State of the Union speech: Promising outlook for research and innovation

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Contact: Suzanne Ffolkes
sffolkes@researchamerica.org
571-482-2710
Research!America

(Washington, January, 25, 2012) -- Research!America's Board chair, former Congressman John Edward Porter (R-IL), applauds President Obama's commitment to protect our nation's investment in basic research.

"America's leadership is at stake as other nations accelerate and prioritize their investments in discovery and development," said Porter. "We could potentially witness a reversal in fortune as Asia and Europe integrate science and technology into economic growth while U.S. investments in R&D decline. In China alone, R&D growth increased a remarkable 28% in a single year, placing it second behind the U.S. We must acknowledge and reverse trends that could jeopardize our world-class standing. Unfortunately, many elected officials have taken research and innovation for granted. They must realize that second-tier status will yield second-tier results in both scientific and economic output."

The president's charge to train more Americans in science and technology to reduce unemployment and strengthen our global competitiveness has the support of many Americans. Research!America polls show nearly 90% of those surveyed believe the federal government should place more emphasis on increasing the number of young Americans who pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. "We must prepare the next generation of innovators for opportunities that have yet to be tapped," Porter adds.

Research!America President and CEO Mary Woolley commends the president's goal to spur innovation with basic research. However, funding is at risk with the prospect of automatic spending cuts for government agencies in 2013. Woolley urges Congress to spare federal health agencies from significant cuts that could impede scientific progress.

"Cutting funding for research is not a deficit reduction strategy," said Woolley. "Research fuels economic growth and improves the quality of life for millions of Americans. President Obama's support for basic research reflects the views of a majority of Americans who have stated in recent polls that accelerating investment in health research must be a high priority. It's time for elected officials and candidates to elevate the importance of research in the national conversation and embrace it as a solution to maintaining our competitive edge, revitalizing the economy and transcending barriers in science and innovation."

###

For more information visit www.researchamerica.org


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[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 25-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Suzanne Ffolkes
sffolkes@researchamerica.org
571-482-2710
Research!America

(Washington, January, 25, 2012) -- Research!America's Board chair, former Congressman John Edward Porter (R-IL), applauds President Obama's commitment to protect our nation's investment in basic research.

"America's leadership is at stake as other nations accelerate and prioritize their investments in discovery and development," said Porter. "We could potentially witness a reversal in fortune as Asia and Europe integrate science and technology into economic growth while U.S. investments in R&D decline. In China alone, R&D growth increased a remarkable 28% in a single year, placing it second behind the U.S. We must acknowledge and reverse trends that could jeopardize our world-class standing. Unfortunately, many elected officials have taken research and innovation for granted. They must realize that second-tier status will yield second-tier results in both scientific and economic output."

The president's charge to train more Americans in science and technology to reduce unemployment and strengthen our global competitiveness has the support of many Americans. Research!America polls show nearly 90% of those surveyed believe the federal government should place more emphasis on increasing the number of young Americans who pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. "We must prepare the next generation of innovators for opportunities that have yet to be tapped," Porter adds.

Research!America President and CEO Mary Woolley commends the president's goal to spur innovation with basic research. However, funding is at risk with the prospect of automatic spending cuts for government agencies in 2013. Woolley urges Congress to spare federal health agencies from significant cuts that could impede scientific progress.

"Cutting funding for research is not a deficit reduction strategy," said Woolley. "Research fuels economic growth and improves the quality of life for millions of Americans. President Obama's support for basic research reflects the views of a majority of Americans who have stated in recent polls that accelerating investment in health research must be a high priority. It's time for elected officials and candidates to elevate the importance of research in the national conversation and embrace it as a solution to maintaining our competitive edge, revitalizing the economy and transcending barriers in science and innovation."

###

For more information visit www.researchamerica.org


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


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/r-sot012512.php

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Inhabitat's Week in Green: 300 passenger bus, babyloid robot and a jellyfish-esque LED chandelier

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

Sustainable transportation broke new boundaries by land and sea this week as Inhabitat reported that China launched the first 300 passenger bus and the world's largest solar ship closed in on completing its first trip around the globe. We also saw Drayson unveil a turbocharged 850 horsepower all-electric supercar while Mercedes announced plans to bring its B-Class E-Cell electric Vehicle to the US next year. Speaking of hot upcoming cars, this week we brought you a video showcasing 5 of the most exciting eco cars from the 2012 Detroit Auto Show and we shared 7 new hybrid and electric vehicles that you'll be able to purchase this year.

The world of renewable energy also heated up this week as scientists hatched a plan to harness volcano power by pouring millions of gallons of water into a dormant crater and President Obama rejected TransCanada's plans for the Keystone Xl pipeline. Meanwhile Philips unveiled a transparent solar-powered OLED car sunroof that charges during the day and lights up at night, and we took a look inside Switzerland's Berghotel Muottas - the first hotel in the Alps that generates more energy than it consumes. Clean energy technology also dived into the deep blue sea as Ireland's massive SeaGen tidal turbine received environmental approval, researchers found a way to turn seaweed into biofuel using a human stomach microbe, and a Nobel laureate developed the world's cheapest and most effective CO2 sponge.

In other news, this week we brought you the most freshest new green gadgets - from a tree trunk turntable that plays wood rings like records to a stunning jellyfish-esque LED chandelier and a cuddly Babyloid robot designed to comfort senior citizens. We also showcased the world's smallest greeting card (300 micro-meters wide!), a massive 300 lb stormtrooper cake, and five educational and arty apps for creative kids. Finally, we rounded up the hottest news in eco fashion - including the world's largest garment made from golden spider silk and an awesome set of bow ties made from recycled LEGO bricks.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: 300 passenger bus, babyloid robot and a jellyfish-esque LED chandelier originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/22/300-passenger-bus-babyloid-robot-LED-jellyfish-chandelier/

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VoiceUtils makes your iPhone 4S wish into a Siri command (video)

In the event you haven't tired of Siri hacks, here comes yet another unintended use of the ole robo-handmaiden. This time, however, her jailbroken powers of automation are strictly for vanilla iOS purposes, so you won't find any demonstrations of car stereo or TV channel changing here. Instead, recently liberated iPhone 4S owners can look forward to a software package called VoiceUtils, available through Cydia, that allows Cupertino's best gal to open first- and third-party apps, unlock your phone (barring password protection) and even reboot. See? It's not exactly the most exciting exploit of Apple's much-touted software, but it is resoundingly practical. If you haven't taken a swig of greenpois0n's Absinthe just yet and are keen to extend your iDevice's voice recognition functionality, now might be the time to drink deeply.

Continue reading VoiceUtils makes your iPhone 4S wish into a Siri command (video)

VoiceUtils makes your iPhone 4S wish into a Siri command (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/dfHDccPRi8k/

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Acer's Aspire One 722 kitted with HSPA , sold by AT&T

Sleek and svelte Ultrabooks and tablets might have stolen the limelight from ye old netbook, but that doesn't mean the less glamorous category is completely bereft of all signs of life. Take for example, Acer's Aspire One 722. Sure, the 1GHz AMD C-50 powered, Radeon HD 6250 wielding netbook's internals got more pizzazz in an updated Europe-only edition, but that didn't stop AT&T from taking the original and giving it a new beginning thanks to shiny new internal WWAN module. Up-to-date silicon it is not, but it could be yours for just $40 a month -- provided you sign your life away on a two-year, 3GB per month, contract. Or alternatively, the HSPA+ redux can be had for the unsubsidized price of $450. Decisions, decisions. Pull the trigger at the source link below.

Acer's Aspire One 722 kitted with HSPA+, sold by AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/23/acers-aspire-one-722-kitted-with-hspa-sold-by-atandt/

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Lessons in coral reef survival from deep time

Monday, January 23, 2012

Lessons from tens of millions of years ago are pointing to new ways to save and protect today's coral reefs and their myriad of beautiful and many-hued fishes at a time of huge change in the Earth's systems.

The complex relationship we see today between fishes and corals developed relatively recently in geological terms ? and is a major factor in shielding reef species from extinction, says Professor David Bellwood of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and James Cook University.

"Our latest research provides strong evidence for a view that today's coral hotspots are both a refuge for old species and a cradle for new ones," said Peter Cowman, lead author of a recent report. "This is the first real inkling we've had that just protecting a large area of reef may not be enough ? you have to protect the right sorts of reef."

Early coral reefs, 300-400 million years ago were much simpler affairs than today's colourful and complex systems, Prof. Bellwood says. The fish were not specialised to live on or among corals ? either lacking jaws altogether, or else feeding on detritus on the seabed or preying on one another.

"By 200 million years ago we are starting to see fish with jaws capable of feeding on corals, but the real explosion in reef diversity doesn't occur till about 50 million years ago when we see fishes very like today's specialist coral feeders emerging."

It is the ever-increasing complexity of this relationship between corals and fishes over the last 20 or 30 million years that produces the wondrous diversity of today's reefs, he says. Each has become more critical to the survival of the other as their lives have become more interwoven.

"When people think of coral reefs, they usually think of the beautiful branching corals like staghorn (Acropora) ? well the evidence is now fairly clear that Acropora needs certain fish for it to flourish. But, it now appears that this may be a reciprocal relationship with Acropora being important for the evolution and survival of fishes on coral reefs. "

Unfortunately Acropora corals are highly vulnerable to external impacts like Crown-of-Thorns starfish, coral bleaching, climate change and ocean acidification. Their demise will have far reaching effects on the fishes which interact with them, such as damsels, butterfly fish, cardinals and wrasses.

"The study of the past tells us that reefs are all about relationships and, like a family, for them to survive those relationships need to remain strong," Peter Cowman said.

"In coming years it is probable reefs will be subject to relentless presses that may cause them to change fundamentally. Those with the best long-term prospects of survival will be the ones where the relationships between fish and corals are healthiest.

Both fish and corals managed somehow to survive the five great mass extinction events of the past, though they sustained massive loss of species. Over time these have left us with a world focus of reef biodiversity centered on the Coral Triangle region to Australia's north, which in turn helps recharge Australian coral reefs, especially in the west.

"The Coral Triangle is currently subject to intensifying human and ecosystem pressure. The latest work by Peter Cowman and Prof Bellwood suggests it is both a cradle for new species and a refuge in troubled times ? so it is vital that it remain intact.

"This isn't about saving individual species or particular reefs, it's about maintaining the basic relationships which ensure the survival of the whole," says Prof Bellwood.

"We've had a 'heads up' from the past that is giving us fresh insights into what is most important on reefs and why we must protect our precious reefs and fishes into the future."

###

Their paper "Coral reefs as drivers of cladogenesis: expanding coral reefs, cryptic extinction events, and the development of biodiversity hotspots" by Peter F. Cowman and David R. Bellwood was published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology 24: 2543-2562. DOI 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2011.02391.x

ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies: http://www.coralcoe.org.au/

Thanks to ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116938/Lessons_in_coral_reef_survival_from_deep_time

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Brad Pitt On Directing: 'Hell No'

Brad Pitt was on hand at Saturday night's Producer's Guild Awards, in part to support his partner Angelina Jolie, who was presented with the Stanley Kramer Award for her directorial debut, "In the Land of Blood and Honey." Directing has been a successful new venture for Jolie, but don't expect Pitt to follow in her foot steps behind the camera.

"Hell no," Pitt responded when asked on the red carpet if he had any interest in directing his own film, quite firm in his stance. "Just not interested."

The answer sets him apart from his best friends in Hollywood. George Clooney has become a successful director with four films to his name, including this year's critical hit "The Ides of March," while Ben Affleck has helmed two films and is working on his third, "Argo." Matt Damon has written a number of films -- he earned an Oscar with Affleck for "Good Will Hunting" -- and was supposed to make his directorial debut on a film he co-wrote with John Krasinski; he has since pulled out due to schedule conflicts, giving the job to Gus Van Sant.

Still, Pitt is far more than just an actor. He recently became the 5000th member of the Producer's Guild, and it was well deserved. He produced "Moneyball," working for years to make it happen, and also pulled the strings on "The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford." Through his producing shingle Plan B Entertainment, he's also producing the zombie film "World War Z" and "Cogan's Trade," both of which he stars in.

Pitt has also had his name on a number of hits in which he did not act. He earned a Golden Globe for co-producing "The Departed," though he was ruled ineligible for the Oscar that the film eventually won. His company has backed Jolie's "A Mighty Heart"; Johnny Depp's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"; "The Time Traveler's Wife"; and "Eat Pray Love."

While he has walked back those pesky rumors of a retirement from acting at 50-years-old, clearly, Pitt will be in Hollywood for the long haul.

WATCH:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/22/brad-pitt-on-directing-hell-no_n_1221888.html

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Study Hints That Statins Might Fight Breast Cancer (HealthDay)

THURSDAY, Jan. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Amid hints that statins -- cholesterol-lowering drugs -- might also play a role in preventing or treating certain types of cancer, new research sheds some light on how these drugs may help stop breast cancer in its tracks among certain women.

The p53 tumor suppressor gene stops the uncontrolled growth of cancer cells, but some women with breast cancer have mutant forms of this gene. In the new study, when the mutant p53 cells were treated in the laboratory with statins, the cells stopped their erratic growth, and even died in some cases.

It seems that the mutated p53 genes may activate the same pathway that the statins inhibit -- the mevalonate pathway, the study suggests. The mevalonate pathway is important in the body's production of cholesterol.

In the study, the effects of the statin drugs were erased when the mevalonate pathway was reactivated, supporting the potential mechanism. The new research is published in the Jan. 20 issue of the journal Cell.

Study author Dr. Carol Prives, chair of the department of biological sciences at Columbia University in New York City, is cautious in her enthusiasm about the results and their implications.

"The study is adding the possibility that there may be classes of breast cancer patients who will respond better to statins than others," she said, but noted that this research is far away from the bedside.

"By understanding better what sort of cells would respond to statins, one might have a better idea of whether or not to consider using them," she added. "The next step could be a trial of statins in women with breast cancer who have a mutated copy of the p53 gene."

Commenting on the study, cancer expert Marc Symons said, "This paper unravels a mechanism whereby p53, a frequently mutated cancer gene, promotes the aberrant behavior of cancer cells."

The mutated protein stimulates the mevalonate pathway, explained Symons, an investigator at the Center for Oncology and Cell Biology at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Manhasset, N.Y.

"Statins, drugs that are widely used to lower cholesterol levels, block a key step in the mevalonate pathway," Symons said. "The new results may well give new momentum to the use of statins as anti-cancer agents."

Dr. Stephanie Bernik, chief of surgical oncology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, is also intrigued by the potential of the new findings.

"This paper addresses a possible new target for therapeutic agents based on a well-known tumor suppressor gene that is common in many cancers," Bernik said. "Identifying novel pathways that lead to tumor formation is the first step to developing new drugs that can specifically target some of the complex mechanisms that contribute to the development of cancer," she pointed out.

"This work and other projects like this raise the hope that we will one day be able to cure cancers on a molecular level," Bernik said.

More information

Learn more about how breast cancer is treated at the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20120120/hl_hsn/studyhintsthatstatinsmightfightbreastcancer

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Daily Crunch: New Eyes

1527Here are some of yesterday’s stories on TechCrunch Gadgets: HumanBirdWings Guy Survives First Test Flight Marketing Genius: Two Twins Giggling As They Sell You Designer 3D Glasses Math-Blind AI Teaches Itself Basic Number Sense Watch This Delightful Crowdsourced Star Wars Fan Film Immediately iPhone 4S and iPad 2 Finally Get Proper, Untethered Jailbreaks

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Y0fs_NdGono/

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South Carolina Primary: Five Things To Watch

Another Mitt Romney win could provide hard-to-stop momentum going into Florida.
By Gil Kaufman


Mitt Romney
Photo: Getty Images

With the field of candidates cut down by half from just one month ago, the Republican presidential nomination could very well hinge on the results tomorrow in the South Carolina primary.

Leading nominee Mitt Romney went into the first contest in the South with a historic double win in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary. But on Thursday, Romney's razor-thin eight-vote victory over former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum was essentially vacated when the final tally put Santorum up by 34 votes. The reversal didn't have any real impact on Romney's status — delegates from Iowa won't be decided until a later date — but it robbed him of bragging rights.

With former House Speaker and Newt Gingrich surging in the polls leading up to the South Carolina vote and Texas Governor Rick Perry dropping out Thursday (while throwing his support behind Gingrich), suddenly Romney's path to the nomination has a few more roadblocks.

In a race that has seen more twists and turns than anyone could have predicted, here are five things to look for in Saturday's primary:

Margin of Victory
If former Massachusetts Governor Romney posts a decisive, double-digit victory, it could provide the sense of momentum he's been lacking so far. And after (almost) winning Iowa and decisively taking New Hampshire, a solid win in a Southern state with a large Evangelical voting bloc might signal that the GOP's traditional base is finally coalescing around Romney. However, if Gingrich can pull off a win — he went from being in a double-digit hole to leading in some polls as of Friday — the race could turn into a two-man duel that lasts well past the next contest in Florida on January 31.

Post-Primary Polling
In addition to being the first Southern contest, South Carolina is the first state with a serious jobs problem on the primary slate. With an unemployment rate of 9.9 percent (versus the steadily falling 8.5 national rate), exit polls could provide a snapshot of what issues are on the minds of South Carolinians and whether they think Romney is the man who can lead the nation out of its economic downturn.

His continuing stumbles on the release of his tax returns and a quip about how the $374,000 he earned in speaking fees last year was "not very much" might eat into his leader status. Exit polls could also give Romney a sharper picture of how much of the Evangelical vote he is drawing and whether he has a chance of siphoning those ballots away from Gingrich.

Where Gingrich Lands
No modern GOP candidate has won his party's nomination without a win in South Carolina. And though Gingrich was left for dead just last summer, he has risen to the top of the contender heap, currently representing the strongest challenge to Romney. The politically savvy Washington veteran has been merciless in his criticism of his more moderate opponent, while finishing just high enough to stay in it as his potential rivals fall by the wayside. If Gingrich pulls off an upset victory or comes within a few percentage points on Saturday, he could drive Santorum off the map and survive to battle Romney through the next several contests.

Exit polls could also reveal whether the interview aired by ABC News on Thursday night with Gingrich's second ex-wife, Marianne, had a strong impact on his appeal to female voters. In it, Marianne Gingrich, whom he divorced in 2000 after he'd already begun living with his current wife, alleged that the former congressman had proposed they have an open marriage so he could continue his affair with his now-third wife. Gingrich, who proposed to Marianne before his divorce from his first wife was finalized in 1981, has faced questions during his entire run about whether conservative voters might show distaste for Gingrich's two divorces and admitted infidelity.

The Colbert Factor
Viewers of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" have gotten a good laugh out of the mockery Stephen Colbert has been making of the influence of Super PAC money on this year's election. And though his request to run for the presidency of the United States in South Carolina was turned down by election officials, the "Definitely Not Coordinating with Stephen Colbert Super PAC" has been running mock attack ads in the state and has put up some poll numbers that would make former candidate Perry blush. Could his savage satire of big money resonate with some voters and help swing the primary just enough to make Super PACs a talking point?

The Tea Party
The leaderless upstart political movement's unofficial ground zero is South Carolina, home to the state's junior Senator Jim DeMint, who is considered the ideological forefather of the Tea Party among elected officials. While the TP has faded somewhat in profile since it stormed the 2010 midterm elections, a recent New York Times Magazine story noted that the defiantly unorganized organization has "had a hard time settling on any obvious alternative to Romney." If the TP were to assert itself and get out the vote against Romney, it could signal a problem for him in other unabashedly red states.

Check back for up-to-the-minute coverage on the primary races and stick with PowerOf12.org throughout the 2012 presidential election season.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677657/south-carolina-primary-preview.jhtml

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Billionaire donates for Washington Monument repairs

A billionaire history buff has stepped forward to donate the $7.5 million matching gift that's needed to start repairing cracks near the top of the Washington Monument from last summer's East Coast earthquake.

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Businessman David Rubenstein told The Associated Press he was inspired to help fund the repairs to the 555-foot obelisk when it became clear how severely damaged it was by a 5.8-magnitude quake on Aug. 23. The monument received about 1 million visitors a year before the famous landmark was closed to the public after the quake.

The Park Service hopes to have a contractor begin work by the end of August. The repair work is expected to take a year to complete, likely keeping the monument closed for two years.

Largest gift
Congress allocated $7.5 million in December on the condition that private donations would match that amount. The National Park Service and nonprofit Trust for the National Mall are expected to announce Rubenstein's gift Thursday morning. It will be the largest gift to the nonprofit group, which aims to raise $350 million to restore the mall's grounds and facilities.

The combined $15 million in public and private funds is expected to cover the cost of repairing damage directly caused by the quake, said National Park Service spokeswoman Carol Johnson. Repairing water damage will cost more, as would a seismic study or reinforcements to strengthen the obelisk against future earthquakes, she said.

Rubenstein, a co-founder of The Carlyle Group, began building the private equity firm's business in Washington and said he wanted to restore a symbol of the nation and hasten repairs to reopen the landmark.

"This Washington Monument is probably one of the most recognizable buildings in the United States next to the Capitol and the Empire State Building," he said. "It could use a little repair work, and I wanted people to get to see it as soon as possible."

Experts have noted the monument needs more than just a little repair work, though it has been deemed structurally sound.

Extensive repairs needed
The August quake was centered some 40 miles west of Richmond, Va., and felt from Canada to Georgia. It damaged the Washington National Cathedral, where pieces of mortar rained down from its vaulted ceiling. At the Washington Monument, panicked visitors fled down flights of stairs on the day of the big shake, but there were no known deaths or serious injuries in the region.

The earthquake caused numerous cracks to form in the obelisk, which was the tallest man-made structure in the world when it was completed in 1884.

Surveillance video taken the day of the quake and later released by the park service showed the spire shaking violently. Daylight could be seen through some of the cracks, the largest of which was reported to be at least 4 feet long and about an inch wide.

A report in December recommended extensive repairs and reinforcements to preserve the spire. It said some marble panels were cracked all the way through near the top portion of the monument. Cracks near its peak also have left the monument vulnerable to water damage from rain, engineers noted.

Last fall, daredevil engineers on a "difficult access team" rappelled from the top to conduct a visual inspection of the exterior of the obelisk.

Officials said it's unclear whether the work will require scaffolding to be built around the monument, similar to what was erected during a restoration project from 1999 to 2001.

'A true patriot'
Caroline Cunningham, president of the Trust for the National Mall, called Rubenstein "a true patriot" and said his gift "demonstrates how much people care about this space." She said it should serve as an example for other philanthropists.

There has long been talk of sprucing up the mall at the heart of the nation's capital.

A design competition is under way to develop ways to improve the mall, including the Washington Monument grounds. Finalists will be chosen in May, and the group will seek funding for each project. The nonprofit group has targeted parts of the mall that are run down from over use and neglect as a focus for its restoration efforts.

Rubenstein has made large gifts in recent years to Washington's cultural institutions including the Smithsonian Institution, the National Archives, the Library of Congress and the Kennedy Center.

The monument, which he visited recently, was built with private $1 donations eventually totaling over $1 million, Rubenstein said. Construction began in 1848, but funds ran out during the Civil War when the monument was left as an embarrassing stump for years. It was finally completed in 1884 and was the world's tallest man-made structure until it was eclipsed by the Eiffel Tower. It remains the tallest structure in Washington.

Rubenstein owns a copy of the Magna Carta, among other historical documents, and reveres George Washington.

"I like to remind people about American history," Rubenstein said. "George Washington is an incredible figure. When he was the head of the Revolutionary War Army, he could have stayed on as really the head of the government when we won the Revolutionary War, but he put down his arms."

___

Trust for the National Mall: http://www.nationalmall.org

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46050494/ns/us_news-giving/

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