Friday, March 29, 2013

Mandela hospitalized again, South Africa leader asks world to pray for him

The 94-year-old former South African president has been admitted with a recurrence of the lung infection he suffered in December. NBC's Rohit Kochroo reports.

By Ian Johnston, Staff Writer, NBC News

Nelson Mandela suffered a recurrence of his lung infection and was taken to a hospital late Wednesday.

In a statement, the current South African President Jacob Zuma said ?we appeal to the people of South Africa and the world to pray for our beloved Madiba [a nickname for Mandela] and his family and to keep them in their thoughts.?

?We have full confidence in the medical team and know that they will do everything possible to ensure recovery," he added. ?The Presidency appeals once again for understanding and privacy in order to allow space to the doctors to do their work.?

Mandela, 94, was taken to a hospital just before midnight local time (6 p.m. ET).

The statement said that Mandela had the ?best possible expert in medical treatment and comfort.?

?I can?t say how serious it is,? a presidential spokesman said. ?I know [doctors] will call me if there is an upturn or a downturn.?

/

View images of civil rights leader Nelson Mandela, who went from anti-apartheid activist to prisoner to South Africa's first black president.

Mandela spent nearly three weeks in a hospital in December for treatment of a lung infection and gallstone surgery.

This was his longest time he had been hospitalized since being released from captivity as a political prisoner in 1990.

He was also hospitalized earlier this month for what was described as a "scheduled medical checkup."

Mandela was president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, the first president of the country to be elected following the fall of the apartheid system.

NBC News' Matthew DeLuca and Rohit Kachroo contributed to this report.

Related:

Secrecy over Mandela's health fuels concern for South Africa icon

'Who is my Mandela?' South Africans consider icon's place in a changing world

This story was originally published on

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Congressman criticizes Obama girls for vacation

Sasha and Malia Obama at the Inaugural parade. (Gerald Herbert/AP)Sasha and Malia Obama at the Inaugural parade (AP/Gerald Herbert)

Speaking on a radio program, Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, ripped into President Obama for sending his daughters, Sasha and Malia, on a vacation while the federal government is being squeezed by the so-called sequester.

ThinkProgress, a progressive blog, reports that King was speaking on the "Mickelson in the Morning" program. A listener named Carla called in and began to reprimand Michelle Obama for vacationing in the Bahamas with her two daughters.

"It's hard to stomach. When we're tightening our belts, we should either all do it or none of us do it," she said, referring to sequestration ? the recent round of automatic spending cuts that went into effect earlier this month when Congress and President Obama failed to reach a budget agreement.

Earlier this week, conservative news outlet Breitbart.com reported that the girls were on spring break, and named the resort where they were staying.

King agreed with the caller, saying, "Carla, you're on point and on the mark all the way through." King then went on to mention that the girls vacationed in Mexico the year before.

"He sent the daughters to spring break in Mexico a year ago," King said, referring to President Obama. "That was at our expense, too. And now to the Bahamas at one of the most expensive places there. That is the wrong image to be coming out of the White House."

The Obamas pay for family vacations themselves. But critics complain that those costs do not include security measures.

King, who is mulling over a Senate bid in 2014, has been an outspoken critic of President Obama for years. During the 2008 presidential campaign, King predicted that should Obama beat John McCain, "then the radical Islamists, the al-Qaida, the radical Islamists and their supporters, will be dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on September 11 ..."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/rep-king-r-ia-criticizes-obama-girls-vacation-220120129--politics.html

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APNewsBreak: Pentagon cuts number of furlough days

(AP) ? The Pentagon will sharply cut the number of unpaid furlough days civilians will be forced to take over the next several months from 22 to 14, defense officials said Wednesday, reducing the impact of automatic budget cuts on as many as 700,000 workers.

According to defense officials, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel made the decision Wednesday, as military service chiefs and defense leaders continued to work through the details, trying to prioritize how they will allocate the more than $10 billion that Congress, in an attempt to take some of the sting out of the across-the-board budget cuts, shifted to operations and maintenance accounts. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter ahead of the public announcement.

While some of the military services initially considered eliminating the furloughs altogether, senior leaders argued that since not all the services could do that, it would be better to treat all civilians across the defense department equally.

The military had been faced with some $43 billion in automatic, across-the-board cuts that kicked in March 1, but lawmakers passed a massive spending bill last week that shifted money around in order to give the Defense Department more flexibility in how it found the savings.

Initially, civilians would have been required to take one day a week off without pay for 22 weeks, through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30 ? a 20 percent pay cut for more than five months. The congressional action has given officials the leeway to lessen the salary cuts and also spread money around to other key priorities, including training, maintenance and possible ship deployments.

As an example, the Navy had delayed the refueling overhauls of two aircraft carriers, the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the USS Abraham Lincoln ? critical maintenance work that officials said would be among the priorities if additional funding could be identified.

Under the new plan, the unpaid furloughs would not begin until mid-June, with notices going out before that.

Officials have been meeting over the past week to discuss the range of options, including how many of the furlough days could be eliminated.

The Pentagon has declined to say how many of the 800,000 civilian employees would be exempt from the furloughs, although officials have estimated it would be at least 10 percent of the overall civilian workforce. Officials said last week that about 5 percent of Navy and Marine Corps civilians and about 24 percent of Army civilians likely would be exempt from the furloughs, although those numbers may change with the new funding.

Exempt workers include civilians in the war zone and in critical public safety jobs, as well as people whose jobs are not paid for through congressional funding. As an example, some employees may be contractors or people working in facilities that pay for operations out of their earnings, such as some recreation jobs or foreign military sales.

Critics have complained that the Pentagon has overstated the effects of the spending cuts and has canceled or sliced into more visible and popular programs. In early announcements the Navy delayed the deployment of an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf and canceled several other ship deployments, while other services slashed training, equipping and maintenance programs, cut commissary hours and warned that 15,000 teachers and staff would be furloughed one day a week at the 194 military schools around the world.

The Pentagon had said they would manage those furloughs so that pupils got the required hours of education and the schools did not lose their accreditation.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-03-27-US-Budget-Battle-Pentagon-Furloughs/id-6d5faa71a91145a5b2fe857e22b66d05

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Panasonic stays in TV business, chairman resigning

People are reflected on the glass window of a Panasonic showroom in Tokyo Thursday, March 28, 2013. Panasonic Corp.'s president said Thursday the company will get out of unprofitable businesses but stopped short of ditching the Japanese manufacturer's money-losing TV operations, as had been widely speculated. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

People are reflected on the glass window of a Panasonic showroom in Tokyo Thursday, March 28, 2013. Panasonic Corp.'s president said Thursday the company will get out of unprofitable businesses but stopped short of ditching the Japanese manufacturer's money-losing TV operations, as had been widely speculated. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

A shopper looks at a Panasonic flat-panel television at an electronics retail store in Tokyo Thursday, March 28, 2013. Panasonic Corp.'s president said Thursday the company will get out of unprofitable businesses but stopped short of ditching the Japanese manufacturer's money-losing TV operations, as had been widely speculated. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Panasonic Corp. President Kazuhiro Tsuga arrives for a press conference at the company's headquarters in Tokyo Thursday, March 28, 2013. Tsuga said the company will get out of unprofitable businesses but stopped short of ditching the Japanese manufacturer's money-losing TV operations, as had been widely speculated. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Panasonic Corp. President Kazuhiro Tsuga speaks during a press conference at the company's headquarters in Tokyo Thursday, March 28, 2013. Tsuga said the company will get out of unprofitable businesses but stopped short of ditching the Japanese manufacturer's money-losing TV operations, as had been widely speculated. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Panasonic Corp. President Kazuhiro Tsuga speaks during a press conference at the company's headquarters in Tokyo Thursday, March 28, 2013. Tsuga said the company will get out of unprofitable businesses but stopped short of ditching the Japanese manufacturer's money-losing TV operations, as had been widely speculated. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

(AP) ? Panasonic's president said Thursday the company will persist with trying to fix its money-losing TV business, characterizing an exit from the fiercely competitive industry as a "final resort."

Panasonic also said Fumio Ohtsubo will step down as chairman in June ahead of schedule to take responsibility for the company's string of dismal financial results.

Company president Kazuhiro Tsuga promised to improve profitability over the next two years as he announced a business plan and strategy for the fiscal year that begins next month.

Osaka-based Panasonic Corp. is expecting a 765 billion yen ($8.1 billion) loss for the fiscal year ending this month.

That's close to the record red ink it reported for the previous fiscal year of 772 billion yen, which was among the biggest losses in Japan Inc. history.

Panasonic will target a 50 billion yen ($532 million) net profit for the fiscal year ending March next year, with hopes of reaching 350 billion yen ($3.7 billion) in operating profit two years later after eliminating unprofitable businesses and restructuring.

When asked about his decision to stick with TVs, Tsuga said the company will first try to stop the flow of red ink.

"To get out would be the final resort," he told reporters at the company's Tokyo office. "That possibility is not zero."

Japanese media reported last week that Panasonic may pull the plug on its plasma TV operations as part of a bigger plan to downsize its TV business.

The last few years have been tough for TV manufacturers and particularly those in Japan as the European debt crisis and a slow turnaround in the U.S. economy sapped demand for consumer electronics. The notable exceptions were smartphones and tablet computers. Japanese makers were also squeezed by competition from South Korean and Chinese manufacturers.

Tsuga said Panasonic has ambitions to grow its relatively newer auto and housing businesses and aims for both to be 2 trillion yen ($21.3 billion) businesses by 2018.

Panasonic expects to spend 250 billion yen ($2.7 billion) on restructuring over the next two fiscal years.

Like other Japanese manufacturers, Panasonic has been struggling because of the March 2011 tsunami disaster, weak global demand and until recently, a strengthening yen.

It has been slammed in consumer electronics by flashier, often more cost-effective, rivals such as Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co.

Panasonic, Sony Corp.'s longtime archrival in Japan, has been shifting its focus from consumer electronics to operations that cater to other businesses such as batteries and solar panels.

One plus for Japanese exporters such as Panasonic is the yen's decline, a reversal from the trend of recent years. A weak yen boosts the value of overseas earnings.

The maker of Viera TVs and Lumix cameras gained 3 billion yen ($32 million) in operating profit for the October-December period from a favorable exchange rate.

Still, Tsuga said he was not counting on the exchange rate because some parts of Panasonic's sprawling and complex empire will be hurt by a weak yen.

___

Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter at www.twitter.com/yurikageyama

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-03-28-Japan-Panasonic/id-21eb0f21abc544e79c53f5fc4906fa18

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Pope Francis makes inaugural appeal for peace after coup in Central African Republic

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has called for an end to the violence and looting that has accompanied the weekend coup in the Central African Republic in his first such appeal for peace since becoming pope.

During his inaugural general audience Wednesday, Francis called for an immediate political solution to the conflict.

More than 1,000 armed rebels from the alliance known as Seleka attacked the capital Bangui on Saturday, forcing longtime President Francois Bozize into exile in neighbouring Cameroon. Widespread looting followed, including of hospitals.

Francis, who named himself after St. Francis of Assisi who worked for peace and the poor, has said he will prioritize the poor and disadvantaged during his papacy.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pope-francis-makes-inaugural-appeal-peace-coup-central-125749713.html

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CyberTech Technology. [Don't post]

Technology in 2066 hasn't changed much, aside from the minor (and major)improvements in efficiency. There are still no flying cars, there are still no soldiers wearing power armor (even though the idea is being heavily researched into and has already progressed into multiple prototype stages). Hell, there still aren't any robots fighting our enemies in our place.

The future lied to all of us.

Oh, wait.

We're part of CyberTech Security (more specifically, the Special Activities Division). Being part of a privately owned Research and Development company, that holds contracts with DARPA and the CDC (or what's left of both organizations), designing military-grade weapons and equipment (such as power armor, perhaps?) While our tech can be considered on par with the United States military, being part of Delta Squad certainly has its perks: We get to wear whatever fuckin' armor we can wear (including our own modifications, provided that Corporate gives us the green light on what we can mod), whatever fuckin' weapons we can hold in our two hands, and certainly operate whatever fuckin' vehicles we can climb into.

Provided we stay and work together.

Here's a list of the list of "shit" CyberTech has to offer to us (special people).

AEGIS Advanced Armor Defense System
The AEGIS AADS is self-contained and capable of withstanding most elements and hazardous conditions, created by Cybertech Corporation as a modular means of defense against the infection, exclusively for the 102nd Special Activities Division. The suit's Tactical helmet sports limited air supply and air filters, and completely encases the operative's head and face. Sensors built into the helmet allow them to also see in infra-red and night-vision, crucial should the lights go out. A comm system is build into the face-mask, including a broadcast speaker.

It enhances the speed and power of the wearer, a sharp contrast to previous versions which required powered motors to allow the users mobility. Because of this advancement, the design more closely resembles an actual suit of armor, as opposed to a powered exoskeleton. On one level, the user moves the suit, and in return, the suit moves the user. This allowed for an incredibly compact design when compared to the previous incarnations.

The pyramid-shaped helmet has led to the nickname of "Diamondback" by both military and security personnel alike.

XLR8 Advanced Reconnaissance Combative Awareness Suit
The ARCAS is a Ghost-exclusive variation of the AEGIS AADS, in which instead of the increased protection that the defense system provides, it is outfitted with a lighter amount of armor to provide better mobility. The system is also equipped with a prototype optical cloaking system that helps remove the visual spectrum from any infected that rely on sight. However, since it's in a prototype stage, there are times where the system will fail to activate, often leaving the operative within sight.

Advanced Lifeform Interface for Combat Environments
ALICE is an operative's semi-intelligence system. Also known as their best friend. Programmed into each operative's suit, ALICE will provide basic information regarding its user, such as both mental and physical conditions, as well as information relating to other members of the operative's team via voice commands. It will also provide both basic and tactical information about the user's environment, such as temperature and infection levels, and is capable of providing the general location of other users (including Ghost operatives).

ALICE is also connected to Dispatch to provide a stronger connection with Corporate.

[Under Construction]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/2NIrRWCkE1A/viewtopic.php

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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Maui-Raised Cretton Wins SXSW Grand Jury Prize | Maui Now

By Vanessa Wolf

Destin Daniel Cretton. Courtesy image.

Destin Daniel Cretton. Courtesy image.

Born and raised on Maui, Destin Daniel Cretton just won the prestigious SXSW Film Festival Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature for his film ?Short Term 12.?

Cretton graduated from Maui High School and Maui Community College and spent three of his summers picking pineapples in the fields near his Haiku home.

He went on to receive a BA in communications from Point Loma Nazarene University and completed his master?s in film at San Diego State University.

?Short Term 12,? also won the US Jury Prize at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, followed by top awards at Seattle International, Aspen Shorts Fest, Independent Film Festival Boston, CineVegas, and GenArtt. It was short-listed for the 2010 Academy Awards.

The film is told through the eyes of Grace (Brie Larson), a ?20-something supervisor at a foster-care facility for at-risk teenagers. Passionate and tough, Grace is a formidable caretaker of the kids in her charge ? and in love with her long-term?boyfriend and co-worker, Mason (John Gallagher Jr.).But Grace?s own difficult past ? and the surprising future that suddenly presents itself ? throw her into unforeseen confusion, made all the sharper with the arrival of a new intake at the facility: a gifted but troubled teenage girl with whom Grace has a charged connection.?

While the subject matter is complex, the film is said to find truth ? and humor ? in unexpected places.

We caught up with Destin Daniel Cretton to find out how his Maui background influences his film-making and his future.

Maui Now: You?re from Maui and making films in California now. Does Maui ever influence or trickle into your work?

Destin Daniel Cretton: Maui has a huge influence on everything I do. Storytelling is so ingrained into that culture, it was all around me as a kid. It didn?t matter if my parents were shopping at Ooka?s, or holding up traffic at a stop sign, there was always time to talk story. It?s such a beautiful part of the lifestyle on Maui, and something that?s hard to find anywhere else.

MN: Would you ever consider shooting a film or basing a story on Maui?

DDC: Yes! It?s kind of a lifelong dream to shoot a movie on Maui. I have a couple ideas brewing in my head, and can?t wait for the opportunity to make them.

MN: What inspired the subject matter of ?Short Term 12??

DDC: After graduating from college, I worked at a group home for at-risk teenagers for a couple years. It was one of the most difficult experiences I?ve ever had, but also one of the most rewarding. ?Short Term 12? was inspired by that experience.

MN: When you come home to see your family what are the top three things you ?have? to do or eat?

DDC: When I get off the plane, I usually go straight to 7-11 and get a pork hash and spam musubi. Then I drive over to Maui Mall and get a Guri Guri, three-scoop mix with two pineapple. Then I go to Zippy?s for a pork saimin with extra garnishes. ?After that, I?m the happiest man on earth.

___

Cretton is on a roll: the script for ?Short Term 12? (based on the short of the same title), was one of five to win a 2010 Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Have an idea for a fun or thought-provoking story or topic??Get in touch: we want to hear from you. -Vanessa (@mauinow.com)

Related Stories:

Source: http://mauinow.com/2013/03/24/maui-raised-cretton-wins-sxsw-grand-jury-prize/

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Sky-Pirates, Monsters and Corruption! Oh my!

Somehow...

Somehow we recovered from what people like to call the Apocalypse. Modern technology is useless now, not that much of it remains. Most of the cities are now barren ruins, skyscrapers now nothing more than piles of rubble. Nothing grows in the cities, any of them; the land the cities were on is now dead and dry.

Storms ravage the world, some places never see a day without a violent storm with unearthly green lightning that leaves green flames in its wake.

Here in Middrath we only see two seasons of the year. Summer and winter, both lasting for half a year; both can be as deadly as each other.

Monsters roam freely, eating unwary travellers or any livestock they come across. Some devour our crops and orchards. Bandits, Sky-pirates, and the power hungry prey on those who are merely trying to make themselves a living. Life, isn?t anything like it used to be.

Industrial Monarchy sanctioned scientists do experiments on the monsters that are caught alive, bounty hunters are paid handsomely to bring in the beasts alive. The less wounds they have, the more money they are paid as a bonus.

Engineers have been working on Steam technology to allow us to have lighting, running water and basic transport once again. Airships are a common sight in the sky now, of course only the rich have them.

There?s one exception.

The Sky-pirates stole a large airship a few years ago now, they altered it for their own means and renamed it Skyhowl. The large, black dirigible is home to the scum of society who like nothing more than to make our lives a misery. It?s rumoured they berth in the Cape of Storms. A large overhang in the west that?s home to almost constant storms, apparently they have made their home there - no one has ever lived to tell the tale of where exactly they live.

Welcome to Sky-Pirates, Monsters and Corruption! Oh my!

This is a sandbox-style roleplay with an underlying story that revolves around the monsters that traverse the land, the corruption that lurks in the government that rules the world and the criminals that prey on the weak. Will there be rebellion? Will the monsters keep wiping out small towns in the remote regions? Will the criminals who dwell in The Over Hang take everything people own for themselves?

Only you can decide!

Any race is available for play, if you can imagine it; you can play it.

Find us here: roleplay/sky-pirates-monsters-and-corruption-oh-my

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/dALirB2VCDI/viewtopic.php

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Developing our sense of smell

Mar. 25, 2013 ? When our noses pick up a scent, whether the aroma of a sweet rose or the sweat of a stranger at the gym, two types of sensory neurons are at work in sensing that odor or pheromone. These sensory neurons are particularly interesting because they are the only neurons in our bodies that regenerate throughout adult life -- as some of our olfactory neurons die, they are soon replaced by newborns. Just where those neurons come from in the first place has long perplexed developmental biologists.

Previous hypotheses about the origin of these olfactory nerve cells have given credit to embryonic cells that develop into skin or the central nervous system, where ear and eye sensory neurons, respectively, are thought to originate. But biologists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have now found that neural-crest stem cells -- multipotent, migratory cells unique to vertebrates that give rise to many structures in the body such as facial bones and smooth muscle -- also play a key role in building olfactory sensory neurons in the nose.

"Olfactory neurons have long been thought to be solely derived from a thickened portion of the ectoderm; our results directly refute that concept," says Marianne Bronner, the Albert Billings Ruddock Professor of Biology at Caltech and corresponding author of a paper published in the journal eLIFE on March 19 that outlines the findings.

The two main types of sensory neurons in the olfactory system are ciliated neurons, which detect volatile scents, and microvillous neurons, which usually sense pheromones. Both of these types are found in the tissue lining the inside of the nasal cavity and transmit sensory information to the central nervous system for processing.

In the new study, the researchers showed that during embryonic development, neural-crest stem cells differentiate into the microvillous neurons, which had long been assumed to arise from the same source as the odor-sensing ciliated neurons. Moreover, they demonstrated that different factors are necessary for the development of these two types of neurons. By eliminating a gene called Sox10, they were able to show that formation of microvillous neurons is blocked whereas ciliated neurons are unaffected.

They made this discovery by studying the development of the olfactory system in zebrafish -- a useful model organism for developmental biology studies due to the optical clarity of the free-swimming embryo. Understanding the origins of olfactory neurons and the process of neuron formation is important for developing therapeutic applications for conditions like anosmia, or the inability to smell, says Bronner.

"A key question in developmental biology -- the extent of neural-crest stem cell contribution to the olfactory system -- has been addressed in our paper by multiple lines of experimentation," says Ankur Saxena, a postdoctoral scholar in Bronner's laboratory and lead author of the study. "Olfactory neurons are unique in their renewal capacity across species, so by learning how they form, we may gain insights into how neurons in general can be induced to differentiate or regenerate. That knowledge, in turn, may provide new avenues for pursuing treatment of neurological disorders or injury in humans."

Next, the researchers will examine what other genes, in addition to Sox10, play a role in the process by which neural-crest stem cells differentiate into microvillous neurons. They also plan to look at whether or not neural-crest cells give rise to new microvillous neurons during olfactory regeneration that happens after the embryonic stage of development.

Funding for the research outlined in the eLIFE paper, "Sox10-dependent neural crest origin of olfactory microvillous neurons in zebrafish," was provided by the National Institutes of Health and the Gordon Ross Postdoctoral Fellowship. Brian N. Peng, a former undergraduate student (BS '12) at Caltech, also contributed to the study.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by California Institute of Technology. The original article was written by Katie Neith.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. A. Saxena, B. N. Peng, M. E. Bronner. Sox10-dependent neural crest origin of olfactory microvillous neurons in zebrafish. eLife, 2013; 2 (0): e00336 DOI: 10.7554/eLife.00336

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/XlWN2zcabwc/130325160625.htm

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Kerry in Afghanistan to prod Karzai on future ties

KABUL (AP) ? U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry embarked on talks Monday with Afghan President Hamid Karzai amid concerns Karzai may be jeopardizing progress in the war against extremism with his anti-American rhetoric. The session came shortly after the U.S. military ceded control of its last detention facility in Afghanistan, ending a longstanding irritant in relations.

During Kerry's 24-hour visit to the country ? his sixth since President Barack Obama became president but his first as Obama's secretary of State ? Kerry planned to meet with Karzai, civic leaders and others to discuss continued U.S. assistance to the country and how to wean it from such aid as the international military operation winds down, and upcoming national elections.

Karzai has infuriated U.S. officials by accusing Washington of colluding with Taliban insurgents to keep Afghanistan weak even as the Obama administration presses ahead with plans to hand off security responsibility to Afghan forces and end NATO's combat mission by the end of next year.

U.S. officials accompanying Kerry said he did not plan to lecture Karzai or dwell on the apparent animosity but would make clear once again that the U.S. did not take such allegations lightly, They said he would press Karzai on the need for May's elections to meet international standards and continue to stress the importance of Afghan reconciliation and U.S. support for a Taliban office in Qatar where talks could occur.

Karzai is expected to travel to Qatar within the week and some movement on the opening of an office is likely then.

Kerry, who arrived in Kabul from Amman, Jordan, had hoped also to travel to Pakistan on his trip to the region but put it off due to elections there. Instead, he met late Sunday in Amman with Pakistani army chief for Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, officials said.

The pair had a private dinner at the residence of the U.S. ambassador to Jordan as Pakistan continued to seethe in the aftermath of the return from exile to the country of former president Pervez Musharraf, himself a former army chief.

Earlier Monday, the U.S. military ceded control of the Parwan last detention facility near the U.S.-run Bagram military base north of Kabul, a year after the two sides initially agreed on the transfer. Karzai demanded control of Parwan as a matter of national sovereignty.

The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Joseph Dunford, handed over Parwan at a ceremony there after signing an agreement with Afghan Defense Minister Bismullah Khan Mohammadi. "This ceremony highlights an increasingly confident, capable and sovereign Afghanistan," Dunford said.

The dispute over the center threw a pall over the ongoing negotiations for a bilateral security agreement that would govern the presence of U.S. forces in Afghanistan after 2014.

An initial agreement to hand over Parwan was signed a year ago, but efforts to follow through on it constantly stumbled over American concerns that the Afghan government would release prisoners that it considered dangerous.

A key hurdle was a ruling by an Afghan judicial panel holding that administrative detention, the practice of holding someone without formal charges, violated the country's laws. The U.S. argued that international law allowed administrative detentions and also argued that it could not risk the passage of some high-value detainees to the notoriously corrupt Afghan court system.

An initial deadline for the full handover passed last September and another earlier this month.

The detention center houses about 3,000 prisoners and the majority are already under Afghan control. The United States had not handed over about 100, and some of those under American authority do not have the right to a trial because the U.S. considers them part of an ongoing conflict.

There are also about three dozen non-Afghan detainees, including Pakistanis and other nationals that will remain in American hands. The exact number and nationality of those detainees has never been made public.

A new agreement, or memorandum of understanding, was signed at the ceremony by Dunford and Khan, but the U.S. military said it will not be made public. The agreement supplants one signed last March, which had been made public.

The U.S. military said in a statement that the new agreement "affirms their mutual commitment to the lawful and humane treatment of detainees and their intention to protect the people of Afghanistan and coalition forces," an apparent reference to the release of detainees deemed to be dangerous.

There are about 100,000 coalition troops in Afghanistan, including about 66,000 from the United States. American officials have made no final decision on how many troops might remain in Afghanistan after 2014, although they have said as many as many as 12,000 U.S. and coalition forces could remain.

The U.S. started to hold detainees at Bagram Air Field in early 2002. For several years, prisoners were kept at a former Soviet aircraft machine plant converted into a lockup.

In 2009, the U.S. opened a new detention facility next door. The number of detainees incarcerated at that prison, renamed the Parwan Detention Facility, went from about 1,100 in September 2010 to more than 3,000.

After Monday's handover, it was renamed the Afghan National Detention Facility at Parwan and the U.S. military said it would provide the Afghan army with advisers and $39 million in funding.

The United States has spent about a quarter of a billion dollars to build the Bagram facility along with Kabul's main prison located in the capital.

_____

Patrick Quinn in Kabul and Rahim Faiez in Bagram, Afghanistan contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-afghanistan-prod-karzai-future-ties-122942652--politics.html

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OpenFin CEO Mazy Dar: Bridging the Banks' Technology Gap

Founded in 2010 by trading technology experts, OpenFin is growing on the heels of HTML5 standards edging out ill-fitting older Web solutions. Built onto an open source platform, OpenFin Desktop helps financial institutions to bridge the security gaps in their outdated Web-browser technology. OpenFin is developing software to bring the next generation of trading applications to the financial services industry via HTML5.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/2a00dd8f/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C776210Bhtml/story01.htm

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Video: Same-sex marriage debate in advance of Court arguments (cbsnews)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

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High court weighs drug companies' generics policy

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Supreme Court is struggling with whether it should stop pharmaceutical corporations from paying generic drug competitors to delay releasing their cheaper versions of brand-name drugs.

Justices heard arguments from federal officials Monday that these deals can be anticompetitive and keeps lower-cost generic drugs out of American hands. But pharmaceutical companies say these deals save litigation costs and often bring generics to market faster.

A government lawyer argued the companies should be forced to prove that their deals serve a purpose beyond simply paying a generic drug's maker not to challenge a brand-name drug's patent.

But a pharmaceutical company lawyer says they shouldn't be forced to litigate each generic vs. brand-name drug patent lawsuit to conclusion when a settlement can be reached.

Justices will make a decision later this year.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/high-court-weighs-drug-companies-generics-policy-070931180--finance.html

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10 Best Strategy Books to Beat the Competition - Small Business ...

One key to beating the competition is to adopt a strategy that sets your business apart. It?s important, now more than ever, that business people be aware of how competitors are marketing, hiring, protecting their intellectual property, leveraging the social media wave, deploying leadership techniques and the full complement of techniques it takes to be successful in a highly competitive business landscape.

When browsing the business books at the bookstore, online, or even at the local public library, I look for titles that not only catch my eye, but will resonate with CEOs, business owners and entrepreneurs and their need to succeed.

Below are 10 strategy books published in the past year. These are books that while they may not have strategy in their titles, are what businesses need in the 21st century to round out all aspects of growing a business.

10 Strategy Books to Beat the Competition

?Hiring For Attitude? by Mark Murphy.

strategy booksNearly half (46%) of all new hires, according to the book, fail within 18 months. An overwhelming majority of those failed hires do so because of attitude ? not skills or talent. Attitude sets your company apart from the competition. Employers need to make every hire count for maximum productivity and profit.

Why this book is important: This book will show you how to hire right. Don?t think for a minute that because the unemployment rate remains high in the United States it?s easy to find the right employees. It isn?t. The marketplace is highly competitive when it comes to finding, hiring and retaining great employees that fit with your company?s culture, mission and goals.


?The Rebel Entrepreneur? by Jonathan Moules.

strategy booksThe rules of business have changed. We do business in an age when it?s critical to rethink your business often in order to stay on track and ahead of the competition. Yet the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Why this book is important: This book tells you how to start a business but more importantly, how to succeed. People never go into business with the intention of going out of business?yet that is what happens to most.


?Breaking The Fear Barrier? by Tom Rieger.

strategy books?A company?s worst enemy is not always the competition. Sometimes it?s the fear that lives within its own walls.? The Great Recession may be over, but the uncertain economy, divided politics in Washington, and the rapid rate of change in our personal and work lives only leads to more fear. That?s why it is necessary to identify and remove the fear that exists in your company.

Why this book is important: Fear is a barrier to success. Remove the fear and transform your business. This is one of the most important business lessons you can ever read.


?Harvesting Intangible Assets? by Andrew J. Sherman.

strategy booksIn today?s economy, every company wants to maximize profit. That means being able to recognize and act upon the wealth of revenue-producing opportunities hiding just below the strategic surface?intangible assets.

Why this book is important: Also referred to as intellectual property management, companies need to make the most of everything they have to offer in order to remain competitive. It can make all the difference in the bottom line.


?High-Tech, High-Touch Customer Service? by Micah Solomon.

strategy booksIf you?ve been in business for any length of time, meaning pre-2008, then you know that the way you?ve always served your customers may not be working as effectively as it once did.

Why this book is important: Social media, self-service technologies and the rise of mobile smartphones is disrupting traditional customer service for many companies. Customers are becoming more and more socially empowered. This book shows you how to maintain your company?s customer service edge against the competition and create loyal customer advocates.


?Likeable Business? by Dave Kerpen.

strategy booksIn today?s socially-oriented business world, it pays to be likeable. In fact, it?s essential to be a ?likeable leader of a likeable business.? Customers deserve a ?likeable? experience every time they interact with your company.

Why this book is important: This book presents 11 strategies for organizations of all sizes on how to be likeable. Is there a return on investment for being likeable? Yes. Think: growth, profits and success. A win-win for everyone.


?The Plugged-In Manager? by Terri L. Griffith.

strategy booksThis book isn?t just for business people with the word ?manager? in their job title. The book is for CEOs, business owners and entrepreneurs too. Today, to be successful in business, you must be ?plugged in? on all levels within your company.

Why this book is important: Being ?plugged in? means being able to swiftly adapt when you see new opportunities and beat the competition to the next great business idea. You can only do that with a committed team, and for that you must understand your people, and what drives employees in the 21st century. Showing they are valued and respected can count for more than pay, and help you build a stronger organization.


?Lead From The Heart? by Mark C. Crowley.

strategy booksBusiness is changing. Work is changing. Leadership is changing. More than half of all workers hate their jobs. The heart is the driving force of human achievement?and it will drive extraordinary performance from employees.

Why this book is important: The book shows you how to seek authentic employee engagement by recognizing the human being that exists in every person you work with. Lead From the Heart is about developing, honoring and valuing people individually, and making people feel connected to work and the company mission.


?Successful LinkedIn Marketing? by Viveka von Rosen.

strategy booksA step-by-step guide to everything you ever wanted to know about LinkedIn.

For CEOs and business owners it is essential to be on LinkedIn with an up-to-date profile page and company page ? and more. LinkedIn, especially for those in B2B businesses, is no longer an option for business people who want to be successful.

Why this book is important: ?This book guides you through LinkedIn so you and your company can stand out in the crowd.


?Return On Influence? by Mark W. Schaefer.

strategy booksAs the author of the book states: ?We are on the cusp of a marketing revolution. And it?s being led by YOU.? This quote really sums it up. How you do business is changing. How you market your business is changing.

Today it?s about influence?being recognized as an influencer and marketing with influence. Is your company on board and an active participant in the marketing revolution?

Why this book is important: Social media and social business strategies are here to stay, and your competitors are using them or thinking about using them. Don?t let yourself or your company get left behind in these changing business times. ?Social business strategies are part of the bigger picture ? the broader strategy a company sets. ?When a company creates positive engagement from the top on down customers become advocates of your products and services; and your employees?and the business will?thrive.


Conclusion

When developing your business strategy, take into account all aspects of growing and running a successful business ? that?s what it takes to stay at least two steps ahead of the competition at all times.

Now you may think these books are about marketing, hiring, leadership, social media and the like. ?But they really are ?strategy books that will show you how to survive and profit in today?s competitive business environment.


About Howard Lewinter

Howard Lewinter Howard Lewinter guides, focuses and advises CEOs, presidents and business owners to greater business success throughout the United States. Howard also publishes a blog about business success, Talk Business With Howard, where he shares his insight and perspective about leadership, management or any business topic that relates to running a successful business.

?

Source: http://smallbiztrends.com/2013/03/best-strategy-books-business.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=best-strategy-books-business

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Sunday, March 24, 2013

BlackBerry Z10 Review

There was a time, not so long ago, when I was in love with my BlackBerry. I owned a Curve, my wife had a Pearl. We thought that they were incredible. For their time, they really were powerful devices. When the iPhone came out, I remember seeing the commercial and thinking aloud that it would be incredibly cool if it could actually operate the way that it showed on TV. I, like many others, abandoned my BlackBerry for an Android phone, and then an iPhone. But if RIM has its way of things, the release of the Z10 will start shifting the winds back in its favor.

What It Isn?t

I think that, in order to best understand what the Z10 is trying to accomplish, we have to first look at what it?s not trying to do.

In that realm, it?s not trying to out-iOS the iPhone, nor is it trying to out-Android an Android device. iOS is known for its simplicity, Android for its ability to be customized. The Z10 is neither overly-simplistic, nor is it highly customizable. It?s a bit of a WYSIWYG device, but it works well for how BlackBerry is operating. It?s not the thinnest, or the lightest smartphone on the market. It doesn?t boast the best camera or screen that you?ve seen either.

So why would you want it? Because it has a load of redeeming features that the BlackBerry devout will love, and the company has spent its pas couple of years doing some serious homework. The decision to buy a Z10 comes down to how you feel about BB10, and we?ll get into more on that in a bit.

Aesthetics

About the closest thing that BlackBerry (RIM, at the time) ever did that resembled aesthetic design was the release of the Pearl. The device wasn?t as wide as the rest of the BlackBerry lineup, but it managed to still be very much a BlackBerry in operation. It wasn?t groundbreaking by any means, but it was well received.

The Z10 could be seen much the same way. It?s thin, but not the thinnest. It?s light, but not the lightest. The screen is good, but not the best and the feel of the materials is solid, but not on par with, say, the iPhone. What?s left, however, is a rather great-looking device that fits well into your pocket, is easy to hold and operate with one hand and manages to be better in just about every way than non-flagship devices from any maker.

The outside of the Z10 is sparse. There?s a volume rocker, a screen power button and two ports on the side ? one for micro-USB and another for HDMI. There?s a silver BlackBerry logo on the bottom, and another on the back. The patterned feel to the back of the device is nice, and manages to keep it from getting slick when handled for long periods of time.

IMG 0493 730x547 Review: With its US launch, can the Z10 save BlackBerry from itself?Overall I found the Z10 very pleasant to use. It didn?t elicit oohs and ahhs when I took it out of my pocket, but that?s probably not what you care about. Though I will say that it?s by far the best looking BlackBerry device to date, the utilitarian design is almost surely done with business-oriented people in mind.

Screen, Camera, Battery

If you?re going to move away from physical keyboards and make the screen the showcase of your device, then it had better be good. For that task, BlackBerry went with a 4.2-inch,?1280 x 768 pixel display at 356 ppi. That?s a slightly higher pixel density than the iPhone 4S, which means that it does look incredibly good. Colors were?rendered?well, video looks excellent and the entire spectrum is delivered accurately.

The camera on the Z10 is good, but definitely not great. Photos tended to be darker than I?d have liked to seen them, and were most definitely darker than comparison shots that I took from my iPhone 4S. The camera app tends to lose focus easily, and operating it with one hand is more difficult than it needs to be. Adjusting focus points requires you to manually drag the reticle to the area that you want and then wait for the software to focus the lens again.

Battery life on the Z10 wasn?t fantastic, with the 1,800 mAh power cell clocking in a bit over 8 hours of straight video. I was able to make it all day, using primarily WiFi, without having to charge the device, so there are points to be given for the Z10 accomplishing something that my iPhone can?t do.

BB10

I promised myself that I wouldn?t make this a review about BB10, and I?m going to stick to this as best as I can. But you really can?t talk about the Z10 without mentioning the OS, so I?m going to take a few sentences to talk about that now.

BB10 is the most radical?departure?from previous BlackBerry OS versions that the company could have made while still holding true to its rabidly-loyal base of fans. Multitasking is probably my favorite feature of the OS. It uses WebOS-style ?cards? for apps that are running in the background. Tapping the X on the bottom right of one closes out the app, while tapping anywhere else brings the app back to the forefront. It works exceptionally well.

Gestures within BB10 are also well done. Swiping up from the bottom edge of the device wakes it up and takes you to your last-used screen. Swiping all the way to the right reveals the BlackBerry Hub, which is an integrated inbox of your email, BBM, Twitter, Facebook and just about every other communication account that you can add to the device.

Peek is the feature that I think most people will ignore, but it?s very powerful. Swiping about halfway up from the bottom of the screen will show your unread message count. If you then swipe to the right (making an upside-down L shape) you?ll go straight to the Hub from whatever screen you?re presently on. Swiping down from the top of the screen takes you to the settings for whichever app that you?re using. If you?re on the home screen, it takes you to shortcuts for WiFi, rotation lock, Bluetooth and others. I found that most apps didn?t take nearly enough advantage of the Settings feature, but those that did were a pleasure to use.

The apps are a bit lacking, but you?ll find the standards such as Twitter, Facebook, Kindle and many more. Though BlackBerry is touting a catalog of over 100,000 apps, it?s worth noting that many of these are local?translations?of the same app, or they?re simply trash apps that you?ll never want to use so the number is a bit disingenuous. The OS itself is fantastic, even if the apps aren?t. It?s apparent that BlackBerry has spent a lot of time making BB10 true to what its core users would want, while trying to find a method by which to claw its way out of a rut.

Should You Buy It?

The Z10 is launching in the US today, and it?s going to be a big deal for the future of the company. There?s the Q10 cousin if you want a physical keyboard, so BlackBerry isn?t betting the farm on the touchscreen. But it really does need to sell well in order for the company to keep moving forward.

Whether or not you?ll want to buy it comes down to a single question ? Do you want the BlackBerry OS? Facing facts, everything about the Z10 is very good. But nothing about it is fantastic. As a device, it?s on par with top-tier offerings from other OEMs. If you like the BlackBerry OS, there?s really nothing to be disappointed about when it comes to the phone itself.

But herein lies the problem ? As compared to Android or iOS devices, there?s nothing to be overly excited about. Yes, it has NFC, a great display and perfectly acceptable battery life, but so do many other phones on the market today. The excitement is truly limited to those people who have been waiting to see BlackBerry translated into a more modern device. For that market, the Z10 is the first, major step in the right direction.

If it sells well, and if the BlackBerry faithful can make it a hit, then the company can perhaps chip away at the massive domination that iOS and Android have on the mobile market. With 98% between these two, a few points shaven off and handed to BlackBerry could give it a strong #3 spot and bring the company back from the edge of obscurity.

Source: http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2013/03/22/blackberry-z10-review/

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NVIDIA details how its Jetson development kit creates smart, seeing cars

NVIDIA details how its Jetson development kit puts a Tegra in your car

Developing a high-end in-car infotainment system can present challenges that don't exist in other platforms -- you're juggling core car systems, a myriad of sensors and media playback in a testbed on wheels. NVIDIA has just explained how it's uniting those elements with its new, lengthily-titled Jetson Automotive Development Platform. While it looks like a single-DIN car stereo laid bare, the configurable kit incorporates a Tegra processor (for usual infotainment functions), multiple car-friendly interfaces and a Kepler-based graphics chipset that can power car detection, lane departure and other computer vision systems by using CUDA or OpenCV code. The net effect should be a much simpler development process: automakers can consolidate some of their test hardware in one Jetson unit that they can upgrade or swap out if newer technology comes along. NVIDIA isn't naming the handful of designers and suppliers that are already building car electronics using Jetson, although history offers a few possible candidates.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/23/nvidia-details-how-its-new-jetson-development-kit-creates-smart-cars/

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Civil Society Seeks to Influence Mexican Mining Law Reform ...

  • by Emilio Godoy (mexico city)
  • Friday, March 22, 2013
  • Inter Press Service

MEXICO CITY, Mar 22 (IPS) - Two separate bills to reform Mexico's mining laws, one from the government and the other from academics and NGOs, agree on the urgent need for major changes in the rules governing the industry.

But the two proposals part company when it comes to the mechanisms and goals of the changes to the 1992 mining law. The government's priority is to secure a greater share of the profits of the lucrative mining industry, while civil society's aim is to protect the environment and local communities in mining areas.

The bill drawn up over the space of a year by social groups and independent experts proposes a ban on opencast mining, a scheme for royalty payments on minerals and metals, and environmental remediation measures. The present law, according to its critics, offers huge incentives to mining companies and no benefits at all to the state and local communities.

"The reform must prohibit opencast mining for extracting precious metals. Priority must be given to protecting human rights, the environment, and water resources," Juan Carlos Ruiz, a researcher at the Colegio de San Luis, a public college, told IPS.

"The real cost of mineral extraction should be calculated, including the cost of water, site remediation and the economic development of the region," said Ruiz, who was involved in drafting the civil society bill.

The reform bill put forward by the government is in the hands of economy minister Ildefonso Guajardo. So far it is a declaration of the government's intentions for the new law, which the administration wants to see come into force in 2014.

Under the present legislation, Mexico has become a paradise for the mining industry, to the point that there are 25,693 concessions covering 51 million hectares, according to economy ministry statistics.

Spokespersons for the Mexican Chamber of Mines (Camimex), the industry association, told IPS that 285 companies are operating 853 mining projects in the country, generating more than 300,000 direct jobs and making a total of over seven billion dollars in investment in 2012.

In the period 2010-2012 alone, 15 new mines came into operation, while a further 22 are being built or are in the exploratory phase, the spokespersons said, adding that Camimex does not have "a public position" yet on the legal changes being discussed.

ProM?xico, the state agency for attracting foreign investment, said gross revenue from mining was 22 billion dollars in 2012, and forecast some 35 billion dollars in foreign direct investment would arrive over the next six years, mainly from Canada and the United States.

Mexico is the world's top producer of silver, in third place for bismuth, fifth for molybdenum and lead and ninth for gold, according to ProM?xico and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

But mining has created friction with local communities, because of deforestation, water pollution and the generation of hazardous liquid waste, and local opposition to the mines is strong.

The economy minister said in various presentations that his ministry wishes to review the current pattern of concessions, in particular the payment of fees on commodity production and benefits for local communities.

When it comes to taxes, Guajardo said he does not think the new scheme must necessarily be based on a royalty system, although this is the international standard and is advocated as the most beneficial scheme for mining countries.

Companies operating in Mexico currently pay between 36 cents of a dollar and eight dollars a year per hectare of their concessions for extracting precious metals and minerals. The only additional tax they pay is income tax.

Reforming the mining law was one of the clauses in the Pact for Mexico, a commitment signed by conservative President Enrique Pe?a Nieto with the political parties represented in Congress when he took office in December.

The pact includes the approval of a new mining law that is to "revise the concessions scheme and payment of federal fees linked to production."

It also says "the resources arising from these fees will be used principally for the direct benefit of municipalities and communities where the mines are located."

Guajardo explained that the pillars of the new law will be: a new tax formula for mining concessions, sustainability, respect for protected natural or cultural sites, benefits for local communities and legal security for investors.

The minister is now seeking consensus on these issues before presenting his bill to Congress, where the bill proposed by the social organisations has already been tabled and will be a reference point for the debate.

ECLAC says that in Latin America, a region of vast mining wealth, the windfall revenue from the soaring minerals prices should be efficiently invested, based on the principles of social and environmental sustainability.

It also calls for building a social consensus to invest that income effectively in human capacity building, technological innovation, infrastructure and programmes for mitigation of environmental impacts.

"We have a clear understanding of the importance of mining and what it represents as the first link in the production chains of metallic and non-metallic minerals. It would be absurd to eliminate it," Ruiz, the academic, emphasised.

"But there should be effective mechanisms for society to call into question the granting of concessions, because no one ever asks the people living in an area if they agree to the concession of land," he said.

According to the Observatory of Mining Conflicts in Latin America, there are 175 socio-environmental conflicts or clashes over natural resource use ongoing in the region, involving 183 mining projects and 246 communities. Twenty-one of these conflicts are in Mexico.

ECLAC indicates that the majority of the disputes are related to silver, gold and copper mining. Agriculture is the sector most harmed by mining activity.

Pueblos y Ciudadan?a Organizada vs. la mina Esperanza Silver (People and Citizens Organised against the Esperanza Silver mine), an NGO, has collected more than 8,000 signatures on an on-line petition addressed to environment minister Juan Guerra, to put an immediate stop to the Esperanza gold mine, owned by Canada's Esperanza Silver Corporation.

This opencast mine project covers 15,000 hectares in Tetlama, in Morelos state, adjacent to Mexico City.

Environmental organisations say there are at least 25 opencast mines in Mexico, and with new concessions this figure could rise to 200, including areas where there has been no mining previously.

? Inter Press Service (2013) ? All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

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One Direction Fans Stalk Liam Payne's Family Home!! Could Debt ...

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Dear President Obama,

We think we've found a solution to the nation's debt crisis.

If we combine the forces of Veronica Mars' fans with the power held by Directioners, the United States of America could toootally jump out of the red by 2015.

Even if the 1D boys aren't from the land of the free, and even if a lot of the Directioners are across the pond, we're sure they'd all rally together for their family in the States! LOLz!

And then the WHOLE WORLD!!

We've already seen the crazy goodness that came from the VM kickstarter fund, but check out the latest example of One Direction forces coming together:

DJs Nigel Freshman and Cat James from Free Radio in the West Midlands inadvertently led over 100 fans to the site of Liam Payne's family home, where they mistakenly believed concert tickets could be found.

According to Liam's father, Geoff:

"I'm much better now that the competition is over. I've had people loitering around the house for days on end now. I'm glad someone won it. There have been people hiding round corners looking for them."

Sources say the fans were lingering in the bushes for like EVERRRRR!

The clues that led some fans astray were "they are close to somewhere beautiful" and "could have been an ancient burial site." Eww? that's some morbid pet cemetary thinkin' shizzzz!!!

But do you SEE!?! Do you SEE how determined these people can be??

Just trickle a Harry Styles carrot behind an economy boost, and all our problems will be solved!!!

Looooove,
America

[Image via Daniel Deme/WENN.]

Tags: contest, debt crisis, economy, fans, geoff payne, liam payne, lol, obama, one direction, tickets, veronica mars

Source: http://perezhilton.com/2013-03-22-one-direction-liam-payne-parents-home-stalked-competition-misunderstanding

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Bloomberg: ?We're Going To Have More Visibility And Less Privacy,' Drones And Surveillance Coming

mq-9_reaper_-_090609-f-0000m-7771“We’re going to have more visibility and less privacy. I don’t see how you stop that,” admitted New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in a surprisingly candid interview about the future of the surveillance state in the Big Apple. While admitting that increased surveillance was “scary” and that governments will have to be thoughtful with their laws, he seemed to side with prioritizing radical transparency, especially through the use of automated drones, “but what?s the difference whether the drone is up in the air or on the building? I mean intellectually I have trouble making a distinction.” This puts Bloomberg squarely at odds with the growing number of states and congress members either enacting or proposing moratoriums on the use of drones. Indeed, he went on to imply that the fears against drones were somewhat unjustified, especially since security cameras already exist: “The argument against using automation, it’s this craziness– oh, it’s Big Brother. Get used to it. When there’s a murder, a shooting, a robbery of something the first thing the police do is go to every single building in the neighborhood and say let’s see your security camera.” The NY Daily news notes that the New York Civil Liberties union has identified roughly 2,4000 cameras already affixed on Manhattan buildings–a presence that is likely to increase if Bloomberg’s most recent interview is to be believed. Lest Bloomberg be labeled as a surveillience hawk, the interview took on a tone of inevitability, rather than advocacy: “Everybody wants their privacy, but I don’t know how you’re going to maintain it.” Listen to part of the interview with WOR-AM host John Gambling, below. We’ll have more analysis soon.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/uV8cZfaFdTU/

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Zero Value ? Blog Archive ? Hybrid piling system offers new ...

Traditionally, extensive foundation repair has employed an either/or method of steel pilings and concrete pilings. Homeowners would have to weigh the pros of one with the pros of another in order to make the best decision for their needs. But hybrid piling combines the best of both solutions.

cracked

With a revolutionary hybrid piling system, the benefits of both materials come together for a more stable and durable foundation.

What are the advantages of the Hybrid Piling System?

One company?s innovative approach to foundation repair was developed based on a strong understanding of the many compositions located in the earth beneath most homes. Clay is one particular compositional component that can be highly problematic in maintaining a stable foundation. Because clay naturally shrinks when dry and expands when wet, the foundation can easily become disrupted. This is where the advantages of the hybrid piling system come into play: