MUSIC AND LIFE: February 2014

Thursday, 27 February 2014

What Is Cancer? What Causes Cancer?

Cancer is a class of diseases characterized by out-of-control cell growth. There are over 100 different types of cancer, and each is classified by the type of cell that is initially affected.
Cancer harms the body when damaged cells divide uncontrollably to form lumps or masses of tissue called tumors (except in the case of leukemia where cancer prohibits normal blood function by abnormal cell division in the blood stream). Tumors can grow and interfere with the digestive, nervous, and circulatory systems, and they can release hormones that alter body function. Tumors that stay in one spot and demonstrate limited growth are generally considered to be benign.

More dangerous, or malignant, tumors form when two things occur:

a cancerous cell manages to move throughout the body using the blood or lymph systems, destroying healthy tissue in a process called invasion
that cell manages to divide and grow, making new blood vessels to feed itself in a process called angiogenesis.

When a tumor successfully spreads to other parts of the body and grows, invading and destroying other healthy tissues, it is said to have metastasized. This process itself is called metastasis, and the result is a serious condition that is very difficult to treat.
How cancer spreads - scientists reported in Nature Communications (October 2012 issue) that they have discovered an important clue as to why cancer cells spread. It has something to do with their adhesion (stickiness) properties. Certain molecular interactions between cells and the scaffolding that holds them in place (extracellular matrix) cause them to become unstuck at the original tumor site, they become dislodged, move on and then reattach themselves at a new site.
The researchers say this discovery is important because cancer mortality is mainly due to metastatic tumors, those that grow from cells that have traveled from their original site to another part of the body. Only 10% of cancer deaths are caused by the primary tumors.
The scientists, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, say that finding a way to stop cancer cells from sticking to new sites could interfere with metastatic disease, and halt the growth of secondary tumors.
In 2007, cancer claimed the lives of about 7.6 million people in the world. Physicians and researchers who specialize in the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer are called oncologists.
Malignant cells are more agile than non-malignant ones - scientists from the Physical Sciences-Oncology Centers, USA, reported in the journal Scientific Reports (April 2013 issue) that malignant cells are much “nimbler” than non-malignant ones. Malignant cells can pass more easily through smaller gaps, as well as applying a much greater force on their environment compared to other cells.
Professor Robert Austin and team created a new catalogue of the physical and chemical features of cancerous cells with over 100 scientists from 20 different centers across the United States.
The authors believe their catalogue will help oncologists detect cancerous cells in patients early on, thus preventing the spread of the disease to other parts of the body.
Prof. Austin said "By bringing together different types of experimental expertise to systematically compare metastatic and non-metastatic cells, we have advanced our knowledge of how metastasis occurs."

What causes cancer?

Cancer is ultimately the result of cells that uncontrollably grow and do not die. Normal cells in the body follow an orderly path of growth, division, and death. Programmed cell death is called apoptosis, and when this process breaks down, cancer begins to form. Unlike regular cells, cancer cells do not experience programmatic death and instead continue to grow and divide. This leads to a mass of abnormal cells that grows out of control.

What is cancer? - Video

A short, 3D, animated introduction to cancer. This was originally created by BioDigital Systems and used in the Stand Up 2 Cancer telethon.

Genes - the DNA type

Cells can experience uncontrolled growth if there are damages or mutations to DNA, and therefore, damage to the genes involved in cell division. Four key types of gene are responsible for the cell division process: oncogenes tell cells when to divide, tumor suppressor genes tell cells when not to divide, suicide genes control apoptosis and tell the cell to kill itself if something goes wrong, and DNA-repair genes instruct a cell to repair damaged DNA.
Cancer occurs when a cell's gene mutations make the cell unable to correct DNA damage and unable to commit suicide. Similarly, cancer is a result of mutations that inhibit oncogene and tumor suppressor gene function, leading to uncontrollable cell growth.

Carcinogens

Carcinogens are a class of substances that are directly responsible for damaging DNA, promoting or aiding cancer. Tobacco, asbestos, arsenic, radiation such as gamma and x-rays, the sun, and compounds in car exhaust fumes are all examples of carcinogens. When our bodies are exposed to carcinogens, free radicals are formed that try to steal electrons from other molecules in the body. Theses free radicals damage cells and affect their ability to function normally.

Genes - the family type

Cancer can be the result of a genetic predisposition that is inherited from family members. It is possible to be born with certain genetic mutations or a fault in a gene that makes one statistically more likely to develop cancer later in life.

Other medical factors

As we age, there is an increase in the number of possible cancer-causing mutations in our DNA. This makes age an important risk factor for cancer. Several viruses have also been linked to cancer such as: human papillomavirus (a cause of cervical cancer), hepatitis B and C (causes of liver cancer), and Epstein-Barr virus (a cause of some childhood cancers). Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) - and anything else that suppresses or weakens the immune system - inhibits the body's ability to fight infections and increases the chance of developing cancer.

What are the symptoms of cancer?

Cancer symptoms are quite varied and depend on where the cancer is located, where it has spread, and how big the tumor is. Some cancers can be felt or seen through the skin - a lump on the breast or testicle can be an indicator of cancer in those locations. Skin cancer (melanoma) is often noted by a change in a wart or mole on the skin. Some oral cancers present white patches inside the mouth or white spots on the tongue.
Other cancers have symptoms that are less physically apparent. Some brain tumors tend to present symptoms early in the disease as they affect important cognitive functions. Pancreas cancers are usually too small to cause symptoms until they cause pain by pushing against nearby nerves or interfere with liver function to cause a yellowing of the skin and eyes called jaundice. Symptoms also can be created as a tumor grows and pushes against organs and blood vessels. For example, colon cancers lead to symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, and changes in stool size. Bladder or prostate cancers cause changes in bladder function such as more frequent or infrequent urination.
As cancer cells use the body's energy and interfere with normal hormone function, it is possible to present symptoms such as fever, fatigue, excessive sweating, anemia, and unexplained weight loss. However, these symptoms are common in several other maladies as well. For example, coughing and hoarseness can point to lung or throat cancer as well as several other conditions.
When cancer spreads, or metastasizes, additional symptoms can present themselves in the newly affected area. Swollen or enlarged lymph nodes are common and likely to be present early. If cancer spreads to the brain, patients may experience vertigo, headaches, or seizures. Spreading to the lungs may cause coughing and shortness of breath. In addition, the liver may become enlarged and cause jaundice and bones can become painful, brittle, and break easily. Symptoms of metastasis ultimately depend on the location to which the cancer has spread.

How is cancer classified?

There are five broad groups that are used to classify cancer.

Carcinomas are characterized by cells that cover internal and external parts of the body such as lung, breast, and colon cancer.
Sarcomas are characterized by cells that are located in bone, cartilage, fat, connective tissue, muscle, and other supportive tissues.
Lymphomas are cancers that begin in the lymph nodes and immune system tissues.
Leukemias are cancers that begin in the bone marrow and often accumulate in the bloodstream.
Adenomas are cancers that arise in the thyroid, the pituitary gland, the adrenal gland, and other glandular tissues.

Cancers are often referred to by terms that contain a prefix related to the cell type in which the cancer originated and a suffix such as -sarcoma, -carcinoma, or just -oma. Common prefixes include:

Adeno- = gland
Chondro- = cartilage
Erythro- = red blood cell
Hemangio- = blood vessels
Hepato- = liver
Lipo- = fat
Lympho- = white blood cell
Melano- = pigment cell
Myelo- = bone marrow
Myo- = muscle
Osteo- = bone
Uro- = bladder
Retino- = eye
Neuro- = brain

How is cancer diagnosed and staged?

Early detection of cancer can greatly improve the odds of successful treatment and survival. Physicians use information from symptoms and several other procedures to diagnose cancer. Imaging techniques such as X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, PET scans, and ultrasound scans are used regularly in order to detect where a tumor is located and what organs may be affected by it. Doctors may also conduct an endoscopy, which is a procedure that uses a thin tube with a camera and light at one end, to look for abnormalities inside the body.

Extracting cancer cells and looking at them under a microscope is the only absolute way to diagnose cancer. This procedure is called a biopsy. Other types of molecular diagnostic tests are frequently employed as well. Physicians will analyze your body's sugars, fats, proteins, and DNA at the molecular level. For example, cancerous prostate cells release a higher level of a chemical called PSA (prostate-specific antigen) into the bloodstream that can be detected by a blood test. Molecular diagnostics, biopsies, and imaging techniques are all used together to diagnose cancer.

Apple Better Watch Out. Samsung Wastes Little Time in Wheeling Out More Smartwatches

By Mark Milian

Just six months after Samsung Electronics released its first smartwatch, the company will start selling three more.
Following up on the Android-based Galaxy Gear that came out in September, Samsung unveiled a trio of new watches this week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The South Korean electronics giant seems to be flooding the zone in the hopes of running out the clock on Apple before it can release the much-anticipated iWatch.
Samsung's Gear 2, which has a built-in camera, and Gear 2 Neo, which doesn't, can wirelessly connect with smartphones and run apps designed for a relatively new operating system championed by Samsung called Tizen A third watch, the Gear Fit, has a curved screen, runs basic software and is positioned more as a health device to rival the Fitbit — though it does tell the time.
The smartwatch wave isn't isolated to Samsung. Motorola Mobility, which Google is selling to China's Lenovo Group, said in Barcelona that it plans to release a smartwatch this year, and CNET reports that LG Electronics is working on one, too.
Seriously, they might as well call it Mobile Watch Congress. HTC, the Taiwanese smartphone company that’s currently in the red, is expected to be demonstrating the first of three wearable devices behind closed doors in Barcelona, my colleague Tim Culpan reported. On the show floor, Sony is showing the SmartBand, and Huawei Technologies has the TalkBand.
"We think that wearables in the future can be a large market," Colin Giles, an executive vice president at Shenzhen, China-based Huawei, told Bloomberg News in an interview this week at Mobile World Congress.
Not everyone is convinced. Despite a marketing blitz, Samsung’s original Galaxy Gear was met with a lukewarm reception. Research firm IHS estimates the market for wearable devices, which includes smartwatches, to be worth less than $20 billion a year until at least 2015. Apple alone sold more than that in iPhones last quarter.
Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes wrote in a note last week that a smartwatch isn't going to move the needle for Apple’s business. A spokeswoman for Apple declined to comment.
Timing is everything. Apple isn’t always the first, but it’s shown a knack for putting together the right list of features in a well-designed package along with marketing that shows people why they need to have one. There were plenty of music players on the market before the iPod.
Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty estimates that an Apple watch could generate as much as $17.5 billion in its first year on the market. That would be just under what the iPad did in its first full year available.
Of course, the tech industry is very different from the days of the iPod. For one, Samsung is relentless. First impressions of the Gear Fit coming from Barcelona have been glowing. If Samsung keeps releasing a handful of new watches every six months, it might just find a winner.

As Smart Phones Approach the Saturation Point, Prices Head Downward

By David Nagel

The era of double-digit growth in smart phone adoption is coming to a close as devices approach the saturation point, which in turn will lead to drops in prices, according to new research. In North America alone, some 200 million smart phones are already in active use — one for about every 2.75 people residing on the continent and about one-seventh of the world's total active devices.
According to International Data Corp., in mature markets like the United States and Europe, smart phone growth will drop to the single digits in 2014, while, worldwide, growth will drop in half to about 19.3 percent for the year. (That follows growth of 39.2 percent in 2013 on 1 billion unit shipments. Shipments in 2014 are currently forecast at about 1.2 billion units.)
By 2017, total worldwide growth will slow to 8.3 percent, and by 2018 6.2 percent.
In turn, the average selling price of a smart phone will decline by 5 percent, or $75, by 2018, according to IDC.
"2014 will be an enormous transition year for the smartphone market," according to Ryan Reith, program director with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. "Not only will growth decline more than ever before, but the driving forces behind smartphone adoption are changing. New markets for growth bring different rules to play by and 'premium' will not be a major factor in the regions driving overall market growth."
"Last year we saw a total of 322.5 million smartphone units ship for under $150, and that number will continue to grow going forward," said Ramon Llamas, research manager with IDC's Mobile Phone team, in a prepared statement. "We've already seen numerous smartphone announcements targeting this priceband this year, with some as low as $25. Just as the dynamics have changed for overall smartphone growth, so have the dynamics for smartphone pricing in the markets where continued growth is expected. Not all vendors will want to get into this space, but those that do must make deliberate choices about their strategies in order to succeed."

iCharts

IDC also predicted that Android would maintain its dominance of the overall smart phone market through the forecast period. Shipments of Android smart phones are expected to reach 950 million this year, representing 78.9 percent of the total market. That will grow to 1.32 billion by 2018, representing 76 percent of the total forecast market size for that year.
Apple's iOS will reach 179.9 million units this year, or 14.9 percent of the market. Those devices will reach 249.6 million units in 2018, or about 14.4 percent of the total market.
Windows smart phones will grow from 47 million in 2014 (3.9 percent of the market) to 121.8 million in 2018, about 7 percent of the market.
As for BlackBerry's future, IDC all but forecast that platform out of existence. BlackBerry will have 1 percent of the market in 2014 on 11.9 million unit shipments, according to IDC, and will drop to 0.3 percent in 2018, shedding more than half its 2014 unit sales and coming in at a forecast 5.3 million units.

Shell Nigeria closes major pipeline, cites theft

WARRI, Nigeria (AP) — Shell Nigeria said Thursday it has closed a 6,000-kilometer (3,700-mile) oil pipeline to repair leaks from oil theft.

Shell recently threatened to close the Nembe Creek Trunk Line because of repeated sabotage. It carries about 150,000 barrels daily for Africa's biggest oil producer. Shell did not say how much oil has been lost through the leaks or how the closure may affect Nigeria's daily output of 2.2 million barrels a day.

Spokesman Precious Okolobo said Thursday the line was shut Sunday for repairs to several "crude theft points." He said they hoped to reopen it as soon as possible.

Thefts of up to 200,000 barrels a day are blamed on villagers who have lost arable land and fishing grounds to oil spills and militants demanding a more equitable share of oil revenues. But the biggest offenders are believed to be politically-connected syndicates who sell the crude on the international market.

Human rights activists charge Shell sometimes blames sabotage for leaks caused by erosion on aging pipelines to avoid compensating villagers. But the Nembe Creek line was replaced by Shell in 2010 at a cost of $1.1 billion.

Fugitive Ukrainian President Shows up in Moscow

VIDEO: Ousted Ukrainian President Reportedly Spotted in Moscow

Next Video Manhunt for Ousted Ukrainian President Begins

Ukraine's fugitive president surfaced on Thursday in Moscow, where he was said to have been seen at an opulent five-star hotel and a Kremlin country retreat once favored by the late Boris Yeltsin.

Viktor Yanukovych reportedly was granted protection in Russia, but he has not received a warm reception. Although Russia still considers him the legitimate president of Ukraine, the Kremlin has treated him cautiously and portrayed him as a coward who betrayed those who stood by him.

Yanukovych made his appeal for protection in a written statement released simultaneously by two Russian state news agencies: "I have to ask Russia to ensure my personal safety from extremists," he wrote. Shortly afterward, the same agencies quoted an unidentified government official as saying that the request had been "satisfied on the territory of Russia." The ITAR-Tass and RIA Novosti news agencies often are used by the government to issue official statements.

Since he was driven out of Ukraine's capital nearly a week ago after three months of protests, Yanukovych had been on the run.

His last public appearance was Saturday in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, where he declared in a video address that he was still president and would not leave the country.

The opposition leaders who suddenly found themselves in charge of the country, however, said Yanukovych then promptly tried to fly out from Donetsk, also in eastern Ukraine, but was stopped by the border service. He then showed up on the Crimean Peninsula, where Russia has a naval base, according to the acting interior minister, who said Yanukovych and his remaining loyal guards were last seen driving away in three cars early Monday.

Yanukovych arrived in Moscow early Tuesday and checked into the Hotel Ukraina, according to the reliable RBK business daily, which said the information initially came from one of Russia's wealthy businessmen and was confirmed by a government official.

By Wednesday, Yanukovych had moved to the Barvikha Sanitorium, a well-guarded compound just outside the city with a hotel, cottages and medical center run by the presidential administration's property department, the report said. The spokesman for this department, Viktor Khrekov, told The Associated Press that he had no information about this.

RBK, however, cited an unidentified official in the presidential administration as saying that he had seen Yanukovych at Barvikha and he looked haggard and had lost weight. The report, written under the bylines of respected journalists with high-level contacts in business and government circles, could not immediately be confirmed.

A security guard turned away two AP journalists on Thursday as they approached the entrance to Barvikha. The gated compound was built in Soviet times as a place where ailing government officials could rest and receive medical care. Yeltsin, Russia's first post-Soviet president, stayed there often as his health declined.

At the Hotel Ukraina, security was unusually heavy late Wednesday, with police watching from parked vehicles outside. Security guards posted at the door and throughout the opulent lobby tracked visitors and guests.

2015: Jonathan, Mu’azu Task South-West PDP On Cooperation, Loyalty

Bode Gbadebo

— February 27, 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are leaving no stone unturned on plans by the party to capture the South-West geopolitical zone in 2015 general elections.
Jonathan, represented by vice president Namadi Sambo and the PDP national chairman, Mohammed Adamu Mu’azu alongside other party top notch, therefore, urged the South-west party leaders and elders led by Chief Bode George on the need for cooperation and loyalty by party members in the zone, identifying same as the necessary attributes needed in order for the party to win elections in the south-west.
The high-level meeting held on Wednesday night in Abuja in a camaraderie atmosphere saw virtually all the party chieftains and elders in the zone in attendance where they also praised the president for recently appointing south-west sons into sensitive positions.
Particularly, the gathering, apart from strategising for 2015, was also used to honour the newly appointed Chief of Staff to the President, Brigadier-General Jones Oladehinde Arogbofa (rtd), minister-designate, Amb. Musiliu Obanikoro, director general of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Sola Omole, all of whom graced the meeting.
Sambo expressed delight on what he described as a good assemblage of Yoruba leaders at the meeting, stating that the prompt responses by the leaders had indicated that the PDP in the South-West was more prepared to take over the region by 2015.
He said Jonathan had love to be present as sign of respect for the zoen save for pressing matters of the state.
The number citizen, who was clad in agbada and a brown Yoruba cap to match, said the appointment of General Arogbofa and others from the south-west into the federal cabinet was a fulfillment of the promises earlier made by President Jonathan, just as he indicated that the President would still do more for the zone.
“The president is man that keeps promises and he will do more,” Sambo said.
He, however, admonish the gathering on the need to cooperate with one another as rancor will spell doom for the party in the zone.
The PDP national chairman, Mu’azu, who was accompanied to the meeting by the party’s national secretary Professor, Wale Oladipo; Senator Hope Uzodinma, national auditor, Alhaji Adeyanju Adewole; and a former FCT minister, Aliyu Modibbo Umar, said his personal love for the Yorubas and their ways of life would always prompt him to ensure the return of the south-west zone to the center by 2015.
Mu’azu canvassed for unity, peace and loyalty to the party among the south-west PDP leaders and members, just as he urged the leaders not to leave former President Olusegun Obasanjo out of their consultations and considerations.
“Under my watch, we shall reward loyal party members. I will not circumvent the rules and loyalty will be our watchword without fear of favour,” Muazu assured
The convener of the meeting, Chief Bode George, had expressed appreciation to the gesture by President Jonathan in bringing more south-westerners into his cabinet, saying the President did so in response to calls by some Yoruba leaders who had been meeting him.
He said the PDP south-west was now better prepared and inspired to wrestle power from the APC, vowing that members would do all in their capacities to ensure that PDP takes over all the states in zone by 2015.
Prominent party leaders in attendance include Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Prof Tunde Adeniran, Amb. Musiliu Obanikoro, minister of agriculture, Akinwumi Adesina, Chief Remi Adiukwu, Hon. Mulikat Adeola Akande, Senator Jubril Martins Kuye, Ayo Fayose, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, Barrister Olusola Oke, Kashamu Buruji, Elder Wole Oyelese, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, Erelu Olusola Obada, Engr Segun Oni, Dr Kayode Obambe, Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, Eddy Olafeso and Chief Dosu Ladipo.
Others include Olasunkanmi Akinlabi, Engr Ezekiel Jide Adeniyi, Hon Ajibola Muraina, Hon Wole Oke, Apostle Dave Salako, Hon Kayode Amusan, Dr Bode Olajumoke, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, Dr Frederick Fasheun, Chief Yomi Akintola, Chief Hazeem Gbolarumi, Hon Elegbeleye, Segun Adeleke, Prince Olufemi Aduwo, Chief Ishola Filani, among others.

Missing $20 Billion: We WIll Commence Investigations Soon-EFCC

The Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFFC, has said the commission would not commence investigations into the case of the alleged unremmitted oil funds by the NNPC until the National Assembly has completed its investigation on the matter.
The EFCC Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Lamorde made the submission at the National Assembly when he appeared to defend the commission’s 2014 budget before the Senate Committee on Drugs, Nacortics and Financial Crimes.
Mr Lamorde said investigating NNPC at a time when the National Assembly is doing the same would amount to a duplication of functions.
But the Chairman of the committee, Sen. Victor Lar, disagreed with the EFCC chairman saying the investigations by the National Assembly into the alleged unremmitted funds should not stop the EFCC from beginning its own investigation.

my thanks

THANK YOU, LORD JESUS AND VIRGIN MARY FOR A DAY LIKE THIS

Nigerian Centenary: Leaders Identify Insecurity As Major Threat To Democracy

African leaders at a one day conference in Abuja today identified security as a major threat to the existence of democratic institutions in Africa. This, the leaders said while lamenting the security crisis in Nigeria.
French President, Francois Hollande, who expressed interest in Africa’s agenda for security, with Nigeria taking the lead, used the occasion of the centenary celebrations to express support in fighting terrorism in Nigeria.
“I assure you Mr President that your struggle is also our struggle and we will always stand ready to provide not only political support but support anytime you need it because the struggle against terrorism is also the struggle for democracy” Mr Hollande said.
The conference, which had no pomp and pageantry, was organised to celebrate Nigeria’s 100 years of existence.
The conference was attended by over 30 presidents and heads of governments from around the globe, and captains of international organizations, who came to rejoice with Nigeria and find lasting solutions to challenging issues for the country and Africa, including security, peace and development.
President Goodluck Jonathan who welcomed the heads of state to Nigeria said this is time to look back with gratitude and forward with hope and confidence.
“Today, as our Nation marks its first 100 years, we look back with gratitude to God and with pride in our citizens. We look forward also, to the future, with hope and confidence.
“In this hall and beyond, I am delighted to welcome many of our past, current and future leaders, as well as our friends and partners, from near and far, persons and nations that have stood with us in times past, and whose friendship we will continue to cherish” he said
Security and terrorism took center stage at the conference, a matter President Jonathan said collaborative work among governments is necessary so that all perpetrators of acts of terrorism are rounded up and made to face justice.
“This gruesome and mindless act of savagery is not Nigerian. It is not African. Let me assure all Nigerians that we will spare no resource in bringing those murderers to justice.
“Terrorism must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. We all must work together, collectively, to rid our world of haters of peace, who use terror to maim, kill, instil fear and deny people their rights to peace and security.
“The Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria is one of such condemnable acts of terror. We have continued to deploy human and military intelligence, in close collaboration with our partners, to bring an end to their nefarious activities. Greater regional cooperation in intelligence gathering and control of insurgents will ensure not only Nigeria’s security, but also the security of our neighbours” he noted.
President Jonathan’s call, with the recent massacre in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states a case in point, elicited both condemnation and offers for support from other world leaders.
Channels Television’s Omeologo Nnadi reports that so many issues have been raised on security, peace and development at the occasion of Nigeria’s centenary celebrations; points Nigeria must note going forward.
She also adds that after today’s (Wednesday) conference and other activities lined up for the anniversary, many Nigerians will look forward to decisive action and the much needed impact to stamp out the menace of terrorism and stop the ongoing massacre of innocents especially in northern Nigeria.

Ratings: Survivor Returns Steady, Chicago P.D. Hits High, Arrow Dips, Mixology Opens Low

Not many bellied up to the bar to imbibe in ABC’s Mixology.

The freshman sitcom — which TVLine readers gave an average grade of “C” — premiered on Wednesday to 5.2 million total viewers and a 1.8 demo rating, well below the launches of time slot predecessors such as Super Fun Night (8.2 mil/3.2), How to Live With Your Parents… (8.4 mil/2.9), The Neighbors (9.2 mil/3.2) and Happy Endings (7.3 mil/2.8) and delivering the worst retention out of Modern Family (58 percent) since The Neighbors.

And mind you, Modern Family was the night’s highest-rated program, with a 3.1.
RELATED | 2014 Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Cancelled? What’s on the Bubble?
Wednesday’s other premiere, Survivor: BvsBvsB, drew 9.8 mil and a 2.5, up from its year-ago opener (9 mil/2.4) and down just a tick in the demo from its fall launch (9.7 mil/2.6).
One more headline for now: Chicago P.D. surged 29 percent from its last fresh episode to score a season high 2.2 demo rating, while rising 33 percent in audience to 8 mil. Opening NBC’s night, Revolution (4.6 mil/1.3) dropped a few viewers while steady in the demo, and SVU (7.7 mil/2.0) rose 24 percent and two tenths.
Elsewhere….
ABC | The Middle (7.1 mil/1.8) was down 17 percent, while Suburgatory (5.3 mil/1.5) and Modern Family (8.6 mil/3.1) both slipped about 11 percent. Nashville (4.7 mil/1.8) dipped 10 percent and one tenth

4-year-old Fashionista Kills It With Runway-Worthy Paper Dresses

What happens when you give preschoolers construction paper, scissors, and tape? For most, it turns into a messy art project, but for little "Mayhem" (a nickname dubbed by her mom), it means creating the most fashionable dresses. While many 4-year-old girls are mesmerized by their sparkly tiaras and pink tutus, Mayhem’s store-bought costumes didn’t pale in comparison to the colorful paper she’d repeatedly wrap herself in. And it didn’t take long for Mayhem’s mother, a blogger identified as "Angie," to notice. Angie soon suggested that they make their own dress-up clothes and the two have put the pedal to the metal (or their hands to the scissors) ever since. “The ideas are pretty much a 50/50 split, but Mayhem constructs a lot more than most people would probably believe,” Angie told the Huffington Post. “She's literally always beside me learning something new if she's not tearing or taping or gluing while I am.” The mother-daughter duo draws inspiration from runways, award shows, movies, and other pop culture happenings. We’ve rounded up our favorite #FashionbyMayhem looks from Angie’s Instagram account. Look out, Tim Gunn — we’ve got a potential "Project Runway" star in our midst. –– Erika Ostroff, Shine Staff

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Sony Xperia Z2: One name, two premium gadgets

Sony Xperia Z2 is a tablet and it is also a phone – and they are not the same device. Very confusing. If the Sony Xperia Z2 are not your gadget, check out budget-friendly Xperia M2 smart phone.

By Matthew Shaer, Correspondent / February 27, 2014

The Sony Xperia M2 smartphone.

Sony

Enlarge

At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, Sony took the wraps off a trio of new devices: The Xperia Z2 smart phone and Z2 tablet, and the budget-friendly Xperia M2.

Obviously, that's a lot of M's and Z's and Xperiae. So let us break it down for you. The Z2 smart phone and Z2 tablet represent the upper end of the Xperia spectrum. The Z2 tablet, which Sony says is the "lightest and slimmest" waterproof slate on the market, comes equipped with a quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM, and a 10-inch HD display. The price is expected to hover around $600.
The flagship Z2 smart phone, meanwhile, gets the same quad-core processor, 16GB of memory, a 5.2-inch display – inching the device into "phablet" territory – and a whopping 20.7-megapixel rear camera. Launch date for the Z2 phone is next month; no price has been announced, but many expect the device to retail – as most high-end smart phones do – for $200, plus contract.

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Finally, there's the Xperia M2, which comes equipped with a 4.8-inch display, a slightly-less-impressive processor, and an 8-megapixel back-facing camera. But writing at Pocket-Lint, Britta O'Boyle, who had a chance to take the M2 for a spin this week, says the smart phone never felt particularly cheap.
"We like the design of the Xperia M2 as you get a device that looks like the more premium models in the family, but you won't pay as much for the privilege," she writes. "The display was good and the device feels nice and solid in the hand. It would have been great to see this device launch with Android 4.4 KitKat and incorporating the waterproofing capability of its more premium brothers, but for a mid-range device, we like what we have seen so far."
Sony hasn't announced the pricing on the M2; launch date is April.

Former ‘Mob Wives’ star sues over use of her life story in Grand Theft Auto V

Karen Gravano and Antonia Bottino (Credit: Getty Images/Rockstar Games)

The daughter of the New York mobster responsible for the downfall of infamous mob boss John Gotti is suing Rockstar Games, saying the developer used her life story in Grand Theft Auto V without her permission.
Karen Gravano, daughter of Sammy "The Bull" Gravano and a former star of the VH1 reality series “Mob Wives,” alleges that a character in the best-selling crime game, Antonia Bottino, is based on her image and life story.
In the game, Antonia Bottino is depicted as the daughter of Sammy Bottino, the "Gambetti" family crime boss who eventually becomes an informant. She’s upset that her father won't let her star in the fictional show "Wise Bitches," a not-so-subtle jab at the VH1 series.
To Gravano, it all hits way too close to home.
"Notwithstanding the fact that the plaintiff has the utmost respect for the writers and creators of the Grand Theft Auto V video game…her story is unique and is hers to tell," Gravano’s lawyer Thomas Farinella wrote in papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday.
Gravano is seeking $20 million in compensation and another $20 million in punitive damages. Rockstar isn't commenting on the suit.
The GTA games are known for skewering pop culture, often jabbing well known celebrities and properties. GTA V is jam-packed with references to everything from Psy's “Gangnam Style” to Iron Man to Alf.
Being sued by celebs is old hat for Rockstar. Late last year, Lindsay Lohan began legal proceedings against the company over a bikini-clad character seen on the cover of Grand Theft Auto V In 2010, Michael "Shagg" Washington, a backup singer for the rap group Cypress Hill, alleged that Rockstar based the lead character of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on his life story. That suit was tossed by a judge in 2012.
Gravano's, however, notes that it's not (allegedly) being incorporated into the game that bothers her, it's the fact that she didn't see it coming.
In the lawsuit, she says that Rockstar could have sought her permission "with relative ease, which may have (averted) this action."

Released in September of last year, Grand Theft Auto V smashed just about every entertainment industry sales record in the books, earning the biggest opening day haul and becoming fastest to reach $1 billion.

Wednesday, 26 February 2014

'100 Health Workers Suffer From Healthcare Waste in Abuja'

Mandate Secretary, Health and Human Services Secretariat in the Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA, Dr. Demola Onakomaya, said more than a hundred of its staff in FCT-owned hospitals currently suffer from Needleprick Injection, Hepatitis B and HIV/AIDS due to their exposure to healthcare waste.

Onakomaya disclosed during a media parley in Abuja.

Consequently, he said the FCT Administration would within the next few weeks come up with FCT Waste Management Policy to holistically manage both solid and liquid wastes within the 8,000 square kilometers of the Federal Capital Territory.

According to him, the FCT minister, Senator Bala Mohammed has already approved of efforts to evolve the policy, adding that it would enable the FCT Administration manage various forms of waste not only in the Federal Capital City but also in the six Area Councils including the Satellite Towns.

He said, if the government gets waste management right, cases of diseases and attendant effects on the residents could be minimized.

However, the FCT EXCO in session has approved the FCT Healthcare Waste Management Guideline to specifically tackle waste from healthcare institutions in the FCT, which poses great danger to some citizens.

Senator Mohammed said, “Waste handlers and scavengers risk contracting diseases like HIV/ AIDS, hepatitis B, and possible outbreak of other diseases which can ordinarily be stemmed by effective healthcare waste management.”

The council noted with concern the resolution of the 50th National Council on Health in Abuja in 2006, which observed that Healthcare Waste Management poses serious problem to healthcare delivery.

To further prevent disease infection in FCT from such waste, he recalled that modern incinerators and Ash pits for the disposal of Health care waste have been provided at all the Secondary healthcare facilities, while the primary healthcare facilities practice the “Burn and Bury” system of waste disposal to further tackle it.