U.S. church leader meets jailed American, Castro (Reuters)

HAVANA (Reuters) ? The head of the U.S. Council of Churches met on Wednesday with jailed contractor Alan Gross and Cuban President Raul Castro, in the latest push by a prominent American to obtain Gross's release and improve relations with the communist-run country.

Gross received a 15-year prison sentence in March for crimes against Cuban state security for smuggling illegal satellite communications equipment into Cuba.

He was under contract with a U.S. company involved in a semi-covert democracy-building program, but says the equipment was only destined to connect local Jewish groups to Internet.

"Two of us visited Alan. We had a very good conversation and he was in good spirits," the Rev. Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the National Council of Churches, told reporters.

Cuban television said Kinnamon met later with Castro and they discussed the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba and the status of five Cuban agents imprisoned in the United States, but there was no mention of Gross.

Kinnamon said on Wednesday that he was worried about the U.S. contractor's health. Gross has lost nearly 100 pounds (45 kg) since being picked up as he prepared to leave Havana on December 3, 2009, and suffers from a number of chronic ailments.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter visited Gross earlier this year and said he would work for his release.

Gross's arrest poured cold water on a slight warming trend in the always contentious relations between the United States and Cuba during the first year of the Obama administration.

The White House has called for Gross's immediate release and said little progress can be expected toward better ties between Washington and Havana until his return.

The Cuban government has insisted Gross violated the law, but has signaled its willingness to discuss the case with the Obama administration.

Kinnamon, whose organization enjoys good relations with the Cuban government, said upon his arrival earlier this week at the head of a 15-member delegation that they were interested in helping improve U.S.-Cuba relations and that the Gross case was just one of many outstanding issues.

The group also met on Wednesday with relatives of five Cuban agents sentenced to long prison terms by a Miami court more than a decade ago for leading a spy ring in Florida that watched U.S. bases and anti-Castro groups, some of which were plotting to overthrow the Cuban government by violent means.

Gross reportedly has suggested he be exchanged for the five Cuban agents, though both the Cuban and U.S. governments have said they view the two cases as separate.

"The case of the five Cubans is a bigger subject, it's another situation and we are very much involved in that as well. Many U.S. organizations believe that the sentences were very severe and we're not in agreement," Kinnamon said on Monday.

(Reporting and writing by Marc Frank; editing by Anthony Boadle)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/religion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111201/us_nm/us_cuba_usa_gross

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Taking healthcare to students

As soon as the school day ended, the rush at the health clinic began.

Two high school seniors asked for sports physicals. A group of teenagers lined up for free condoms. A girl told a counselor she needed a pregnancy test.

The clinic, at Belmont High School near downtown Los Angeles, is part of a rapidly expanding network of school-based centers around the nation offering free or low-cost medical care to students and their families.

In California, there are 183 school health centers, up from 121 in 2004. Twelve more are expected to open by next summer, according to the California School Health Centers Assn.

The centers have become a small but important part of the nation's healthcare safety net, experts say, treating low-income patients who might otherwise not have regular medical care. Now, they add, campus clinics are serving as a model for health officials trying to reduce costs.

Academic research has shown that school-based health clinics, which typically promote prevention and provide comprehensive services, reduce emergency room visits and hospitalizations. They also improve students' school attendance, reduce Medicaid costs and promote more healthful eating, according to studies.

Recently, school-based health centers got a fiscal boost from the healthcare reform law, which allocated $200 million nationwide. California won $14 million in grants this summer to open new clinics and expand existing ones. Los Angeles County received about $4.3 million of that.

Most centers are based in low-income neighborhoods and staffed by doctors and nurse practitioners. They offer a range of healthcare services, including checkups, physicals, immunizations, mental health treatment, dental care and drug counseling. The clinics also monitor students' chronic diseases, such as asthma, and treat their illnesses so they don't miss school.

"There are so many reasons why students are not really ready to learn," said Serena Clayton, executive director of the California School Health Centers Assn. "Teachers, principals and staff members are recognizing they are not going to be successful with kids if they don't address these underlying health issues."

Clinics on school grounds are uniquely placed to find and treat those health issues. There may be a shortage of food in the house that causes stress and physical problems, or drug use that leads to frequent absences.

"You just cannot ignore the reality of the patients' lives," said Julia Lear, senior advisor for the Center for Health and Health Care in Schools at George Washington University. "You step out into the hallways and there it is."

On a recent afternoon at Belmont Health Services, Henry Quiroz, a senior at nearby Miguel Contreras Learning Complex, wanted a physical for soccer. "I need it as soon as possible," he said. "The season has already started."

Marco Perez, 18, walked into the clinic to get free condoms. On the wall were containers with brochures on anxiety, sexually transmitted diseases and alcohol.

Perez said that friends told him about the center and that he liked the privacy of it. "The parents don't have to know," he said.

Belmont Health Services opened to students in 2009 and to the community last year. Though it is operating out of a portable classroom and a mobile van, the L.A. Unified School District plans to open a new center on campus next year, with five exam rooms and space for counseling and recreation.

There are 35 clinics on L.A. Unified campuses, which opened its first more than two decades ago. The district plans to build 14 new centers, using school construction bond money.

For many youths, the centers fill a gap in care, said Dr. Kimberly Uyeda, the school district's director of medical services. "Adolescents are notorious for not receiving timely healthcare," she said.

Generally, school districts provide the facilities and community clinics or hospitals run the centers, paying for care with a mix of Medi-Cal, private insurance and government funds.

But even with the extra federal dollars, clinics still struggle to recoup their costs because many of the patients are uninsured and some of the services aren't covered. That partly explains why there aren't more centers, given that there are more than 6 million students in California.

"The challenge overall is funding," said Adolfo Lagomasino, spokesman for the Northeast Valley Health Corp., which operates four health centers in the county. "With these kind of tumultuous political times, to put it lightly, there is sort of an ongoing battle to maintain the safety net."

One of the most recent clinics to open is at Elizabeth Learning Center in Cudahy. Students can see a doctor on their own to be treated for such ailments as pink eye or a sore throat, as long as they have a consent form. That way, parents don't have to take a day off work, said clinic manager Sandy Wooten.

Elizabeth Madrigal, 18, a senior at the school, said she takes her 1-year-old daughter, Ezra, to the clinic regularly. After school one afternoon, Madrigal, still wearing her backpack, brought Ezra for her shots and a checkup.

Madrigal said the clinic is convenient. "The school is right there, so if I ever need anything, I can come over," she said.

Since opening in May, the Elizabeth Health Center, run by Northeast Community Clinics, has also reached out to parents and community members, and word is starting to spread.

On a Wednesday afternoon, Phillip Zamudio, 23, a restaurant worker who lives nearby, brought his two sons in to check on their anemia. And Rocio Cetina, 39, who attends the adjacent adult school, came in with her daughter, who had been coughing and sniffling.

"It's a one-stop shop for everybody," Wooten said.

anna.gorman@latimes.com

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/deZKFiqbzOI/la-me-school-health-20111128,0,4608252.story

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Video: Egyptian protesters demand civilian rule

>>> now we turn overseas. emotions are running high. it's violent around cairo's tahrir square. some protesters, as you may know, are calling this fight the second revolution. it's between the people and the military in a country that remains in deep crisis. meanwhile, there are new developments involving three american students who found themselves caught up in the middle of it all. for the latest we want to turn to nbc's iman moyadin tonight. good evening.

>> reporter: good evening. they are reminiscent of the revolution. the tents are up. it's part carnival, part demonstration but all politics. there is an uneasy calm tonight. how long will the standoff between the military and protesters last. they came to tahrir square in the hundreds of thousands. part of a nationwide protest to, quote, save egypt 's revolution. more than a million people estimated across the country including in the coastal city of alexandra and elsewhere. deadly street fights giving way to political showdown. under mounting pressure and growing international criticism including from the white house , egypt 's military rulers appointed a new prime minister on friday. kamel gunzudi, a 78-year-old politician once served hosni mubarak . this woman say it is appointment represent it is past. why is the military not reaching out to the new young leaders , she asks. it's a new prime minister but the same old problem, he says. the military won't give up power. there may be a lot of differences in the square. the one thing everybody agrees about is spelled on the posters. an end to military rule . that's not lost on the new prime minister who spoke publically for the first time today. the military isn't seeking to continue being in power. if i knew they were seeking power i would not have accepted, he told a reporter. meanwhile, the intimidation of foreign journalists and the harassment of women continues. prominent egyptian american activist mona tahawi was sexually assaulted and had both arms broken while in police custody .

>> my detention and many other detentions are a reminder that the brutality of the security forces goes unchecked. for me, that as failure of the council of armed forces .

>> reporter: three university students arrested and accused of attacking security forces are now flying back to the u.s. in cairo, people are still anxious. egypt 's parliamentary elections are scheduled to begin monday. it may be several months before the military is ready to hand over real power to the people. all eyes now turn to the critical vote monday that kicks off the parliamentary elections . the key post of the presidency won't be filled until 2012 . back to you, brian.

>> thanks for that reporting.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/45440308/

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Zacks Releases Four Powerful ''Buy'' Stocks: Allot Communications ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL ? November 25, 2011 ? Four free stock picks are being made available today on Zacks.com. The industry?s leading independent research firm highlights one Zacks #1 Rank Strong Buy or a Zacks #2 Rank Buy stock for each of the four main styles of investing: Aggressive Growth, Growth & Income, Momentum, and Value.

The four highlighted picks are: Allot Communications Ltd. (ALLT - Snapshot Report), Philip Morris International Inc. (PM - Analyst Report), AutoZone, Inc. (AZO - Analyst Report) and Barrick Gold Corporation (ABX - Analyst Report).

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Four daily picks are offered free. http://at.zacks.com/?id=88

From 1988 through the present ? a period that included serious corrections and recessions ? the Zacks #1 Rank Stocks have nearly tripled the market with a fully documented average gain of +28% per year.

Here is a summary of today's selected stocks that are now highly rated by Zacks:??????????

Aggressive Growth ? Allot Communications Ltd. (ALLT - Snapshot Report)
While many are fearing EU-reliant stocks, Allot Communications Ltd. is on the rise and sees growing demand in the region. Is now a good time to pick up shares of ALLT?

Zacks Guide to Aggressive Growth Investing (free!) - http://at.zacks.com/?id=4309

Growth & Income ? Philip Morris International Inc. (PM - Analyst Report)
Philip Morris International Inc. continues to deliver excellent financial results. Third quarter earnings jumped 37% year-over-year and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 11%.

Zacks Guide to Growth & Income Investing (free!) - http://at.zacks.com/?id=4310

Momentum ? AutoZone, Inc. (AZO - Analyst Report)
AutoZone, Inc. continues to trade near its all-time high, jumping higher on another strong quarter from late September. With a high industry rank and bullish growth projection, this Zacks #1 Rank stock is primed for momentum.

Zacks Guide to Momentum Investing (free!): ?http://at.zacks.com/?id=4311

Value ? Barrick Gold Corporation (ABX - Analyst Report)
Barrick Gold Corporation hasn't lost its shine as it reported record earnings in Q3. The gold mining giant is expected to grow earnings by the double digits in both 2011 and 2012. Yet, this Zacks #2 Rank (buy) is also a value stock, with a forward P/E of just 10.2.

Zacks Guide to Value Investing (free!) - ?http://at.zacks.com/?id=4312

How to Regularly Access Top Zacks Rank Picks for Free - http://at.zacks.com/?id=7154

Underlying the four free stock picks is a simple truth that first appeared in a Financial Analysts Journal article published in 1979. Leonard Zacks, a Ph.D. from M.I.T. found that "earnings estimate revisions are the most powerful force impacting stock prices." ?Zacks #1 Rank is awarded to a stock when analysts sharply upgrade their estimates of what the company will earn.

Today, Zacks is promoting its stock recommendations by offering four daily picks free to those who register here: http://at.zacks.com/?id=7155

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Len Zacks. The company continually processes stock reports issued by 3,000 analysts from 150 brokerage firms.? It monitors more than 200,000 earnings estimates, looking for changes.

Then, when changes are discovered, they?re applied to help assign more than 4,400 stocks into five Zacks Rank categories: #1 Strong Buy, #2 Buy, #3 Hold, #4 Sell, and #5 Strong Sell. This proprietary stock-picking system continues to outperform the market by a nearly 3-to-1 margin. ?

More Free Stock Picks

Each weekday, new Zacks #1 Rank or Zacks #2 Rank stock picks are released on the free email newsletter, Profit from the Pros. Investors are invited to register for their free subscription here: http://at.zacks.com/?id=91

Follow us on Twitter:? http://twitter.com/zacksresearch

Join us on Facebook:? http://www.facebook.com/ZacksInvestmentResearch

Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.

Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.

Media Contact
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
support@zacks.com
http://www.zacks.com

Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

Read the full analyst report on ALLT

Read the full analyst report on PM

Read the full analyst report on AZO

Read the full analyst report on ABX

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More Zacks Resources

Zacks Rank Home - Evaluate your stocks and use the Zacks Rank to eliminate the losers and keep the winners. Mutual Fund Rank Home - Evaluate your funds with the Mutual Fund Rank for both your personal and retirement funds. Stock/Mutual Fund Screening - Find better stocks and mutual funds. The ones most likely to beat the market and provide a positive return. My Portfolio - Track your Portfolio and find out where your stocks/mutual funds stack up with the Zacks Rank.
Market?Summary Nov 26, 2011 05:16 am ET
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Source: http://www.zacks.com/stock/news/65244/Zacks+Releases+Four+Powerful+''Buy''+Stocks%3A+Allot+Communications,+Philip+Morris+International,+AutoZone+and+Barrick+Gold

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Stars share Thanksgiving thoughts on Twitter

Thanksgiving was filled with family, friends and of course food for our favorite celebrities ? along with wisdom teeth, burnt turkey and recording studios?!

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    2. Bachmann: Fallon song choice was sexist
    3. J.Lo didn't drive that Fiat 'round the block
    4. 'Breaking Bad' boss doesn't know how it'll end
    5. 'Arthur Christmas' a jolly new holiday tradition

While Kim Kardashian and Lindsay Lohan were feeding the homeless, our other favorite celebs like Jessica Alba, Miley Cyrus, Nicole Richie, Jessica Simpson, Ashton Kutcher, Nina Dobrev and more took to the Internet's own bird, Twitter, to express their Thanksgiving trials, tribulations and triumphs as well as share what they're tweetful for.

CHECK OUT: Five Thanksgiving Tragedies and Scandals

John Legend's model and foodie girlfriend Chrissy Teigen didn't have the best of luck with her cooking, sharing with the twitverse a pic of her and John complete with a burnt turkey and tweeting: "Good call on the emergency honeybaked ham, CHRISSY. omg."

Where Chrissy and John savored their taste buds with a backup plan, Nina Dobrev skipped out on a Thanksgiving meal altogether. The Vampire Diaries star tweeted: "No turkey for me tonight- worst or best idea to get my wisdom teeth removed the day before thanksgiving?"

While Nicole Richie was sharing she "just caught my grandma digging for gold. Happy Thanksgiving!" her hubby Joel Madden was having serious regrets about stepping up to the plate and cooking. The rocker tweeted: "I'm making the turkey, the stuffing, the Mac and cheese, and the pies. This could be really bad. Sounded fun at the time."

Along with Joel, preggers Jessica Simpson opted to cook for fianc Eric Johnson's side of the family, tweeting: "Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! I made some TX casseroles for the Boston family! Eric and I have so much to be grateful for... God is good!"

MORE: Lip-Sync Oops! Scotty McCreery Gets Late Start at Macy's Parade

True to her onscreen character, Desperate Housewives' Eva Longoria decided to not cook this year, sharing, along with a pic: "Had the most amazing dinner at Sage in Vegas at Aria with my family! First year I didn't cook, but wow this meal was worth it! My dessert!"

While Eva feasted in Vegas, Kelly Osbourne and mom Sharon Osbourne spent the holiday in true rock star fashion--in a recording studio! The Fashion Police cohost tweeted: "since its just me and my mum in town looks like we will now be spending thanksgiving in the studio with @OfficialSabbath (Black Sabbath) could be worse." The blonde later exclaimed that her famous father Ozzy Osbourne had made up for his rocker ways, sharing: "to make up for the fact that my dad was w/ @OfficialSabbath recording he made me the best sticky toffee pudding for thanksgiving dinner! 3"

Jessica Alba described the holiday meal aptly as "Gluttony at it's finest." Whereas New Girl star Zoey Deschanel thanked the machine gods, tweeting: "I am thankful I have a dishwasher: so many dishes. SO. MANY. DISHES."

MORE: Not So Star-Spangled: American Idol Alum Lauren Alaina Flubs National Anthem

In true comedic form, Sarah Silverman wished her followers a "Happy holocaust of the Native American people day!"

Olivia Wilde revealed she's got a goofy family, warning: "Oh god. Family charades is starting. This is when it gets ugly. I might take a bribe to go down early. These people are viscous" (with a later tweet for the spelling oops: "...and also vicious.")

A more sentimental, and recently separated, Ashton Kutcher told his almost 9 million followers: "I'm thankful for family, friends, you, &time to reach my potential. What are you thankful for?"

Well, we're sure thankful for the above celebrities and all their glory!

TAKE A LOOK: Holiday Character Look-Alikes

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45436403/ns/today-entertainment/

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U.S. urges Bahrain to address 'disturbing' abuses (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? The United States urged its ally Bahrain, home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, to quickly address abuses laid out in a report Wednesday that said Bahraini security forces used torture to obtain confessions.

A Bahraini government-commissioned panel charged with investigating abuses found that Bahrain's security forces used excessive force to suppress pro-democracy protests this year, saying five people were tortured to death.

The United States, which has been faulted by rights activists for not criticizing the island kingdom more sharply for the crackdown, appeared to carefully balance its demand for the abuses to be addressed with praise for its Gulf ally.

"We are deeply concerned about the abuses identified in the report and urge the Government and all elements of Bahraini society to address them in a prompt and systematic manner," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement.

"We believe the ... report offers a historic opportunity for all Bahrainis to participate in a healing process that will address long-standing grievances and move the nation onto a path of genuine, sustained reform," Clinton added.

Neither Clinton's statement, nor one from the White House, hinted at any distance between the Obama administration and the royal family that rules Bahrain, although Washington has said it will weigh human rights in decisions about military sales.

Clinton made a point of stressing the "strategic interests" that the two countries share, a likely reference to containing Bahrain's neighbor Iran, which the United States suspects of pursuing nuclear weapons and accuses of supporting terrorism.

Iran denies it is seeking nuclear weapons.

U.S. CONUNDRUM

The events in Bahrain have posed a conundrum for the United States, which has sought to maintain good relations with a country that is a cornerstone of its strategy to preserve the flow of oil from the Middle East while remaining true to its support for freedom of speech and peaceful protests.

The government-commissioned report, designed to help heal sectarian divisions between the island kingdom's Sunni rulers and majority Shi'ites, acknowledged five people had been tortured to death but said abuses were isolated incidents.

However the inquiry panel, led by Egyptian-American international law expert Cherif Bassiouni, dismissed Bahrain's allegation of Iranian interference in fomenting unrest, saying that was not supported by any evidence.

"In many cases security agencies in the government of Bahrain resorted to excessive and unnecessary force," Bassiouni said at the king's palace, adding that some detainees suffered electric shocks, and beatings with rubber hoses and wires.

Bahrain's Shi'ite-led opposition reacted coolly to the report, some saying it did not go far enough while others complained those responsible for abuses remained in office.

White House press secretary Jay Carney urged Bahrain's authorities to hold those responsible to account while praising its ruler, King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, for what he described as a "courageous" decision to commission the report.

"The report identifies a number of disturbing human rights abuses that took place during this period, and it is now incumbent upon the government of Bahrain to hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations and put in place institutional changes to ensure that such abuses do not happen again," Carney said in the statement.

(Reporting by Arshad Mohammed, Caren Bohan, Paul Eckert and Jeff Mason; editing by Anthony Boadle)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mideast/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111123/pl_nm/us_bahrain_usa

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Soprano Jurinac dies aged 90-Vienna State Opera (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Bosnian-born soprano Sena Jurinac, who made her name at the Vienna State Opera in the 1940s and 50s, has died aged 90, the opera house said on Wednesday.

She passed away on Tuesday at her home near Augsburg in southern Germany, it added in a statement.

"We mourn the passing of a legendary artist who not only had a lasting influence on the Vienna State Opera but on the entire opera world as well," said Dominique Meyer, director of the company.

Jurinac was born in Travnik in 1921, and after training and singing in Zagreb signed up to the Vienna State Opera.

Her debut there came in 1945, in the opera's first performance after the end of World War II, as Cherubino in Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro."

Among her most-performed roles in Vienna were Octavian in "Der Rosenkavalier," Mimi in "La Boheme," Donna Elvira in "Don Giovanni" and Elisabeth in "Don Carlos." She retired from the opera house in 1982.

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/music/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111123/music_nm/us_opera_senajurinac

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S&P downgrades Belgium to AA on funding pressures (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) ? Standard & Poor's downgraded Belgium's credit rating to AA from AA-plus on Friday, saying funding and market risk pressures are raising the chances the country's financial sector will need more support.

S&P said difficulties in the country's banking system and the government's inability to respond to economic pressures contributed to the downgrade.

Belgium's government debt position has worsened in recent months, particularly after it bought the Belgian arm of failing French-Belgian bank Dexia (DEXI.BR) earlier this year.

Borrowing costs have increased sharply in recent days. The country's benchmark 10-year yield rose one percentage point to 5.832 percent on Friday from 4.817 percent at the beginning of the week.

"We think the Belgian government's capacity to prevent an increase in general government debt, which we consider to be already at high levels, is being constrained by rapid private sector deleveraging both in Belgium and among many of Belgium's key trading partners," S&P said in a statement.

(Reporting by David Gaffen; Editing by Padraic Cassidy)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111125/bs_nm/us_belgium_sp

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Scientists unlock the mystery surrounding a tale of shaggy dogs

ScienceDaily (Nov. 24, 2011) ? Researchers from the University of York have produced the first clear evidence that textiles made by the indigenous population of the Pacific coast of North America contained dog hair.

In recent years, scientists have hotly debated whether textiles such as blankets and robes made by the skilful Coast Salish weavers before contact with Europeans were made of dog hair as oral histories have claimed.

Coast Salish oral tradition refers to a special dog which was bred locally until the mid 19th century for its woolly hair or fleece for use in the textile industry.

Using highly sensitive equipment at the University's Centre for Excellence in Mass Spectrometry, York researchers from BioArCh (Departments of Biology, Archaeology and Chemistry) analysed the protein composition of 11 textiles in different locations, representing 25 samples in total.

The samples were taken from artefacts in the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and National Museum of the American Indian collections and included blankets, a sash and a robe of fur. Some of the textiles were collected during the American expeditions to the West Coast, including the Lewis and Clark (1803-1806) and Wilkes (1838-1842) expeditions. The samples dated mainly from early to mid 19th century.

Researchers found evidence of dog hair in the robe of fur and six of the woven textiles, primarily in a blend with goat hair.

However, the results published in the journal Antiquity, show there is no real proof of a preference for dog hair in high status fabrics and the researchers did not find any textiles made entirely of dog hair. Instead, researchers conclude that dog hair appears to have been used to supplement mountain goat hair, possibly as a bulking material.

Surprisingly too, the results also indicate that commercial sheep wool was also incorporated into textiles in the 19th century. Previous investigations had implied that sheep wool was not used in Salish weaving.

The research was led by Dr Caroline Solazzo, a Marie Curie Research Fellow from York's Department of Archaeology, and a former Postdoctoral Fellow at the Museum Conservation Institute at the Smithsonian Institution.

Dr Solazzo said: "Dogs have a long history of interaction with humans, from companionship to guarding and hunting; but raising dogs for fibre production was a unique cultural adaptation in the Pacific Northwest. It is perhaps the unusual strategy that has led some to doubt the use of dog wool.

"We found dog hair in all textiles produced before 1862, but it was absent from blankets woven in the late 19th century to early 20th century. Noticeably, dog hair is absent from all plain twill-woven ceremonial-type blankets, indicating a strong preference for mountain goat hair, in both aesthetic and technical aspects."

Bio-archaeologist Professor Matthew Collins, from York's Department of Archaeology, said: "Protein mass spectrometry is a useful new tool for the study of textiles, and indeed cultural artefacts composed of proteins, such as silk, wool, ivory, leather, bone and parchment, in which the original source of production is difficult to identify.

"Despite the minute quantities of fibres used, the analytical sensitivity of the instrumentation at York was able to reveal the use of dog hair in Salish weaving."

The Coast Salish peoples are indigenous to the Pacific Northwest coastal areas of northern Washington and southern British Columbia, and are particularly notable for their large, finely woven blankets. In pre-contact times, the blankets were important items and their gift and distribution were present in all aspects of social life. As well as having a functional use, they were important in ceremonies such as marriages and funerals.

Co-author Susan Heald, Senior Textile Conservator, from the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, said: "Salish weaving is undergoing a resurgence. With this revival it is crucial to have the use of dog hair in older blankets confirmed.

"The research at York has finally provided confirmation for the Coast Salish oral history of the use of dog hair. It appears that dog hair mixed with goat wool was used in every day textiles, with goat hair alone being used in ceremonial textiles."

The existence of a woolly dog is supported by historic accounts of 18th century European explorers. The dogs were reported to be corralled on small islands off the coast to prevent inter-breeding with short-haired village dogs. The dog disappeared less than 100 years after the first contact with Europeans.

Dr Solazzo said: "Based on our results, the description of textiles in museum collections as 'dog hair blankets' should be reconsidered; in no case did we find a textile made solely of this fibre. It may have been the case that pure dog hair blankets were once more common, but considered of lower value and consumed in use and lost."

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Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111124150355.htm

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