Cancer Institute.
Cancer became the nation's No. 2 killer in 1938, a ranking it has held ever since. It also became perhaps the most feared disease ? the patient's own cells growing out of control, responding only to brutal treatments: surgery, radiation and poisonous chemicals.
The cancer society is credited with being the largest and most visible proponent of research funding, prevention and programs to help house and educate cancer patients.
Last year, the organization had revenues of about $925 million. It employs 6,000 and has 3 million volunteers, calling itself the largest voluntary health organization in the nation.
"The American Cancer Society really is in a league of its own," Kastan said. The rate of new cancer cases has been trending downward ever so slightly.
Some historical highlights:
1913 ? The American Society for the Control of Cancer is founded in New York City.
1944 ? The organization is renamed the American Cancer Society. The change is spurred by Mary Lasker, the wife of advertising mogul Albert Lasker.
1946 ? A research program is launched, built on $1 million raised by Mary Lasker. A year later, Dr. Sidney Farber of Boston announces the first successful chemotherapy treatment.
1948 ? The cancer society pushes the Pap test, which has been credited with driving a 70 percent decline in uterine and cervical cancer.
1964 ? Prodded by the cancer society and other groups, U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry issues a report irrefutably linking smoking to cancer.
1971 ? The cancer society helps lead passage of the National Cancer Act to ramp up research money. President Nixon declares a national "war on cancer," which becomes an extended effort derided by some as a "medical Vietnam."
1976 ? The cancer society suggests women 40 and older consider a mammogram if their mother or sisters had breast cancer.
1976 ? The cancer society hosts a California event to encourage smokers to quit for the day. A year later, the annual Great American Smokeout is launched nationally.
1988 ? Atlanta becomes headquarters for the society.
1997 ? The cancer society recommends yearly mammograms for women over 40.
2000 ? Dr. Brian Druker of Oregon reports the first success with "targeted" cancer therapy.
2003 ? The cancer society stops recommending monthly breast self-exams. But it continues to urge annual mammograms for most women over 40, even after a government task force says most don't need screening until 50.
2012 ? The cancer society reports the rate of new cancer cases has been inching down by about half a percent each year since 1999.
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Tuesday, May 21, 2013
IRS' Lerner refuses to testify before Congress
A teenager from?Saratoga, California took home one of the top prizes at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair?late last week after showing off her invention, which can fully charge a cell phone in 30 seconds or less.?Eesha Khare was given the?Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award and a $50,000 prize for being runner-up in the competition, which was won by a 19-year-old who unveiled a new spin on?self-driving car technology.?Khare?s battery technology requires a new component to be installed inside the phone battery itself, and Intel notes that it also has potential applications for car batteries.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/irs-official-lerner-refuses-testify-congress-210326599.html
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After Getting Booted From Apple's App Store, Mobile Privacy App Clueful Returns On Android
Clueful, the mobile privacy app Apple booted from its App Store for being too revealing -- or possibly because of its own behavior?-- is staging a comeback. This time around, Clueful's maker Bitdefender is targeting Android users instead, with plans to reveal what the apps on your phone are doing, and how your privacy may be compromised in the process.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/lXF6SGj25CM/
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Bill Hader steals the show in starry 'SNL' sendoff
TV
20 hours ago
Ben Affleck joined the five-timers club as host, but departing castmember Bill Hader stole the show on "Saturday Night Live?s" season 38 finale.
Hader gave a cinematic sendoff to Stefon, that perennially irritating scenester kid. During Weekend Update, he faced his usual dressing down from Seth Meyers. Stefon had finally had enough, and announced he?d met someone else and was leaving Meyers. Meyers -- who was joined at the Update desk by former co-anchor Amy Poehler -- ran after Stefon and found him in a church. What came next was a fantastic (and surprisingly emotional) Graduate-themed segment featuring surprise guest Anderson Cooper as Stefon?s fiancee.
VIDEO: "Saturday Night Live": Watch Bill Hader's finest sketches
In the show?s final sketch, Hader, Fred Armisen, Jason Sudeikis and Taran Killam played a British rock band saying goodbyes on the last night of a tour.
?It?s the last night here,? Armisen said.
?But we?re going to keep playing together,? Hader said.
The band began playing a song, and were eventually joined on stage by Armisen?s Portlandia costar Carrie Brownstein, Sonic Youth?s Kim Gordon, the Sex Pistols? Steve Jones, singer-songwriter Aimee Mann, and Dinosaur Jr.?s J Mascis.
Earlier in the week, a report emerged that Armisen and Sudeikis would be leaving the show, and while NBC has not commented on the report, it's worth nothing that Armisen played the leader of the band. The focus was actually more on Armisen than Hader. Based solely on the sketch, signs point to an Armisen exit in addition to Hader's.
But lest we forget the host, it's time to circle back to Affleck. During his opening monologue, the actor-director addressed his odd "Argo" Oscars speech, in which he thanked wife Jennifer Garner but went on to talk about how marriage takes a lot of work. On "SNL," Affleck brought Garner out to discuss what he really meant. What followed was a marital game of ping-pong, with Garner saying she would have described their marriage as ?a gift,? not work, and Affleck fumbling for a better explanation.
PHOTOS: From live TV to the big screen: 12 "SNL" sketches made into movies
Affleck finally found his footing:
"I want to tell you how I wish I had ended that speech: I couldn?t do any of the things I do without you, without your support. You?re my angel, my wife, my world.?
The moment was shattered when Garner pointed out that he was reading the speech off of a cue card.
"SNL" moved on to imagine what would happen if Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Armisen) were to make a movie about Affleck directing "Argo." The result was spectacular. "Bengo F--- Yourself" saw Ahmadinejad wearing a Red Sox cap, doing a Boston accent and pitching his idea for a totally false CIA story. Affleck himself had a role in the movie as a sound technician.
?Why would I appear in this movie? Well, to be honest I?ve long been looking to appear in a movie worse than 'Gigli,'? Affleck said.
VIDEO: "SNL" recap: Zach Galifianakis plays "Game of Game of Thrones"
Affleck sported a mustache and a paunch to play a member of a family of emotionally repressed police officers attempting to toast the engagement of a young female relative. In a less-than-successful sketch, he portrayed a counselor at a camp designed to turn gay kids straight.
"SNL" was on a gay sketch kick, apparently, with a prerecorded segment advertising anti-anxiety medication for people feeling worried about attending perfect gay weddings over the summer. One man (Hader) feared that he was an inadequate dancer at gay weddings, where he said guests knew choreographed Beyonce dances. Another (Moynihan) never had clothes that were good enough, and a third noted that President Barack Obama had called to congratulate his gay friends at their wedding, while at his wedding, his grandmother had called Obama the N-word. Not quite as classy of an event.
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Monday, May 20, 2013
Iran's Guard warns against post-election turmoil
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? A senior commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guard has warned that his forces will be on watch for possible unrest after next month's presidential election, calling the outcome "unpredictable" and sending the strongest message yet against any attempts to revive street protests, media reported Sunday.
The comments by Col. Rasool Sanaeirad point to a wide-ranging effort by Iranian authorities to intimidate opposition groups that could use the June 14 voting for possible political demonstrations.
Pro-reform groups have been under relentless pressure and crackdowns since major protests following the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009. Ahmadinejad is not running in this election because Iran's constitution bars him from seeking a third term.
But the entry of former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani into the race has re-energized reformists and brought backlash from hard-liners. The Guardian Council, a group controlled by the ruling clerics, vets all candidates and a final ballot list is expected on Tuesday.
Sanaeirad was quoted Sunday as saying the "election is unpredictable," but did not elaborate.
He also warned that a "possible riot in Tehran could spread" to other regions, claiming chances for turmoil are heightened because Iran is for the first time holding both presidential and municipal balloting at the same time.
The remarks further suggest that more security controls could be imposed before the election, such as restrictions on the Internet, which was used as the critical tool by the opposition Green Movement in 2009.
Sanaeirad's comments were published in several papers, including the pro-reform Bahar daily.
Despite frequent denials by officials that Internet service will be reduced during the elections, many Web users have complained that services have become very slow and many websites have been blocked, including the pro-Rafsanjani Aftabnews.ir and Meyarnews.com, a site backing another hopeful contender, Ahmadinejad's close aide, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei.
On Friday, a member of the influential parliamentary committee of national security and foreign policy, Mohammad Saleh Jokar, said the government will block "enemies" using the Internet to "instigate people as we witnessed in 2009."
The pro-reform Aftab daily mocked the snail's pace of the Internet, calling it "escargot" and suggesting authorities would be better off to fully halt the net.
Iranians use proxy servers and other methods to bypass censors and access many popular websites, including Facebook and Twitter, and news sites such as BBC and Voice of America.
Presumed candidates on the ballot include Rafsanjani and rivals supported by the ruling clerics, such as top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and former foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati.
A major question is whether the Guardian Council will clear Ahmadinejad's choice, Mashaei. His chances are severely hampered by his association with the president, who has fallen out of favor with the ruling theocracy over his challenges to the authority of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
On Friday, Council chief Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati said the body may disqualify candidates who seek full relations with the United States. Jannati mocked nominees who hope the international sanctions over Tehran's disputed nuclear program will end if the country restores relations with the U.S.
No high-profile candidate has proposed full restoration ? Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic ties since 1979 ? but Rafsanjani has suggested that better relations are possible.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/irans-guard-warns-against-post-election-turmoil-082436418.html
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Inhabitat's Week in Green: Sky City One, sub-zero cafe and the world's longest Lego train track
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.
Eyes in the design world turned to New York City this week as New York Design Week officially launched. We hit the floors of International Contemporary Furniture Fair today to bring you the best new green designs from one of the largest contemporary design shows in the US -- including Blackbody's gorgeous OLED light trees and Tat Chao's ethereal LED lamps made from recycled wine glasses. We also checked out the locally focused BKLYN Designs show, where design duo Bower unveiled an awesome magnetic LED lamp, made from discarded pieces of scrap wood. Lighting designer Adam Frank unveiled three inspiring new designs at BKLYN Designs: the LED Lumen lamp, which casts tree-shaped shadows from a little candle holder; the incredible Reveal Projector, which projects an image of outdoor foliage and sky through a window on a blank wall (good for tiny NYC apartment dwellers); and the 3D Hologram-ish LUCID Mirror, which displays a 3D image of illuminated clouds over your head!
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/syEvTaC7DYY/
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Archaeological genetics: It's not all as old as it at first seems
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 19-May-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Hilary Glover
hilary.glover@biomedcentral.com
44-020-319-22370
BioMed Central
Genomic analyses suggest that patterns of genetic diversity which indicate population movement may not be as ancient as previously believed, but may be attributable to recent events. This study published in BioMed Central's open access journal Investigative Genetics, based in the Netherlands, is able to genetically characterize geographically separated subpopulations within the country and map them to population movement within the last 2000 years.
Looking at more than 400,000 SNPs (genetic variations) of almost 1000 people across the Netherlands, this study found that the genomic diversity across the Netherlands follows a southeast to northwest gradient and that the Dutch population could be separated out genetically into four geographic groups (south, north, central-west and central-north).
These results could be explained by invoking movement of ancient, Paleolithic-Neolithic humans, similar to that proposed to explain the genetic diversity across central entire Europe. However the data also fits a model involving movement of people within the last 70 generations of modern Dutch, for which there is a wealth of archaeological evidence.
Prof Manfred Kayser from the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, who led the study, commented, "Because of the overwhelming geological and archaeological records for strong genetic discontinuities we explain our findings by recent rather than ancient events in Dutch population history. Our results not only are of epidemiological and forensic relevance but additionally highlight that future population history studies need to take into account recent demography before assuming all genetic variation observed is due to ancient events."
###
Media Contact
Dr Hilary Glover
Scientific Press Officer, BioMed Central
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3192 2370
Mob: +44 (0) 778 698 1967
Email: hilary.glover@biomedcentral.com
Notes to Editors
1. Clinal distribution of human genomic diversity across The Netherlands despite archaeological evidence for genetic discontinuities in Dutch population history
Oscar Lao, Eveline Altena, Christian Becker, Silke Brauer, Thirsa Kraaijenbrink, Mannis van Oven, Peter Nrnberg, Peter de Knijff and Manfred Kayser
Investigative Genetics 2013, 4:7 doi:10.1186/2041-2223-4-9
Please name the journal in any story you write. If you are writing for the web, please link to the article. All articles are available free of charge, according to BioMed Central's open access policy.
2. Investigative Genetics is a peer-reviewed, open access, online journal, which publishes articles on the development and application of molecular genetics in a wide range of science disciplines with societal relevance. These include forensic issues and legal medicine, evolutionary, anthropological and historical studies, as well as epidemiology and biosafety.
3. BioMed Central is an STM (Science, Technology and Medicine) publisher which has pioneered the open access publishing model. All peer-reviewed research articles published by BioMed Central are made immediately and freely accessible online, and are licensed to allow redistribution and reuse. BioMed Central is part of Springer Science+Business Media, a leading global publisher in the STM sector. @BioMedCentral
[ | 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.
Public release date: 19-May-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Hilary Glover
hilary.glover@biomedcentral.com
44-020-319-22370
BioMed Central
Genomic analyses suggest that patterns of genetic diversity which indicate population movement may not be as ancient as previously believed, but may be attributable to recent events. This study published in BioMed Central's open access journal Investigative Genetics, based in the Netherlands, is able to genetically characterize geographically separated subpopulations within the country and map them to population movement within the last 2000 years.
Looking at more than 400,000 SNPs (genetic variations) of almost 1000 people across the Netherlands, this study found that the genomic diversity across the Netherlands follows a southeast to northwest gradient and that the Dutch population could be separated out genetically into four geographic groups (south, north, central-west and central-north).
These results could be explained by invoking movement of ancient, Paleolithic-Neolithic humans, similar to that proposed to explain the genetic diversity across central entire Europe. However the data also fits a model involving movement of people within the last 70 generations of modern Dutch, for which there is a wealth of archaeological evidence.
Prof Manfred Kayser from the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, who led the study, commented, "Because of the overwhelming geological and archaeological records for strong genetic discontinuities we explain our findings by recent rather than ancient events in Dutch population history. Our results not only are of epidemiological and forensic relevance but additionally highlight that future population history studies need to take into account recent demography before assuming all genetic variation observed is due to ancient events."
###
Media Contact
Dr Hilary Glover
Scientific Press Officer, BioMed Central
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3192 2370
Mob: +44 (0) 778 698 1967
Email: hilary.glover@biomedcentral.com
Notes to Editors
1. Clinal distribution of human genomic diversity across The Netherlands despite archaeological evidence for genetic discontinuities in Dutch population history
Oscar Lao, Eveline Altena, Christian Becker, Silke Brauer, Thirsa Kraaijenbrink, Mannis van Oven, Peter Nrnberg, Peter de Knijff and Manfred Kayser
Investigative Genetics 2013, 4:7 doi:10.1186/2041-2223-4-9
Please name the journal in any story you write. If you are writing for the web, please link to the article. All articles are available free of charge, according to BioMed Central's open access policy.
2. Investigative Genetics is a peer-reviewed, open access, online journal, which publishes articles on the development and application of molecular genetics in a wide range of science disciplines with societal relevance. These include forensic issues and legal medicine, evolutionary, anthropological and historical studies, as well as epidemiology and biosafety.
3. BioMed Central is an STM (Science, Technology and Medicine) publisher which has pioneered the open access publishing model. All peer-reviewed research articles published by BioMed Central are made immediately and freely accessible online, and are licensed to allow redistribution and reuse. BioMed Central is part of Springer Science+Business Media, a leading global publisher in the STM sector. @BioMedCentral
[ | 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/2013-05/bc-agi051713.php
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Sunday, May 19, 2013
Last-minute fortune seekers buy Powerball tickets
Armous Peterson figures out what numbers he is going to play in the Powerball lottery at Jimmy's Mart on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Columbia, S.C. Peterson keeps track of what numbers he plays from week to week. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)
Armous Peterson figures out what numbers he is going to play in the Powerball lottery at Jimmy's Mart on Saturday, May 18, 2013, in Columbia, S.C. Peterson keeps track of what numbers he plays from week to week. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)
A customer, right, waits for his Powerball lottery ticket at a convenience store in Chicago on Saturday, May 18, 2013. A little more than a year after three tickets split a world-record lottery prize, the jackpot for Saturday's Powerball drawing was nearing historic territory. Should nobody pick the correct six numbers, the prize money will roll over to next week's drawing and almost certainly eclipse the $656 million doled out to winners in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland in the Mega Millions game in March 2012. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
A clerk dispenses a Powerball Lottery ticket in Oklahoma City, Friday, May 17, 2013. Powerball officials say the jackpot has climbed to an estimated $600 million, making it the largest prize in the game's history and the world's second largest lottery prize.(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
A Powerball lottery ticket is printed out of a lottery machine at a convenience store in Chicago on Saturday, May 18, 2013. A little more than a year after three tickets split a world-record lottery prize, the jackpot for Saturday's Powerball drawing was nearing historic territory. Should nobody pick the correct six numbers, the prize money will roll over to next week's drawing and almost certainly eclipse the $656 million doled out to winners in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland in the Mega Millions game in March 2012. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Brianwa Flores, left, and Katie Cosentino from Illinois State Lottery greet hockey fans before Game 2 of an NHL hockey playoff Western Conference semifinal between the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks in Chicago, Saturday, May 18, 2013. A little more than a year after three tickets split a world-record lottery prize, the jackpot for Saturday's Powerball drawing was nearing historic territory. Should nobody pick the correct six numbers, the prize money will roll over to next week's drawing and almost certainly eclipse the $656 million doled out to winners in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland in the Mega Millions game in March 2012. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) ? It's all about the odds.
With the majority of possible combinations of Powerball numbers in play, someone is almost sure to win the game's highest jackpot during Saturday night's drawing, a windfall of hundreds of millions of dollars ? and that's after taxes.
The problem, of course, is those same odds just about guarantee the lucky person won't be you.
The chances of winning the estimated $600 million prize remain astronomically high: 1 in 175.2 million. That's how many different ways you can combine the numbers when you play. But lottery officials estimate about 80 percent of those possible combinations have been purchased, so now's the time to buy.
"This would be the roll to get in on," said Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich. "Of course there's no guarantee, and that's the randomness of it, and the fun of it."
That hasn't deterred people across Powerball-playing states ? 43 plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands ? from lining up at gas stations and convenience stores Saturday for their chance at striking it filthy rich.
At a mini market in the heart of Los Angeles' Chinatown, employees broke the steady stream of customers into two lines: One for Powerball ticket buyers and one for everybody else. Some people appeared to be looking for a little karma.
"We've had two winners over $10 million here over the years, so people in the neighborhood think this is the lucky store," employee Gordon Chan said as he replenished a stack of lottery tickets on a counter.
Workers at one suburban Columbia, S.C., convenience store were so busy with ticket buyers that they hadn't updated their sign with the current jackpot figure, which was released Friday. Customer Armous Peterson was reluctant to share his system for playing the Powerball. The 56-year-old was well aware of the long odds, but he also knows the mantra of just about every person buying tickets.
"Somebody is going to win," he said. "Lots of people are going to lose, too. But if you buy a ticket, that winner might be you."
The latest jackpot is the world's second largest overall, just behind a $656 million Mega Millions jackpot in March 2012. The $600 million jackpot, which could grow before the numbers are drawn at 10:59 EDT Saturday, currently includes a $376.9 million cash option.
Charles Hill of Dallas says he buys lottery tickets every day. And he knows exactly what he'd do if he wins.
"What would I do with my money? I'd run and hide," he said. "I wouldn't want none of my kinfolks to find me."
Clyde Barrow, a public policy professor at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, specializes in the gaming industry. He said one of the key factors behind the ticket-buying frenzy is the size of the jackpot ? people are interested in the easy investment.
"Even though the odds are very low, the investment is very small," he said. "Two dollars gets you a chance."
That may be why Ed McCuen has a Powerball habit that's as regular as clockwork. The 57-year-old electrical contractor from Savannah, Ga., buys one ticket a week, regardless of the possible loot. It's a habit he didn't alter Saturday.
"You've got one shot in a gazillion or whatever," McCuen said, tucking his ticket in his pocket as he left a local convenience store. "You can't win unless you buy a ticket. But whether you buy one or 10 or 20, it's insignificant."
Seema Sharma doesn't seem to think so. The newsstand employee in Manhattan's Penn Station has purchased $80 worth of tickets for herself. She also was selling tickets all morning at a steady pace, instructing buyers where to stand if they wanted machine-picked tickets or to choose their own numbers.
"I work very hard ? too hard ? and I want to get the money so I can finally relax," she said. "You never know."
Officials will conduct the drawing live Saturday night from Tallahassee, Fla.
___
Associated Press Writers Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, S.C., Betsy Blaney in Lubbock, Texas, Russ Bynum in Savannah, Ga., John Rogers in Los Angeles and Verena Dobnick in New York contributed to this report.
___
Follow Barbara Rodriguez at http://twitter.com/bcrodriguez
Associated Press
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