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Nurture Takes the SpotlightDecoding the environment's role in development and disease Christen Brownlee Identical twin sisters Elizabeth and Eleanor (not their real names) say that when they entered the world on November 19, 1939—Elizabeth first, then Eleanor 8 minutes later—their mother was rather shocked. She'd been expecting just one baby, not two. But that day, she made a vow: The girls would always be treated the same, so that there would be no competition between them. POSTER CHILDREN. Illustrating how epigenetics can control physical traits, the slimmer and browner of these mice, carrying a gene called agouti, were born to...

The military justice system is taking center stage now that murder and kidnapping charges have been filed against seven Camp Pendleton-based Marines and a Navy corpsman in the alleged premeditated abduction and slaying of an unarmed Iraqi man. The case against the Kilo Company members from the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment is one of the most serious to arise out of the U.S. presence in Iraq, and military officials are taking the first procedural steps toward a possible court-martial for the accused. In many respects, the military's system of justice works the way it does in the civilian world....

LAS VEGAS (Army News Service, June 12, 2006) – Members of Las Vegas's 6th Recruiting Brigade celebrated the Army’s 231st birthday a few days early at the Arena Football League’s Arena Bowl June 10. In pre-game festivities, 48 newly enlisted Soldiers were sworn into the Army by U.S. Army Accessions Commander Lt. Gen. Robert Van Antwerp. “Our mission is recruiting, and today we’re here to help educate and create awareness about the opportunities the Army offers,” said Col. Stephen Wilkins, commander of the 6th Recruiting Brigade. “It’s a good reminder to the public of the freedoms and democracy that we...

Gen. Benjamin O. Davis pins the Distinguished Flying Cross on his son, Lt. Col. Benjamin Davis Jr. U.S. Air Force photo Printer-friendly version CAMP STANLEY, Korea (Army News Service, Feb. 2, 2006) -- We have all heard the stories of Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie Robinson, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman and Booker T. Washington. No doubt each of these people deserves a place in history. They each fought for a cause and ultimately changed the face of our nation. But, I want to take a look at some African-Americans who don’t receive headlines like those above. These people have...

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - A call for the U.S. to assassinate Hugo Chavez is playing into the Venezuelan leader's political hands, bolstering his claim that Washington wants to kill him, putting him in the international limelight and probably boosting his popularity at home. Chavez supporters said Wednesday the suggestion by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson that the United States should "take him out" gave credence to Chavez's warnings that the U.S. government is searching for ways to overthrow his leftist regime. "If anyone had a doubt, now they no longer do," said Maritza Uzcategui, a 50-year-old nurse and Chavez supporter. "He's...

RAHWAY, N.J. (AP) - A year after his life imploded in scandal, former New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey lives in self-imposed exile, avoiding the limelight he spent a lifetime chasing. Separated from the wife he betrayed, McGreevey lives modestly in a one-bedroom apartment. He takes his 3-year-old daughter out for bacon and eggs after Sunday church services, walks to a corner newsstand for coffee and newspapers and stops to chat when passers-by recognize him. It's a long way from the stately governor's mansion and the spotlight that shone on his soul-baring confession. With wife Dina Matos McGreevey at his...

Sen. Chuck (I’m outraged again—get me a camera) Schumer (D.-N.Y.) is one busy little bee. Problem is, he’s not busy about the Senate’s business. On a recent day, he was seen whipping up a mob to have Karl Rove, Deputy White House Chief of Staff, hanged from the Senate’s yardarm for disclosing “classified” information that was available on a Google search at the time of the alleged disclosure. His next outrage was directed at Michael Chertoff, Director of Homeland Security. In a Senate floor diatribe, A.K.A., “speech,” Schumer told Chertoff he ought to consider resigning for having the unmitigated gall...

LOS ANGELES - Campaign donations made more than four years ago at a celebrity-studded Hollywood gala have led to a federal criminal trial against a former finance director for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton that could hamper her future campaigns. The trial set to open Tuesday focuses on a lavish August 2000 political party at a tony Brentwood estate that drew dozens of A-list guests and performers, including Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Cher, Diana Ross and Muhammad Ali. Clinton hasn't been linked to charges that the cost of the event was vastly underreported, but Republicans will be watching for any ammunition...

BALTIMORE - Mayor Martin O'Malley, a charismatic white man elected twice in a predominantly black city, is a Democrat with a future — a rising star nationally, and perhaps the party's best bet to take back the governor's mansion in Maryland in 2006. And that clearly worries the Republicans. Demonstrating that the GOP already has O'Malley in the crosshairs, a Republican official was fired Tuesday by GOP Gov. Robert Ehrlich for spreading rumors on the Internet that the 42-year-old mayor had an extramarital affair with a TV reporter. On the same day, Republican officials pounced on O'Malley after he drew...

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997. Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world. A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in...

‘Scientific American’ shines spotlight on S.C. dig By DOUG NYETelevision Editor Posted on Tue, Jul. 20, 2004 About 12,000 years ago, the first people to journey to the American continents did so by crossing the Bering land bridge from Asia. At least, that’s what archaeologists have long believed. But tonight’s edition of “Scientific American Frontiers” examines five archaeological sites that could prove that humans walked this land much earlier. Among the digs spotlighted is USC’s Topper excavation site in Allendale County, supervised by archaeologist Albert C. Goodyear, director of the Allendale Paleo-Indian Expedition of the S.C. Institute of Archaeology and...

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997. Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world. A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in...

LOTTO LOSERS by Timothy Rollins, Editor and Publisher January 8, 2004 With the turn of events the last couple of days regarding the MegaMillions winner in Ohio, this was simply too good to pass up. Then as a bonus, the richest loser in America made the papers again with yet another case of men behaving badly.We begin with America's idiot of the moment, and I'm not thinking of Mr. Britney Spears (aka Jason Alexander of Kenwood, Louisiana), but rather 40-year-old Elecia Battle (right) of Cleveland. For the unfamiliar, here's what happened: Last weekend, there was a single winner of the...

Former vice president Al Gore (news - web sites) may be supporting Howard Dean (news - web sites), but retired army general Wesley Clark (news - web sites) has support in his quest for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination from ... Madonna (news - web sites). The Material Girl on Tuesday publicly threw her support behind the retired four-star general, one of nine Democrats seeking to replace George W. Bush in the November 2004 election. "I endorse him because I think he's a great guy," the pop superstar said on CNN Tuesday. "I think he's a natural born leader." Madonna...

Last Updated: Wednesday, 24 September, 2003, 11:09 GMT 12:09 UKMadonna book sells 8,000 copies This was Madonna's first attempt at children's fiction Madonna's children's book The English Roses has sold just over 8,000 copies in its first week in the UK. The book, launched amid a blaze of publicity, made it to number 17 in the national book chart, according to data company Nielsen Bookscan. It was the second bestselling children's book of the week, behind JK Rowling's fifth Harry Potter book. This week the top-selling book in the UK, David Beckham's autobiography My Side, sold 103,508 copies. Madonna's book,...

<p>The middle-aged serial slurper came to Midtown yesterday clad in an early Halloween costume - dowdy tweed suit and bushy hair - to role-play the part of an actual mom.</p> <p>We've seen this gal tied up, beaten down, with cones protruding from her bosom, and naked so frequently, it is to yawn. But Madonna's new, prissy act, unveiled on Fifth Avenue, was downright weird.</p>

Poor Madonna (news - web sites). In her new career as a writer of children's books, lightning has not struck twice. Her first effort, The English Roses, had skeptical critics baying with praise at how effectively she examines the subtle but cruel ways girls exclude those they envy or pity. The book has been translated into 37 languages, and it has been on the USA TODAY Best-Selling Books list since Sept. 22. Its highest rank was No. 7. In the second of Madonna's expected five books, Mr. Peabody's Apples, illustrated by Loren Long, the pop star and mother turns her...

LONDON: "Material Girl" Madonna is said to be gearing up for a fistfight with Warner Bros Records over differences about where her Maverick Records is heading. According to PeopleNews , a reason for the impending parting of the ways may be attributed to a rumour that Time Warner is lining up to sell off the Warner Music Group. Tension seems to be brewing, as renegotiations between the two warring parties is virtually non-existent, sources close to the disgruntled Warner executives, say. Others are even predicting "a nuclear lawsuit," with the big guns of parent company Time Warner lining up for...

Madonna's bestseller November 26, 2003 MADONNA'S second children's book Mr Peabody's Apples is on top of the New York Times best sellers list for children this week. The queen of pop has topped the book chart just eight weeks after her last number one with The English Roses. Children are loving Madonna's tales. As funny as it may sound, Madonna has kept The Cat In The Hat from going number one in the book world. The Cat In The Hat is being propelled by the movie starring Mike Myers, Alec Baldwin and Kelly Preston. Madonna's career as an author couldn't...

Nobody ever says, "Madonna who?" She's part of our culture, an American success story who's maintained a media presence for 20 years now, re-inventing herself with every prevailing wind, while never, ever giving the impression she's doing anything other than what she wants to do. We are by turns impressed, embarrassed, shocked and amazed by Madonna's antics, but we're rarely surprised anymore. Madonna, the dancer from Detroit, set out to become famous and succeeded beyond anybody's but her own wildest dreams. She's 45, and shows no signs of slowing down or relinquishing her place in the spotlight; in fact, she's...