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Feb. 10, 2013 ? An international team of scientists led by King's College London has discovered 24 new genes that cause refractive errors and myopia (short-sightedness).
Myopia is a major cause of blindness and visual impairment worldwide, and currently there is no cure. These findings, published February 10 in the journal Nature Genetics, reveal genetic causes of the trait, which could lead to finding better treatments or ways of preventing the condition in the future.
Thirty per cent of Western populations and up to 80 per cent of Asian people suffer from myopia. During visual development in childhood and adolescence the eye grows in length, but in myopes it grows too long, and light entering the eye is then focused in front of the retina rather than on it. This results in a blurred image. This refractive error can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses or surgery. However, the eye remains longer, the retina is thinner, and this may lead to retinal detachment, glaucoma or macular degeneration, especially with higher degrees of myopia. Myopia is highly heritable, although up to now, little was known about the genetic background.
To find the genes responsible, researchers from Europe, Asia, Australia and the United States collaborated as the Consortium for Refraction and Myopia (CREAM). They analysed genetic and refractive error data of over 45,000 people from 32 different studies, and found 24 new genes for this trait, and confirmed two previously reported genes. Interestingly, the genes did not show significant differences between the European and Asian groups, despite the higher prevelance among Asian people. The new genes include those which function in brain and eye tissue signalling, the structure of the eye, and eye development. The genes lead to a high risk of myopia and carriers of the high-risk genes had a tenfold increased risk.
It was already known that environmental factors, such as reading, lack of outdoor exposure, and a higher level of education can increase the risk of myopia. The condition is more common in people living in urban areas. An unfavourable combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors appears to be particularly risky for development of myopia. How these environmental factors affect the newly identified genes and cause myopia remains intriguing, and will be further investigated by the consortium.
Professor Chris Hammond from the Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology at King's College London, and lead author of the paper, said: 'We already knew that myopia -- or short-sightedness -- tends to run in families, but until now we knew little about the genetic causes. This study reveals for the first time a group of new genes that are associated with myopia and that carriers of some of these genes have a 10-fold increased risk of developing the condition.
'Currently myopia is corrected with glasses or contact lenses, but now we understand more about the genetic triggers for the condition we can begin to explore other ways to correct it or prevent progression. It is an extremely exciting step forward which could potentially lead to better treatments or prevention in the future for millions around the world.'
Currently, possibilities to reduce progression of myopia are very limited. While one drug, called atropine, may reduce progression, it dilates the pupil and causes problems with light sensitivity and difficulty with reading. New options are necessary. Chances are good that the insights gained from this study will provide openings for development of new strategies.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by King's College London, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
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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/~3/A79LABKE1F0/130210143252.htm
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FILE ? In this Jan. 24, 2012, file photo President Barack Obama reaches out to shake hands after giving his State of the Union address on Capitol Hill in Washington. Obama will center his upcoming Feb. 12, 2013, State of the Union address on boosting job creation and economic growth, underscoring the degree to which the shaky economy threatens his ability to pursue other second-term priorities, including immigration reform and climate change. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
FILE ? In this Jan. 24, 2012, file photo President Barack Obama reaches out to shake hands after giving his State of the Union address on Capitol Hill in Washington. Obama will center his upcoming Feb. 12, 2013, State of the Union address on boosting job creation and economic growth, underscoring the degree to which the shaky economy threatens his ability to pursue other second-term priorities, including immigration reform and climate change. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Reviving his populist re-election message, President Barack Obama will press a politically-divided Congress to approve more tax increases and fewer spending cuts during a State of the Union address focused on stabilizing the middle class and repairing the still-wobbly economy.
The agenda Obama will outline Tuesday before a joint session of Congress will include more money for infrastructure, clean energy technologies and manufacturing jobs, as well as expanding access to early childhood education.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said Obama would outline "his plan to create jobs and grow the middle class" as the nation struggles with persistently high unemployment.
Some of Obama's job ideas will be repackaged versions of proposals he made during his first term, though aides say there will be some new initiatives, too. All of the economic proposals are expected to echo themes from Obama's re-election campaign, which focused on using increased spending to generate jobs, protecting programs to help the middle class, and bringing down the deficit in part by culling more tax revenue from the wealthiest Americans.
Obama has called for raising more revenue through closing tax breaks and loopholes, but he has not detailed a list of targets. He and his aides often mention as examples of unnecessary tax breaks a benefit for owners of private jets and tax subsidies for oil and gas companies. Such measures are modest, however. Ending the corporate plane and oil and gas breaks would generate about $43 billion in revenue over 10 years.
Republicans have shown little sign of falling in line behind the president as he starts his second term, particularly when it comes to taxes.
"Clearly the president wants more revenue for more government," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in an interview. "He's gotten all the revenue he's going to get. Been there, done that."
The backdrop for Obama's address will be a March 1 deadline for averting automatic across-the-board spending cuts, known as the sequester. The president wants lawmakers to push that deadline back for a second time to create space for a larger deficit-reduction deal, one he hopes would include a balance of targeted cuts and increased tax revenue. Republicans want to offset the sequester with spending cuts alone.
As he addresses lawmakers and the American people, Obama is expected to say that government entitlement programs should be on the table in deficit reduction talks. But he will also make the case that programs that help the middle class, the poor and the elderly must be protected.
In keeping with that approach, the White House said Monday that Obama would not consider increasing the Medicare eligibility age as a way to reduce spending.
The president's focus on the economy and deficit reflects the top concerns of many Americans. A Quinnipiac University poll out Monday showed than 35 percent of registered voters are most interested in hearing the president during the State of the Union address the economy, more than any other issue. The federal deficit came in second, with 20 percent saying that was the issue they were most interested in hearing Obama discuss.
The poll also suggested that the slow but steady economic gains throughout Obama's first term may not be trickling down to many Americans. More than 50 percent of registered voters said they thought the economy was still in a recession and 79 percent described the economy as "not so good" or "poor."
Obama will also press Congress to support his proposals for overhauling the nation's immigration laws and tighten gun measures, though his remarks on both issues are expected to break little new ground and largely reflect his previous statements.
Still, the White House and some lawmakers will aim to use the atmospherics of the annual address to Congress to rally support for stricter gun laws.
Some lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, are bringing victims of gun violence and their families as their guests Tuesday. And Michelle Obama will be sitting with the parents of slain 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton, the Chicago teenager killed by gunfire days after performing in the inaugural parade.
Foreign policy will take a backseat to domestic issues, though Obama may discuss next steps for drawing down U.S. troops from Afghanistan and reducing the nation's nuclear stockpile.
The administration has developed a consensus around cutting down to between 1,000 and 1,100 deployed weapons. While Obama is not expected to outline a specific number during his address, the administration wants to emphasize that it wants to work with Russia on mutually supporting moves toward weapons reductions below the ceiling of 1,550 set in the New START accord that took effect in 2011. The State Department's point person on nuclear arms control, Rose Gottemoeller, is in Moscow this week to consult on possible next steps.
The president will follow up his State of the Union address with three days of travel around the country. He'll start Wednesday in Asheville, N.C., where he'll visit Linamar Corp., a supplier of engine and transmission components that has expanded its manufacturing operations.
Obama is expected to reiterate his calls for revitalizing the U.S. manufacturing sector, perhaps reviving his campaign pledge to create 1 million new manufacturing jobs during his second term. Following a sluggish 2012, manufacturing grew at a faster pace last month, driven by an increase in new orders and more hiring at factories.
On Thursday, Obama will press for expanded early childhood education, perhaps going so far as to call for universal pre-school, when he travels to the Atlanta area. He'll speak at the College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center, which offers programs for infant, toddler, preschool, and pre-kindergarten students.
The president will also speak about the economy and gun violence Friday in his hometown of Chicago.
___
Associated Press National Security Writer Robert Burns and AP News Survey Specialist Dennis Junius contributed to this report.
___
Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC
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GUANTANAMO BAY NAVY BASE, Cuba ? The boat people trying to reach U.S. soil are imaginary and so is the Caribbean nation in crisis. But the Army general who flew in from Texas to take charge is the real deal for hundreds of troops rehearsing to get ready for a humanitarian crisis.
Guant?namo?s airstrip was abuzz this weekend as about 500 troops descended for an every-other-year drill whose name reflects how little the military wants to draw attention to it ? Exercise Integrated Advance.
For a week, soldiers, sailors and Homeland Security officials are rehearsing how to manage an imaginary humanitarian-relief crisis inspired by the tens of thousands of Haitians and Cubans who overwhelmed this base in the 1990s.
But the exact nature of the scenario ? how many migrants flood the base, whether there?s unrest, disease, spies in the tent camps ? is all classified. Only Pentagon-approved photos of the exercise will be released, and the people involved in acting out the episode from here to Miami to Washington, D.C., are sworn to secrecy.
That?s because nobody wants news about it to touch off a real, live Caribbean exodus. The intent, say organizers, is not to encourage anyone in the Caribbean to get on rafts to reach this Navy base in southeast Cuba, but to be ready in case it happens.
Is the scenario driven by political unrest or a natural disaster?
All Army Col. Greg Julian, spokesman for the U.S. Southern Command, will say is that this 21st century war-game is about a ?mass migration event in the Caribbean.?
One thing they?ll rehearse is registering 1,000 migrants in a single day. And if history is any guide, the actors should cram inside the processing tent ? desperate, undocumented and disorganized.
?We certainly wouldn?t want to instigate a real event,? said Julian from Southcom, which is spending $2.7 million on the exercise, nearly half of it on transportation for troops and supplies from its Army South headquarters in San Antonio, Texas.
So, ?We generally won?t use a nation. We use ?country 1,? ?country 2? because we don?t want to get into any political issues.?
The exercise is occurring less than a month after Cuba abandoned a policy of requiring citizens to get exit visas to leave the island legally.
But so far, the U.S. government has detected ?no spike or anything? of Cubans trying to reach U.S. soil either by land or sea, said a federal official who spoke on condition he not be named because he was not authorized to discuss the Pentagon?s drill.
The drill was planned long before Cuba changed its exit-visa policy, with U.S. government divisions that would answer to the Department of Homeland Security rehearsing a reaction to ?whatever that push factor is going to be,? from ?political activity? to ?natural disaster.?
?It helps us to make sure all the ducks are in a row,? Julian added, ?if and when we have to kick this off for real.?
The International Organization for Migration is taking part; the International Committee of the Red Cross is not.
Meantime, just to make sure there?s no misunderstandings, the Navy captain in charge of the base here used the occasion of his monthly meeting with a Cuban Army officer at the U.S. Marine Corps fence line to notify the military across the minefield of the reason for the U.S. troop build-up.
Planners decided against erecting model tent cities for migrants around rows of cinder-block bathrooms and showers the Bush administration had a contractor build in scrubby fields on the base in 2007, just in case. But there?s a razor-wire-ringed command-and-control center for Army Maj. Gen. Frederick Rudesheim ? the Army South commander in charge of troops reacting to fake news reports prepared by a training unit in Norfolk, Va., featuring fake TV anchors introducing fake interviews interspersed with real historical footage.
With U.S. forces in constant rotation, ?to work together in an exercise before we actually have to do it in a real world situation is very important,? said Army Col. Jane Crichton, leading the public affairs portion of the exercise ? what you tell the world, what images you release.
?Exercising doing simulation is harder than what you?d do in reality,? the colonel added, because they?re compressing a potential crisis spanning weeks or months into days.
This 45-square-mile base mostly looks like a small town with a McDonalds, pleasure-boat marina and two free open-air movie theaters.
But it has long served as a U.S. military safe haven in the Caribbean.
In 2010, the State Department used its airstrip as a massive way station of relief supplies to quake-shattered Haiti. Between 1984 and 1986, Guant?namo sheltered more than 50,000 Haitians and Cubans from the golf course to a stretch of land overlooking the sea where they?d been picked up fleeing their nations.
Now the Pentagon?s prison for 166 captives has become part of the routine ? run by 1,700 U.S. military and civilian contractors, atop the place that provided safe haven in the 1980s.
So on the Windward side of the base this weekend, sailors and other residents spent the weekend fishing on the bay, at the beaches or cruising the waters in recreation boats from an $8.9 million marina rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy smashed up the place.
On the Leeward side, the atmosphere bristled with purpose ? flights discharged relatives of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks for the latest pre-trial hearings at the war-crimes tribunals while, just beyond the airstrip, Army South was conjuring up classified challenges of a faux migrant crisis.
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Web marketing creates the possibility of reaching tons of people if performed correctly. There are more ways than ever to bring in new customers and keep them engaged. The following article offers many new and exciting ways you can interact with your clients through Website marketing.
Keep focused and have goals when you first start working with internet marketing. Don?t give up before you see success. Even if you are close to giving up do not do it! You may be so close to the prize. Make sure that you have covered all of your bases before opening your sales website. Oftentimes, Online marketing requires consistent and painstaking work. The effort you put in will pay off over time.
Sometimes webmasters forget the benefit of keeping websites clean and simple. Multimedia programs like Flash and Silverlight are very tempting to site owners so many designers use them when building sites. The smart website owners will not include fancy technology, as they know it will drive away visitors that do not want to bother with multimedia tools. Functionality and readability are the most important elements of any website.
TIP! Try to get notable and respected people within your industry to give testimonials or advice on your site. Be sure you get legal permission prior to publishing anything in order to avoid big legal repercussions.
It is not necessary to spend a lot of money on a consultant for your marketing business as there are many resources available online to help you decide on your marketing approach. You can join online business communities, read marketing blogs, attend local business development seminars and conferences, and download and study e-books.
If you really want visitors to stop by your site and to keep coming back, then it?s important that you work to ensure your site is as original and exciting as possible. You could draw industry related cartoons about your product or industry, or offer them an e-book that will give them tools to be successful. Giving people something they can?t get anywhere else gives you a great hook you can use to market your site.
If you are good at creating an Ezine, it can be an on-going effective marketing technique where you can build a following with the people who subscribe to it. Add personality with photographs of you and your family or staff. Anecdotes about your life, at work or at home, may amuse your readers and build a relationship. Having a good subject line will encourage them to read the ezine.
TIP! It is most important that your customers trust you and that you maintain their trust. When you are coming up with your marketing ideas, make sure all of the information that you plan on using can be supported with facts.
Be sure you are up to date on all the services and features the Internet has to offer. The online world is always changing, so staying up-to-date with these changes allows you to make your product known the proper way.
You should ask for feedback all of the time. This is often critical in determining your success, as how you perceive things is not always the same as how others see them. Get as many people as you can to give you their honest thoughts. Take all feedback under advisement and make any changes that you see fit.
Marketing is all about finding a need and filling that need. When you start your day, create a list of questions that need answering. When you solve someone?s problem, not only will they become loyal customers, they will also tell their friends about their good experience.
TIP! Consider creating a public relations web page for your business as a possible internet marketing strategy. You could also try to get some of the content on this page published in newspapers and online magazines.
Email can be a good marketing tool. Newsletters can provide vital information to your audience and also persuade them to buy! It is important that your subscriber look forward to your correspondence and feel as if you are sharing something valuable, rather than pestering them with spam. After customers leave your website, you can keep in touch with them through newsletters.
Don?t let your relationship with new customers end at the point of sale. Try to solicit consumer reviews or surveys within two weeks of purchase.
You?ve seen the ways that Web marketing helps you to get new customers. You can use a forum and email to remain in contact with past customers. This customer and business interaction has never before been possible, but is now with the power of the Internet. When you adopt the techniques in this article, it is possible to make a market in the Online marketing world.
TIP! Take a hard look at how attractive your service or product actually is to people. Having a great marketing strategy will not provide long term success for something that is of low quailty.
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FILE- In this Feb. 6, 2013, file photo, singer Chris Brown appears in court for a probation revocation hearing at the Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles after prosecutors say they could not find credible evidence that Brown completed his community labor sentence stemming from the 2009 beating of his girlfriend Rihanna. Police in Beverly Hills, Calif., say Chris Brown escaped injury after crashing his Porsche into a wall while being chased by paparazzi on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/David McNew, Pool, File)
FILE- In this Feb. 6, 2013, file photo, singer Chris Brown appears in court for a probation revocation hearing at the Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles after prosecutors say they could not find credible evidence that Brown completed his community labor sentence stemming from the 2009 beating of his girlfriend Rihanna. Police in Beverly Hills, Calif., say Chris Brown escaped injury after crashing his Porsche into a wall while being chased by paparazzi on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/David McNew, Pool, File)
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) ? Police in Beverly Hills say Chris Brown escaped injury after crashing his Porsche into a wall while being chased by paparazzi.
Lt. Lincoln Hoshino said the collision occurred around noon Saturday. Brown told police that he lost control of his black Porsche during the chase.
Hoshino said police will investigate the incident. He said he didn't know whether the paparazzi in the pursuing vehicles have been identified.
A call to Brown's lawyer was not immediately returned.
The crash came a day before the Grammy Awards, where Brown is up for best urban contemporary album.
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As snow blankets the northeastern United States, snarls traffic and shoves residents indoors, Yahoo News readers are sharing their storm experiences. Here are dispatches, photos and videos they shared. Interested in contributing? Learn more. (All times on posts are ET.)
SATURDAY
3:38 p.m.
Nearly 40 inches in parts of Connecticut by midday Saturday
BOLTON, Conn.?The blizzard promised to be epic. It fulfilled its promise with parts of Connecticut seeing 38 inches of snowfall from the monster storm. I was up much of the night, watching and listening to the howling winds, wondering what daybreak would bring.
Fortunately, we never lost power. At about 3:30 in the morning, I took a measurement of the snowfall. It had reached 24 inches. With hours left of snowfall, I was certain this snowfall would surpass the epic snowstorm of '78. I remember that storm; we had more than 27 inches of snow and the roof of the Hartford Civic Center collapsed.
In Bolton, we now have about 34 inches of snow. I spoke to the local news in the middle of the night to tell them we had 24 inches. They indicated the whole state was clobbered, with snow plows getting stuck and stranded cars strewn about. Many gas stations were without gas, and even the smaller plows were having a hard time finding gas.
As the plow came to clear our drive here, it got stuck in the mass of snow. The driver needed a few people to dig him out. It's been a crazy storm. We've had so many epic storms these last years, with Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Sandy, Tropical Storm Albert, and now Blizzard Nemo; it's been a wild ride. In the last few mega-storms, the state looked like a tree apocalypse had struck! We have yet to see how many trees will come down from this monster storm.
? Lori Hovey
2:40 p.m.
Neighbors help each other dig out in Keene, N.H., on Saturday. (Nancy A Cavanaugh/Yahoo! Contributor Network)
Nemo moves on, leaves few problems in central Jersey
MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J.?Nemo left less than a foot of snow in central New Jersey. The skies are a clear blue this morning, with bright sunshine. The major roadways, Garden State Parkway and N.J. Turnpike, are reported to be passable. The shoveling crews have already done our sidewalk, and the street in front of our house was plowed early this morning.
Best of all, the power is still on. Those of us gun-shy after losing power during "Superstorm" Sandy breathed a huge sigh of relief this morning. But further up the coast in Connecticut, there are reports of almost three feet of snow and many thousands without power.
? E. Burgin
1:15 p.m.
Lucky this time in western Massachusetts
WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS?The local news says Springfield got 15 inches of snow overnight. But the snow is almost up to my knees on our side street, making the total more like 20 to 22 inches. We live right off a major street, which saw regular plowing all night. While that's good, it also means there's a four-foot pile of snow blocking our street in.
We consider ourselves lucky. We still have power, and if we had to get out, we could probably force our way through the snow eventually. It could have been much worse. I grew up just outside Boston, and was 6 years old during the Blizzard of '78. We lived a few hundred yards from the ocean, and got flooded on top of the snow. Here in western Massachusetts, we don't have anything like that to contend with. Even compared to the Halloween ice storm in 2011, Nemo isn't as bad. The trees aren't snapping in half and threatening to fall on us this time.
So we got lucky. The folks I'm worried about are out east. My elderly mother still lives in our family home. Hopefully, the storm surge will spare her part of the beach this time.
? Micah Taylor
10:15 a.m.
Some homes without power on Long Island
YAPHANK, N.Y.?It?s Saturday on Long Island, and no business is open while city employees are busy clearing snow off the roads. Although I was surprised how quickly snow covered my car on Friday, it is unbelievable today. My car is completely covered in snow. In front of my house, there is nowhere to pass.
Worst of all, I lost power last night. The snowstorm has caused many of my neighbors to stay home. My neighbors usually wake up early in the morning. As I'm writing, it is 9:43 a.m., but I can't see anyone outside. The temperature is going down, and it is very windy.
? Ismail Kakembo
9:43 a.m.
Blizzard of '13 lives up to hype
NORWICH, Conn.?This morning we are still experiencing heavy snowfall, though forecasters expect that to taper off around 10 a.m. Norwich has about 23 inches of snow at the moment. Snow banks in our front yard have easily reached waist-high. We had to shovel the snow outside our front door twice in the middle of the night just to prevent us from becoming trapped inside.
A blanket of about three inches of snow covers all the roads to our neighborhood; it's clear that the plows have not come through for some time. The storm became so bad last night that state and city plow trucks were pulled off the roads; they are now back in action. Not only is traveling impractical, but it's also impossible. Even so, Gov. Dan Malloy ordered that all roads be closed until further notice to prevent optimistic drivers from getting stuck in the snow.
Though Connecticut Light & Power reports about 36,000 of its customers without power, here in Norwich, the Norwich Public Utilities is only reporting sporadic outages, with about 160 customers out of power. We thankfully experienced no power outages during the storm.
? Christa Leigh
8:19 a.m.
Snow buried a car overnight in Portland, Maine. (Sheryl Westleigh/Yahoo! Contributor Network)
In Portland, Maine, snowed in on Saturday
PORTLAND, Maine?It's 8 a.m. Saturday, and we're going absolutely nowhere. Snow is still falling and the plows have yet to be seen on my little street. The snow from Nemo has buried the entire street, and cars are barely visible under the snow drifts. There may be a small car or two that have completely disappeared.
I've lived in Maine my whole life, and we're used to heavy snow; this, however, is one of those storms we will remember digging out from. Light fluffy snow is pretty, but it drifts a lot and with the wind from this storm, it has piled up in front of doors and cars. As soon as you dig out, it starts filling back in. No one here is going anywhere for a while.
? Sheryl Westleigh
FRIDAY
12:06 a.m.
Ten inches, and still falling, near Boston
CHELSEA, Mass.?Snow covers all of my windows. The only sounds my companion and I hear are the wind whipping outside and the occasional rumble of a plow or wail of a fire engine siren. Gov. Deval Patrick ordered all non-emergency vehicles off the road after 4 p.m., the first time that's happened since the infamous Blizzard of '78, so the roads are virtually empty. We spotted a swerving SUV attempting to brave the storm this evening, but the storm was clearly winning.
Late Friday snowfall outside Boston. (L. Carter/Yahoo! Contributor Network)
Everything is closed, even the 24-hour McDonald's just down the street that never closes. There's nowhere to go, and no logical way to get there, so there's nothing much to do but wait out the storm. My companion and I along with most of Chelsea and the surrounding towns, apparently did all of our grocery shopping Thursday night, so we're well-stocked with food and making the best of a nice, (mostly) quiet Friday at home.
We've been going outside every hour to take pictures and measure accumulation; the snow is falling at about two and a half inches an hour now. The conditions are ghastly, but in a sense they're also magical. My mother was pregnant with me during the Blizzard of '78, so this is the first storm of this magnitude I've experienced firsthand, and it brings with it a sense of childlike excitement. Even my cat has been peering out the window in wonder, trying to figure out what's going on.
We're keeping our fingers crossed that we don't lose power, and that when we wake up Saturday, my car won't be completely buried beneath the snow. But whatever the outcome, this blizzard a great excuse to spend a cozy evening with a loved one and appreciate the shelter from the storm.
? L. Carter
11:58 p.m.
Taking the storm seriously in Sandy-weary NYC
BRONX, N.Y.?As winter storm Nemo approached my Bronx home, memories of Sandy were still fresh in New Yorkers' minds.
We've learned to take the weather seriously. After monitoring the weather reports, I made the decision to handle all my business, including grocery shopping, one day before the storm. Snow in NYC not only screws up the roads, it also disrupts train service. And sure enough, service has been disrupted. Commuter rail service on certain MTA lines has been suspended. A video of one metro north train station shows the snow already covering the rails. With snow still falling and predicted to fall Saturday as well, train service near me has been suspended.
? Justin Samuels
9:02 p.m.
Power outages strike Rhode Island
PAWTUCKET, R.I.?This winter storm system is currently hitting the northeast hard. In Rhode Island, we are experiencing wind gusts up to 50 mph. The visibility is very poor and all people have been ordered off the roads. The major highways have been closed to commuters in an effort to keep all non-essential workers off the road. This storm has developed rapidly over the day, starting with a light dusting and light winds to a full-on blizzard. With snow falling at such a fast rate, our area is bracing for more than two feet of accumulation.
The snow is wet and heavy, weighing down the trees in my backyard. Shoveling is difficult due to the strong winds and cold chill. With the accumulations, it seems that shoveling needs to be done every hour or so just to keep up. As of 5 p.m., more than 1,000 people were without power. Within the last couple of hours, this number has jumped to tens of thousands. Although we currently are still with power in Pawtucket, the lights continue to dim on and off and we are prepared in the event we do lose electricity.
? Meagan Coelho
8:45 p.m.
In Stamford, Nemo whimpers on first day
STAMFORD, Conn.?In truth, the snow is indeed still falling and the occasional snowman can be seen (and is being buried ever-deeper), but Winter Storm Nemo, snowpocalypse, Nemogeddon, or whatever it's being called, has ended its first day with a whimper.
Six inches, no match for my Toro Power Max snow-blower, once sat in my driveway, but now grace my lawn in piles; another layer of snow softens their edges. There's probably an inch or so that has since fallen, which will be handled in the morning.
The day was largely uneventful. Nothing distinguishes Nemo from a typical heavy snowstorm. The temperature has been a moderately cold 30 degrees, the wind has not been a significant player, and the snow itself has accumulated, but not greatly and only over 12 hours.
? David J. Kozlowski
6:58 p.m.
Visibility lower, snow heavier in southeast Connecticut
NORWICH, Conn.?Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy issued a travel ban for state highways, but local roads are still accessible. Norwich City Manager Alan Bergren issued a state of emergency for the town as of 4 p.m.
An afternoon trip to our local Stop & Shop found shelves still full with no long lines. The store's cashiers said they will still be open until midnight tonight. Stop & Shop's gas station was closed, however, and it was unclear whether it was due to an outage of gas or the snow. Three other gas stations in the Norwich area were still open for business. Roads are still moderately clear with a few snow plows on the road, but it's become apparent that soon they won't be able to keep up with the heavy snowfall that we're currently experiencing. Visibility conditions have also decreased considerably from this morning's work commute.
? Christa Leigh
5:32 p.m.
Blizzard knocking at the door
BUCKSPORT, Maine?Snow began falling early morning in mid-coastal Maine. The temperatures were frigid outside and down to around 5 degrees. Winds were whipping, and the roads had just started to disappear with a blanket of about two inches of snow on the ground. Our town's road crew had its plows on and was already out clearing the roads locally. I am sure these few inches that had begun to fall were an instant reminder that the blizzard was just knocking at our door.
We left our house early, so we fared well at the gas pumps with only a few others taking their turn getting gas. We took our gas cans as we would need the gas for the generator if we have power outages. We got enough extra for our snow blower that undoubtedly will get a good workout. We stopped at the grocery store on the way home, so that I could get all the essentials we need, e.g., batteries, water, milk, eggs, coffee, oh?and chocolate! The parking lot was full, and we barely had a place to park?but I got in and out with no major issues with everything I needed to weather the storm.
? Virginia Wright
Long Island resident Eric Holden shot this video on Friday afternoon.4:53 p.m.
Fun, not fretting, in Maine's blizzard
READFIELD, Maine?The day before a storm of any size, our area grocery stores and gas stations get overrun with customers. Everyone is trying to not only stock up on food and necessities for the possible three days of not wanting to be on the roads, but also collecting water, batteries and something for heat just in case we spend a week or so without power.
It is like a game to most of us. We all sit around trying to guess as to how many inches of snow we will end up getting and how many days we will go without power if at all. I personally love the feeling of being surrounded by snow and to be able to sit in my living room and just watch the beauty happen around me.
Oh, the work? You want to know about the work side of it? Well, with each storm, there does come a lot of responsibility, but, hey, we are Mainers. We can handle it. Have your shovels handy and your plow on and you will be fine. Make it fun. There is no need to be stressed out.
? Angela Godbout
Roads in upstate New York on Friday. (Ismail Kakembo/Yahoo! Contributor Network)
4:40 p.m.
Bitten by Sandy, taking this storm seriously
STAMFORD, Conn.?Storm-weary residents here, once bitten by Sandy, are preparing for the worst. Store shelves were empty and lines at gas stations resulted in wait times of as long as 30 minutes Thursday night, as residents prepared to be trapped inside their homes. Water, road salt, and shovels were in short supply. Optimistically, plastic sleds were also sold out.
The snow fall is alternating between heavy and light. It seems to fall at inches per hour, only to change to very light flakes. It's a heavy, wet, sticky snow on the ground, making shoveling a back-breaker. There's no significant wind to speak of and, thus far, no significant damage, injuries, or power outages reported.
The blizzard will continue throughout the day and into Saturday, with the heaviest snowfall expect in the evening. Connecticut's Gov. Dan Malloy is declaring a state of emergency with road closures to begin at noon.
We have adequate supplies of staple foods, gas for the snow-blower, and flashlights and batteries. We checked our property for potential problems and found none (fortunately, no trees are within striking distance of our house). The storm is finding us well-prepared, well-stocked, and ready to spend a weekend indoors.
? David J. Kozlowski
This video from J.D. Harvey's commute in central New Hampshire shows the hazardous road conditions.3:24 p.m.
Tempers flare, shelves stripped in central Jersey as storm arrives
MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J.?Starting Thursday, residents here began stocking up on food, batteries, snow shovels, and gasoline. Those lucky enough to have generators don't want to risk running out of gas, which may be as hard to find after this storm as it was after "Superstorm" Sandy.
Thousands of flights have been canceled at Newark and other New York-area airports. The parking lot at the local Stop & Shop was jammed, as people stripped shelves of milk, bread, and bottled water. Tempers frayed and a horn-blowing contest erupted over a parking space if the participants had not been senior citizens, fisticuffs would probably have taken place instead.
As of noon, the temperature is hovering around 30 degrees with a steady rain. The rain is expected to change to snow later this afternoon, with an accumulation of six to 12 inches forecast for central Jersey by the time the storm moves out.
? E. Burgin
Temperatures have plummeted in Freedom, Maine, on Friday. (Raiscara Avalon/Yahoo! Contributor Network)
2:19 p.m.
Near whiteout conditions in central New Hampshire
TILTON, N.H.?Weather conditions are worsening rapidly in central New Hampshire, with highway visibility and road navigation a major problem even in the early a.m. commute. Thick cloud cover at this time just added to the low visibility.
The right lane on RT 93 in New Hampshire is relatively clear, as you can see in this video, but passing cars in the left lane make visibility close to zero. I commuted from Tilton to Plymouth, N.H., at 8 a.m., about 30 miles and although the RT 93 was not slick or slippery, drivers who chose to drive below 50 MPH seemed to compound the problem as other vehicles stacked up behind them, and ultimately passed them, creating a potential sliding and collision hazard.
The snow spray from the passing vehicles produced complete whiteout conditions for the remaining vehicles when cars and trucks passed us.
Franconia Notch is a total whiteout driving situation, as one Thornton driver reported after he turned back from his commute and returned home.
Expect back roads to be even worse than RT 93. Though the plows are out in full force, they cannot keep up with the high rate of snow falling at this time. State troopers can be seen parked along RT 93 and are closely monitoring the situation.
Main streets are already sloppy, and I was sliding down hilly side roads, or unable to drive up steep roads. I saw no accidents during this early morning commute, but I am sure that has changed by the time this is published. It was a very tense drive.
Staying at home is strongly suggested if at all possible.
? J.D. Harvey
2:04 p.m.
The Blizzard of 2013, aka the Great Raid on Dunkin? Donuts
TORRINGTON, Conn.?I took the day off, as the predicted historic snowstorm approached in Connecticut. I decided to venture out this morning for some breakfast while the roads were still passable. My wife asked me to pick up some donuts while I was out, so I proceeded to the local grocery store where there is a Dunkin' Donuts.
To my dismay there wasn't a donut left on the shelf.
I figured I had to go to the main store where I was sure there would be some since it was only 10 a.m.
As I pulled up to the main Dunkin' Donuts store, I could see through the window that it was going to be slim pickings.
Nothing. Dunkin' Donuts does not have donuts!
I asked the girl behind the counter why a donut shop doesn't have donuts at 10 a.m. She told me that people were coming in and buying dozens of donuts at a time. Dozens of donuts? Is this some kind of an emergency staple I don't know about?
? Richard Farr
Snow dusts the streets in Bucksport, Maine, early Friday morning. (Matthew Johnson/Yahoo! Contributor Network)
1:18 p.m.
Already drawing comparisons to 1978
NEWPORT, R.I.?Here on the coast, we're preparing for what has the potential to be a storm as severe of the great blizzard of 1978. Almost 35 years ago to the day, that storm left massive amounts of snow on the entire northeastern United States.
Grocery stores and supermarkets were bombarded overnight with people preparing for a long freeze-out this weekend. Lines are winding around gas stations here as the storm approaches. A state of emergency was put in to place at noon, so it would be best to stay off the roads unless there is an emergency.
The state was prepared for this since last night. Classes were canceled at high schools across the state. All RIPTA buses, including the non-medical ride program, were canceled at noon on Friday in anticipation of the coming storm. People who require public transportation can follow them on Facebook and Twitter at @RIPTA_RI to stay up-to-date with when service will be restored. Residents can sign up for news updates, which will update them of service changes.
? Eric Jonathan Martin
1:02 p.m.
Storm increasing pace in southern Maine
BUCKSPORT, Maine?Somewhere around 7 a.m., it started to flurry fairly hard, and the storm steadily increased its pace. There is already a few inches of snow as of now (1 p.m.), and this is not even the actual storm. That is supposed to hit sometime early this evening and continue into tomorrow.
There?s a 19-car pile-up on I-295 in southern Maine, and there have been a number of sirens heard locally in town. If you don't need to go out, I would suggest not, and if you must, please take it slow and do it soon. From what we are being told, the worst is yet to come.
? Matthew Johnson
10:58 a.m.
The flakes are starting to appear in Rhode Island
NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I.?The sky looks grey and menacing. I went to the supermarket Thursday morning (along with at least 100 other people who seemed to have the same idea) and made sure I had enough food. The woman in the checkout line before me said the parking lot was in chaos and everybody was acting like the end of the world was coming. I thought it was very funny, and also very accurate. Now I am warm and safe indoors, and there is nothing to do except wait.
There is a feeling of impending doom and my joints ache. I'm not looking forward to this, but I'm as prepared as I can get. I don't drive due to a medical condition, and ironically I have often found that it is actually faster for me to walk right after a snowstorm, since I can be downtown in 15 minutes.
That advantage goes away after the first day or so because they don't pay much attention to the pedestrians and the priority, understandably, goes to the motorists. People like me are having to deal with ice, slush, and all kinds of yuck. The plows have to dump the snow somewhere, though, and it is usually right where I need to walk. So I have to either find a way around it, or climb over a slippery hill and hope that I don't fall on my behind, or worse, fall and land in the road in front of a car.
I'm also hoping the power won't go off. Or if it does, that it will only be off for a little while. The heat in this apartment is electric, and it will get really cold in here really fast.
? Melanie Gibson
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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/ice-slush-kinds-yuck-residents-stories-storm-210000704.html
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