NASA sees Eastern Pacific get first tropical storm: Alvin

Public release date: 16-May-2013
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Contact: Rob Gutro
robert.j.gutro@nasa.gov
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA's Aqua satellite and NOAA's GOES-15 satellite captured imagery of the Eastern Pacific Ocean's first named tropical storm, Alvin. Aqua and GOES-15 provided imagery of Alvin that provided a look at the overall storm and the temperatures of its cloud tops.

NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Tropical Storm Alvin just as it reached tropical storm status on May 15 at 2047 UTC (4:47 p.m. EDT). The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies aboard Aqua captured an infrared image of the storm that showed bands of thunderstorms on the tropical storm's western side were wrapping into the low-level center. Those bands of thunderstorms became more organized and more tightly wrapped by May 16 as the storm strengthened further.

AIRS data is infrared and gives an indication of temperature. With respect to tropical cyclones, AIRS provides temperatures of cloud tops and surrounding ocean surface temperatures, two factors important in determining the strength of a storm and what may happen with it. Cold cloud top temperatures, such as those seen in some of the bands around Alvin were near -62 Fahrenheit (-52 Celsius) and are indicative of strong uplift that can create strong, high thunderstorms with heavy rain potential.

NOAA's GOES-15 satellite captured a near-infrared view of Tropical Storm Alvin on May 16 at 1200 UTC (8 a.m. EDT) as it continued moving west and away from Mexico. This near-infrared view showed that Alvin had become more tightly wrapped and more organized. According to the National Hurricane Center, satellite imagery of Alvin shows very deep convection resembling a central dense overcast, but noted that the low-level center is displaced a fair distance west of the strongest convection (rising air that creates thunderstorms that make up the tropical cyclone).

AIRS imagery is produced at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. and GOES imagery is created at NASA's GOES Project, located at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

At 5 a.m. EDT on May 15, Alvin had maximum sustained winds near 50 mph (85 kph). It was located far from land, about 705 miles (1,135 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, near 9.1 north latitude and 106.9 west longitude. Alvin was moving to the west-northwest at 10 mph (17 kph) and had a minimum central pressure near 1003 millibars. Twenty four hours before, Alvin's central pressure was near 1006 millibars. A drop in pressure indicates a strengthening low pressure area.

The National Hurricane Center noted that Alvin will be moving through warm waters over the next couple of days in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and is expected to reach hurricane strength by early on May 18 before weakening over the weekend of May 18 and 19.

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Public release date: 16-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Rob Gutro
robert.j.gutro@nasa.gov
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA's Aqua satellite and NOAA's GOES-15 satellite captured imagery of the Eastern Pacific Ocean's first named tropical storm, Alvin. Aqua and GOES-15 provided imagery of Alvin that provided a look at the overall storm and the temperatures of its cloud tops.

NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Tropical Storm Alvin just as it reached tropical storm status on May 15 at 2047 UTC (4:47 p.m. EDT). The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies aboard Aqua captured an infrared image of the storm that showed bands of thunderstorms on the tropical storm's western side were wrapping into the low-level center. Those bands of thunderstorms became more organized and more tightly wrapped by May 16 as the storm strengthened further.

AIRS data is infrared and gives an indication of temperature. With respect to tropical cyclones, AIRS provides temperatures of cloud tops and surrounding ocean surface temperatures, two factors important in determining the strength of a storm and what may happen with it. Cold cloud top temperatures, such as those seen in some of the bands around Alvin were near -62 Fahrenheit (-52 Celsius) and are indicative of strong uplift that can create strong, high thunderstorms with heavy rain potential.

NOAA's GOES-15 satellite captured a near-infrared view of Tropical Storm Alvin on May 16 at 1200 UTC (8 a.m. EDT) as it continued moving west and away from Mexico. This near-infrared view showed that Alvin had become more tightly wrapped and more organized. According to the National Hurricane Center, satellite imagery of Alvin shows very deep convection resembling a central dense overcast, but noted that the low-level center is displaced a fair distance west of the strongest convection (rising air that creates thunderstorms that make up the tropical cyclone).

AIRS imagery is produced at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. and GOES imagery is created at NASA's GOES Project, located at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

At 5 a.m. EDT on May 15, Alvin had maximum sustained winds near 50 mph (85 kph). It was located far from land, about 705 miles (1,135 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, near 9.1 north latitude and 106.9 west longitude. Alvin was moving to the west-northwest at 10 mph (17 kph) and had a minimum central pressure near 1003 millibars. Twenty four hours before, Alvin's central pressure was near 1006 millibars. A drop in pressure indicates a strengthening low pressure area.

The National Hurricane Center noted that Alvin will be moving through warm waters over the next couple of days in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and is expected to reach hurricane strength by early on May 18 before weakening over the weekend of May 18 and 19.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-05/nsfc-nse051613.php

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A New Spin on Student Loans | Stanford Social Innovation Review

Social Finance Inc. offers a network-based alternative to government-sponsored student loan programs.

After borrowing his way through business school at the University of Chicago, Benny Joseph emerged with an MBA, the spark of an entrepreneurial idea, and $115,000 in debt. Even with interest rates at all-time lows, he couldn?t find traditional lenders willing to refinance his student loans. Instead he tapped a network of deep-pocketed alumni. They offered him a lower interest rate along with access to a community of savvy business advisers.

SoFi, or Social Finance Inc., is one of the newest...

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Source: http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/a_new_spin_on_student_loans

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Could PBL be the Solution to Education Reform? - The Innovative ...

While I was taking a survey today about?Response to Intervention?(RTI) I began to reflect about how RTI and Data-Driven Instruction have affected my school. ?In the past few years, I have noticed teachers becoming overwhelmingly stressed about Standardized State Tests. ?Teachers feel like they don't have enough time to lesson-plan in order to appropriately meet the needs of their students. ?Moreover, teachers feel that the precious planning-time in which they do get is being wasted during team meetings and other?scheduled events. ?Teachers are becoming depressed because they are feeling like they are doing their students a disservice by "teaching to the tests" and there isn't anything that they can do about it. ?This unfortunately creates an?extremely negative atmosphere that is contagious to all valued stake-holders in a school system.

The saddest part about this story, is that the educators in my building, are all exceptional, highly-qualified teachers that have been forced to teach students in a way that will prepare them to be successful on State Standardized Tests, rather than preparing them to become successful, contributing citizens. ?Public school teachers across the nation are battling this problem everyday. ?However, I believe that I have a solution to?this problem.??I am suggesting that the solution to the education reform that teachers are looking for, could quite possibly be ...?Project-Based Learning.? With Project-Based Learning, teachers will be able to successfully teach the ?state and national standards with low stress, and high productivity.

In order to show how PBL might be the solution to Education Reform, I have provided some FAQs that I have created about Project-Based Learning.

Q: ?I teach in a Data-Driven school where we use RTI. ?How can I use PBL to collect data?

A: ?Suggest to your administration that you would like to try being?data-informed?rather than?data-driven.?"In schools that are?data-informed, test results are just one more piece of information that can be helpful in determining future directions"?[2]. ?If students are engaged in PBL, they can begin creating an?ePortfolio?in order to?demonstrate?their learning and understanding of standards, rather than?testing?for them.

Q: ?How can I effectively differentiate to ensure that I am appropriately challenging ALL of my students?

A:??When teachers integrate Project-Based Teaching, they are providing the opportunity for differentiated?learning, rather than differentiated?instruction. ?"Differentiated?learning?shifts the responsibility for the learning to the learner (where it belongs)"?[3].??With that we are truly supporting students in personal mastery in a way that differentiates?learning, meets their goals, enables them to own the learning, and prepares them for success in life"?[4]. This Flow Channel Graph?[5]?helps to show how students need to be appropriately challenged. With PBL, students are empowered to work at their own pace and ability level which provides them with the opportunity to challenge themselves. Students will?instinctively?follow the "Flow Channel" when they take ownership of their learning.

Student Engagement Graph: Challenge vs. Skill?[5]

Q: ?How do I effectively assess my students?

A:??Assessing students on their projects has never been easier. ?Using a Rubric like the one below, allows students to know what is expected of them, and it gives them structure for their project. ?It is important for the teacher to explain the expectations of the project in detail, so that students are fully aware of how they will be graded. ?It is also a good idea to show an example and a non-example of a good project.?

Q: ?What types of projects can students create to show concept mastery?
A:??Students can create a project using any of the Eight Multiple Intelligences. ?Below are some suggestions for projects. "Students could meet standards at their own pace, in their own way and learning could be differentiated and aligned to each child?s talents, passions, interests, and abilities"?[4]. ?Project-Based Learning also beautifully integrates?The Arts?into education.
Q:?How can I ensure my students are attaining concept mastery?
A:??I have developed a simple step-by-step process to ensure that students are attaining concept mastery.

1. Students are presented with a State Standard or Multiple State Standards to which they will be learning.
2. Students are empowered with the responsibility of mastering the Standard(s).
3. Students document their learning process via a KWLA Worksheet.
4. Students demonstrate their learning and understanding via the product of their project.
5. Students share their work via a presentation, and/or online-publishing.
6. Students reflect on their process via Reflection Questions provided by the teacher.

Q: ?How can I be confident that my students will do well on Standardized Tests?

A:??Since you will be engaged in best-practice teaching, students will be engaged in best-practice learning. ?Having students create and share these projects will allow for the deepest understanding of the content. ?Evaluation or Creation is at the top level of Bloom's Taxonomy, which means that students are attaining the highest level of concept mastery by creating these projects. ?Students will no longer have to "memorize" or try to "remember" the information ... because they will have?learned?it. ?

Q: ?What about my struggling readers?
A:??It is ultimately the teacher's responsibility to provide resources that are appropriate for his or her students' reading level. ?Google makes this easy for teachers. ?Google Advanced Searchallows students to search the internet using a?beginner,?intermediate, or?advanced?reading level. ?In addition, Google Advanced Search also allows students to search within a specific language. Students who are ELL can also research information in English and use?Google Translate?to translate the text into his or her primary language. Therefore, students should be able to perform research on any topic at their appropriate reading level. ? For more information on how to perfect your Google Search, vist my blog post,?"Why Do I Have To Memorize This When I Can Just Google It?"
Q:??What about my students with IEPs?
A:??Students who receive special services typically thrive in PBL projects. ?Just be sure to provide the necessary accommodations when needed.

Q: ?How much planning will I have to do to meet all the needs of my students?
A:??The best part about PBL is that there is very little planning involved. This is because the teacher is letting go of control by allowing the students to take ownership of their learning. Lisa Nielsen once said, "I realized that when teachers gave up control and empowered students to use the tools they want and meet learning goals in the way they choose, then true differentiation could begin and it wasn?t all on the shoulders of the teacher to figure out how to do this?[3]. However, teachers will still have to prepare the necessary materials and resources for each lesson.

Q:??What does an example of a PBL Project look like?
A:??See below: ?This student-created presentation is an example of my students creating a song about the Scientific Method in order to show concept mastery.

Q: ?What are some tools and resources that my students can use to create their projects? A:? Click on the link to access?My Top Free PBL Resources.

Q: ?What if my school has limited technology resources?
A:? Technology does not have to be integrated in order for PBL to be successful. ?Students can easily create skits, posters, children's books, songs, etc. without the use of technology. In addition, the teacher should acquire a plethora of books,?on multiple reading levels,?with information on the topic of the standard(s). ?If technology devices are present, but scarce,?groups of 4 or 5 students can be created to maximize the use of technology. Consider?Getting Ahead of the Technology Curve with BYOD?for more ideas on integrating technology in the classroom.

Q:??I understand how PBL applies to all other subjects, but how does it apply to math?
A:? See Below:?Here is an example of how to use a paper-slide video for digital storytelling?in the content area of MATH!

A Dr. Lodge FIZZ video:?http://www.iamlodge.com/ryosin/

Q:??What if I can identify a?problem in which PBL is not the answer??
A:?Please comment on this post if you can identify a problem in which PBL is not the answer, or if you have a question about PBL. This will help me to continue my research and application. Thank you!

For an excellent list of more resources for PBL,vist my blog post:?My Top Free Online Tools and Resources for PBL.?

Source: http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2013/05/could-pbl-be-solution-to-education.html

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Billy Crystal returns to Broadway with 1-man show

NEW YORK (AP) ? There are apparently a few more Sundays left in Billy Crystal.

The star of "City Slickers" and "When Harry Met Sally" said Tuesday he will reprise his funny and poignant one-man autobiographical show "700 Sundays" on Broadway for a 9-week stand this fall.

"700 Sundays" was a Broadway success during the 2004-2005 season, playing to sold-out houses and winning a Tony Award for special theatrical experience. Crystal took it on the road, both in America and abroad.

Previews of its return engagement will begin Nov. 5 at the Imperial Theatre, with an opening night set for Nov. 13. The final performance is scheduled for Jan. 5.

In a statement, the New York-bred Crystal said the show ? which makes its first return to New York since its Broadway debut ? will mark its final performances.

"I've now decided to tell this story one last time in my own backyard, where it all took place," he said. "It is a privilege to return to Broadway to say goodbye to one of the greatest thrills of my life."

Loss triggers the stories in "700 Sundays," the centerpiece being the death of Crystal's father, Jack, who died of a heart attack at age 54 when his son, Billy, was 15.

The show's title comes from a calculation by Crystal that father and son spent that many Sundays together before Jack Crystal died. Sunday was the one day of the week the two had to enjoy each other's company since Jack Crystal always held two or three jobs.

Other relatives from Crystal's suburban Long Island childhood pop up, too, in "700 Sundays": Uncle Milt, who founded the legendary Commodore Records; Uncle Berns and Aunt Sheila, among others.

The show, written with good friend Alan Zweibel, will also feature its original director, Des McAnuff. It became the highest grossing nonmusical in Broadway's history.

In 2009, Crystal reprised the show with engagements in six major cities, including Philadelphia, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. The work was also turned into a book.

Crystal forged his comedy career in such diverse television shows as "Soap" and "Saturday Night Live," and movies such as " Deconstructing Harry" and "Analyze This" as well as gigs on the Academy Awards.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/billy-crystal-returns-broadway-1-man-show-154628939.html

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OBAMACARE RATE SHOCKER: Committee Surveys Leading ...

WASHINGTON, DC ? The House Energy and Commerce Committee today released a report citing internal documents from the nation?s largest health insurance companies that reveal the health care law?s policies, mandates, taxes, and fees will cause major premium increases for consumers in the individual, small group and large group markets. As part of the committee?s ongoing efforts to educate the American people on the law?s impact, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), Chairman Emeritus Joe Barton (R-TX), Vice Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Murphy (R-PA), Health Subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts (R-PA), and Vice Chairman of the Health and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittees Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) requested existing analyses from 17 insurers on the law?s effects on insurance premiums on March 14, 2013.

The report states, ?Affordability. It was a central premise ? and promise ? of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) when the law was debated in Congress throughout 2009 and signed into law on March 23, 2010. In his remarks that day, President Barack Obama stated: ?This legislation will also lower costs for families and businesses?? Over three years later, the White House continues to state that the PPACA will lower costs.

?The following report chronicles the massive premium increases awaiting Americans when full implementation of the PPACA occurs in eight months, definitively contradicting the promise that the law will lower costs. As this report demonstrates, consumers purchasing health insurance on the individual market may face premium increases of nearly 100 percent on average, with potential highs eclipsing 400 percent. Meanwhile, small businesses can expect average premium increases in the small group market of up to 50 percent, with potential highs over 100 percent.?

For more information on the report, click here.

Report Summary

Impact on Individual Market

The materials provided to the committee indicate that consumers who purchase insurance in the individual market after full implementation of the PPACA will be hit with substantial premium increases. One insurer noted that 45 states and the District of Columbia ?will see significant premium increases.? One leading national insurer estimates the total average change due to the PPACA for new business in the individual market will be a 96 percent increase in premiums.? Existing customers can expect an average increase of 73 percent.

As one insurer?s documents show, new participants in the individual market could see a premium increase of 413 percent when new requirements on age rating and required benefits are taken into account. The average yearly cost for a new customer in the individual market grows from $1,896 to $3,708 -- a $1,812 cost increase.

Impact on Small Group Market

According to materials submitted by one insurer, small businesses in ?nearly all states will see premium increases.?? While these increases will not likely be as high as those in the individual market, the incentives provided in the law to assist small businesses by reducing costs may be inadequate. For example, one insurer that offers small group plans observed that ?[t]he ACA?s small group health tax credit incentive program is temporary and very small.?? To make matters worse, due to the administration?s inability to ?meet tight deadlines,? the PPACA program ?intended to provide affordable health insurance to small businesses and their employees? has been delayed. One analysis showed that purchasers of small group plans can expect premium increases of up to 50 percent.

Impact on Large Group Market

Most of the insurers contacted by the committee had not conducted an analysis on the PPACA?s effects on the large group market. One insurer that did, however, estimated a premium increase for the large group market at 20 percent to 25 percent. In addition to the new services and benefits insurers are required to provide and the new rating and operation rules they are required to follow, the PPACA contains a number of taxes and fees that will be passed on to the consumer, not only in the private market but also in government programs run through insurance companies like Medicare and Medicaid. Across the board, the taxes and fees will result in premium increases.? In fact, one insurer provided a presentation titled, ?ACA Tax Will Increase Premiums? that bluntly states ?[c]onsumers may no longer be able to afford their primary insurance choice because of this tax inequity.?

The report concludes, ?The internal documents provided by the insurance industry confirm many of the concerns voiced over PPACA: despite promises that the law will lower costs, the PPACA will in fact cause the premiums of many Americans to spike substantially. The broken promises are numerous, and the empirical data reveal that many Americans, from recent college graduates to older adults, will not be able to afford the law?s higher costs.?

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Source: http://energycommerce.house.gov/press-release/obamacare-rate-shocker-committee-surveys-leading-insurance-companies%E2%80%94obamacare-cause

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Dancing With the Stars Results: Who's in the Final Four?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/05/dancing-with-the-stars-results-whos-in-the-final-four/

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Angelina Jolie Gets Double Mastectomy ? Actress Prevents Breast ...

Getty

Angelina made the courageous decision after learning she had an 87 percent chance of getting breast cancer. Her mom, Marcheline Bertrand, lost a brave battle with cancer in 2007. Angelina wanted to make sure that her children wouldn?t lose their mother at a young age like she did.

On April 27, Angelina Jolie?finished the three months of medical procedures that the mastectomies involved. In that time, she kept this private and carried on with her work. Now, in an effort to inspire and encourage every woman to seek out information and medical experts who can help, Angelina, 37, documents her experience?in a?New York Times?op-ed piece?called ?My Medical Choice.?

Angelina Jolie Gets Double Mastectomy

?I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy,? Angelina said in the column appearing May 14. ?But it is one I am very happy that I made. My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 percent to under 5 percent. I can tell my children that they don?t need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer.?

Angelina?s Mother Died Of Breast Cancer

Angelina?s mother, actress Marcheline Bertrand,?died at age 56?in 2007 after a long battle with cancer.

Ultimately, it was her children that inspired Angelina to take action. The actress often talked to her kids, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Viv and Knox,?about ?mommy?s mommy,? and tried to explain the illness that took Marcheline from them. When the children feared that the same illness would take their own mother, Angelina often told them not to worry, but the truth is she carried a ?faulty gene.??The?Salt?actress says that tests found she had a ?faulty gene,? known as BRCA1. Doctors gave her an 87 percent risk of getting breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of getting ovarian cancer. It was then that she decided to be proactive and?to minimize the risk as much she could.

After many procedures, Angelina received plastic surgery to reconstruct her breasts and now her six children??see nothing that makes them uncomfortable,? she says.

?They can see my small scars and that?s it,? she writes. ?Everything else is just Mommy, the same as she always was. And they know that I love them and will do anything to be with them as long as I can.?

Angelina Jolie Hopes To Encourage Women

?On a personal note,? she continues, ?I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.?I want to encourage every woman, especially if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, to seek out the information and medical experts who can help you through this aspect of your life, and to make your own informed choices.?Life comes with many challenges. The ones that should not scare us are the ones we can take on and take control of.?

Fellow actress Christina Applegate?had a similar procedure in 2008. She?also had?a mutation of the BRCA1 gene.

There?s nothing better than using star power for the well being of others. Angelina has an enormous platform and she?s using it draw awareness to breast cancer and preventative measures ? we commend her for this.

What do YOU think, HollywoodLifers? Don?t you think Angelina is brave?

WATCH:?Angelina Jolie Reveals Double Mastectomy

? Chris Rogers

More Celebs & Breast Cancer News:

1. ?Giuliana & Bill? Preview: Giuliana Recovers From Her Mastectomy
2. Former Miss Venezuela Eva Ekvall, 28, Dies From Breast Cancer
3. Christina Applegate: I?m Here For Giuliana Rancic!

Source: http://hollywoodlife.com/2013/05/14/angelina-jolie-double-mastectomy-breast-cancer-new-york-times/

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