Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Kids Are Closer To Pets Than Their Own Siblings: Study
(TechTimes.com) - Dogs are man’s best friend. Tweak the adage a bit and you get the findings of a new study: pets are children’s best buds — closer to them than their own brothers and sisters.
University of Cambridge researchers examined children’s relationship with their pets and found that they derived more satisfaction from animal companions and got along better with them than with their siblings.
These pets may then wield a great influence on the kids’ development, potentially benefiting their social skills as well as emotional health.
Monday, January 30, 2017
Oh Canada: Quebec City "terrorist attack" on mosque kills 6, injures 8
Possible psy-op or just a distraction?
globalnews.ca - Six people ranging in age from 35 to about 70 years old were killed and 8 more injured, including several children, during a shooting at a Quebec City mosque on Sunday night, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) said.
Police and public officials are treating the incident at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec as an act of terrorism.
Two men have been arrested, but SQ spokesperson Christine Coulombe told reporters Sunday it’s too early to determine any motive.
Thirty-nine people survived the attack, she added.
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard repeatedly called for solidarity in a news conference on Sunday Jan. 29.
In a message to Quebec’s Muslim community he said, “We are with you, this is your home, we are all Quebecers.”
Couillard added that he doesn’t expect further terrorist attacks, but that people need to be prepared.
He also said numerous events would be held in Quebec City to “indicate our solidarity.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the attack cowardly and said his thoughts were with the victims and their families.
“Muslim-Canadians are an important part of our national fabric, and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, cities and country,” the prime minister said in a statement.
“Canadian law enforcement agencies will protect the rights of all Canadians, and will make every effort to apprehend the perpetrators of this act and all acts of intolerance.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said he was deeply saddened by the loss, and that the government is closely monitoring the situation.
Labeaume said the city was in shock following the attack. (ontinueReading
globalnews.ca - Six people ranging in age from 35 to about 70 years old were killed and 8 more injured, including several children, during a shooting at a Quebec City mosque on Sunday night, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) said.
Police and public officials are treating the incident at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec as an act of terrorism.
Two men have been arrested, but SQ spokesperson Christine Coulombe told reporters Sunday it’s too early to determine any motive.
Thirty-nine people survived the attack, she added.
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard repeatedly called for solidarity in a news conference on Sunday Jan. 29.
In a message to Quebec’s Muslim community he said, “We are with you, this is your home, we are all Quebecers.”
Couillard added that he doesn’t expect further terrorist attacks, but that people need to be prepared.
He also said numerous events would be held in Quebec City to “indicate our solidarity.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the attack cowardly and said his thoughts were with the victims and their families.
“Muslim-Canadians are an important part of our national fabric, and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, cities and country,” the prime minister said in a statement.
“Canadian law enforcement agencies will protect the rights of all Canadians, and will make every effort to apprehend the perpetrators of this act and all acts of intolerance.
“Tonight, we grieve with the people of Sainte-Foy and all Canadians.”
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said he was deeply saddened by the loss, and that the government is closely monitoring the situation.
Labeaume said the city was in shock following the attack. (ontinueReading
Sunday, January 29, 2017
Scandaleux!: France Bans Free Soda Refills To Combat Obesity
"The move echoes recommendations by the World Health Organization, which has encouraged countries to put taxes on sugary drinks in an effort to combat the rising obesity rates worldwide."
The organization presented data in 2016 on the benefits of such measures. On average, the French are slightly less overweight than their European and American counterparts. The number of obese adults in France was 15.3% in 2014 – below the European Union average of 15.9%, Eurostat reported. Malta has the highest obesity rate in Europe at 26%. In the United States, the average is 36.5%, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. France has been one of the leading countries battling obesity, along with countries like Japan. In Japan, a national law mandates that companies and local governments must measure the waistlines of people between the ages of 40 and 74, and urge them to exercise. In Mexico, a 10% surcharge was placed on sugary drinks in 2014 to address the increase in diabetes cases. The new law has divided the people of France, who consume fewer sodas per capita than other countries, with some citizens claiming that individuals must also take responsibility for their consumption of junk food. A young man said, “They might as well put scales in front of fast-food restaurants.”
Read more at: www.immortal.org
Saturday, January 28, 2017
Gambians celebrate new president's arrival after veteran ruler flees
BANJUL (Reuters) - Thousands of people lined the streets of Gambia's capital Banjul on Thursday (Jan.26) to welcome home new President Adama Barrow days after authoritarian leader Yahya Jammeh fled into exile under pressure from regional forces.
Barrow, a former real estate agent, won a Dec. 1 election but Jammeh refused to step down, forcing his opponent to be inaugurated at the Gambian Embassy in neighbouring Senegal.
Clad in a long white African tunic, Barrow smiled as he stepped out of a small plane and walked down a red carpet to greet hundreds of diplomats and officials lined up to greet him. Immediately afterwards, fighter jets from the West African ECOWAS regional force passed overhead.
"A new page in Gambian history is being turned," said Mohamed Ibn Chambas, U.N. Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, who helped negotiate Jammeh's exit, shortly before accompanying Barrow to Banjul.
Barrow's surprise ballot box victory and the determination of Western and African countries to uphold it is being celebrated as a moment of democratic hope for Africa.
Yet, diplomats say tiny Gambia was an easy target and that regional armies are unlikely to venture into bigger countries to oust authoritarian rulers with more powerful allies than Jammeh.
Regional leaders helped thrash out a deal last Saturday for Jammeh to fly to exile in Equatorial Guinea as thousands of ECOWAS troops closed in after 22 years of increasingly repressive rule in Gambia, marked by alleged torture and killings of opponents.
Jammeh's political demise is a relief to many people in the small, sliver-like West African country and the U.N.'s Chambas promised assistance in investigating human rights abuses.
Swiss police detained longtime former Gambian interior minister Ousman Sonko near the Swiss capital of Berne on Thursday after a complaint filed against him by non-governmental organisation Trial International.
In the weeks following Jammeh's decision to reject the election outcome in early December, Barrow was seen as vulnerable and was protected by unarmed volunteers until he relocated to Dakar.
During his absence, he was unable to return home for his son's funeral after a dog attack.
He has asked the 7,000-strong West African military contingent to remain in Gambia for another six months, Chambas said on Thursday. An ECOWAS official said they were studying the proposal.
The Gambia, a tiny riverine nation surrounded by Western ally Senegal on three sides, has a bloated army for its size but so far there have been no signs of resistance to ECOWAS forces.
However, lingering questions remain as to the loyalty of the Republican Guard, thought to number about 400, who in the past protected Jammeh from coup attempts.
The whereabouts of members of alleged assassination squads known in Gambia as the "Junglers" were not known. (Source)
Barrow, a former real estate agent, won a Dec. 1 election but Jammeh refused to step down, forcing his opponent to be inaugurated at the Gambian Embassy in neighbouring Senegal.
Clad in a long white African tunic, Barrow smiled as he stepped out of a small plane and walked down a red carpet to greet hundreds of diplomats and officials lined up to greet him. Immediately afterwards, fighter jets from the West African ECOWAS regional force passed overhead.
"A new page in Gambian history is being turned," said Mohamed Ibn Chambas, U.N. Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, who helped negotiate Jammeh's exit, shortly before accompanying Barrow to Banjul.
Barrow's surprise ballot box victory and the determination of Western and African countries to uphold it is being celebrated as a moment of democratic hope for Africa.
Yet, diplomats say tiny Gambia was an easy target and that regional armies are unlikely to venture into bigger countries to oust authoritarian rulers with more powerful allies than Jammeh.
Regional leaders helped thrash out a deal last Saturday for Jammeh to fly to exile in Equatorial Guinea as thousands of ECOWAS troops closed in after 22 years of increasingly repressive rule in Gambia, marked by alleged torture and killings of opponents.
Jammeh's political demise is a relief to many people in the small, sliver-like West African country and the U.N.'s Chambas promised assistance in investigating human rights abuses.
Swiss police detained longtime former Gambian interior minister Ousman Sonko near the Swiss capital of Berne on Thursday after a complaint filed against him by non-governmental organisation Trial International.
In the weeks following Jammeh's decision to reject the election outcome in early December, Barrow was seen as vulnerable and was protected by unarmed volunteers until he relocated to Dakar.
During his absence, he was unable to return home for his son's funeral after a dog attack.
He has asked the 7,000-strong West African military contingent to remain in Gambia for another six months, Chambas said on Thursday. An ECOWAS official said they were studying the proposal.
The Gambia, a tiny riverine nation surrounded by Western ally Senegal on three sides, has a bloated army for its size but so far there have been no signs of resistance to ECOWAS forces.
However, lingering questions remain as to the loyalty of the Republican Guard, thought to number about 400, who in the past protected Jammeh from coup attempts.
The whereabouts of members of alleged assassination squads known in Gambia as the "Junglers" were not known. (Source)
Friday, January 27, 2017
German population hits record high of 82.8 million due to migrants
Like Florida, Germany should control they borders..
Reuters - Germany's population grew by some 600,000 last year to reach a record high of 82.8 million people due to the number of migrants who have arrived in the country, the Federal Statistics office said on Friday.
In a preliminary estimate for 2016, the statistics office said the population had eclipsed the previous record high of 82.5 million recorded at the end of 2002, even though the number of deaths in 2016 exceeded the number of births by between 150,000 and 190,000.
Deaths have exceed births in Germany since 1972, with a total of more than 5 million fewer births than deaths.
However, countering that trend, more than a million people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and beyond flocked to Germany in 2015 and 2016, drawn by its strong economy, relatively liberal asylum laws and generous system of benefits.
Since the height of the euro zone debt crisis, Germany is also attracting many migrants from other European countries such as Greece and Spain.
The figures used to calculate net migration were based on numbers signing up at registration offices. Asylum seekers are initially housed in reception centers and generally only registered later.
Steady economic growth since 2010 and generous pro-family policies by successive governments in recent years have helped lift the birth rate but it is still below the death rate.
German government support for refugees has climbed in recent years. For 2016 and 2017 the government set aside 28.7 billion euros ($30.64 billion) in funding to accommodate and integrate the more than one million asylum seekers who entered the country, the ministry said.
Reuters - Germany's population grew by some 600,000 last year to reach a record high of 82.8 million people due to the number of migrants who have arrived in the country, the Federal Statistics office said on Friday.
In a preliminary estimate for 2016, the statistics office said the population had eclipsed the previous record high of 82.5 million recorded at the end of 2002, even though the number of deaths in 2016 exceeded the number of births by between 150,000 and 190,000.
Deaths have exceed births in Germany since 1972, with a total of more than 5 million fewer births than deaths.
However, countering that trend, more than a million people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and beyond flocked to Germany in 2015 and 2016, drawn by its strong economy, relatively liberal asylum laws and generous system of benefits.
Since the height of the euro zone debt crisis, Germany is also attracting many migrants from other European countries such as Greece and Spain.
The figures used to calculate net migration were based on numbers signing up at registration offices. Asylum seekers are initially housed in reception centers and generally only registered later.
Steady economic growth since 2010 and generous pro-family policies by successive governments in recent years have helped lift the birth rate but it is still below the death rate.
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Oh Canada: PM Justin Trudeau approval rating falls below 50 per cent for 1st time since taking office
cbc.ca - Justin Trudeau's approval ratings have dropped to their lowest level since he became prime minister, according to a new poll. But an analysis of the popularity of his predecessors suggests Trudeau's sliding numbers are typical of a prime minister roughly 15 months after taking office.
The survey, published by Forum Research for the Toronto Star, found Trudeau's approval rating sitting at 48 per cent, down three points since December and 10 points since November, with his disapproval rating increasing to 42 from 32 per cent two months ago.
Those are the worst numbers Forum — or any other pollster — has registered for Trudeau since he became prime minister.
Support for the Liberal Party has also slipped, with Forum pegging it at 42 per cent. That is unchanged from December but down nine points from November. A four-week rolling poll by Nanos Research found Liberal support down to 39.4 per cent, a decrease from 43.6 per cent in the previous four-week sample.
This drop in support coincides with questions raised about the Liberals' fundraising practices and the prime minister's vacation in the Bahamas, where he stayed on the private island of the Aga Khan. Canada's ethics commissioner has launched an investigation of the trip.
But while Trudeau's drop in support is a shift from the consistently high numbers he and his party enjoyed during his first year in office, it is not unusual from a historical perspective.
Of the eight last prime ministers who were in the job long enough, and for whom polling data exists, Trudeau's approval rating ranks as the fifth highest compared to where his predecessors stood 15 months after taking office. (continueReading
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Diabolical!: This Parasitic Wasp Forces Other Parasitic Wasps to do it's Dirty Work, Then Eats Them
PopularScience - It’s wasps all the way down. No, scratch that—it’s parasitic wasps all the way down. It’s manipulative parasitic wasps all the way down.
In yet another example of why we should be glad humans have basically escaped the food chain, a group of scientists at Rice University have published two papers describing a new species of wasp that eats its host after using it for personal (or species-wide) gain. The first paper lays out the waspy basics: it lives inside sand live oak branches, it’s part of a large parasitic wasp family, and it lives in southern states (at least as far as scientists know). It was the second paper that documented the creepy lives these wasps live.
Kelly Weinersmith and Scott Egan, two of the leading researchers on this project, first found the hyper-manipulative wasps by studying the slightly-less-manipulative crypt gall wasp. “Crypt” in this case doesn’t mean they live alongside dead human bodies, it means that they form their own crypts—except their crypts help them sustain life.
Larval Bassettia pallida (as the crypt gall wasp is more scientifically known) manipulate sand live oaks to forms little crypts inside developing stems. Safe in their hidey-holes, the gall wasps develop into adults and dig holes through the branch to emerge triumphant at a later date. But not if the crypt-keeper wasp has anything to say about it.
Euderus set has to take much the same path in life as crypt gall wasps—they need a safe place to hide while they develop into adults. But rather than piggy-back directly off of the lifecycle of a sand live oak, crypt-keeper wasps manipulate the other wasps that have already done so. The crypt-keepers lay eggs alongside gall wasp larva such that the gall wasps unknowingly trap themselves inside a crypt with their soon-to-be murderers. The two insects develop alongside one another.
When the gall wasp is ready to emerge, the crypt-keeper wasp pounces. It manipulates the gall wasp into digging a hole slightly too small for it to fit through, such that the gall wasp gets trapped partway through the branch. The crypt-keeper wasp has just turned its host into a fleshy plug that it can eat through to escape. Left to their own devices, crypt-keeper wasps often get trapped inside crypts themselves—they’re three times more likely to die there without the digging help from their gall wasp prey.
It’s only fitting that Weinersmith and Egan named the wasp Euderus set after the Egyptian god Set, who (according to myth) trapped his brother in a crypt and dismembered him. And there may be a whole other layer of devious parasitism left to uncover. Some of the crypts also contained fairy wasps—even tinier parasites that sometimes prey on the crypt-keeper’s family members—so there could be three manipulative parasites in play here. And you thought your family was bad.
In yet another example of why we should be glad humans have basically escaped the food chain, a group of scientists at Rice University have published two papers describing a new species of wasp that eats its host after using it for personal (or species-wide) gain. The first paper lays out the waspy basics: it lives inside sand live oak branches, it’s part of a large parasitic wasp family, and it lives in southern states (at least as far as scientists know). It was the second paper that documented the creepy lives these wasps live.
Kelly Weinersmith and Scott Egan, two of the leading researchers on this project, first found the hyper-manipulative wasps by studying the slightly-less-manipulative crypt gall wasp. “Crypt” in this case doesn’t mean they live alongside dead human bodies, it means that they form their own crypts—except their crypts help them sustain life.
Larval Bassettia pallida (as the crypt gall wasp is more scientifically known) manipulate sand live oaks to forms little crypts inside developing stems. Safe in their hidey-holes, the gall wasps develop into adults and dig holes through the branch to emerge triumphant at a later date. But not if the crypt-keeper wasp has anything to say about it.
Euderus set has to take much the same path in life as crypt gall wasps—they need a safe place to hide while they develop into adults. But rather than piggy-back directly off of the lifecycle of a sand live oak, crypt-keeper wasps manipulate the other wasps that have already done so. The crypt-keepers lay eggs alongside gall wasp larva such that the gall wasps unknowingly trap themselves inside a crypt with their soon-to-be murderers. The two insects develop alongside one another.
When the gall wasp is ready to emerge, the crypt-keeper wasp pounces. It manipulates the gall wasp into digging a hole slightly too small for it to fit through, such that the gall wasp gets trapped partway through the branch. The crypt-keeper wasp has just turned its host into a fleshy plug that it can eat through to escape. Left to their own devices, crypt-keeper wasps often get trapped inside crypts themselves—they’re three times more likely to die there without the digging help from their gall wasp prey.
It’s only fitting that Weinersmith and Egan named the wasp Euderus set after the Egyptian god Set, who (according to myth) trapped his brother in a crypt and dismembered him. And there may be a whole other layer of devious parasitism left to uncover. Some of the crypts also contained fairy wasps—even tinier parasites that sometimes prey on the crypt-keeper’s family members—so there could be three manipulative parasites in play here. And you thought your family was bad.
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Turkey: Erdogan asks Tanzania to act against Gulen network
Dar es Salaam (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday Jan. 23 asked his Tanzanian counterpart John Magufuli to take action against the network of an exiled cleric he blames for last year's failed coup.
The Hizmet movement run by US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, is linked to a network of schools across the world, including in Africa, and the Turkish president is rallying leaders on the continent to help him fight the influence of his longtime rival.
"The party that wants to overthrow me isn't only in Turkey... I am convinced that Tanzania will from now on take measures against this terrorist organisation," Erdogan said after meeting Magufuli.
It was not clear what action he had asked Tanzania to take against the schools, which are believed to be affiliated with Gulen's movement. They are extremely popular among the country's middle class and often among the best performing schools.
Turkish officials accuse Gulen of using his vast private education network to build influence and of running a "parallel state" inside Turkey.
Gulen, a former Erdogan ally, vehemently denies the allegations. A reclusive figure, he has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999.
Hizmet describes itself as promoting Islam through charity efforts and educational work in countries stretching from Turkey to Africa and Central Asia to the United States. (ontinueReading
Monday, January 23, 2017
The biggest barrier to Windows 10 success is still Windows 7
zdnet.com - This year's CES saw plenty of shiny new Windows 10 devices on display, from the acrobat Lenovo Yoga through to HP's all-in-one Sprout Pro.
Hardware like this will certainly boost the fortunes of Windows 10. Sleek new designs and form factors, and the rise of two-in-one devices like the Surface Pro that can function both as a PC and a tablet, are giving consumers and businesses a reason to invest in Microsoft's latest operating system.
And Windows 10 has made some decent inroads thus far: it now accounts for somewhere around a quarter of PCs accessing the internet as measured by NetMarketShare.
All data like this needs to be looked at in terms of trends rather than details, of course, but in December 2016 - the most current data available, Windows 7 stood at 48 percent, Windows 10 had 24 percent, Windows 8.1 held seven percent, Windows XP nine percent, and Windows 8 had just two percent.
Contrast that with June 2015, just before Windows 10 arrived. Windows 7 stood at 61 percent, Windows 8.1 at 13 percent, Windows XP had 12 percent and Windows 8 just three percent.
A few obvious points leap out.
First, Windows XP usage hasn't changed very much at all as a result of the arrival of Windows 10. That's hardly surprising: Windows XP wasn't part of the free consumer upgrade programme that Microsoft offered. Windows XP is long, long past its sell-by date, and most of the hardware running XP is probably so old that is can't be upgraded anyway. If users are happy running such an antique and insecure operating system they'll probably keep using it until the hardware gives up or the Sun expands to finally vapourise the Earth, whichever is sooner.
Second, Microsoft did a good job encouraging people to move away from Windows 8. Perhaps they didn't need much encouraging, considering the reception that Windows 8 got, but it's all but vanished. For Windows 8.1 its (unsurprisingly) is a similar story and usage has fallen rapidly, which presumably means many users have been happy to take their (largely) free upgrade to Windows 10.
But what about Windows 7? This is the big one, of course. Usage has declined according to the NetMarketShare data - from 61 percent to 48 percent over 18 months, which looks at first glance like a rapid decline.
But the big question for Microsoft is whether that erosion of Windows 7 usage will continue.
Looking at the numbers more carefully, most of the drop in Windows 7 usage came in the first year that Windows 10 was available: since April 2016 Windows 7 usage has stayed pretty stable.
That's likely because most of the switchers were consumers. More cautious types and businesses in particular have held fire.
In Windows 7, Microsoft built a good product that companies like. It's now tried and tested, works with their existing infrastructure and their users are confident using it. And they worry about how big a leap it is to Windows 10, though more will no doubt consider the upgrade as Windows 7 heads towards the end of its lifecycle (Microsoft's extended support, which included security updates, ends in January 2020).
Unless Microsoft finds a compelling set of reasons to encourage upgrades, it risks Windows 7 going the same way as Windows XP and becoming an operating system that just won't die. That could become a real headache for Microsoft if it happens.
Microsoft, of course, would very much like as many users as possible of Windows 10, if only to help ignite the app ecosystem it is trying to build. Much hangs on the reception of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update which some think will be the final push that starts enterprise rollouts. And so it is no surprise that one Microsoft exec has already warned that Windows 7 "does not meet the requirements of modern technology, nor the high security requirements of IT department."
Microsoft has big ambitions for Windows 10, even if it has admitted it won't now hit its own target of one billion Windows 10 devices by 2018. Just when it does hit that target will depend greatly on persuading Windows 7 fans to upgrade sooner, rather than later - or not at all. (ontinueReading
Hardware like this will certainly boost the fortunes of Windows 10. Sleek new designs and form factors, and the rise of two-in-one devices like the Surface Pro that can function both as a PC and a tablet, are giving consumers and businesses a reason to invest in Microsoft's latest operating system.
And Windows 10 has made some decent inroads thus far: it now accounts for somewhere around a quarter of PCs accessing the internet as measured by NetMarketShare.
All data like this needs to be looked at in terms of trends rather than details, of course, but in December 2016 - the most current data available, Windows 7 stood at 48 percent, Windows 10 had 24 percent, Windows 8.1 held seven percent, Windows XP nine percent, and Windows 8 had just two percent.
Contrast that with June 2015, just before Windows 10 arrived. Windows 7 stood at 61 percent, Windows 8.1 at 13 percent, Windows XP had 12 percent and Windows 8 just three percent.
A few obvious points leap out.
First, Windows XP usage hasn't changed very much at all as a result of the arrival of Windows 10. That's hardly surprising: Windows XP wasn't part of the free consumer upgrade programme that Microsoft offered. Windows XP is long, long past its sell-by date, and most of the hardware running XP is probably so old that is can't be upgraded anyway. If users are happy running such an antique and insecure operating system they'll probably keep using it until the hardware gives up or the Sun expands to finally vapourise the Earth, whichever is sooner.
Second, Microsoft did a good job encouraging people to move away from Windows 8. Perhaps they didn't need much encouraging, considering the reception that Windows 8 got, but it's all but vanished. For Windows 8.1 its (unsurprisingly) is a similar story and usage has fallen rapidly, which presumably means many users have been happy to take their (largely) free upgrade to Windows 10.
But what about Windows 7? This is the big one, of course. Usage has declined according to the NetMarketShare data - from 61 percent to 48 percent over 18 months, which looks at first glance like a rapid decline.
But the big question for Microsoft is whether that erosion of Windows 7 usage will continue.
Looking at the numbers more carefully, most of the drop in Windows 7 usage came in the first year that Windows 10 was available: since April 2016 Windows 7 usage has stayed pretty stable.
That's likely because most of the switchers were consumers. More cautious types and businesses in particular have held fire.
In Windows 7, Microsoft built a good product that companies like. It's now tried and tested, works with their existing infrastructure and their users are confident using it. And they worry about how big a leap it is to Windows 10, though more will no doubt consider the upgrade as Windows 7 heads towards the end of its lifecycle (Microsoft's extended support, which included security updates, ends in January 2020).
Unless Microsoft finds a compelling set of reasons to encourage upgrades, it risks Windows 7 going the same way as Windows XP and becoming an operating system that just won't die. That could become a real headache for Microsoft if it happens.
Microsoft, of course, would very much like as many users as possible of Windows 10, if only to help ignite the app ecosystem it is trying to build. Much hangs on the reception of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update which some think will be the final push that starts enterprise rollouts. And so it is no surprise that one Microsoft exec has already warned that Windows 7 "does not meet the requirements of modern technology, nor the high security requirements of IT department."
Microsoft has big ambitions for Windows 10, even if it has admitted it won't now hit its own target of one billion Windows 10 devices by 2018. Just when it does hit that target will depend greatly on persuading Windows 7 fans to upgrade sooner, rather than later - or not at all. (ontinueReading
Sunday, January 22, 2017
US: Pet Rats Caused Illinois, Wisconsin Seoul Virus Outbreak: CDC
TechTimes.com - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday that the outbreak of Seoul virus infection in Illinois and Wisconsin, which has so far affected eight individuals, was caused by pet rats.
Previous outbreaks of the disease in the United States occurred in wild rats but the newly identified cases are the first known in the country that have been linked to pet rats.
Veterinarian Jennifer McQuiston of CDC's Division Of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, however, said that a similar outbreak related to pet rats has also been reported previously in Europe so this is not the first to be associated with pets worldwide.
McQuiston said that people who have purchased rats in affected areas and observed symptoms of the virus need to contact their healthcare provider.
The first identified patient in the current outbreak visited a hospital suffering from flu-like symptoms. Because the patient, a resident of Wisconsin, was a home-based rodent breeder, the doctor decided to test for hantavirus, which is often carried by rodents.
Following the result in late December which revealed the patient was positive of hantavirus, health officials in Wisconsin sent CDC a sample from the patient along with another sample from the patient's family member who also worked with rodents.
Symptoms Of Seoul Virus Infection
On Jan. 11, CDC confirmed that both patients were infected with Seoul virus, a rodent-borne hantavirus characterized by fever, chills, nausea, abdominal pain, and pink eye-type infection.
The symptoms of Seoul virus, which is carried by wild Norway rats worldwide, typically develop one to two weeks after contact but may take as long as eight weeks to emerge. Most people who get infected with the virus recover but in rare cases, a simple infection can lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which starts off with fever, fatigue and severe aches but may turn fatal.
The symptoms of Seoul virus, which is carried by wild Norway rats worldwide, typically develop one to two weeks after contact but may take as long as eight weeks to emerge. Most people who get infected with the virus recover but in rare cases, a simple infection can lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which starts off with fever, fatigue and severe aches but may turn fatal.
Eight Individuals Positive For Seoul Virus
Both of the patients in Wisconsin recovered but the discovery of their illness prompted follow-up investigations at several rat suppliers leading to the identification of six other cases among those working at two breeding facilities in Illinois.
Of the six who tested positive, only one experienced illness. The five other did not show symptoms of the virus, which cannot be transmitted among people regardless if there are symptoms or none. People typically get infected when they come in contact with infected blood, urine, and saliva of infected rats or get bitten by them. The infected rats often do not appear sick.
Both of the patients in Wisconsin recovered but the discovery of their illness prompted follow-up investigations at several rat suppliers leading to the identification of six other cases among those working at two breeding facilities in Illinois.
Of the six who tested positive, only one experienced illness. The five other did not show symptoms of the virus, which cannot be transmitted among people regardless if there are symptoms or none. People typically get infected when they come in contact with infected blood, urine, and saliva of infected rats or get bitten by them. The infected rats often do not appear sick.
More Cases Expected To Be Identified As Investigation Continues
Public health authorities expect to identify more ratteries and more infected individuals as the investigation progresses.
(Source)
Saturday, January 21, 2017
US: Uber pays $20 million to settle claims of driver deception
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Uber Technologies is paying $20 million to settle allegations that it duped people into driving for its ride-hailing service with false promises about how much they would earn and how much they would have to pay to finance a car.
The agreement announced Thursday with the Federal Trade Commission covers statements Uber made from late 2013 until 2015 while trying to recruit more drivers to expand its service and remain ahead of its main rival, Lyft.
The FTC alleged that most Uber drivers were earning far less in 18 major U.S. cities than Uber published online. Regulators also asserted that drivers wound up paying substantially more to lease cars than the company had claimed.
“Many consumers sign up to drive for Uber, but they shouldn’t be taken for a ride about their earnings potential or the cost of financing a car through Uber,” said Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
In a statement, Uber said it’s pleased to resolve the dispute.
“We’ve made many improvements to the driver experience over the last year and will continue to focus on ensuring that Uber is the best option for anyone looking to earn money on their own schedule,” the San Francisco company said.
Most of the proceeds from Uber’s settlement will be paid out to drivers. Documents filed in San Francisco federal court didn’t spell out how many people will get a cut of the settlement or what the average payment will be.
Uber has grown into a cultural phenomenon largely by undercutting the prices typically charged by taxis with rides that can be quickly summoned on its smartphone app.
To ensure cars are widely available, Uber has persuaded hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. to become drivers by dangling the lure of making money at any time that’s convenient for them. The drivers are treated as independent contractors, another contentious issue because the classification excludes them from many of the benefits and protections given to full-time employees.
As part of its recruitment efforts, Uber has floated enticing estimates about how much drivers can make picking up passengers in densely populated cities.
The FTC’s case took issue with how Uber presented its earnings estimates.
For instance, in a statement published on Uber’s website from May 2015 through August 2015, CEO Travis Kalanick boasted that the mid-range annual incomes of the service’s New York city drivers exceeded $90,000 and the mid-range annual earnings of its San Francisco drivers topped $74,000, according to the FTC. The agency’s investigation determined that the mid-range income for the New York drivers was nearly one-third less, at $61,000, 28 percent less in San Francisco, at $53,000, during the year leading up to Kalanick’s statement.
In August 2015, Uber revised its statement to specify its estimates reflected drivers’ “potential” incomes in those two cities. The FTC says less than 10 percent of Uber drivers in New York and San Francisco hit the income levels circulated by the company.
Uber also exaggerated the average hourly earnings of its drivers in 16 other U.S. cities and Orange County in California, according to the FTC’s complaint.
Regulators also blamed Uber for referring people to car financing programs that charged more than the company had promised.
The FTC approved the settlement in a 2-1 vote. The dissenting voter, FTC Commissioner Maureen Ohlhausen, objected because she didn’t believe Uber’s actions harmed consumers. (Source)
The agreement announced Thursday with the Federal Trade Commission covers statements Uber made from late 2013 until 2015 while trying to recruit more drivers to expand its service and remain ahead of its main rival, Lyft.
The FTC alleged that most Uber drivers were earning far less in 18 major U.S. cities than Uber published online. Regulators also asserted that drivers wound up paying substantially more to lease cars than the company had claimed.
“Many consumers sign up to drive for Uber, but they shouldn’t be taken for a ride about their earnings potential or the cost of financing a car through Uber,” said Jessica Rich, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
In a statement, Uber said it’s pleased to resolve the dispute.
“We’ve made many improvements to the driver experience over the last year and will continue to focus on ensuring that Uber is the best option for anyone looking to earn money on their own schedule,” the San Francisco company said.
Most of the proceeds from Uber’s settlement will be paid out to drivers. Documents filed in San Francisco federal court didn’t spell out how many people will get a cut of the settlement or what the average payment will be.
Uber has grown into a cultural phenomenon largely by undercutting the prices typically charged by taxis with rides that can be quickly summoned on its smartphone app.
To ensure cars are widely available, Uber has persuaded hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. to become drivers by dangling the lure of making money at any time that’s convenient for them. The drivers are treated as independent contractors, another contentious issue because the classification excludes them from many of the benefits and protections given to full-time employees.
As part of its recruitment efforts, Uber has floated enticing estimates about how much drivers can make picking up passengers in densely populated cities.
The FTC’s case took issue with how Uber presented its earnings estimates.
For instance, in a statement published on Uber’s website from May 2015 through August 2015, CEO Travis Kalanick boasted that the mid-range annual incomes of the service’s New York city drivers exceeded $90,000 and the mid-range annual earnings of its San Francisco drivers topped $74,000, according to the FTC. The agency’s investigation determined that the mid-range income for the New York drivers was nearly one-third less, at $61,000, 28 percent less in San Francisco, at $53,000, during the year leading up to Kalanick’s statement.
In August 2015, Uber revised its statement to specify its estimates reflected drivers’ “potential” incomes in those two cities. The FTC says less than 10 percent of Uber drivers in New York and San Francisco hit the income levels circulated by the company.
Uber also exaggerated the average hourly earnings of its drivers in 16 other U.S. cities and Orange County in California, according to the FTC’s complaint.
Regulators also blamed Uber for referring people to car financing programs that charged more than the company had promised.
The FTC approved the settlement in a 2-1 vote. The dissenting voter, FTC Commissioner Maureen Ohlhausen, objected because she didn’t believe Uber’s actions harmed consumers. (Source)
Friday, January 20, 2017
US: Trump sworn in, marking a transformative shift in the union’s leadership
WashingtonPost.com - Donald John Trump was sworn in Friday as the 45th president of the United States, taking office on a day that has featured smaller crowds and more subdued ceremony than previous inaugurations — but still ushers in a transformative shift in the country’s leadership.
Trump, 70, was administered the oath by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. His wife Melania Trump stood at his side. The oath was given using two Bibles — one from President Lincoln’s inauguration, and another that Trump’s mother gave him in 1955.
Trump began his inaugural address by proclaiming that with his victory, “the United States of America is your country.” With now former president Obama and three previous presidents watching from behind him, Trump seemed to condemn them as unfaithful to the popular will, saying that his inauguration signaled that “the people” would rule the country again.
“Today, we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another, or from one party to another, but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C., and giving it back to you, the people,” he said. He continued: “For too long, a small group in our nation’s capitol has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost… Politicians prospered, but the jobs left and the factories closed.”
Trump’s speech struck an unusually pessimistic tone — especially for a president who took office at a time of broad economic prosperity. Trump condemned the “American carnage” of crime, and said “wealth, strength and confidence had dissipated” because of jobs lost overseas.
“We assembled here today are issuing a new decree… from this day forward, a new vision will govern our land. From this day forward, it’s going to be only America First. America first!,” Trump said. This two-word slogan, used heavily in Trump’s campaign, had previously been infamous in U.S. history, as the slogan of isolationist forces opposed to American entry in World War II. Trump had used it as an economic message.
“Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American factories,” Trump said.
Earlier on Friday morning, Trump met with Obama at the White House — an Inauguration Day tradition, made more unusual this time by the two men’s history.
Trump, a real estate businessman and reality-TV star, began his rise in conservative politics by essentially calling Obama a liar and an illegitimate president: Trump insisted for years that Obama was born in Kenya. Obama was actually born in Hawaii, as Trump conceded late in the 2016 campaign. Obama, in turn, had mocked Trump at a televised White House Correspondent’s Association dinner in 2011.
Now, they met at the White House door, one going in and one going out.
The two men and their wives took a motorcade to the U.S. Capitol, through empty streets.
Around them, there were sporadic clashes between police and protesters around Washington. In several instances, news video showed black-clad protesters — some carrying symbols of “anarchist” groups — smashing shop windows and overturning newspaper boxes. (ontinueReading
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Earth Sets Record Temperature in 2016 — for Third Year in a Row
nbcnews.com - Last year was the hottest year ever recorded, marking the third year in a row that average global temperatures hit record-setting levels, NASA and NOAA said Wednesday Jan 18.
"That's pretty unusual, but what's going on is this a long-term underlying trend that's driven mainly by greenhouse gases and the fact that carbon dioxide is continuing to increase," NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies Director Gavin Schmidt told NBC News.
The average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 58.69 degrees Fahrenheit, 1.69 degrees above the 20th century average, NOAA said Wednesday morning.
NASA and NOAA, which separately analyze global temperature data, have both found that global temperatures surpassed records for the past three years. Schmidt described the trend as remarkable.
"This is not what we want, we don't want to be breaking new records every year," Schmidt said. He added that while scientists did not expect every year going forward to be record-breaking, the news was indicative of global warming patterns over the past few decades.
The announcement comes on the same day as Senate confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump's pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt.
As attorney general, Pruitt fought hard against environmental regulations imposed by the EPA and even sued the very agency he has been asked to lead. Those actions, and his ties to the fossil fuel industry, have environmental activists and some scientists sounding the alarm.
During his hearing, Pruitt questioned mankind's impact on climate change, but said his personal opinion was "immaterial" to his heading the regulatory agency.
"I believe the ability to measure with precision the degree of human activities impact on the climate is subject to more debate on whether the climate is changing or whether human activity is contributing to it," the Oklahoma attorney general said.
NASA said in its findings on Wednesday that the planet's average temperature has risen about 2.0 degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.1 degrees Celsius, since the late 19th century, a change "driven largely by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions into the atmosphere."
Some scientists noted that global temperatures were coming "dangerously close" to levels agreed to in the Paris climate change agreement, which more than 190 countries signed in 2015 in an attempt to stave off the worsening impacts of climate change.
The climate deal aims to keep the rise in global temperatures "well below" 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and attempt to limit temperature increases to 1.5 degrees. (ontinueReading
"That's pretty unusual, but what's going on is this a long-term underlying trend that's driven mainly by greenhouse gases and the fact that carbon dioxide is continuing to increase," NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies Director Gavin Schmidt told NBC News.
The average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 58.69 degrees Fahrenheit, 1.69 degrees above the 20th century average, NOAA said Wednesday morning.
NASA and NOAA, which separately analyze global temperature data, have both found that global temperatures surpassed records for the past three years. Schmidt described the trend as remarkable.
"This is not what we want, we don't want to be breaking new records every year," Schmidt said. He added that while scientists did not expect every year going forward to be record-breaking, the news was indicative of global warming patterns over the past few decades.
The announcement comes on the same day as Senate confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump's pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt.
As attorney general, Pruitt fought hard against environmental regulations imposed by the EPA and even sued the very agency he has been asked to lead. Those actions, and his ties to the fossil fuel industry, have environmental activists and some scientists sounding the alarm.
During his hearing, Pruitt questioned mankind's impact on climate change, but said his personal opinion was "immaterial" to his heading the regulatory agency.
"I believe the ability to measure with precision the degree of human activities impact on the climate is subject to more debate on whether the climate is changing or whether human activity is contributing to it," the Oklahoma attorney general said.
NASA said in its findings on Wednesday that the planet's average temperature has risen about 2.0 degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.1 degrees Celsius, since the late 19th century, a change "driven largely by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions into the atmosphere."
Some scientists noted that global temperatures were coming "dangerously close" to levels agreed to in the Paris climate change agreement, which more than 190 countries signed in 2015 in an attempt to stave off the worsening impacts of climate change.
The climate deal aims to keep the rise in global temperatures "well below" 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and attempt to limit temperature increases to 1.5 degrees. (ontinueReading
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Gambia: Why there's political turmoil in this small African nation
(CNN) The Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh should be spending his last day in power on Wednesday, but he has refused to accept defeat in last month's election and has indicated he won't hand over power to victor Adama Barrow on Thursday (19).
Jammeh's rejection of the results of the December 1 election has thrown the small West African nation into political turmoil, alarmed its neighbours and prompted concern for foreigners in the country. (ontinueReading
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Caffeine may be able to block inflammation, new research says
TheVerge.com - Caffeine may be able to tamp down the inflammation that worsens with age, according to a study that investigated caffeine’s effects on immune cells. It’s a correlational study, but it’s one that dives into how caffeine could be affecting the immune system. The findings could help explain why coffee has been purported to help ward off everything from type 2 diabetes to cardiovascular disease and even dementia.
True, there’s a long list of studies that have found a correlation between caffeine, coffee, and better health; there have also been a few that say coffee, especially hot coffee, can increase your risk for certain cancers. But today’s study is one of the few that looks at exactly how caffeine affects the immune system. We’ve known for some time that caffeine can block the effects of a molecule called adenosine; blocking adenosine receptors on brain cells is thought to be how caffeine wakes us up. But in the body, blocking adenosine may also block pathways that produce inflammatory molecules, according to results published today in the journal Nature Medicine.
“That something many people drink — and actually like to drink — might have a direct benefit came as a surprise to us,” Mark Davis, a professor at Stanford and senior author of the study, said in a news release. While he and his colleagues didn’t prove that caffeine causes better health, they did come up with a possible way it could be doing so. “What we’ve shown is a correlation between caffeine consumption and longevity. And we’ve shown more rigorously, in laboratory tests, a very plausible mechanism for why this might be so.”
It started as an aging study. Researchers from Stanford University and the University of Bordeaux analyzed the genes of 114 people who were enrolled in a long-term research study. The scientists weren’t looking at the genetic code itself, but how much people were using specific genes to produce proteins.
They found that older people between the ages of 60 and 89 tend to ramp up production of immune molecules in a complex called the inflammasome. That’s a clump of immune proteins inside cells that activate one of the immune system’s big guns, called interleukin 1 beta or IL-1B. It’s an important molecule for fighting off infection, but too much of it for too long has been linked with chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Among the older people in the study, 12 of them made much more of these inflammatory molecules, and 11 people made much less. The less-inflamed group was also healthier, with lower blood pressure, more flexible arteries, and more relatives who lived past age 90.
They also had lower levels of the breakdown products of DNA and RNA circulating in their blood, including one molecule called adenine, and another called adenosine — which is adenine attached to a sugar molecule. These molecules are known to stimulate the inflammasome, and lower levels of them could explain why this group was less inflamed. In fact, treating cells with these breakdown products made them churn out more inflammatory molecules, and made mice more inflamed, with higher blood pressure.
That’s where the caffeine comes in. Caffeine is known to block the effects of adenosine in the brain — that’s how scientists think it keeps us awake. So, the researchers suspected that it’s possible that it could block the effects of adenine and adenosine on immune cells, too, and reduce their ability to cause inflammation. According to a questionnaire, people in the less inflamed group consumed more caffeinated beverages like coffee, soda, and tea. In fact, higher blood levels of caffeine and other caffeine breakdown products correlated with lower production of inflammatory molecules like IL-1B.
When the scientists treated cells with adenine and another molecule known to trigger the inflammasome, the cells that were soaking in caffeine produced far lower levels of inflammatory molecules. The researchers still haven’t fully explained how caffeine is interfering with inflammation. And the results aren’t enough to base any behavioral recommendations off of; but it’s comforting news for those of us who were already reaching for that second hit of caffeine anyway. (Source)
True, there’s a long list of studies that have found a correlation between caffeine, coffee, and better health; there have also been a few that say coffee, especially hot coffee, can increase your risk for certain cancers. But today’s study is one of the few that looks at exactly how caffeine affects the immune system. We’ve known for some time that caffeine can block the effects of a molecule called adenosine; blocking adenosine receptors on brain cells is thought to be how caffeine wakes us up. But in the body, blocking adenosine may also block pathways that produce inflammatory molecules, according to results published today in the journal Nature Medicine.
“That something many people drink — and actually like to drink — might have a direct benefit came as a surprise to us,” Mark Davis, a professor at Stanford and senior author of the study, said in a news release. While he and his colleagues didn’t prove that caffeine causes better health, they did come up with a possible way it could be doing so. “What we’ve shown is a correlation between caffeine consumption and longevity. And we’ve shown more rigorously, in laboratory tests, a very plausible mechanism for why this might be so.”
It started as an aging study. Researchers from Stanford University and the University of Bordeaux analyzed the genes of 114 people who were enrolled in a long-term research study. The scientists weren’t looking at the genetic code itself, but how much people were using specific genes to produce proteins.
They found that older people between the ages of 60 and 89 tend to ramp up production of immune molecules in a complex called the inflammasome. That’s a clump of immune proteins inside cells that activate one of the immune system’s big guns, called interleukin 1 beta or IL-1B. It’s an important molecule for fighting off infection, but too much of it for too long has been linked with chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Among the older people in the study, 12 of them made much more of these inflammatory molecules, and 11 people made much less. The less-inflamed group was also healthier, with lower blood pressure, more flexible arteries, and more relatives who lived past age 90.
They also had lower levels of the breakdown products of DNA and RNA circulating in their blood, including one molecule called adenine, and another called adenosine — which is adenine attached to a sugar molecule. These molecules are known to stimulate the inflammasome, and lower levels of them could explain why this group was less inflamed. In fact, treating cells with these breakdown products made them churn out more inflammatory molecules, and made mice more inflamed, with higher blood pressure.
That’s where the caffeine comes in. Caffeine is known to block the effects of adenosine in the brain — that’s how scientists think it keeps us awake. So, the researchers suspected that it’s possible that it could block the effects of adenine and adenosine on immune cells, too, and reduce their ability to cause inflammation. According to a questionnaire, people in the less inflamed group consumed more caffeinated beverages like coffee, soda, and tea. In fact, higher blood levels of caffeine and other caffeine breakdown products correlated with lower production of inflammatory molecules like IL-1B.
When the scientists treated cells with adenine and another molecule known to trigger the inflammasome, the cells that were soaking in caffeine produced far lower levels of inflammatory molecules. The researchers still haven’t fully explained how caffeine is interfering with inflammation. And the results aren’t enough to base any behavioral recommendations off of; but it’s comforting news for those of us who were already reaching for that second hit of caffeine anyway. (Source)
Monday, January 16, 2017
Pacific conflict looms between America and China
Slate.com - The Chinese government sent a clear message to President-elect Donald Trump this weekend: the “One China” policy is not up for debate. In fact, Beijing went as far as to say that not challenging China on the status of Taiwan as a renegade province “is the political foundation” of bilateral relations with the United States. A spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry issued the statement in response to Trump telling the Wall Street Journal that “everything is under negotiation including ‘One China’.”
“The 'One China' principle is the political foundation of Sino-US relations and it is non-negotiable. We urge the relevant side in the US to recognize the high sensitivity of the Taiwan issue and abide by the pledges by successive US administrations from both parties,” spokesman Lu Kang said. In the brief statement, the spokesman also summarized the “facts recognized by the international community” on the issue: “There is but one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. The government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing China.”
The state-run Global Times published an unsigned piece under the headline, “Inexperienced, complacent Trump stuns public.” The tabloid known for its sensationalistic headlines had earlier in the week harshly criticized Trump’s pick for secretary of state Rex Tillerson, saying his views risked a “large-scale war” with China.
The interview with the Journal was only the latest example of how Trump has locked horns with China even before taking office. First there was accepting the congratulatory phone call from Taiwan’s president, which broke with more than three decades of diplomatic protocol. At the time, Beijing seemed to try to downplay the move, characterizing Trump as the victim of a “little trick pulled off by Taiwan.” But the president-elect then publicly criticized China on several issues, including currency manipulation and North Korea.
Analysts in China are apparently eager to see Trump’s words as a simple negotiation tactic to get some concessions from Beijing, rather than an effort to upend decades of foreign policy. “Trump has been very smart. He is using the Taiwan issue as a bargaining chip with China,” one analyst tells the South China Morning Post. “Trump has a relatively simple agenda. He cares only about the domestic economy. His issue is to create jobs. He believes that sorting out the trade issues with China can help him to create jobs inside the US.”(ontinueReading
Sunday, January 15, 2017
Europe: Serbia says Kosovo wants war as neighbours row over Serb nationalist train
DRAMA!
Via Reuters.com - Serbia's president said on Sunday January 15 that Kosovo had shown it wanted war with after it deployed special forces to prevent a train painted with Serbia's national colors and the words "Kosovo is Serbia" from entering its territory.
President Tomislav Nikolic said the neighbors had been "on the brink of conflict" on Saturday Jan.14, while Kosovo's prime minister told reporters the train, a project of the Serbian government, sent "a message of occupation."
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 but Serbia still considers it part of its territory and supports a Serb minority there. NATO air strikes on Serbia forced Belgrade to withdraw its troops in 1999, having killed 10,000 Albanian civilians there. NATO still has around 5,000 troops stationed in Kosovo to keep the fragile peace.
The train left Belgrade for Kosovo's northern town of Mitrovica on Saturday, but stopped while still in Serbia after Pristina said it had deployed special forces to prevent the train from crossing its border.
Following a specially convened National Security Council's session, Nikolic said that by sending special police forces "Albanians showed they want the war."
"We were on the brink of the conflict yesterday," Nikolic said.
Kosovo's Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said the move had been an act of protecting Kosovo's sovereignty.
"The institutions of the Republic of Kosovo will always undertake such actions to protect the country's sovereignty and not allow machines that will provoke with a message of occupation," Mustafa told reporters outside Pristina.
Relations between Belgrade and Pristina came under renewed strain on Jan. 4 when former Kosovo prime minister Ramush Haradinaj was arrested in France on a warrant from Serbia which accuses him of war crimes. [nL5N1EU4GB]
Kosovo Albanians make up more than 90 percent of Kosovo's 1.8 million population. Northern Kosovo, where Mitrovica is situated, is home to a Serb minority of around 40,000 to 50,000 people who do not see Pristina as their capital. (ontinueReading
Via Reuters.com - Serbia's president said on Sunday January 15 that Kosovo had shown it wanted war with after it deployed special forces to prevent a train painted with Serbia's national colors and the words "Kosovo is Serbia" from entering its territory.
President Tomislav Nikolic said the neighbors had been "on the brink of conflict" on Saturday Jan.14, while Kosovo's prime minister told reporters the train, a project of the Serbian government, sent "a message of occupation."
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 but Serbia still considers it part of its territory and supports a Serb minority there. NATO air strikes on Serbia forced Belgrade to withdraw its troops in 1999, having killed 10,000 Albanian civilians there. NATO still has around 5,000 troops stationed in Kosovo to keep the fragile peace.
The train left Belgrade for Kosovo's northern town of Mitrovica on Saturday, but stopped while still in Serbia after Pristina said it had deployed special forces to prevent the train from crossing its border.
Following a specially convened National Security Council's session, Nikolic said that by sending special police forces "Albanians showed they want the war."
"We were on the brink of the conflict yesterday," Nikolic said.
Kosovo's Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said the move had been an act of protecting Kosovo's sovereignty.
"The institutions of the Republic of Kosovo will always undertake such actions to protect the country's sovereignty and not allow machines that will provoke with a message of occupation," Mustafa told reporters outside Pristina.
Relations between Belgrade and Pristina came under renewed strain on Jan. 4 when former Kosovo prime minister Ramush Haradinaj was arrested in France on a warrant from Serbia which accuses him of war crimes. [nL5N1EU4GB]
Kosovo Albanians make up more than 90 percent of Kosovo's 1.8 million population. Northern Kosovo, where Mitrovica is situated, is home to a Serb minority of around 40,000 to 50,000 people who do not see Pristina as their capital. (ontinueReading
* * * *
Saturday, January 14, 2017
US: Trump will break the presidential mold, so always expect the unexpected
Via WashingtonPost.com - In the countdown to Inauguration Day, the guessing game over the presidency of Donald Trump continues. But there is one reality about the man who will become the 45th president on Friday. The Trump presidency will be a mold breaker. The question is whether he can run a successful presidency the same way he ran his campaign.
In almost all ways, the president-elect is breaking the conventions of presidential style. Given what happened in the campaign, this should hardly be a surprise, for Trump didn’t win the election by promising to continue past practices. In other words, always expect the unexpected.
His campaign was notable for the ways in which he eschewed what political professionals would have told him to do. He ran a lean operation in the primaries, insulted his rivals and others, thrived on controversy, ran few television ads throughout, adopted an unorthodox approach to debate preparation, embraced no consistent ideology, and on and on.
His supporters didn’t embrace him because they want continuity or business as usual in Washington. To the most passionate of his backers, the ways of Washington are stacked against them. They are tired of what they regard as an insiders’ game.
They found an unlikely champion in a billionaire developer who speaks a language they understand, rather than the political boilerplate generated from focus groups or messages that have been poll-tested and refined. Throughout the transition, Trump has given every indication he intends to remain true to the style that got him this far.
Less than a week before he’s sworn in, Trump continues to shock and offend. He remains determined to litigate through Twitter and other means every grievance and slight, no matter whether large or small, presidential or not. He always wants the last word.
At the beginning of last week, he couldn’t resist attacking Meryl Streep after she attacked him during the Golden Globes. He called her “overrated.”
On Friday, as part of a morning tweet storm, Trump again attacked his defeated rival, Hillary Clinton, calling her “guilty as hell” for using a private email server as secretary of state. Was this his response to the news that the FBI would conduct an internal review of Director James B. Comey’s controversial handling of the email investigation? (ontinueReading
Friday, January 13, 2017
Vowel sounds made by baboons show that the roots of human speech may go back 25 million years
LATimes.com - Listen closely to those baboon calls — they may tell you a thing or two about human speech. Scientists who studied baboons’ wahoos, yaks, barks and other vocalizations have found evidence of five vowel-like sounds – a sign that the physical capacity for speech may have evolved over much longer timescales than previously thought.
The findings, described in the journal PLOS One, could have significant implications for our understanding of human speech’s development and the emergence of language.
Scientists studying the evolution of speech are left in a tricky bind because, unlike bones or shells, spoken words leave no fossil imprints in the geological record. How do you study the development of something as insubstantial as a sound?
Luckily, there are physical structures we can study – the mouths that make those sounds. By comparing the mouths of humans and their close relatives, researchers get a sense of which particular traits were necessary for the emergence of speech in humans – or perhaps, which physical characteristics would have impeded it.
“While it shares neuro-cognitive mechanisms with language, speech also engages anatomical traits that might leave fossil clues, as well as overt anatomical, physiological, and behavioral aspects for which parallels can be sought in living primates,” the study authors wrote.
Human speech is, in large part, based on using vowels as the kernel of a sound and placing consonants around those vowels. So the number of different vowels you can make is important, because it means you can make more potentially meaningful chunks of sound.
Think about “cat,” “kit,” “cut,” “coat,” “coot,” “keet,” and “caught” – seven words with different meanings. Each has a “k” sound at the beginning and a “t” at the end, and are essentially differentiated in sound only by their vowels. Without each of those subtly distinguishable vowels, we wouldn’t be able to tell those words apart.
Languages have different inventories and patterns of vowel and consonant usage, but they all rely on roughly the same vocal tract shape. And for a long time, many researchers assumed that nonhuman primates couldn’t make vowel-like sounds because their larynxes (or voice boxes) sat much higher in the neck than human larynxes do. That assumption had major implications for theories on the emergence of language, which remains a uniquely human ability.
“This theory has often been used to buttress the theoretical claim of a recent date for language origin, e.g. 70,000-100,000 years ago,” the study authors explained. “It also diverted scientists' interests away from articulated sound in nonhuman primates as a potential homolog of human speech, and thus lent support to less direct explanations of language evolution, involving communicative gestures, complex cognitive or neural functions, or genetics.”
But recent research has begun to challenge that assumption about the larynx, the study authors wrote. First off, lowered larynxes have been found in other animals that have no ability to make vowels. And human babies, who have very high larynxes, can still generate the same vowel range as adults can. Scientists have begun to realize, thanks to computer modeling work, that the movement and control of the tongue’s position is actually much more important in making vowel sounds than the height of the larynx.
To test this idea, a French-led team of scientists studied vocalizations from 15 guinea baboons (12 female and three males) living in an outdoor enclosure at the National Center for Scientific Research’s primate center in Rousset-sur-Arc, France. They focused in particular on the half-hour before feeding, when the community of two dozen baboons was particularly vocal, and avoided recording during the dinner hour, when they were busy munching on their meals.
The scientists analyzed the recordings looking for “formants” – concentrations of acoustic energy around key frequencies in human speech, and whose distribution is defined by the shape of our vocal tract. The individual formants found in a vowel can tell you the configuration of the mouth that made it – for example, how high the tongue is, whether it’s pushed forward (closer to the teeth) or back in the mouth, whether the lips are rounded. In human speech, each vowel has a particular blend of formants that make it a unique, easily identifiable sound.
The scientists ended up analyzing five types of vocalizations that also appeared to feature formants – grunts, wahoos, barks, yaks and mating calls. After analyzing the 1,335 spontaneous vocalizations (and after splitting the wahoos into their wa- and -hoo subunits), the researchers concluded that the recordings held 1,404 “vowel-like segments.”
The scientists also verified that baboons really were physically capable of making these sounds by dissecting and analyzing the tongues of two baboons (both of whom had already died of natural causes that were unrelated to the study). For the ability to make specific vowel-like sounds, it seemed that tongue position really was more important than the larynx’s height. (ontinueReading
The findings, described in the journal PLOS One, could have significant implications for our understanding of human speech’s development and the emergence of language.
Scientists studying the evolution of speech are left in a tricky bind because, unlike bones or shells, spoken words leave no fossil imprints in the geological record. How do you study the development of something as insubstantial as a sound?
Luckily, there are physical structures we can study – the mouths that make those sounds. By comparing the mouths of humans and their close relatives, researchers get a sense of which particular traits were necessary for the emergence of speech in humans – or perhaps, which physical characteristics would have impeded it.
“While it shares neuro-cognitive mechanisms with language, speech also engages anatomical traits that might leave fossil clues, as well as overt anatomical, physiological, and behavioral aspects for which parallels can be sought in living primates,” the study authors wrote.
Human speech is, in large part, based on using vowels as the kernel of a sound and placing consonants around those vowels. So the number of different vowels you can make is important, because it means you can make more potentially meaningful chunks of sound.
Think about “cat,” “kit,” “cut,” “coat,” “coot,” “keet,” and “caught” – seven words with different meanings. Each has a “k” sound at the beginning and a “t” at the end, and are essentially differentiated in sound only by their vowels. Without each of those subtly distinguishable vowels, we wouldn’t be able to tell those words apart.
Languages have different inventories and patterns of vowel and consonant usage, but they all rely on roughly the same vocal tract shape. And for a long time, many researchers assumed that nonhuman primates couldn’t make vowel-like sounds because their larynxes (or voice boxes) sat much higher in the neck than human larynxes do. That assumption had major implications for theories on the emergence of language, which remains a uniquely human ability.
“This theory has often been used to buttress the theoretical claim of a recent date for language origin, e.g. 70,000-100,000 years ago,” the study authors explained. “It also diverted scientists' interests away from articulated sound in nonhuman primates as a potential homolog of human speech, and thus lent support to less direct explanations of language evolution, involving communicative gestures, complex cognitive or neural functions, or genetics.”
But recent research has begun to challenge that assumption about the larynx, the study authors wrote. First off, lowered larynxes have been found in other animals that have no ability to make vowels. And human babies, who have very high larynxes, can still generate the same vowel range as adults can. Scientists have begun to realize, thanks to computer modeling work, that the movement and control of the tongue’s position is actually much more important in making vowel sounds than the height of the larynx.
To test this idea, a French-led team of scientists studied vocalizations from 15 guinea baboons (12 female and three males) living in an outdoor enclosure at the National Center for Scientific Research’s primate center in Rousset-sur-Arc, France. They focused in particular on the half-hour before feeding, when the community of two dozen baboons was particularly vocal, and avoided recording during the dinner hour, when they were busy munching on their meals.
The scientists analyzed the recordings looking for “formants” – concentrations of acoustic energy around key frequencies in human speech, and whose distribution is defined by the shape of our vocal tract. The individual formants found in a vowel can tell you the configuration of the mouth that made it – for example, how high the tongue is, whether it’s pushed forward (closer to the teeth) or back in the mouth, whether the lips are rounded. In human speech, each vowel has a particular blend of formants that make it a unique, easily identifiable sound.
The scientists ended up analyzing five types of vocalizations that also appeared to feature formants – grunts, wahoos, barks, yaks and mating calls. After analyzing the 1,335 spontaneous vocalizations (and after splitting the wahoos into their wa- and -hoo subunits), the researchers concluded that the recordings held 1,404 “vowel-like segments.”
The scientists also verified that baboons really were physically capable of making these sounds by dissecting and analyzing the tongues of two baboons (both of whom had already died of natural causes that were unrelated to the study). For the ability to make specific vowel-like sounds, it seemed that tongue position really was more important than the larynx’s height. (ontinueReading
Thursday, January 12, 2017
Amazon to add 100,000 full-time U.S. jobs in next 18 months, growing domestic workforce 55 percent
hmm..
GeekWire.com - Amazon just made a big statement about its continued growth aspirations, announcing that it plans to add another 100,000 full-time jobs in the U.S. over the next 18 months, an increase of more than 55 percent in its domestic workforce.
The growth would push Amazon’s U.S. workforce to more than 280,000 people by mid 2018. Amazon said in an announcement that the jobs will be available to people “all across the country and with all types of experience, education and skill levels—from engineers and software developers to those seeking entry-level positions and on-the-job training.”
Amazon says the jobs will offer “highly-competitive pay, health insurance, disability insurance, retirement savings plans and company stock.”
The company’s unusual announcement comes amid heightened scrutiny of U.S. corporate giants and domestic job growth and retention. President-elect Donald Trump made headlines for helping to convince manufacturer Carrier to keep just about 1,000 jobs in the country. Trump also took credit for wireless carrier Sprint, owned by Softbank, creating or preserving 5,000 jobs.
Amazon’s new job promise dwarfs those others commitments. The company often makes projections about its seasonal hiring, but Amazon says these are full-time jobs that include up to 20 weeks of paid leave and extensive parental benefits.
Here’s what CEO Jeff Bezos said in a statement released by the company this morning.
The growth would push Amazon’s U.S. workforce to more than 280,000 people by mid 2018. Amazon said in an announcement that the jobs will be available to people “all across the country and with all types of experience, education and skill levels—from engineers and software developers to those seeking entry-level positions and on-the-job training.”
Amazon says the jobs will offer “highly-competitive pay, health insurance, disability insurance, retirement savings plans and company stock.”
The company’s unusual announcement comes amid heightened scrutiny of U.S. corporate giants and domestic job growth and retention. President-elect Donald Trump made headlines for helping to convince manufacturer Carrier to keep just about 1,000 jobs in the country. Trump also took credit for wireless carrier Sprint, owned by Softbank, creating or preserving 5,000 jobs.
Amazon’s new job promise dwarfs those others commitments. The company often makes projections about its seasonal hiring, but Amazon says these are full-time jobs that include up to 20 weeks of paid leave and extensive parental benefits.
Here’s what CEO Jeff Bezos said in a statement released by the company this morning.
“Innovation is one of our guiding principles at Amazon, and it’s created hundreds of thousands of American jobs. These jobs are not just in our Seattle headquarters or in Silicon Valley—they’re in our customer service network, fulfillment centers and other facilities in local communities throughout the country. We plan to add another 100,000 new Amazonians across the company over the next 18 months as we open new fulfillment centers, and continue to invent in areas like cloud technology, machine learning, and advanced logistics.”
The emphasis on full-time jobs with strong benefits comes as Amazon continues to try to restore its reputation and defend its culture following a widely-read New York Times story about the company’s “bruising workplace” in 2015. Amazon disputed many elements of the NYT story.
Amazon’s rapid growth has transformed the South Lake Union and Denny Triangle neighborhoods just outside downtown Seattle. That growth has helped to fuel the city’s tech boom and contributed to related challenges in areas including transportation and housing. The company employed more than 306,000 people worldwide as of the end of the third quarter. Its global employment has increased more than six-fold over the past five years.
Here’s the company’s full news release from this morning, including a breakdown of Amazon’s hiring plans in selected states. ContinueReading
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Further Reading: 6 ways Amazon is trying to win friends and influence governments in Europe
The emphasis on full-time jobs with strong benefits comes as Amazon continues to try to restore its reputation and defend its culture following a widely-read New York Times story about the company’s “bruising workplace” in 2015. Amazon disputed many elements of the NYT story.
Amazon’s rapid growth has transformed the South Lake Union and Denny Triangle neighborhoods just outside downtown Seattle. That growth has helped to fuel the city’s tech boom and contributed to related challenges in areas including transportation and housing. The company employed more than 306,000 people worldwide as of the end of the third quarter. Its global employment has increased more than six-fold over the past five years.
Here’s the company’s full news release from this morning, including a breakdown of Amazon’s hiring plans in selected states. ContinueReading
* * * *
Further Reading: 6 ways Amazon is trying to win friends and influence governments in Europe
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
FDA Issues Safety Advice for Cardiac Device Over Hacking Threat
ABCNewsUS - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued new advice about how to safeguard implantable cardiac devices against hackers.
A wireless transmitter used to transmit data from cardiac devices to medical providers, the Merlin@home Transmitter made by St. Jude Medical was found to be vulnerable to online hacking, the FDA said.
While no hacking event has been reported, the possibility of tampering was so concerning St. Jude Medical worked with the FDA and the Department of Homeland Security to develop a software patch, which was released yesterday, to help protect the device and patients using it from hacking.
"Many medical devices —- including St. Jude Medical's implantable cardiac devices —- contain configurable embedded computer systems that can be vulnerable to cybersecurity intrusions and exploits," FDA officials said in a statement yesterday.
The transmitter is placed in the home and can be used to monitor a variety of implantable cardiac devices including pacemakers, defibrillators or resynchronization devices and send health data back to a medical provider or the patient. The transmitter also allows doctors to change the device settings remotely.
"As medical technology advances, it’s increasingly important to understand how innovation and cyber security impact physicians and the patients we treat," Dr. Leslie Saxon, chair of St. Jude Medical’s Cyber Security Medical Advisory Board, said in a statement. "We are committed to working to proactively address cyber security risks in medical devices while preserving the proven benefits of remote monitoring to assess patient status and device function."
With the new software patch, the FDA "determined that the health benefits to patients from continued use of the device outweigh the cybersecurity risks."
The FDA advisory comes as concern has been growing about how hacking could affect the medical field. In recent years multiple hospitals have paid ransom after 'ransomware' hacking left their medical files encrypted.
Thomas Lewis, a practice leader of LBMC Information Security, said the benefits of being able to monitor implanted medical devices wirelessly has helped patients tremendously. But it has also increased the risk that devices could be hacked.
"It allows providers to have a 24/7 look at how a patient is doing and that's invaluable when you talk about treatment," said Lewis. However, the continued challenge will be for providers to constantly stay ahead of any malicious actors looking for vulnerabilities on the devices.
"We typically see in emerging technology they aren't as tested and vetted quite as much from a security perspective," said Lewis. He pointed out that protecting these devices from hackers will require providers to constantly test the devices for weaknesses.
Patients with the transmitter are advised to continue a normal routine of check-ups with their doctor and to keep their transmitter connected to WiFi so that it can automatically upgrade with the new software patches. Patients with questions can contact St. Jude Medical's Merlin@home customer service at 1-877-My-Merlin. ContinueReading
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Cigarret Smoking costs the world economy $1 trillion per year, World Health Organization says
WashingtonPost - Smoking and its side effects cost the world's economies more than $1 trillion and kill about 6 million people each year — with deaths expected to rise by more than a third by 2030, according to a new report from the World Health Organization and the National Cancer Institute.
Those losses exceed annual global revenue from tobacco taxes, estimated to be $269 billion in 2013-14, according to the report released Tuesday. Of that, less than $1 billion was invested in tobacco control.
The massive study called smoking one of the largest causes of preventable premature death in the world. And unless countries around the world begin putting more tobacco control policies in place, it warned, the ballooning consequences will become not just a global public health issue but an economic issue.
“The tobacco industry produces and markets products that kill millions of people prematurely, rob households of finances that could have been used for food and education, and impose immense health care costs on families, communities and countries,” Oleg Chestnov, WHO’s assistant director-general for noncommunicable diseases and mental health, said in a statement.
More than 60 authors — physicians, public health experts, researchers and other scientists — contributed to the report, which was peer-reviewed by more than 70 reviewers. The full report is available here.
Most of those who suffer health problems from tobacco use live in developing countries, according to the report. With 80 percent of the world's 1.1 billion smokers living in low- and middle-income countries, the poor are disproportionately burdened by tobacco use, the report said.
To save lives, WHO recommended that countries adopt policies to control tobacco use, including taxing and raising the price of cigarettes, restricting marketing efforts.
Experts noted some of the strongest resistance to tobacco control policies have come from governments, who fear — whether genuinely or because of pressure from lobbyists — that limiting tobacco will hurt the economy.
The tobacco industry “will scare you that tobacco-control measures are anti-poor when in fact it’s the overwhelming evidence is actually the opposite,” Jeremiah Paul of the WHO's Tobacco Control Economics Unit said during a telephone call with reporters Tuesday.
Because of technological innovations and the shift from state-owned to private tobacco companies, the number of jobs that depend on tobacco has been falling in most countries, the report said.
“For the vast majority of countries, implementation of tobacco control measures will have only a modest impact on tobacco-related employment, and will not lead to net job losses,” it read. Continue Reading
Those losses exceed annual global revenue from tobacco taxes, estimated to be $269 billion in 2013-14, according to the report released Tuesday. Of that, less than $1 billion was invested in tobacco control.
The massive study called smoking one of the largest causes of preventable premature death in the world. And unless countries around the world begin putting more tobacco control policies in place, it warned, the ballooning consequences will become not just a global public health issue but an economic issue.
“The tobacco industry produces and markets products that kill millions of people prematurely, rob households of finances that could have been used for food and education, and impose immense health care costs on families, communities and countries,” Oleg Chestnov, WHO’s assistant director-general for noncommunicable diseases and mental health, said in a statement.
More than 60 authors — physicians, public health experts, researchers and other scientists — contributed to the report, which was peer-reviewed by more than 70 reviewers. The full report is available here.
Most of those who suffer health problems from tobacco use live in developing countries, according to the report. With 80 percent of the world's 1.1 billion smokers living in low- and middle-income countries, the poor are disproportionately burdened by tobacco use, the report said.
To save lives, WHO recommended that countries adopt policies to control tobacco use, including taxing and raising the price of cigarettes, restricting marketing efforts.
Experts noted some of the strongest resistance to tobacco control policies have come from governments, who fear — whether genuinely or because of pressure from lobbyists — that limiting tobacco will hurt the economy.
The tobacco industry “will scare you that tobacco-control measures are anti-poor when in fact it’s the overwhelming evidence is actually the opposite,” Jeremiah Paul of the WHO's Tobacco Control Economics Unit said during a telephone call with reporters Tuesday.
Because of technological innovations and the shift from state-owned to private tobacco companies, the number of jobs that depend on tobacco has been falling in most countries, the report said.
“For the vast majority of countries, implementation of tobacco control measures will have only a modest impact on tobacco-related employment, and will not lead to net job losses,” it read. Continue Reading
Monday, January 9, 2017
Theresa May: Brexit can 'change Britain for the better'
BBC - Theresa May has criticised those who believe a so-called "hard Brexit" is inevitable after the UK leaves the EU.
The prime minister said she wanted the UK to "operate within" the single market as part of a new relationship.
Speaking in London, she vowed to build a "shared society" in which wealth and opportunity were not the preserve of an elite, and injustices were tackled.
She said that Brexit provided an "opportunity to fundamentally change Britain for the better".
Outlining her social reform agenda in her most significant policy speech for three months, Miss May announced steps to improve mental health provision in the UK and transform attitudes to people suffering from mental health conditions.
She announced extra training for teachers, more online self-checking for those with concerns and a review of services for children and teenagers.
This approach, she said, was part of her wider belief in a "shared society" where the state intervenes to correct social and economic injustices.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, she was pressed on market reaction to comments she made on Sunday when she suggested the UK could not be expected to "keep bits" of its existing EU membership. The pound fell to a two-month low against major currencies on Monday, losing about 1% of its value.
Sunday, January 8, 2017
SeaWorld Ends Its Orca Theatrics In San Diego, But SJW's Aren't Convinced
(NPR) - Just days after the death of its most famous star, SeaWorld has begun the process of putting its headliner show to rest.
The theme park's San Diego location is delivering its final One Ocean show on Sunday, ending the series of orca performances that elicited outrage after the 2013 documentary Blackfish. The principal subject of that documentary, an orca named Tilikum, died Friday at the age of 36.
The filmmakers pointed to the aggressive behavior of the nearly six-ton male orca as evidence of the cruelty — and the dangers — of holding these whales in captivity.
Amid the outcry (and plunging stock value) that followed, SeaWorld promised changes to its program. In 2015, SeaWorld CEO Joel Manby announced that the signature orca performances would abandon the traditional tricks and stunts in favor of a more informative show, in a more natural setting.
Sunday's One Ocean finale in San Diego is the fruit of that promise. SeaWorld's locations in San Antonio, Texas, and Orlando, Fla., are expected to follow suit and end their versions of the popular show by 2019.
In its place, SeaWorld will be introducing Orca Encounter, a series of shows it describes as a more educational experience.
"No longer a theatrical show, this live presentation will have the feel of an engaging documentary centered on the orca's natural behaviors, physical attributes, intelligence, social structures and unique relationship with mankind," according to a statement from the park. ContinueReading
The theme park's San Diego location is delivering its final One Ocean show on Sunday, ending the series of orca performances that elicited outrage after the 2013 documentary Blackfish. The principal subject of that documentary, an orca named Tilikum, died Friday at the age of 36.
The filmmakers pointed to the aggressive behavior of the nearly six-ton male orca as evidence of the cruelty — and the dangers — of holding these whales in captivity.
Amid the outcry (and plunging stock value) that followed, SeaWorld promised changes to its program. In 2015, SeaWorld CEO Joel Manby announced that the signature orca performances would abandon the traditional tricks and stunts in favor of a more informative show, in a more natural setting.
Sunday's One Ocean finale in San Diego is the fruit of that promise. SeaWorld's locations in San Antonio, Texas, and Orlando, Fla., are expected to follow suit and end their versions of the popular show by 2019.
In its place, SeaWorld will be introducing Orca Encounter, a series of shows it describes as a more educational experience.
"No longer a theatrical show, this live presentation will have the feel of an engaging documentary centered on the orca's natural behaviors, physical attributes, intelligence, social structures and unique relationship with mankind," according to a statement from the park. ContinueReading
Saturday, January 7, 2017
Orthodox Christian Christmas: Russia, Ukraine, Serbia among countries celebrating on January 7
In some Eastern European and Middle Eastern countries Christmas is officially celebrated on January 7.
That is because many Orthodox Christian churches follow the Julian calendar for religious celebrations.
The Julian calendar runs 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar, the standard international calendar in use today.
"When we open the church calendar on January 7, we're actually looking at the date December 25," Father Alexander Morozow of the Russian Orthodox Church in Canberra said.
"So we still have that same date, we're just using a calendar that hasn't caught up.
The Julian calendar took effect under the reign of Julius Caesar in 45BC.
In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII created a new calendar to correct the discrepancy between calendar time and calculated astronomical time. It became known as the Gregorian calendar.
But to begin with only Catholic countries adopted the changes and Orthodox Christian countries remained on the Julian calendar.
Over time, those countries adopted the Gregorian calendar for secular use but the Orthodox churches continued to base their liturgical calendar on the Julian timetable.
In 1923 a revised version of the Julian calendar was introduced bringing Christmas Day in line with the Gregorian calendar, but it was only adopted by some of the Orthodox Christian countries including Greece, Cyprus and Romania.
Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Belarus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Macedonia-Skopje, Moldova and Montenegro continue to celebrate Christmas on January 7. Continue Reading
Friday, January 6, 2017
Sears and Macy's Set to Close Hundreds of Stores Across the US
Macy's and Sears, two of the union's most iconic department stores, today announced massive cutbacks that will lead to the closure of hundreds of locations and cutting thousands of jobs.
Sears announced it is shuttering 150 of its stores, including 108 Kmarts. The company did not release how many workers would be laid off but reported that holiday sales were down 12 percent this year.
The company also sold its Craftsman tools business for $900 million to help pay off mounting debt.
Sears is not alone. Macy's also plans to close 68 stores, cutting 6,200 jobs, according to the company.
"So many people are shopping online, mobile. Why would you go to a department store?" said Ashley Lutz, deputy editor of the Business Insider. "The years of the fancy department store is over. ... This is really just the beginning."
Sears and Macy's representatives said that the savings from the cuts would go to helping to boost online sales.
Sears announced it is shuttering 150 of its stores, including 108 Kmarts. The company did not release how many workers would be laid off but reported that holiday sales were down 12 percent this year.
The company also sold its Craftsman tools business for $900 million to help pay off mounting debt.
Sears is not alone. Macy's also plans to close 68 stores, cutting 6,200 jobs, according to the company.
"So many people are shopping online, mobile. Why would you go to a department store?" said Ashley Lutz, deputy editor of the Business Insider. "The years of the fancy department store is over. ... This is really just the beginning."
Sears and Macy's representatives said that the savings from the cuts would go to helping to boost online sales.
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Illinois: 4 in custody after mentally disabled man tied up, tortured on Facebook Live
*The following contains graphic content that some might find disturbing.
FOX 32 NEWS - Chicago investigators are questioning four African-Americans after a Facebook Live video shows a group of people torturing a white mentally disabled man while someone yelled "F*** Trump!" and "F*** white people!"
Chicago police were made aware of the video Tuesday afternoon. A young African American woman streamed the video live on Facebook showing at least four people holding the young white man hostage.
"The video is reprehensible," said police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.
"It's sickening. You know it makes you wonder what would make individuals treat somebody like that," Police Supt. Eddie Johnson added.
Throughout the video, the victim is repeatedly kicked and hit, his scalp is cut, all while he is tied up with his mouth taped shut.
At one point, the victim is held at knife point and told to curse President-elect Donald Trump. The group also forces the victim to drink water from a toilet.
The suspects can be heard saying they want the video to go viral.
Detectives think the victim, who lives in the suburbs and appeared to be in his late teens or early 20s, met some acquaintances in northwest suburban Streamwood and they drove him to Chicago in a stolen vehicle, Guglielmi said.
The victim is then believed to have been held hostage and tortured in an apartment in the 3400 block of West Lexington on the West Side, Guglielmi said. Continue reading
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Related: “Race” – The Divide-And-Conquer Tool Of Tyrants
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Chinese Media Warns Beijing Of India's Takeover As World's Manufacturing Hub
Beijing: Apple expanding its business in India could have other tech giants follow suit and threaten China's position as the manufacturing powerhouse, Chinese state media said today, adding that Beijing will have to upgrade its manufacturing to further attract offshore production.
"Apple's possible supply chain transfer to the South Asian country adds further pressure on China as its domestic manufacturers show a growing interest in offshore production to low-cost countries," the state-run Global Times said.
Even as US President-elect Donald Trump pledges to bring manufacturing jobs back to the US, China's competitors seem to be further expanding their businesses offshore. An Apple manufacturing partner is working to build an assembly facility in India, the article said.
"Whether India is ready to embrace the supply chain transfer and replicate China's success as a manufacturing powerhouse is another story. But the evolving landscape highlights the need for China to design a strategy to retain manufacturing jobs and upgrade its manufacturing industry to maintain competitiveness," it said.
Apple's three major assemblers - Foxconn Technology Group, Pegatron Corp. and Wistron Corp - are all Taiwanese and any one could be willing to set up India operations.
Despite Apple's bumpy journey to expand operations in India when its application to open stores was rejected because at least 30 percent of mobile parts production was not localised, an opportunity seems to have opened up as senior Indian officials have softened their stance, it said.
Apple's three major assemblers - Foxconn Technology Group, Pegatron Corp. and Wistron Corp - are all Taiwanese and any one could be willing to set up India operations.
If Apple decides to set up assembly facilities in India, more global tech giants may follow suit and China is likely to see a further transfer of the supply chain given India's abundant supply of working-age labourers and low labour costs.
"And it won't be difficult for Wistron to make a large investment or generate jobs. Apple's partner Foxconn has displayed the potential for job creation in India," it said, adding,
The article said that China can't afford to lose manufacturing jobs while it has not made a major breakthrough in upgrading its industry. It also warned Beijing of Donald Trump's plans to draw manufacturing jobs back to the US.
It however said China's skilled labour was its edge over India.
"Industrial competition between China and India comes down to the labour force, where costs and the level of skills are two major factors that influence business decisions. Although China has an edge having nurtured skilled workers over past decades, a majority of Indian states have an absolute labour cost advantage over China," it said.
"Apple's possible supply chain transfer to the South Asian country adds further pressure on China as its domestic manufacturers show a growing interest in offshore production to low-cost countries," the state-run Global Times said.
Even as US President-elect Donald Trump pledges to bring manufacturing jobs back to the US, China's competitors seem to be further expanding their businesses offshore. An Apple manufacturing partner is working to build an assembly facility in India, the article said.
"Whether India is ready to embrace the supply chain transfer and replicate China's success as a manufacturing powerhouse is another story. But the evolving landscape highlights the need for China to design a strategy to retain manufacturing jobs and upgrade its manufacturing industry to maintain competitiveness," it said.
Apple's three major assemblers - Foxconn Technology Group, Pegatron Corp. and Wistron Corp - are all Taiwanese and any one could be willing to set up India operations.
Despite Apple's bumpy journey to expand operations in India when its application to open stores was rejected because at least 30 percent of mobile parts production was not localised, an opportunity seems to have opened up as senior Indian officials have softened their stance, it said.
Apple's three major assemblers - Foxconn Technology Group, Pegatron Corp. and Wistron Corp - are all Taiwanese and any one could be willing to set up India operations.
If Apple decides to set up assembly facilities in India, more global tech giants may follow suit and China is likely to see a further transfer of the supply chain given India's abundant supply of working-age labourers and low labour costs.
"And it won't be difficult for Wistron to make a large investment or generate jobs. Apple's partner Foxconn has displayed the potential for job creation in India," it said, adding,
The article said that China can't afford to lose manufacturing jobs while it has not made a major breakthrough in upgrading its industry. It also warned Beijing of Donald Trump's plans to draw manufacturing jobs back to the US.
It however said China's skilled labour was its edge over India.
"Industrial competition between China and India comes down to the labour force, where costs and the level of skills are two major factors that influence business decisions. Although China has an edge having nurtured skilled workers over past decades, a majority of Indian states have an absolute labour cost advantage over China," it said.
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
New York takes a stab at debt-free college, covering tuition for families earning less than $125,000
(WashingtonPost) - New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is forging ahead with one of the Democratic Party’s most popular ideas by proposing to cover tuition for low- and middle-income students at state colleges and universities.
Any New Yorker accepted to one of the state’s community colleges or four-year universities will be eligible for free tuition provided their family earns less than $125,000 a year. The new initiative will be phased in over three years, beginning for New Yorkers making up to $100,000 annually in the fall of 2017, increasing to $110,000 in 2018, and reaching $125,000 in 2019.
Cuomo aims to roll out the program, dubbed the Excelsior Scholarship, over three years beginning this fall, pending legislative approval. His administration estimates that the scholarship will cost at least $163 million in the first year, a price tag that could rise alongside participation. Nearly 1 million families would qualify for the programme.
“College is a mandatory step if you really want to be a success,” Cuomo said Tuesday at LaGuardia Community College in Queens. “And the way this society said we’re going to pay for high school because you need high school, this society should say we’re going to pay for college because you need college to be successful. And New York state is going to do something about it.”
If the proposal clears the state legislature, New York will become the largest state to offer tuition-free public higher education to residents. Yet states across the country and across the political spectrum are paying greater attention to college costs as more local employers demand some form of postsecondary education. According to the Upjohn Institute, there are at least 85 initiatives at the municipal and state level aiming to cover the cost of tuition at community colleges. Tennessee, Oregon and Minnesota have free community-college programs, with Tennessee’s model lauded as a viable path for reducing higher-education costs.
Although momentum for debt-free college has been building for years, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Hillary Clinton elevated the issue of college affordability with campaign proposals to make public higher education free for the vast majority of American families. Those prospects seemed to fade with the election of Donald Trump, but proponents are rallying behind states to continue the fight.
Monday, January 2, 2017
Finland just launched an experiment giving 2,000 people free money until 2019
(BusinessInsider) - Finland has an ambitious New Year's resolution in mind: learn how offering free money for two years helps the unemployed get back to work.
Starting January 1, 2017 and lasting until 2019, the federal social security institution Kela will distribute roughly $590 each month to 2,000 jobless Finns.
Regardless of whether they find work during that period, the money will keep coming in at the beginning of each month — a trial version of basic income, one of the past year's most popular theories of how to solve poverty.
Under universal basic income (UBI), people receive a standard amount of money just for being alive. By handing out the money to everyone, regardless of their income status, UBI advocates say the system prevents people from falling through the cracks.
Marjukka Turunen, head of Kela's legal benefits unit, says the experiment in Finland should provide insights on two fronts.
The first is whether basic income could help clean up Finland's messy system of social security. Depending on their specific needs, Turunen says residents could be on one of 40 different benefit systems. Each benefit — whether it's for someone who's sick, unemployed, a student, or so on— is calculated differently and must be changed when the person's status changes.
"That's really a burden for customers and Kela to do all those status changes," Turunen tells Business Insider. A form of basic income could mean people just need to apply for one status indefinitely, no changes required.
The experiment will also provide clues about how people behave when they're receiving free money. Skeptics say people will sit on their couch all day. Proponents claim they'll actually use the money to make their lives better. (Limited evidence from developing countries suggests it's more of the latter.)
Turunen suspects the experiment will compel at least a few wannabe entrepreneurs to make the leap into starting their own business — a risky proposition in Finland today since business owners who are forced to close shop don't receive unemployment benefits. It's not unlike the system in place in most US states.
"The system nowadays, it's pretty negative for people who try to do something — even little — in their lives and get something out of it," she says.
A basic income might turn a risky move into a much safer one.
Turunen doesn't expect the trial to lead to larger basic income studies in Finland. The current experiment is tax-free, and in a small country like Finland the cost would be too great.
But other long-term experiments are picking up the slack. Basic income is part of government conversations in Canada, India, and the Netherlands. A pilot project run by the Silicon Valley firm Y Combinator is soon launching in Oakland, California, and the charity GiveDirectly has launched a massive 12-year study in Kenya.
Turunen, for her part, expects basic income to continue gaining in popularity if the data from those experiments keeps coming back positive.
"Some people might stay on their couches, and some might go to work," she says. "We don't know yet."
Starting January 1, 2017 and lasting until 2019, the federal social security institution Kela will distribute roughly $590 each month to 2,000 jobless Finns.
Regardless of whether they find work during that period, the money will keep coming in at the beginning of each month — a trial version of basic income, one of the past year's most popular theories of how to solve poverty.
Under universal basic income (UBI), people receive a standard amount of money just for being alive. By handing out the money to everyone, regardless of their income status, UBI advocates say the system prevents people from falling through the cracks.
Marjukka Turunen, head of Kela's legal benefits unit, says the experiment in Finland should provide insights on two fronts.
The first is whether basic income could help clean up Finland's messy system of social security. Depending on their specific needs, Turunen says residents could be on one of 40 different benefit systems. Each benefit — whether it's for someone who's sick, unemployed, a student, or so on— is calculated differently and must be changed when the person's status changes.
"That's really a burden for customers and Kela to do all those status changes," Turunen tells Business Insider. A form of basic income could mean people just need to apply for one status indefinitely, no changes required.
The experiment will also provide clues about how people behave when they're receiving free money. Skeptics say people will sit on their couch all day. Proponents claim they'll actually use the money to make their lives better. (Limited evidence from developing countries suggests it's more of the latter.)
Turunen suspects the experiment will compel at least a few wannabe entrepreneurs to make the leap into starting their own business — a risky proposition in Finland today since business owners who are forced to close shop don't receive unemployment benefits. It's not unlike the system in place in most US states.
"The system nowadays, it's pretty negative for people who try to do something — even little — in their lives and get something out of it," she says.
A basic income might turn a risky move into a much safer one.
Turunen doesn't expect the trial to lead to larger basic income studies in Finland. The current experiment is tax-free, and in a small country like Finland the cost would be too great.
But other long-term experiments are picking up the slack. Basic income is part of government conversations in Canada, India, and the Netherlands. A pilot project run by the Silicon Valley firm Y Combinator is soon launching in Oakland, California, and the charity GiveDirectly has launched a massive 12-year study in Kenya.
Turunen, for her part, expects basic income to continue gaining in popularity if the data from those experiments keeps coming back positive.
"Some people might stay on their couches, and some might go to work," she says. "We don't know yet."
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Venezuela military trafficking food as country goes hungry
PUERTO CABELLO, Venezuela – When hunger drew tens of thousands of Venezuelans to the streets in protest last summer, President Nicolas Maduro turned to the military to manage the country's diminished food supply, putting generals in charge of everything from butter to rice.
But instead of fighting hunger, the military is making money from it, an Associated Press investigation shows. That's what grocer Jose Campos found when he ran out of pantry staples this year. In the middle of the night, he would travel to an illegal market run by the military to buy pallets of corn flour — at 100 times the government-set price.
"The military would be watching over whole bags of money," Campos said. "They always had what I needed."
With much of the country on the verge of starvation and billions of dollars at stake, food trafficking has become one of the biggest businesses in Venezuela, the AP found. And from generals to foot soldiers, the military is at the heart of the graft, according to documents and interviews with more than 60 officials, business owners and workers, including five former generals.
As a result, food is not reaching those who most need it.
The U.S. government has taken notice. Prosecutors have opened investigations against senior Venezuelan officials, including members of the military, for laundering riches from food contracts through the U.S. financial system, according to four people with direct knowledge of the probes. No charges have been brought.
"Lately, food is a better business than drugs," said retired Gen. Cliver Alcala, who helped oversee Venezuela's border security. "The military is in charge of food management now, and they're not going to just take that on without getting their cut." (Continue reading)
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