How much protection is enough?

Public release date: 27-Feb-2013
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Contact: Hilary Glover
hilary.glover@biomedcentral.com
44-020-319-22370
BioMed Central

Protection of marine areas from fishing increases density and biomass of fish and invertebrates (such as lobster and scallops) finds a systematic review published in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental Evidence. The success of a protected area was also dependent on its size and on how it was managed, however even partial protection provides significant ecological benefits.

Marine ecosystems worldwide are suffering from a loss of biodiversity due to destruction of food chains and habitats. Increasingly areas are being set aside to protect sensitive environments and species, or to provide a safe pocket from which fish and larvae can re-seed over-exploited seas.

By performing a meta-analysis, the Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation and School of Ocean Sciences at Bangor University and the National Oceanography Centre Southampton found that protection of marine areas increased fish density and that even partial protection increased fish biomass by almost 50%, while fully protected 'no take' areas had double the biomass. This effect was most noticeable for target species, which were the reason the protection areas were set up. In particular lobsters and scallops showed a positive response to partial protection. None of the styles of protection increased the number of fish species.

Overall marine protection is a success story however the success of a reserve also depended on its size and how it was managed. Marija Sciberras, from Bangor University, explained, "Even within partial protection reserves there was variation - the ones which allowed recreational fishing had more biomass than open areas, whereas the ones that were previously commercially dredged showed no real improvement relative to open (or fished) areas. Interestingly we found that increasing the size of partial protection areas above 1000km2 reduced their effectiveness. While this is worrying, we suspect that it may be due to increased poaching."

###

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

1. Evaluating the biological effectiveness of fully and partially protected marine areas Marija Sciberras, Stuart R Jenkins, Michel J Kaiser, Stephen J Hawkins and Andrew S Pullin Environmental Evidence (in press)

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.

Article citation and URL available on request on the day of publication.

2. Environmental Evidence is the open access, peer-reviewed journal of the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (www.environmentalevidence.org) that facilitates rapid publication of systematic reviews and evidence syntheses which report on the effectiveness of environmental management interventions and on the impact of human activities on the environment.

3. BioMed Central (http://www.biomedcentral.com/) 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

4. Bangor University's School of Ocean Sciences, a multidisciplinary department, and one of the largest university Marine Science departments in Europe. The University has a long record of academic excellence and has particular strengths in the fields of Environmental Science (including Ocean Sciences), Health (including Psychology, Neuroscience and Sports Science), Humanities, Physical Sciences, Business, Law, Social Sciences and Education. It is a research-led university, and the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise demonstrated that it had 'world-leading' research in every subject area assessed.

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

Public release date: 27-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Hilary Glover
hilary.glover@biomedcentral.com
44-020-319-22370
BioMed Central

Protection of marine areas from fishing increases density and biomass of fish and invertebrates (such as lobster and scallops) finds a systematic review published in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental Evidence. The success of a protected area was also dependent on its size and on how it was managed, however even partial protection provides significant ecological benefits.

Marine ecosystems worldwide are suffering from a loss of biodiversity due to destruction of food chains and habitats. Increasingly areas are being set aside to protect sensitive environments and species, or to provide a safe pocket from which fish and larvae can re-seed over-exploited seas.

By performing a meta-analysis, the Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation and School of Ocean Sciences at Bangor University and the National Oceanography Centre Southampton found that protection of marine areas increased fish density and that even partial protection increased fish biomass by almost 50%, while fully protected 'no take' areas had double the biomass. This effect was most noticeable for target species, which were the reason the protection areas were set up. In particular lobsters and scallops showed a positive response to partial protection. None of the styles of protection increased the number of fish species.

Overall marine protection is a success story however the success of a reserve also depended on its size and how it was managed. Marija Sciberras, from Bangor University, explained, "Even within partial protection reserves there was variation - the ones which allowed recreational fishing had more biomass than open areas, whereas the ones that were previously commercially dredged showed no real improvement relative to open (or fished) areas. Interestingly we found that increasing the size of partial protection areas above 1000km2 reduced their effectiveness. While this is worrying, we suspect that it may be due to increased poaching."

###

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

1. Evaluating the biological effectiveness of fully and partially protected marine areas Marija Sciberras, Stuart R Jenkins, Michel J Kaiser, Stephen J Hawkins and Andrew S Pullin Environmental Evidence (in press)

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.

Article citation and URL available on request on the day of publication.

2. Environmental Evidence is the open access, peer-reviewed journal of the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (www.environmentalevidence.org) that facilitates rapid publication of systematic reviews and evidence syntheses which report on the effectiveness of environmental management interventions and on the impact of human activities on the environment.

3. BioMed Central (http://www.biomedcentral.com/) 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

4. Bangor University's School of Ocean Sciences, a multidisciplinary department, and one of the largest university Marine Science departments in Europe. The University has a long record of academic excellence and has particular strengths in the fields of Environmental Science (including Ocean Sciences), Health (including Psychology, Neuroscience and Sports Science), Humanities, Physical Sciences, Business, Law, Social Sciences and Education. It is a research-led university, and the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise demonstrated that it had 'world-leading' research in every subject area assessed.

---

[ | 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/2013-02/bc-hmp022613.php

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Karen Mok finds answers on 'Somewhere I Belong'

In this Jan. 31, 2013 photo, Hong Kong actress Karen Mok poses during an interview at a hotel in Hong Kong. Mok wrestles with what?s been a life-long question for her on the title of her first English album, ?Somewhere I Belong.? The Hong Kong pop diva has a half-Chinese, half-Welsh father and her mother is half-Chinese, one quarter-Iranian and a quarter-German. It?s easy to see why Mok cannot pinpoint one ethnic identity. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

In this Jan. 31, 2013 photo, Hong Kong actress Karen Mok poses during an interview at a hotel in Hong Kong. Mok wrestles with what?s been a life-long question for her on the title of her first English album, ?Somewhere I Belong.? The Hong Kong pop diva has a half-Chinese, half-Welsh father and her mother is half-Chinese, one quarter-Iranian and a quarter-German. It?s easy to see why Mok cannot pinpoint one ethnic identity. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

HONG KONG (AP) ? Karen Mok wrestles with what's been a life-long question for her on the title of her first English album, "Somewhere I Belong."

The Hong Kong pop diva has a half-Chinese, half-Welsh father and her mother is half-Chinese, one quarter-Iranian and a quarter-German. It's easy to see why Mok cannot pinpoint one ethnic identity.

So where exactly does she feel like she belongs? Mok explains it's not a geographic location, but rather her home is on stage, wherever she performs.

"It's about what I do, when I feel comfortable, that's when I'm doing what I love most, that's singing, that's when I'm performing on stage, and just singing my heart out, sharing my emotions," she said. "So that's where I belong."

After 16 successful Mandarin/Cantonese albums, Mok is venturing into English lyrics and a mix of music styles.

The album is her first attempt to cross from pop to jazz. She sings classic jazz tunes, as well as reinterpretations of Chinese and Western pop songs.

Insisting on a jazz album with an Asian sound, Mok made the album in China with Asian musicians and added a traditional Chinese instrument, the gu zeng string instrument, to the background of some tracks.

The 42-year-old songstress has been on the Asian entertainment scene for more than 20 years. She's starred in over 40 feature films and is the first Asian female artist to star in a Broadway show, when she was cast as Mimi in the 10th anniversary Asian tour of "Rent."

Mok is currently promoting "Somewhere I Belong" in Asia.

Later this year, she will appear in Keanu Reeves's directorial debut, "Man of Tai Chi."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-02-27-Hong%20Kong-Karen%20Mok/id-3e1634a22f684c25868089d841b67d7f

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Newt pheromones: They drive the ladies crazy

Franky Bossuyt

The male alpine Ichthyosaura alpestris newt knows that it isn't the tail waving that attracts the ladies, but the pheromones that he uses.

By Joseph Castro
LiveScience

It may be time to crown male newts as the female-arousing kings ? the amphibians release powerful pheromones that put females in the mood to mate with practically any adult around, even other females from different newt species, new research shows.

"The females react as if they're under the influence of drugs," said lead researcher Franky Bossuyt, a biologist at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Free University of Brussels) in Belgium. "We were convinced that if we put in a plastic toy moving at the right speed, they would follow it."

Newts typically live on land as adults and mate exclusively in water. During the breeding season, males adopt intense color patterns and grow skin extensions on their legs, tail and crest. These changes are thought to make males more attractive to females.

When two newts meet, the male releases pheromones and waves his tail, sending the chemical signals to the female. They then play out a mating dance akin to a short game of tag, with the female following after the male. To let him know she's ready to get down to business, the female touches the male's tail with her nose, prompting him to deposit his spermatophore ? a jellylike mass containing sperm??onto a substrate in the water, such as a leaf. Finally, he leads the female over the sperm packet, which sticks to her cloaca (the orifice leading to intestinal, reproductive and urinary tracts), resulting in insemination.

For years, scientists thought males waved their tails to disperse "attractant pheromones," which broadcast the male's presence and bring newt pairs together. But there's a problem with this idea: The newts have already introduced themselves before the male waves his tail. "The females are not attracted to the males by the tail-waving, at least with the newts I've seen," Bossuyt said.

Instead, the researchers thought, the tail fanning might disperse "courtship pheromones" that alter the female's behavior to stimulate mating.

Newt mating game
To find out, researchers placed male-female pairs of alpine newts (Ichthyosaura alpestris) and palmate newts (Lissotriton helveticus) into water-filled plastic containers for receptivity tests. The newts passed the test and were ready for the next phase if they completed the courtship ritual (females weren't allowed to complete the insemination).

The team then put two-female pairs into pheromone-infused courtship?water; some pairs consisted of two alpine newts, other pairs had one female of each species. If the water contained pheromones from a male of her species, the female would desperately try to court the other female. In some cases, two female alpine newts tried to follow each other, resulting in the pair circling one another. In some two-species trials, one female chased after another, even as the unreceptive partner tried to escape the container. [See video of the sex-crazed newts]

But the amphibians didn't remain patient forever. Not receiving the spermatophore she expected, the courting female eventually started waving her tail at her partner, possibly sending out pheromones.

Frustrated females
"Female tale-waving?is a kind of frustration behavior," Bossuyt explained, adding that females also tail-waved in receptivity tests to get males to continue courtship after researchers removed the spermatophores. In natural settings, this behavior probably happens only in uncommon situations, such as when a male is too tired for courtship. "So female tail-waving likely happens in nature, but you will not easily observe it," he said.

The results suggest the pheromones don't just announce the male's arrival, given how they induced such an overpowering mating reaction in the females. The researchers think males may have evolved such potent pheromones out of necessity, since newts often breed in turbid water with other newt species, making it difficult to mate based on vision alone.

It seems a male newt's flashy appearance matters little to females: It's all about his smell.

The research was detailed online this month in the journal PLOS ONE.

Follow LiveScience on Twitter?@livescience. We're also on Facebook?and Google+.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://science.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/26/17106274-newt-pheromones-they-just-drive-the-mating-females-crazy?lite

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U.S. plans medical, food aid for Syrian rebel fighters: sources

ROME (Reuters) - The United States plans to provide medical supplies and food to Syrian fighters, a policy shift to directly help those battling President Bashar al-Assad's forces on the ground, sources familiar with the matter said.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the United States continues to oppose providing lethal assistance and said it also will not provide such items as bullet-proof vests, armored-personnel vehicles and military training for now.

One source said the United States was also expected to announce a large increase in assistance to the Syrian National Coalition, the main civilian opposition group.

The announcements could come as early as Thursday in Rome, where U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will meet coalition members at a "Friends of Syria" meeting of mostly European and Arab nations supporting the opposition.

The steps would reflect a U.S. desire to do more to help the opposition in the conflict, in which an estimated 70,000 people have died since protests against Assad erupted nearly two years ago, while stopping far short of a full-blown military intervention, for which Washington appears to have no appetite.

The moves, however, might not satisfy some members of the Syrian National Coalition, which last week said it would boycott the conference out of frustration at not receiving more assistance and only agreed to come on Monday.

COALITION SOURCE DISMISSIVE

A coalition source said the planned U.S. steps were a continuation of what he described as an American policy of wanting "no winners, no losers" in the conflict.

He said that what he viewed as the relatively small size of the coalition delegation in Rome reflected strong expectations that the meeting will not come up with substantial support.

"There is a major current in the coalition that wanted to send a message that enough is enough and that the coalition will not go along with whatever the United States has in mind and (just) say 'thank you,'" the source said.

Even if Washington were to commit to supply weapons, there was no guarantee it would keep up the supply, the source said.

"Here and there, every once in a while the armed opposition get some decent weapons, but the supply is so patchy that it renders the weapons useless," he said.

"What is the use of a sophisticated gun for example without a constant supply of ammunition?"

'HUGE DEBATE' IN OBAMA ADMINISTRATION

The White House has long resisted providing weaponry to the rebel forces, arguing there was no way to guarantee the arms might not fall into the hands of militants who might eventually use them against Western targets.

U.S. officials have said that the U.S. Defense and State Departments, under former secretary of defense Leon Panetta and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, privately recommended that the White House arm the rebels but were overruled.

"It's a huge debate inside the administration between those that have to deal with Syria on an everyday basis, the State Department and DoD particularly, and the White House, which ... until now has vetoed any kind of outreach to the armed groups," said Andrew Tabler, senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a think-tank in the U.S. capital.

"Until now we've drawn a very clear policy line away from armed groups and preferred to deal with civilians, he said, saying he did not know what the United States would ultimately decide.

The United States has not so far given aid directly to the rebel fighters and a decision to provide medical supplies and food in the form of Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), the U.S. army's basic ration, would reverse that policy.

"Why would the policy change now? The answer is because it will have to. This policy is not succeeding ... Assad is not stepping down, the post-Assad Syria is not going to be peaceful, democratic and secular," he added. "So, given this reality, we have to deal with what's going to come next."

Kerry, who took over as U.S. secretary of state on February 1, signaled that he wanted the United States to do more, saying on Monday that "the Syrian opposition is not going to be dangling in the wind wondering where the support is or if it's coming."

The source who said that the United States was expected to announce a large increase in assistance to the Syrian National Coalition said the group would receive substantially more than the rebel fighters, but declined to divulge either sum.

The United States so far has provided more than $50 million in non-lethal assistance such as communications gear and governance training to the Syrian civilian opposition, according to a U.S. State Department fact sheet.

The coalition source, however, said giving the coalition even another $50 million was a pittance compared to what he said was the $40 million a day in humanitarian aid needed to meet the basic needs of Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons.

The United States has provided some $365 million in humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees in countries such as Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon and for internally displaced people, channeling this money through non-governmental organizations.

A U.S. State Department spokeswoman declined comment.

(Reporting By Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Paul Simao)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-plans-medical-food-aid-syrian-rebel-fighters-012612809.html

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Pirate Bay abandons Sweden for Norway and Spain after legal threats

Published time: February 26, 2013 18:25
Edited time: February 26, 2013 13:44

The Swedish Pirate Party has handed over hosting of the Pirate Bay to sister parties in Norway and Spain after the country?s copyright lobby sent a letter threatening criminal charges for hosting the controversial file-sharing website.

The Swedish Rights Alliance gave the party until Tuesday to cut all ties with the Pirate Bay following threats of serious legal consequences. In a letter sent directly to the party's board members earlier this month, the Swedish Pirate Party was accused of violating copyright law by acting as an Internet service provider for the popular bittorrent site.

The alliance also charged that the Supreme Court of Sweden had ?legally settled that not only those who operate an illegal file-sharing service, but also those who provide internet access to such an illegal service are committing a criminal act.?

The Rights Alliance said that such violations of copyright law could entail stiff fines for noncompliance, payment of damages and even potential prison terms. ?These rules apply to legal entities, including non-profit organizations such as The Pirate Party and Serious Tubes, their board members, and other representatives of the organizations,? the letter continued.

The Pirate Bay?s decision to move its web-hosting services to Norway and Spain likely stems from legal precedents indicating more favorable climates for file-sharing sites.

In 2010, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and several movie studios were unable to force a Norwegian ISP to block the Pirate Bay. Spanish courts have so far failed to react to dozens of site closure requests from rightsholders, and threats from the United States that Spain will be put on a trade blacklist.

Swedish Pirate Party Leader Anna Troberg hailed the shift as a positive sign that despite legal pressure at home, the movement is continuing to become an international platform for reforming copyright laws and patents.

?Today, there are more than sixty different Pirate Parties all around the world. Every cut connection to The Pirate Bay will generate two new connections,? Torrent Freak quoted her as saying.

She further said that to take the Rights Alliance on at this time would not be prudent, despite the tenuous legal claims leveled at the Pirate Party.

?It would be crazy to enter a game where the rules are decided by the other team,? she said. ?The Pirate Party?s mission is not to produce martyrs for the copyright industry. Our mission is to create longterm political change that ensures that the copyright industry in the future will not be allowed to threaten companies, organizations and individuals into silence with our common judicial system as a weapon.?

Rick Falkvinge, the Pirate Party founder and a self-described evangelist of sensible information policy, told RT that Swedish courts have displayed ?remarkable and remorseless corruption when it comes to copyright monopoly cases in general, and The Pirate Bay cases in particular.?

?Being in the moral and legal right is something completely different from winning in a courtroom,? he said. ?In the trial against the Pirate Bay operators, you saw everything from a corrupt judge who was part of the same interest group as the plaintiffs to an investigating police officer who was flat-out hired by Warner Brothers while doing the investigation.?

"It was a travesty of everything justice is supposed to be,? Falkvinge added.

Source: http://rt.com/news/pirate-bay-leave-sweden-472/

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Genetic variation behind acute myeloid leukemia treatment success identified

Feb. 26, 2013 ? Researchers from the College of Pharmacy and Medical School working within the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, have partnered to identify genetic variations that may help signal which acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients will benefit or not benefit from one of the newest antileukemic agents.

Their study is published February 26 in Clinical Cancer Research.

In the latest study, U of M researchers evaluated how inherited genetic polymorphisms in CD33, a protein that naturally occurs in most leukemia cells, could affect clinical outcomes of patients treated with an existing chemotherapy drug, gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO), an immuno-conjugate between anti-CD33 antibody and a cytotoxin known as calicheamicin, which binds to CD33 on leukemic cells. As GO is internalized by leukemia cells, the cytotoxin is released, causing DNA damage and generating leukemic cell death.

In recent clinical trials GO has been shown to induce remission and improve survival in subset of patients with AML, however there is wide inter-patient variation in response.

Jatinder Lamba, Ph.D., and colleagues identified and evaluated three genetic variations of CD33 in two groups of patients with pediatric AML -- one group that received the drug GO, and one group that did not. They found that specific genetic variation in CD33 that significantly affected the clinical outcome of AML patients who received GO based chemotherapy.

"Understanding how genetics play a role in how drugs work is extremely useful, particularly for a drug like GO which has shown a very heterogeneous response in AML patients," said Jatinder Lamba, Ph.D., the study's lead author and a researcher who holds appointments in both the College of Pharmacy and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota. "Our latest findings lead us to believe that genetic variation in CD33 influences how AML patients' leukemic cell responds to GO."

AML is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, and is the second most common form of leukemia in children. Though the most common type of treatment for AML is chemotherapy, Lamba says the disease remains hard to treat and newer, more effective therapies are needed.

"The overall goal of our study was to use genetic data to predict beneficial or adverse response to a specific drug, thus opening up opportunities to use this information for drug optimization to achieve maximum therapeutic efficacy and minimum toxicity. Our hope is that our research could serve as a marker of prognostic significance for clinicians to select the therapy that has the greatest odds of being effective for individual patients based on their CD33 genotype."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Minnesota Academic Health Center. The original article was written by Miranda Taylor.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Leslie Mortland, Todd A. Alonzo, Roland B. Walter, Robert B. Gerbing, Amit K. Mitra, Jessica A. Pollard, Michael R. Loken, Betsy Hirsch, Susana Raimondi, Janet Franklin, Stanley Pounds, Xueyuan Cao, Jeffrey E. Rubnitz, Raul C. Ribeiro, Alan Gamis, Soheil Meshinchi, and Jatinder K. Lamba. Clinical Significance of CD33 Nonsynonymous Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Pediatric Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treated with Gemtuzumab-Ozogamicin?Containing Chemotherapy. Clin Cancer Res, February 26, 2013 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-12-3115

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/XCnTyRw2tKw/130226135523.htm

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A Russian Winter warmer menu at Mari Vanna, London - Cooksister

Like many other children of the 1970s and 1980s, I did not exactly grow up thinking of Russia as a culinary hotspot. ?For me, ?Russia conjured up visions of the frozen steppes and white nights; of food shortages and old women queueing in the snow for a single loaf of bread; ?of ?grim-faced KGB men in fur hats driving Ladas; and of the assured mutual destruction of nuclear war. ?Even as a teenager, I clearly had a flair for the dramatic. ?But as Mikhail Gorbachov introduced glasnost and one by one the fortifications of the old USSR fell, ?it slowly became apparent that as much as the evil west had been misrepresented to an entire generation of Russians, so the image of a relentlessly grim Russia had also been misrepresented to my generation. ?Behind the po-faced curtain of communist rule and conformity was a vibrant and ancient food culture, waiting to be discovered by and shared with the West.

But despite it now being over two decades since the USSR disintegrated, and despite the growing numbers of eastern Europeans now living in London, I had still not dined in a Russian restaurant. ?But that was easily rectified when I was invited to a Winter Warmer dinner at Mari Vanna. Following the success of sister restaurants in St Petersburg, Moscow and New York, ?Mari Vanna?opened in Kinghstbridge, London in December 2011, a stone?s throw from Harrods. Walking into the ?candlelit interior is like stepping into the parlour of your ?eccentric Russian maiden aunt, who has a hoarding problem. ? Every inch of wall and every nook and cranny is overflowing with framed photographs, mismatched furniture, ornate crockery, French lace, crystal chandeliers ?from St Petersburg, lamps draped with fringed shawls, wooden stacking dolls, bookshelves filled with Russian literature, and crystal bowls of Sushki (a traditional Russian tea bread).?The eccentricity also extends to the bathrooms where you conduct your business to the sound of Russian folk songs and the loos have old-fashioned pull-chain mechanisms. It?s the kind of place that makes minimalists break out in a cold sweat ? but charming for all that, and a refreshing break from the blond wood Generic Gastropub school of decor.

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But there is nothing eccentric about the menu which reads like a greatest hits album of traditional, rib-sticking Russian food. ?We started off downstairs with cocktails from a characteristically unusual menu ? mine was a deliciously tart Oblepiha?s Dream?(?13 ? primarily composed of passion fruit, vodka and Champagne) but you could also have gone for Sex on The Birch?! Once we?d finished those, we moved upstairs to dine at a table with a good view of the impressive collection of jars of homemade infused vodka on offer. Luckily we did not have to face the agony of deciding what to order ? the restaurant had decided on a menu for the whole table and the food just kept on coming. Here?s how the evening unfolded.

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While we were waiting for the food, we were presented with an excellent plate of bread ? a nice mix of white, wholegrain and seeded. This was followed by a selection of Russian starters. ?Pirogi are traditional pasty-shaped pies popular in a number of eastern European cuisines. ?At Mari Vanna, you can choose from 3 flavours: the delicious ?beef and pork; the pescatarian seabass; and the slightly peculiar egg and cabbage (?3.00 each). ?The pastry is lighter than I had expected and deliciously crumbly with the presence of butter. ?Hiding its light under a bushel was herring in a shuba-coat ? a traditional layered salad with beetroot, salted herring and potatoes in a light mayonnaise dressing, covered in grated hard-boiled eggs (?11.00). ?I loved this ? particularly the interplay between the earthy beetroot and the salty herring ? it?s quite rich, but then you need your calories on the frozen steppes! A more familiar- looking Russian treat was the?Russian ?Olivier? salad with ox tongue (?10.00). ?Picture a classic Russian salad with diced carrots, pickled cucumbers, peas and boiled potatoes in a mayonnaise dressing, then add some rich and delicious cubes of cooked ox tongue ? voila! ?A new classic and a new addiction for me. To make sure we got a little fibre in our diet as well, there was a little pot of nutty buckwheat with mushrooms and onions?(?6.00); and to counteract any healthy effects of the buckwheat, there was also a decadent traditional Georgian bread pie called hachapuri, stuffed with suluguni cheese. Bread. Stuffed. With. Cheese. ?Ponder that for a second. It was like an eastern-European pizza sandwich and I confess that I was smitten.

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Of course, no Russian meal would be complete without traditional borsch (?9.00) - a beef and beetroot soup served with sour cream and pillowy pampushka bread. ?The consistency was more that of a beetroot broth, but the presence of the beef strips made this a substantial, tasty and satisfying dish. From the main course section of the menu, we had golubtzi (?15.00) ? another classic dish of cabbage leaves stuffed with pork, veal and rice and served covered ?in a rich and creamy tomato sauce. I remember my late sister making these for us in France and this dish held the lovely comforting taste of childhood memory ? satisfying and uncomplicated. ?This was followed by something altogether more sophisticated ? blinis served with sour cream, red onion, grated hard-boiled egg and our choice of smoked salmon (?17.00) or salmon roe (?23.00). ?I had always thought of blinis as small, fairly thick pancakes but what arrived were more along the lines of what I would call French cr?pes, to be filled with the salmon or roe and accompaniments, rolled up and eaten. ?I must say that the salmon roe filling was a revelation ? jewel-like, saltier than the salmon, and with the added textural interest of the lightly popping roe. ?Simply heavenly.

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Nobody was particularly hungry by this stage, but it would have been churlish not to try something from the tempting dessert menu. ?Although I was instantly drawn to the sweet cherry dumplings, in the end I could not resist the allure of the honey cake (?8.00)?. ?This impressive construction consists of seven layers of wafer-thin honey-filled sponge interspersed with buttercream, and a little chunk of comb honey on the side. ?I won?t lie to you ? it is intensely sweet, but it is the aromatic sweetness of honey rather than inspid cane sugar; and it is surprisingly light for all its sweetness. The portion is also generous and could easily be shared between two. ?And of course, no meal at Mari Vanna would be complete without sampling some of their home-made infused vodkas. I started with a safe choice ? the cherry vodka (?10.00), which had the most fantastic magenta colour and a proper cherry flavour tinged with a pleasingly sour edge ? not the saccharin flavour of glac? cherries. I was not brave enough to try the horseradish vodka, but I did try the cucumber and dill vodka (?10.00). ?This had a sparkling pale green colour and a surprisingly fresh and delicious taste ? like a dip in cool water on a hot summer?s day. ?It?s an extremely good match for the salmon roe blinis!

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My verdict? ?It?s a fabulous (if slightly bonkers) place to while away a few hours people-watching and eating decadent things while winter marches on. ?You truly do feel as if you?ve gone somewhere entirely different to London ? stepping out onto Knightsbridge ?after our meal was a slightly surreal experience, as you half expect your ruddy-cheeked Russian aunt to see you off at the door as you set off across the frozen steppes. ?The food was mostly very good and sometimes brilliant (yes, blinis and Oliver salad, I?m talking to you) ? and the infused vodkas were addictive. ?The catch? ?It?s not cheap. ?Allowing for the fact that we sampled more things when we visited than one might on a normal dinner a deux, I still reckon a meal would come to about ?70 per person including a bottle of wine and maybe a sneaky vodka. Given the fact that it?s located a short stagger from Harrods, I am guessing that most of the clientele are not there for a budget meal. ?For a special meal out though, I?d recommend it as a fun and slightly offbeat choice.

For another impression of the evening, see? Fiona?s post.

Liked: the crazy decor, the homemade infused vodkas
Disliked:?the fairly steep prices of some items
In a nutshell: A great (if pricey) ?introduction to Russian food and drink in a quirky and appealing venue
Wow factor out of 10:?7.5

?

DISCLOSURE: ?I enjoyed this meal as a guest of Mari Vanna but received no remuneration other than the meal itself, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Mari Vanna
116 Knightsbridge
London
SW1X 7PJ

Tel. +44 (0) 20 7225 3122

Source: http://www.cooksister.com/2013/02/a-russian-winter-warmer-menu-at-mari-vanna.html

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Video: Priceline Earnings Out

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50962896/

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FDA flexes mandatory recall muscles over pet treats - Vitals

By JoNel Aleccia, Staff Writer, NBC News

Federal health regulators quietly flexed new food safety muscles last week when they threatened a Denver pet treat maker with the Food and Drug Administration?s first mandatory recall of potentially tainted products.

Kasel Associated Industries pulled all pet treats manufactured at the Colorado facility from April 20, 2012 to Sept. 19, 2012 because the products -- ranging from pig ears and salmon jerky to buffalo hearts and dried bull penises -- may have been contaminated with salmonella.

The move was the third recall since September of Kasel products, and it came only after the company originally refused to voluntarily recall products. In December, FDA officials issued a warning advising consumers to avoid the products.

But inspections in September revealed significant problems with salmonella contamination, including tests that showed that 48 of 87 swabs of the plant?s environment turned up the bacteria that can cause illness in pets and humans.

In addition, there were documented problems with rodents and insects, including larvae, flies, worms, beetles and ?cockroach-like? insects, according to FDA inspection reports.

As the conclusion of a second inspection on Feb. 14, FDA officials issued a final notice to Kasel to cease distribution and conduct a voluntary recall before the agency took mandatory action.

Such hearings -- and the mandatory recall authority -- are part of the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act, which grants sweeping new authority to regulate producers.

FDA officials said they have received ?a small number?? of complaints of illness in dogs who were exposed to the treats. Salmonella infection can be transmitted to humans who come in contact with the treats or pets who?ve consumed them, but FDA has received no reports of human infections.

The Kasel treats are sold by various big-name retailers, including Target, Petco, Sam?s Club and Costco.

The recall of the U.S.-made treats is not related to the FDA?s ongoing investigation of illnesses and deaths in dogs and cats exposed to chicken jerky pet treats made in China.

Pet health advocates have clamored for the FDA to use the FSMA authority to force mandatory recall of the foreign-made treats, which have been blamed for deaths of 500 dogs and nine cats, and illnesses involving 3,243 dogs at last count.

Jalil Isa, an FDA spokesman, said that the Kasel recall involved a ?reasonable probability? that the Colorado-made pet treats were adulterated.

?The FDA continues to investigate jerky pet treats from China, along with its partners in the Veterinary Laboratory Response Network,? Isa said in an email.

In the meantime, several varieties of chicken jerky pet treats made in China, have been recalled from store shelves after New York agriculture officials detected unapproved antibiotics in the products.

Nestle Purine PetCare Co. recalled its popular Waggin? Train and Canyon Creek Ranch brand dog treats, and Del Monte Corp. officials recalled their Milo?s Kitchen Chicken Jerky and Chicken Grillers home-style dog treats from shelves nationwide.

In addition, Publix stores recalled private Chicken Tenders Dog Chew Treats and IMS Pet Industries Inc. withdrew its Cadet Brand Chicken Jerky Treats sold in the U.S.

Related stories:

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Source: http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/25/17090860-fda-flexes-mandatory-recall-muscles-over-pet-treats?lite

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Hagel confirmed as defense secretary

Former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel testifies at his Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing on Jan.??The Senate on Tuesday voted to confirm former Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense, overcoming a fierce campaign by some GOP lawmakers to block President Barack Obama's nominee.

Hagel's nomination, which required support from just a majority of the chamber, passed 58-41.

Four Republicans voted to approve Hagel's nomination: Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Sen. Mike Johanns of Nebraska and Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama.

Tuesday's vote ended a tumultuous confirmation process that began the moment Obama announced Hagel as his choice to replace outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. Despite Hagel's tenure in the Senate, many of his former colleagues refused to endorse him for the defense post, pointing to his past comments about the U.S. relationship to Israel and Iran's nuclear program.

Even some Democrats showed hesitancy about confirming Hagel at first.It was not until he made a series of personal visits to key members of the party that he was able to secure their support.

During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hagel faced a grilling from senators on the panel who pressed him on a wide rang of topics. Hagel's performance was disappointing, but the White House stood by its choice.

The first attempt in the Senate to end debate fell short in the face of an unprecedented GOP filibuster two weeks ago, with Democrats just one vote shy of the 60 needed to proceed to confirm Hagel. (The tally showed 58 votes in favor, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid changed his vote to ?no? as it was needed to secure the right under parliamentary rules to bring up Tuesday?s vote.)

Last week 15 Republicans sent a letter to Obama urging him to withdraw Hagel's nomination, citing his record and comments he made in the past about Iran's nuclear weapons program. The White House dismissed the request.

Now that he has been confirmed, it remains unclear clear how the sustained battering will affect Hagel's tenure at the Pentagon. But the rough handling he got from his fellow Republicans and former colleagues shows one thing for sure: The former lawmaker cannot count on getting the benefit of the doubt from Congress as he moves to deal with spending cuts that start coming into force on Friday, or takes on challenges overseas like the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/defense-secretary-nominee-hagel-faces-big-step-confirmation-114702931--politics.html

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Iranian educated in North Korea becomes minister

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? Iran's parliament has approved a North Korean-educated former military official for a key post in President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government.

The official IRNA news agency says Mohammad Hasan Nami ? nominated by Ahmadinejad last week for the post of communications minister ? got 177 votes in parliament on Tuesday. There were 243 lawmakers present in the 290-seat chamber.

Nami is the third minister with a military background to join Ahmadinejad administration, after Defense Minister Gen. Ahmad Vahidi and Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar.

Nami holds a doctorate degree in state management from Kim Il-Sung University in Pyongyang, North Korea. He is also a former deputy defense minister and Iran's ex-deputy Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Army.

Nami is fluent in English and is reportedly behind Iran's national intranet project.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iranian-educated-north-korea-becomes-minister-092913575.html

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5 Ways to Spend Family Time On a Budget

by Mommy on February 25, 2013

Are you planning for the future but still thinking for today? Then try these 5 creative ways to get the most out of your money without compromising without breaking the wallet.

1. Stop thinking you have to do extravagant things to spend some QT with the family.? Never underestimate the power of sites like Groupon (www.groupon.com) or Living Social (www.livingsocial.com), who can assist you with planning an economical family adventure without the need of a third or fourth job in order to pay for it.
2. Parks can a families best friend. Parks are places that the entire family can enjoy and it doesn?t cost a thing to go to them. If you are looking for a little more fun, you can always invite some friends and family for a small picnic with hot dogs and burgers.?
3. Movie nights are something that we tend to enjoy a lot. We pick a night that we can all sit down with a bowl of popcorn and the latest kid friendly movie that we can find.
4. Cooking together is a great way for children to learn and to also be able to spend time with one another.
5. There have been a ton of board games that have made it?s way to the shelves. The best part about board games is that you can do them anywhere and especially at home with your family. There are board games for nearly all ages and some as young as three years old.

How do you spend family QT on a budget?

Source: http://www.mommyposh.com/2013/02/25/5-ways-to-spend-some-family-time-on-a-budget/

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Step Inside the Hot Oscar Afterparties!

Reese Witherspoon! Jen Aniston! See the A-listers reveling at the glitziest post-Oscars bashes

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/oscar-afterparties/1-b-523800?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Aoscar-afterparties-523800

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Nokia Lumia 720 preview: a slim and 'trendy' Windows Phone 8 handset for the social networking set (update: video)

It's what the 920 should've been -- the Lumia 720, that is. And that's likely what other press will claim, as well. From the moment Nokia laid the slim, 4.3-inch device in our hands, it was apparent the company has a different user in its sights: the hyper social and style-obsessed. With a profile of 9mm, the Lumia 720 is now the thinnest Windows Phone 8 device in the Finnish company's lineup. And it's also the "trendiest," as Nokia will no doubt remind you in its eventual marketing. So, you can forget about dazzling specs -- the 720's demo supposedly isn't concerned with bleeding edge tech. In fact, some of what you'll find in the 720 can also be found in its lowest end cousin, the 520; like that dual-core 1GHz Snapdragon processor and 800 x 480 Sensitive Touch display.

The question then is: what makes this Lumia sleek enough for the fashion crowd (and their tiny purses and skinny jeans)? At its base, the 720 is all about color(s) and camera, just not in the way the Lumia 920 was. For starters, the slight-looking 720 will come in five different shades (matte: cyan, yellow, black and red; glossy: white) and includes a 1.3-megapixel front facer with wide-angle lens and a new 6.7-megapixel rear camera module with f/1.9 lens (developed with Carl Zeiss labs) for lowlight performance. There's also a new digital lens Nokia's pre-installed, dubbed Glam Me, to give selfies (aka personal portrait shots) an extra bit of sheen -- something Nokia tells us its Asian user are clamoring for. Apparently, this new filter adds the ability to whiten teeth, widen eyes, soften skin and even overlay a rainy day window or magazine-like layouts to shots.

Gallery: Nokia Lumia 720 hands-on

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Nokia

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/vwz_onC9rHU/

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BlackBerry launches the Z10 in India for $800

The BB10-toting BlackBerry Z10 has just been unveiled in India, priced at Rs 43,490 ($800) for an unlocked unit. Coinciding with the announcement, the BlackBerry Music Store has also gone live in the country starting today, offering a mix of local and international music. Support for local languages aside, the app offerings have been given an Indian flavor with the inclusion of country-specific goodies spanning various genres including news, banking, travel, entertainment and lifestyle. The subcontinent is quite important for the company formerly known as RIM, and its devices are still popular in the region, despite taking a beating in market share recently (see coverage), courtesy the BBM service that makes them the go-to smartphones for those hooked on to the instant messaging platform. However, the Z10's sticker price puts it in the same league as the 16GB iPhone 5 and HTC's full-HD Butterfly (both costing roughly $50 more), and it remains to be seen how the price-sensitive Indian market will react to the new entrant.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Blackberry

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/blackberry-z10-india/

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Adele's Post-Oscars Plans May Include Beyonce-Style Doc

Oscar-winner reveals her plans for EGOT domination.
By Jocelyn Vena

Adele at the 2013 Oscars
Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1702566/adele-oscars-documentary.jhtml

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Jennifer Lawrence Hot or Not At 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards

Jennifer Lawrence arrived at the 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards wearing a super hot (or not) Lanvin dress. Check it out, what do you think? PR Photos On one hand she looks amazing, and maybe it is just the angle in my photo agency’s gallery, but in some she looks horrible. Jennifer showed some sideboob and a lot of skin in the backless Lanvin design, which also featured a metal, choker collar, bow at the waste, and asymmetrical skirt. Sometimes she looks like Katniss others, just an awkward girl not sure if this was the right option. I love the girl don’;t get me wrong, but I don’t think this was the best choice for her. What do you think is Jennifer hot or not? Sound off in the comments.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RightCelebrity/~3/yURYQORC-iE/

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Ranking the free agents

The Scouting Combine is all the rage right now, but it's just a steppingstone toward the late-April NFL draft. While forty times and vertical leaps are great fun, an NFL steppingstone that will impact draft results to a much greater extent than the Underwear Olympics is free agency. And it kicks off in just over two weeks.

Here is my ranking of this year's top-50 NFL Free Agents, with guesses on where each player will land, and for roughly how much.

1. Quarterback Joe Flacco -- The Ravens want it. Flacco wants it. And the amount of money is no longer a topic of debate. Flacco will average $20 million on his forthcoming extension, leaving only length and structure to be negotiated. A tag will be wielded if it comes to that, but look for Ozzie Newsome to wrap this thing up within the week, allowing the Ravens' offseason to move forward.

Free Agent Forecast: Ravens on a seven-year, $140 million contract.

2. Left tackle Ryan Clady -- VP of Football Operations John Elway has made it clear Clady isn't going anywhere. He'll be slapped with the franchise tag, and the Broncos will explore something more long term when Clady proves he's fully recovered from offseason shoulder surgery.

Free Agent Forecast: Broncos via the franchise tag.

3. Defensive end Cliff Avril -- Avril projects to break the bank in free agency because he's the top natural pass rusher available, just about to turn 27, and offers scheme versatility. He'll appeal to 4-3 and 3-4 clubs alike. With 39.5 sacks, 13 pass breakups, and 16 forced fumbles over the past five seasons, Avril disrupts offenses in a variety of ways. Indy is flush with salary cap space, and Avril's versatility-athleticism combo would be put to great use in Chuck Pagano's hybrid defense.

Free Agent Forecast: Colts on a five-year, $64 million contract.

4. Cornerback Aqib Talib -- The Patriots are rolling the dice a bit with Talib, but they could emerge looking awfully smart. They'll let him hit the market, gambling that corner-needy teams will instead focus on players with cleaner off-field histories at free agency's deepest position. Expect Talib to be disappointed with offers elsewhere and ultimately re-up in Foxboro at a team-friendly rate.

Free Agent Forecast: Patriots on a four-year, $30 million contract.

5. Outside linebacker Paul Kruger -- Kruger's free agency buzz was red hot just ahead of and following Super Bowl 47, but it's come back to Earth the past few weeks. While Kruger is a good player and will command a pretty penny, he's a complementary as opposed to franchise pass rusher. He's Brian Robison, and he's going to get paid like Jared Allen. In Cleveland, Kruger could still complete a formidable rush 'backer duo with Jabaal Sheard in Ray Horton's new 3-4 defense.

Free Agent Forecast: Browns on a five-year, $60 million contract.

6. Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe -- All signs out of Indianapolis point to Bowe getting a second straight franchise tag. Teams such as the Bills and Vikings would love to get their hands on a receiver like Bowe, but it's not happening. Look for the Chiefs to let Branden Albert walk, tag Bowe, and target a long-term extension worth roughly $11 million annually down the road. Alex Smith is going to be Kansas City?s quarterback, and an offensive tackle figures to be the No. 1 pick.

Free Agent Forecast: Chiefs via the franchise tag.

7. Wide receiver Mike Wallace -- Both the Miami Herald and South Florida Sun-Sentinel have reported that Wallace tops GM Jeff Ireland's free-agent wish list. "60 Minutes" would give Ryan Tannehill a playmaker on the perimeter capable of both catching bombs and attracting frequent double coverage. Signing Wallace could open up Miami's offense underneath.

Free Agent Forecast: Dolphins on a four-year, $50 million contract.

8. Safety Jairus Byrd -- Adept in center-field coverage and a hawk on the ball, Byrd has developed into perhaps the premier free safety in football, forcing 28 turnovers through four NFL seasons. The Bills could use the franchise tag as a steppingstone in long-term contract talks. Soon, Byrd will join Eric Berry, Troy Polamalu, and Eric Weddle as one of the NFL's highest paid safeties.

Free Agent Forecast: Bills via the franchise tag.

9. Defensive tackle Henry Melton -- The surest way to torpedo an opposing passing game is to attack it with interior pressure. Melton does that like a rolling ball of butcher knives from his three-technique tackle position, registering 13 sacks over the past two seasons and getting better every year. The 2013 franchise number for interior defensive linemen costs a reasonable $8.306 million.

Free Agent Forecast: Bears via the franchise tag.

10. Safety Dashon Goldson -- If Byrd is the top ballhawk in the game, Goldson might be the premier pure cover safety. Toward the end of the season, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio cost the Niners some leverage by publicly acknowledging Goldson was "right up there" with Ed Reed. Goldson wanted Eric Weddle money last offseason. He may get more after a career-best year.

Free Agent Forecast: 49ers on a five-year, $42 million contract.

11. Outside linebacker Anthony Spencer -- Sporting the Cowboys' franchise tag in 2012, Spencer delivered career bests in tackles (95) and sacks (11). Despite changing its defensive alignment from 3-4 to 4-3, Dallas has made no bones about wanting Spencer back. They could clear enough space to make it happen by signing Tony Romo to an extension, which they already plan to do.

Free Agent Forecast: Cowboys on a four-year, $44 million contract.

12. Tight end Tony Gonzalez -- Gonzalez seemed dead set on retirement late in the 2012 season, but ESPN's Ed Werder has since reported the future Hall of Famer is "wavering" and may return for one more Super Bowl run. Although he is 37 years old, Gonzo has plenty of good football left, coming off a 93-reception season. Expect the allure of a championship to bring Gonzalez back.

Free Agent Forecast: Falcons on a one-year, $7 million contract.

13. Defensive tackle Desmond Bryant -- Flying under the radar only because he played on a bad team, Bryant has highly impressive game tape and possesses scheme versatility at 6-foot-6, 300. With nine sacks, two forced fumbles, and productive starts at both tackle and end the past two seasons, 27-year-old Bryant was this year's sleeper for a white-hot market before last week's arrest. Pete Carroll's forgiving Seahawks aren't afraid to take chances on players, and they were looking for an interior pass rusher like this when they signed Jason Jones last spring.

Free Agent Forecast: Seahawks on a five-year, $25 million contract.

14. Left tackle Branden Albert -- At the Scouting Combine, coach Andy Reid greased the skids for Albert's departure by calling a 2012 back issue that only cost him three games "a fairly significant injury." Significant or not, the comments were telling. Bears GM Phil Emery's team is needy at tackle, and Albert was drafted by the Chiefs in Emery?s first year as Kansas City's college scouting director.

Free Agent Forecast: Bears on a five-year, $37 million contract.

15. Offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer -- Primarily a right tackle in New England, 28-year-old Vollmer's value is enhanced by his capability of adequately protecting the blind side. Lean and athletic at 6-foot-8, 315, Vollmer would be coveted on the market even after arthroscopic knee surgery. The Pats are unlikely to let him get there, prioritizing Vollmer over Talib and Wes Welker.

Free Agent Forecast: Patriots on a five-year, $36 million contract.

16. Defensive end Michael Johnson -- In a breakout contract year, Johnson amassed 11.5 sacks -- the same amount he totaled across his first three seasons in the league. The fact that Johnson was an underachiever before 2012 suggests the Bengals would be savvy to keep him in another contract year. They could do so with the franchise tag, worth $10.98 million at defensive end.

Free Agent Forecast: Bengals via the franchise tag.

17. Wide receiver Wes Welker -- Although they eventually leaned on him due to Aaron Hernandez and Julian Edelman's injuries, the Pats opened last season essentially phasing Welker out of their offense. It's probably a sign of things to come. Welker is 32 and not under consideration for New England's franchise tag. The Patriots simply don't value him as highly as it seems like they should.

Free Agent Forecast: Bears on a three-year, $27 million contract.

18. Running back Steven Jackson -- Jackson will void his $7 million player option for 2013, but the Rams still view him as a key component in their offense. The expectation here is that S-Jax signs a deal to finish his career in St. Louis. If he doesn't, the Falcons, Packers, Steelers, and Broncos would be sensible suitors. Jackson would surely look at playoff-contending teams first.

Free Agent Forecast: Rams on a three-year, $17.5 million contract.

19. Cornerback Sean Smith -- The Miami Herald is South Florida's most plugged-in paper and vehemently insists Smith won't be franchise tagged. Look for Smith to hit the market targeting $8 million per year. In Jacksonville, new coach Gus Bradley is in pursuit of big, physical corners.

Free Agent Forecast: Jaguars on a four-year, $32 million contract.

20. Right tackle Andre Smith -- Smith would be an interesting case in free agency. He has a worrisome history of weight issues, but played like the best right tackle in football last season. While the Bengals don't always pony up for free agents, they realize Smith is critical in their offense. They may let him reach the market initially, then re-sign him if bidding is lukewarm.

Free Agent Forecast: Bengals on a six-year, $39 million contract.

The Scouting Combine is all the rage right now, but it's just a steppingstone toward the late-April NFL draft. While forty times and vertical leaps are great fun, an NFL steppingstone that will impact draft results to a much greater extent than the Underwear Olympics is free agency. And it kicks off in just over two weeks.

Here is my ranking of this year's top-50 NFL Free Agents, with guesses on where each player will land, and for roughly how much.

1. Quarterback Joe Flacco -- The Ravens want it. Flacco wants it. And the amount of money is no longer a topic of debate. Flacco will average $20 million on his forthcoming extension, leaving only length and structure to be negotiated. A tag will be wielded if it comes to that, but look for Ozzie Newsome to wrap this thing up within the week, allowing the Ravens' offseason to move forward.

Free Agent Forecast: Ravens on a seven-year, $140 million contract.

2. Left tackle Ryan Clady -- VP of Football Operations John Elway has made it clear Clady isn't going anywhere. He'll be slapped with the franchise tag, and the Broncos will explore something more long term when Clady proves he's fully recovered from offseason shoulder surgery.

Free Agent Forecast: Broncos via the franchise tag.

3. Defensive end Cliff Avril -- Avril projects to break the bank in free agency because he's the top natural pass rusher available, just about to turn 27, and offers scheme versatility. He'll appeal to 4-3 and 3-4 clubs alike. With 39.5 sacks, 13 pass breakups, and 16 forced fumbles over the past five seasons, Avril disrupts offenses in a variety of ways. Indy is flush with salary cap space, and Avril's versatility-athleticism combo would be put to great use in Chuck Pagano's hybrid defense.

Free Agent Forecast: Colts on a five-year, $64 million contract.

4. Cornerback Aqib Talib -- The Patriots are rolling the dice a bit with Talib, but they could emerge looking awfully smart. They'll let him hit the market, gambling that corner-needy teams will instead focus on players with cleaner off-field histories at free agency's deepest position. Expect Talib to be disappointed with offers elsewhere and ultimately re-up in Foxboro at a team-friendly rate.

Free Agent Forecast: Patriots on a four-year, $30 million contract.

5. Outside linebacker Paul Kruger -- Kruger's free agency buzz was red hot just ahead of and following Super Bowl 47, but it's come back to Earth the past few weeks. While Kruger is a good player and will command a pretty penny, he's a complementary as opposed to franchise pass rusher. He's Brian Robison, and he's going to get paid like Jared Allen. In Cleveland, Kruger could still complete a formidable rush 'backer duo with Jabaal Sheard in Ray Horton's new 3-4 defense.

Free Agent Forecast: Browns on a five-year, $60 million contract.

6. Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe -- All signs out of Indianapolis point to Bowe getting a second straight franchise tag. Teams such as the Bills and Vikings would love to get their hands on a receiver like Bowe, but it's not happening. Look for the Chiefs to let Branden Albert walk, tag Bowe, and target a long-term extension worth roughly $11 million annually down the road. Alex Smith is going to be Kansas City?s quarterback, and an offensive tackle figures to be the No. 1 pick.

Free Agent Forecast: Chiefs via the franchise tag.

7. Wide receiver Mike Wallace -- Both the Miami Herald and South Florida Sun-Sentinel have reported that Wallace tops GM Jeff Ireland's free-agent wish list. "60 Minutes" would give Ryan Tannehill a playmaker on the perimeter capable of both catching bombs and attracting frequent double coverage. Signing Wallace could open up Miami's offense underneath.

Free Agent Forecast: Dolphins on a four-year, $50 million contract.

8. Safety Jairus Byrd -- Adept in center-field coverage and a hawk on the ball, Byrd has developed into perhaps the premier free safety in football, forcing 28 turnovers through four NFL seasons. The Bills could use the franchise tag as a steppingstone in long-term contract talks. Soon, Byrd will join Eric Berry, Troy Polamalu, and Eric Weddle as one of the NFL's highest paid safeties.

Free Agent Forecast: Bills via the franchise tag.

9. Defensive tackle Henry Melton -- The surest way to torpedo an opposing passing game is to attack it with interior pressure. Melton does that like a rolling ball of butcher knives from his three-technique tackle position, registering 13 sacks over the past two seasons and getting better every year. The 2013 franchise number for interior defensive linemen costs a reasonable $8.306 million.

Free Agent Forecast: Bears via the franchise tag.

10. Safety Dashon Goldson -- If Byrd is the top ballhawk in the game, Goldson might be the premier pure cover safety. Toward the end of the season, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio cost the Niners some leverage by publicly acknowledging Goldson was "right up there" with Ed Reed. Goldson wanted Eric Weddle money last offseason. He may get more after a career-best year.

Free Agent Forecast: 49ers on a five-year, $42 million contract.

11. Outside linebacker Anthony Spencer -- Sporting the Cowboys' franchise tag in 2012, Spencer delivered career bests in tackles (95) and sacks (11). Despite changing its defensive alignment from 3-4 to 4-3, Dallas has made no bones about wanting Spencer back. They could clear enough space to make it happen by signing Tony Romo to an extension, which they already plan to do.

Free Agent Forecast: Cowboys on a four-year, $44 million contract.

12. Tight end Tony Gonzalez -- Gonzalez seemed dead set on retirement late in the 2012 season, but ESPN's Ed Werder has since reported the future Hall of Famer is "wavering" and may return for one more Super Bowl run. Although he is 37 years old, Gonzo has plenty of good football left, coming off a 93-reception season. Expect the allure of a championship to bring Gonzalez back.

Free Agent Forecast: Falcons on a one-year, $7 million contract.

13. Defensive tackle Desmond Bryant -- Flying under the radar only because he played on a bad team, Bryant has highly impressive game tape and possesses scheme versatility at 6-foot-6, 300. With nine sacks, two forced fumbles, and productive starts at both tackle and end the past two seasons, 27-year-old Bryant was this year's sleeper for a white-hot market before last week's arrest. Pete Carroll's forgiving Seahawks aren't afraid to take chances on players, and they were looking for an interior pass rusher like this when they signed Jason Jones last spring.

Free Agent Forecast: Seahawks on a five-year, $25 million contract.

14. Left tackle Branden Albert -- At the Scouting Combine, coach Andy Reid greased the skids for Albert's departure by calling a 2012 back issue that only cost him three games "a fairly significant injury." Significant or not, the comments were telling. Bears GM Phil Emery's team is needy at tackle, and Albert was drafted by the Chiefs in Emery?s first year as Kansas City's college scouting director.

Free Agent Forecast: Bears on a five-year, $37 million contract.

15. Offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer -- Primarily a right tackle in New England, 28-year-old Vollmer's value is enhanced by his capability of adequately protecting the blind side. Lean and athletic at 6-foot-8, 315, Vollmer would be coveted on the market even after arthroscopic knee surgery. The Pats are unlikely to let him get there, prioritizing Vollmer over Talib and Wes Welker.

Free Agent Forecast: Patriots on a five-year, $36 million contract.

16. Defensive end Michael Johnson -- In a breakout contract year, Johnson amassed 11.5 sacks -- the same amount he totaled across his first three seasons in the league. The fact that Johnson was an underachiever before 2012 suggests the Bengals would be savvy to keep him in another contract year. They could do so with the franchise tag, worth $10.98 million at defensive end.

Free Agent Forecast: Bengals via the franchise tag.

17. Wide receiver Wes Welker -- Although they eventually leaned on him due to Aaron Hernandez and Julian Edelman's injuries, the Pats opened last season essentially phasing Welker out of their offense. It's probably a sign of things to come. Welker is 32 and not under consideration for New England's franchise tag. The Patriots simply don't value him as highly as it seems like they should.

Free Agent Forecast: Bears on a three-year, $27 million contract.

18. Running back Steven Jackson -- Jackson will void his $7 million player option for 2013, but the Rams still view him as a key component in their offense. The expectation here is that S-Jax signs a deal to finish his career in St. Louis. If he doesn't, the Falcons, Packers, Steelers, and Broncos would be sensible suitors. Jackson would surely look at playoff-contending teams first.

Free Agent Forecast: Rams on a three-year, $17.5 million contract.

19. Cornerback Sean Smith -- The Miami Herald is South Florida's most plugged-in paper and vehemently insists Smith won't be franchise tagged. Look for Smith to hit the market targeting $8 million per year. In Jacksonville, new coach Gus Bradley is in pursuit of big, physical corners.

Free Agent Forecast: Jaguars on a four-year, $32 million contract.

20. Right tackle Andre Smith -- Smith would be an interesting case in free agency. He has a worrisome history of weight issues, but played like the best right tackle in football last season. While the Bengals don't always pony up for free agents, they realize Smith is critical in their offense. They may let him reach the market initially, then re-sign him if bidding is lukewarm.

Free Agent Forecast: Bengals on a six-year, $39 million contract.

21. Left tackle Jake Long -- This year's free-agent tackle class is incredibly deep, and there are three top-ten left tackle picks in the draft. The result is a buyer's market, where veterans perhaps past their primes like Long will receive disappointing offers. Expect Long's price tag to drop after waiting a day or three in free agency, and the Dolphins to re-sign him at a club-friendly rate.

Free Agent Forecast: Dolphins on a five-year, $37.5 million contract.

22. Cornerback Brent Grimes -- Before Grimes tore his Achilles' early last September, he had quietly emerged as a top-five NFL corner. By all accounts, Grimes' recovery has gone smoothly and he's now performing strenuous workouts on land. Turning 30 this July, Grimes remains a red-light injury risk and will probably have to accept a short-term, incentive-laden deal. The Falcons know Grimes best and could clear enough cap space to re-sign him by cutting Dunta Robinson.

Free Agent Forecast: Falcons on a one-year, $7.5 million contract.

23. Guard Andy Levitre -- Levitre and Louis Vasquez are the cream of the crop in a top-heavy free-agent guard class, and Levitre is better than Vasquez. 27 in May, Levitre is young and versatile, capable of starting at any of the three interior line spots as well as tackle in a pinch. Ex-Bills offensive coordinator Curtis Modkins is now on the Lions' staff, and Detroit is needy at guard.

Free Agent Forecast: Lions on a six-year, $38 million contract.

24. Cornerback Derek Cox -- Despite his client's laundry list of durability woes, Cox's agent expects a "vigorous" market for the 26-year-old corner. Per the agent, Cox permitted a 69.0 passer rating last season, better than more heralded CBs Talib (98.7), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (87.7), and Sean Smith (85.1). Cox and his agent may be slightly disappointed, but they'll get a solid deal. Broncos DC Jack Del Rio knows Cox well from their Jacksonville days.

Free Agent Forecast: Broncos on a four-year, $28 million contract.

25. Strong safety William Moore -- Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan made Moore a featured player in his first season with Atlanta. Moore responded with a breakout year, setting a career high in tackles (75) and intercepting four balls. While the Falcons seem unlikely to slap Moore with the franchise tag, re-signing him is an obvious priority and they are likely to get a deal done. At $6.65 million annually, Tyvon Branch's 2012 contract figures to be a starting point in negotiations.

Free Agent Forecast: Falcons on a five-year, $33.5 million contract.

26. Wide receiver Greg Jennings -- If Jennings truly believes he's worth $14 million annually -- as has been reported -- he'll be sorely disappointed. Going on age 30 with 11 missed games the past two seasons, Jennings would do well to surpass Reggie Wayne's three-year, $17.5 million deal. He probably will, but not by much. Minnesota is desperate for an established, playmaking receiver.

Free Agent Forecast: Vikings on a four-year, $25 million contract.

27. Defensive end Osi Umenyiora -- Still an effective situational pass rusher at age 31, Umenyiora registered six sacks and two forced fumbles last season while playing 61 percent of the Giants' defensive snaps. The Bucs are starving for an improved pass rush, and Osi is familiar with Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan from his five-year stint (2005-09) on the Giants' staff.

Free Agent Forecast: Buccaneers on a three-year, $20 million contract.

28. Defensive end Michael Bennett -- Bennett is a complementary-type pass rusher, but will be coveted by teams that run 4-3 defenses because he can affect the offense from both left end and tackle. At 6-foot-4, 274, he's like a poor man's Justin Tuck. 27-year-old Bennett is coming off career bests in tackles (41), sacks (9), and forced fumbles (3). The cap-rich Bucs not only need to re-sign Bennett, they need to add another outside-edge rusher to join him. (See Umenyiora.)

Free Agent Forecast: Buccaneers on a five-year, $36 million contract.

29. Left tackle Will Beatty -- Gifted athletically and 28 years old, Beatty graded out as a top-ten left tackle in Pro Football Focus' 2012 ratings and is in the midst of his prime. The Giants aren't willing to pay Beatty franchise-tag money, but do want to complete a long-term deal. Look for the G-Men to get Beatty re-signed without breaking the bank. About $6.5 million annually ought to get it done.

Free Agent Forecast: Giants on a five-year, $32.5 million contract.

30. Wide receiver Danny Amendola -- If Amendola hits the market, expect the Broncos and Patriots to show interest. More likely, the Rams will identify him as a core offensive player and make a competitive offer closer to the eve of free agency. Amendola is St. Louis' only reliable on-field receiver, and his 20 missed games over the past two seasons should bring down his price.

Free Agent Forecast: Rams on a three-year, $18.5 million contract.

31. Right tackle Phil Loadholt -- Vikings GM Rick Spielman realizes Loadholt's worth. Minnesota plays run-first offense, and Loadholt is a crucial puzzle piece as a 343-pound mauler. The sides have discussed an extension off and on since last fall. 27 and coming off a career-best season, Loadholt may use Doug Free's four-year, $32 million deal as a jump-off point in negotiations.

Free Agent Forecast: Vikings on a three-year, $27 million contract.

32. Free safety Ed Reed -- Reed played last season on a $7.2 million salary. If he really wants another Super Bowl ring, he'll have to take less. Going on 35 and entrenched in his decline phase, Reed may only have a year or two left. A mutual admirer of Pats coach Bill Belichick, Reed spoke of signing with New England in January and there's a good chance that dream will become reality.

Free Agent Forecast: Patriots on a one-year, $5.5 million contract.

33. Defensive tackle Randy Starks -- Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland conceded at the Combine that he's "likely" to wield the franchise tag ahead of next Monday's deadline. Sean Smith won't get it, and neither will Jake Long. At $8.306 million, the defensive tackle franchise number would be more cost effective than Smith and Long's positions, and a sensible way of retaining 29-year-old Starks.

Free Agent Forecast: Dolphins via the franchise tag.

34. Guard Louis Vasquez -- The Chargers made overtures to Vasquez at the Combine, identifying him as a priority to keep on an otherwise poorly-assembled offensive line. Expect the sides to hammer out a deal worth over $6 million annually. San Diego can't afford to let him get away.

Free Agent Forecast: Chargers on a seven-year, $44 million contract.

35. Tight end Martellus Bennett -- Bennett fit the Giants well in 2012, flashing Pro Bowl-caliber ability when he was healthy and the offense clicked. John Carlson's $25 million over five years should be a baseline in negotiations. Bennett is only 26 and could bet on himself in the short term.

Free Agent Forecast: Giants on a three-year, $16 million contract.

36. Wide receiver Brian Hartline -- Hartline falls into tier two of this year's receiver free-agency class; in the Danny Amendola group behind Bowe, Wallace, and Jennings. Teams around the league realize Hartline is only a competitive No. 2 receiver, but his $6 million-per-year target price is not unreasonable. The Dolphins want Hartline back, and they have ample money to keep him.

Free Agent Forecast: Dolphins on a three-year, $18 million contract.

37. Tight end Dustin Keller -- The Jets can't afford to retain Keller, and he's destined for the open market. Last year's injuries may depress Keller's value some, even if he'll be the premier seam-stretching tight end available with Jared Cook returning to Nashville on the franchise tag. Reunited with Brian Schottenheimer, the Rams could pair Keller with Lance Kendricks in two-tight end sets.

Free Agent Forecast: Rams on a four-year, $22 million contract.

38. Defensive end Dwight Freeney -- 33 and best suited for a specialist's role on limited snaps, Freeney can still bring heat on passing downs as a "wave" rusher. He could be a short-term fix for a Seattle team needing pass-rushing reinforcements as Chris Clemons recovers from a torn ACL.

Free Agent Forecast: Seahawks on a two-year, $10 million contract.

39. Running back Reggie Bush -- Although Bush didn't embarrass himself as the Dolphins' feature back the past two seasons, NFL teams still envision him as a "space" player who's at his best on limited touches, mostly in the pass game. The Lions badly need to add juice to their backfield, and Bush's fit would be ideal in the league's pass-heaviest offense. He's not going to break the bank.

Free Agent Forecast: Lions on a four-year, $16.5 million contract.

40. Left tackle Sam Baker -- Baker is coming off a career year, but past back issues will concern tackle-needy clubs, and his value will be further depressed by a rich market at his position. The Falcons would be smart to let Baker reach free agency unsigned, because he'd likely come back willing to take less money. It's safe to say the Sam Baker "sweepstakes" would not be fierce.

Free Agent Forecast: Falcons on a five-year, $27 million contract.

41. Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie -- Rodgers-Cromartie is a maddeningly poor tackler and returning from an inconsistent year in coverage, but he oozes talent and is only 27 years old. "DRC" had the best season of his career in 2009 under then-Cardinals defensive coordinator Billy Davis. Davis just so happens to be running Chip Kelly's defense in Philly now.

Free Agent Forecast: Eagles on a three-year, $17 million contract.

42. Cornerback Keenan Lewis -- Lewis took off in 2012, playing physical and consistent coverage and tackling efficiently opposite Ike Taylor for the Steelers' top-ranked pass defense. Pittsburgh now lacks the financial means to retain Lewis, who entered the league when Ray Horton was the Steelers' defensive backs coach. Horton is now coordinating the division-rival Browns defense.

Free Agent Forecast: Browns on a five-year, $36 million contract.

43. Cornerback Chris Houston -- Much better suited as a No. 2 than No. 1 corner, Houston has nevertheless spent the past three seasons in the latter role with Detroit. Unfortunately for Houston, he's another middling option in a free-agent cornerback class full of No. 2s. Expect him to re-sign affordably with the Lions, and GM Martin Mayhew to target a future No. 1 in April's draft.

Free Agent Forecast: Lions on a two-year, $11.5 million contract.

44. Defensive tackle Jason Jones -- Jones never really found a home in Seattle's 2012 defense, playing under 30 percent of the defensive snaps and notching three sacks as an interior pocket pusher off the bench. If he's healthy, Jones is capable of injecting explosive rush ability into a defensive front seven. Old Seattle defensive coordinator Gus Bradley is now Jacksonville's head coach, and the Jaguars are desperate for pass rushers both inside and off the outside edge.

Free Agent Forecast: Jaguars on a three-year, $12 million contract.

45. Right tackle Gosder Cherilus -- Cherilus was arguably Detroit's best offensive lineman in 2012, but he's a right-tackle only with a long history of knee problems and no longer part of the Lions' long-term plans. Cherilus will likely be viewed on the open market as a short-term fix. The Texans make sense as a landing spot because their primary weakness up front is right tackle.

Free Agent Forecast: Texans on a two-year, $10.5 million contract.

46. Free safety Louis Delmas -- Delmas would be much higher on this list if not for persistent injuries. A difference maker when in the lineup, Delmas has missed 13 games the past two seasons due to knee and groin surgeries. Delmas hasn't yet turned 26, so he could pursue a one-year, prove-it deal to display durability before re-testing free agency in 2014. The Chiefs are needy at free safety across from Eric Berry and should be willing to give Delmas a shot.

Free Agent Forecast: Chiefs on a one-year, $5 million contract.

47. Defensive tackle Terrance Knighton -- Knighton never met expectations in Jacksonville, but he's a 340-pound 26-year-old long on run-clogging potential. A one-year, prove-it deal with the 2014 market in mind might serve Knighton best in the big picture. Denver needs an anchor for its defense, and coordinator Jack Del Rio was Knighton's head coach for three years with the Jags.

Free Agent Forecast: Broncos on a one-year, $4.75 million contract.

48. Linebacker Daryl Smith -- Smith is coming off a lost season due to injury, but should have quality football left at age 31. His "SAM" linebacker position is also critical in new coach Gus Bradley's 4-3. Look for the sides to reunite and career Jaguar Smith to finish things up in Jacksonville.

Free Agent Forecast: Jaguars on a three-year, $15 million contract.

49. Tight end Jared Cook -- Cook played roughly 60 percent of his 2012 snaps lined up in the slot or out wide. He wants to be franchise tagged at the wide receiver number of $10.5 million. The Titans prefer him at the tight end number ($5.962 million), and the sides figure to agree to meet somewhere in the middle. Tennessee's coaches and front office seem dead set on keeping Cook.

Free Agent Forecast: Titans via the franchise tag.

50. Cornerback Antoine Cason -- Although susceptible deep, 26-year-old Cason can make plays on the football and offers impressive corner size at 6-foot-1, 195. Indianapolis is rich on salary cap space and in the market for a bookend across from Vontae Davis. Cason is young, should be relatively affordable, and fits defensive-minded coach Chuck Pagano's press coverage scheme.

Free Agent Forecast: Colts on a three-year, $16.5 million contract.

Best of the Rest Free Agents: Kenny Phillips, Connor Barwin, Israel Idonije, Rashard Mendenhall, Bradley Fletcher, Glenn Dorsey, Jermon Bushrod, Bryant McKinnie, Cary Williams, Richard Seymour, Matt Moore, Fred Davis, Ahmad Bradshaw, Mike Jenkins, James Casey, Brandon Moore, Ronde Barber, Shaun Phillips, LaRon Landry, Leodis McKelvin, Pat Chung, Charles Woodson, Jerome Felton, Dannell Ellerbe, Jerraud Powers, Victor Butler, Glover Quin.

Source: http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/42620/309/top-50-free-agency-forecast

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