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Thursday, January 31, 2013
Why It's Impossible to Build a Concussion-Proof Helmet
Economic jitters compete with Obama agenda
FILE - In this Jan. 29, 2013 file photo, President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks in Las Vegas. Just as President Barack Obama is pushing new initiatives on gun control and immigration, the gloomy old problem of a sluggish economy is shoving its way back into prominence. That could imperil his focus on other issues, just as he is shaping a second-term agenda. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken, File)
FILE - In this Jan. 29, 2013 file photo, President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks in Las Vegas. Just as President Barack Obama is pushing new initiatives on gun control and immigration, the gloomy old problem of a sluggish economy is shoving its way back into prominence. That could imperil his focus on other issues, just as he is shaping a second-term agenda. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Just as President Barack Obama is pushing new initiatives on gun control and immigration, the gloomy old problem of a sluggish economy is elbowing its way back into prominence. Consumer confidence is falling, the economy is contracting and large automatic spending cuts are threatening to hit the Pentagon and other programs, with uncertain consequences.
These troubles arise as Obama's public approval is improving and as he begins to use his sway to promote the key features of his second-term agenda. The White House, the Federal Reserve and independent economists attributed the shrinkage in gross domestic product and the drop in consumer confidence to one-time events and said underlying economic factors were still showing encouraging signs.
But in politics, power resides in the moment. Any immediate economic setback ? or the perception of one ? could weaken Obama's clout or at least distract him as he carefully tries to put his imprint on initiatives dealing with immigration and gun violence.
At the White House, there was no evidence of a course alteration. And White House officials expressed confidence in consumption and investment trends that showed evidence of strength.
But the Commerce Department announcement Wednesday that the economy shrank at an annual rate of 0.1 percent came a day after the Conference Board reported a sharp decline in consumer confidence in January. That drop, together with one in December, erased consumer confidence that had built up in 2012.
What's more, the new data comes just two days before the government releases the January unemployment report, which economists believe will stay at the still-high rate of 7.8 percent, where it has held for two months.
"What's most critical to consumer confidence is employment," said Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at the Conference Board. "We've had spurts where we've had strong job growth and we've seen a rebound in confidence, and then suddenly you have a pullback in employment and you get a pullback in confidence. So we need a convincing story, and that's going to take several months of jobs growth."
Analysts said the economy is still on track to grow steadily if modestly at a roughly 2 percent pace, as long as the housing and auto industries continue to recover.
The Commerce Department attributed the economic contraction mainly to companies restocking at a slower rate and to reductions in government spending on defense. While companies will ultimately have to rebuild their inventories, the cuts in defense spending could offer a hint of things to come.
The administration argued that the 22 percent reduction in defense spending was partly in anticipation of automatic spending cuts that were going to take effect at the beginning of the year. Obama and congressional Republicans averted that so-called fiscal cliff by extending Bush-era tax rates to all but the wealthiest Americans.
But the deal simply delayed the automatic cuts until March 1. At that point, the Pentagon faces across-the-board cuts of 7 percent, while domestic programs will have to shrink by 5 percent. Some analysts believe that if those cuts are allowed to occur, as some Republicans are now suggesting, the economy could lose a half a percentage point of growth.
Some in the business community hope the experience in the last quarter will alert lawmakers to the potential economic damage the automatic cuts could create.
"I don't think any time you see a reduction in economic growth that it's good news," White House press secretary Jay Carney conceded Wednesday.
But he cautioned, "We need to make sure that in Washington we are not taking actions that undercut that progress that we have been making and can continue to make and will continue to make."
Carney said letting the automatic cuts take effect is a "sort of political brinksmanship of the kind that results in one primary victim, and that's American taxpayers, the American middle class."
Still, the White House insists the only alternative to those cuts is a mix of savings and new tax revenue. Republicans say the $600 billion in revenue they already gave Obama as part of the New Year's fiscal cliff deal is enough. They insist that if he wants different spending cuts than those due to start on March 1, he should submit a new plan.
But the White House has been eager to move away from fiscal and budget fights, ready to use the president's re-election and the uptick in his popularity to push his noneconomic agenda.
On Tuesday, he traveled to Las Vegas to push for an overhaul in immigration. On Monday, he is traveling to Minneapolis to promote his proposals to reduce gun violence.
The issues are not simple ones for Obama. The economy and the nation's debt still rank higher than immigration and guns as issues in the mind of the public. Moreover, Obama has to navigate gingerly with Congress on immigration, where a fragile coalition of Democrats and Republicans is assembling legislation that, among other things, could provide a path to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S.
Obama has vowed to use his bully pulpit to build public support for his new agenda. Defending his economic stewardship was not supposed to be part of the playbook.
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Priest, teacher convicted in Pa. church abuse case
By MARYCLAIRE DALE
Associated Press
Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A jury on Wednesday convicted a priest and teacher in a pivotal church-abuse case that rocked the Philadelphia archdiocese and sent a church official to prison for child endangerment.
The verdict upholds the stunning account from a troubled 24-year-old policeman's son that he was sexually abused as a boy by two priests and his sixth-grade teacher. One priest took a plea deal before trial, while the jury convicted the Rev. Charles Engelhardt and former teacher Bernard Shero of all but one count.
The 2009 complaint describing the abuse led to the landmark conviction last year of Monsignor William Lynn, the longtime secretary for clergy in Philadelphia. Lynn is serving three to six years in prison for his role transferring an admitted pedophile priest to the accuser's northeast Philadelphia parish. A string of priest victims testified in Lynn's case, but none said they had been passed around like the policeman's son.
"I'm overjoyed that there was a conviction, mostly because of this victim. I really didn't expect it," said Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams, an active Catholic who revived efforts to prosecute the archdiocese after taking office three years ago.
The accuser, now a gaunt young man, has battled heroin abuse since his teens and still has a drug case pending. And details of his story changed frequently over the years, even about whether Shero raped him in the classroom or in a parked car.
"The victim was demonized, cross-examined, ... dehumanized. I would understand how a jury could come to a different verdict," Williams said.
The accuser said the assaults began after Engelhardt caught him drinking altar wine in fifth grade. He said Engelhardt told fellow priest Edward Avery about their "session," prompting Avery to twice sexually assault the boy. And he testified that Shero raped him a year later, after driving him home after detention.
The jury convicted Shero, 49, of Levittown, of rape, indecent sexual assault and other charges. They convicted Engelhardt, 66, of Wyndmoor, of charges including indecent assault of a child under 13, corruption of a minor and conspiracy with Avery. The jury deadlocked on one count, an indecent sexual assault count against Engelhardt, after deliberating since late Friday.
Lawyer Burton Rose described Shero after the verdict as "very distraught, very distraught." He had told jurors that his introverted, visually impaired client was an easy target for a false accuser.
Defense lawyers had argued that the accuser was simply hoping for a payout from his pending civil suit against the archdiocese. His story defied belief, they said.
He initially told a church social worker he'd been raped for five hours by Engelhardt after Mass; beaten and tied with sashes by defrocked priest Edward Avery; and raped by Shero at school. None of those details emerged in his trial testimony.
"(He) is the walking, talking personification of reasonable doubt," argued defense lawyer Michael McGovern, representing Engelhardt, an Oblate of St. Francis.
The accuser's account got a boost when Avery entered a surprise guilty plea last year. But Avery startled the courtroom this month when he testified that he never touched the boy, but took the 2-1/2- to five-year deal to avoid a longer sentence at trial.
Williams called that turn of events something fit for a "Law and Order" episode.
"He pleaded because it was a good offer," Avery's lawyer, Michael Wallace, said Wednesday. "(Jurors) think that anybody who walks down the street with a collar is guilty."
Shero and Engelhardt were taken into immediate custody. They each face more than a decade in prison when they are sentenced in April. Their relatives were inconsolable.
The victim now lives in Florida and was not in court, although his parents were. He told jurors this month that he'd been clean for a year, after 23 stints in drug rehabilitation.
Thousands of people have accused priests around the country of abuse, but the complaints were routinely locked in secret church archives. Several states, including Pennsylvania, then extended the time limit for child sex-abuse victims to pursue criminal or civil action, although victim advocates want to see additional reforms.
Philadelphia prosecutors saw their chance to renew their exhaustive, but stalled, investigation into priest abuse with the policeman's son, whose claims were viable under the new statutes.
Williams decided to charge Monsignor Lynn because Avery had been transferred to the boy's parish even though he admitted to church officials that he had abused a teen in 1992. Lynn is appealing his conviction.
In September, Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn was convicted of a misdemeanor for failing to report a priest known to possess child pornography.
The victims' advocacy group Bishopaccountability.org recently began posting the secret church documents aired at the Lynn trial. And the Archdiocese of Los Angeles was forced to make many of their secret archives public.
"The Philadelphia archive will show why statutes of limitations must be reformed in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, and why Lynn and Finn will not be the last church officials to be held accountable," Bishopaccountability officials said.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Texas murder suspect had been living in Rutherford County for past 12 years
The La Vergne Police Department Criminal Investigations Division, along with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement?s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), arrested a murder suspect on Thursday, January 24, 2013. Mario Marraquin, age 41, is awaiting extradition to Houston, Texas to face homicide charges.
The charges stem from a cold case murder that occurred in 1994 in Houston. The name of the murder victim is not being released pending the Texas investigation. Marraquin was living at 826 LaVergne Lane for approximately 12 years under the assumed name of Cesar Cruz.
?HSI and its law enforcement partners will investigate and seek prosecution of criminals no matter how much time may have passed,? said Special Agent in Charge of HSI New Orleans Raymond R. Parmer Jr. ?Vigilance and persistence are the hallmarks of good investigative work, and criminals should be on notice through cases such as this that ?running out the clock? on justice simply isn?t an option.? Parmer oversees a five state area of operations to include Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
?This was a case of interstate and interagency cooperation,? said Detective Sergeant David Durham. ?Texas police and Homeland Security Investigations were able to identify Mr. Marraquin. La?Vergne detectives then obtained a fugitive from justice warrant to carry out the extradition process for him to be returned to Texas to face charges.?
Marraquin was booked through the Rutherford County Sheriff?s Office.? He faces an extradition hearing, scheduled January 30, through the Rutherford County court system.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wgnsradio/~3/toXO4pgXrtY/news.php
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Judge Koh finds Samsung infringement of Apple patents was not willful, won't triple damages
Judge Lucy Koh has decided on several post-trial motions from Samsung and Apple in their long running patent case, overturning one key element of the jury's ruling while upholding several others. What was overturned was the jury's ruling that Samsung's acts of patent infringement were willful, which meant Judge Koh could have tripled some parts of the $1 billion+ in damages granted to Apple. On the other hand, she also rejected Samsung's request for a new trial, and invalidated two claims a wireless patent it holds. AppleInsider posted the decision to Scribd, which you can find embedded after the break, hit the source links for a few other looks at the ruling and what this means going forward. Naturally of course, it's not over yet (it's never over) as each company can still appeal elements of the ruling, and other appeals in the case are already ongoing.
Orders on Motions for Judgment as Matter of Law by Mikey Campbell
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Samsung
Source: Apple Insider, FOSS Patents, The Verge
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/29/apple-samsung-willful-infringement/
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Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Army says political tussle taking Egypt to brink
CAIRO, Egypt (Reuters) - Egypt's army chief said political strife was pushing the state to the brink of collapse - a stark warning from the institution that ran the country until last year, as Cairo's first elected leader struggles to contain bloody street violence.
General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, appointed by President Mohamed Mursi last year to head the military, added in a statement on Tuesday that one of the primary goals of deploying troops in cities on the Suez Canal was to protect the waterway that is vital for Egypt's economy and world trade.
Sisi's comments, published on an official army Facebook page, followed 52 deaths in the past week of disorder and highlighted the mounting sense of crisis facing Egypt and its Islamist head of state who is struggling to fix a teetering economy and needs to prepare Egypt for a parliamentary election in a few months that is meant to cement the new democracy.
The comments are unlikely to mean the army wants to take back the power it held, in effect, for six decades since the end of the colonial period and in the interim period after the overthrow of former general Hosni Mubarak two years ago.
But it sends a powerful message that the Egypt's biggest institution, with a huge economic as well as security role and a recipient of massive direct U.S. subsidies, is worried about the fate of the nation after five days of turmoil in major cities.
"The continuation of the struggle of the different political forces ... over the management of state affairs could lead to the collapse of the state," said General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is also defense minister in the government Mursi appointed.
He said the economic, political and social challenges facing the country represented "a real threat to the security of Egypt and the cohesiveness of the Egyptian state" and the army would remain "the solid and cohesive block" on which the state rests.
Sisi was appointed by Mursi after the army handed over power to the new president in June. Mursi sacked Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, who had been in charge of Egypt during the transition and who had also been Mubarak's defense minister for 20 years.
Political opponents spurned a call by Mursi for talks on Monday to try to end the violence. Instead, huge crowds of protesters took to the streets in Cairo and Alexandria, and in the three Suez Canal cities - Port Said, Ismailia and Suez - where Mursi on Sunday imposed emergency rule and a curfew.
"DOWN, DOWN MURSI"
Residents in the three canal cities demonstrated overnight in defiance of the curfew. At least two men died in fighting in Port Said, raising to at least 42 people who have now been killed there, most of them by gunshot wounds.
Protests first flared to mark the second anniversary of the uprising that erupted on January 25, 2011 and toppled Mubarak 18 days later. They have been exacerbated by riots in Port Said by residents enraged by a court ruling sentencing several people from the city to death over deadly soccer violence last year.
"Down, down with Mohamed Mursi! Down, down with the state of emergency!" crowds shouted in Ismailia. In Cairo, flames lit up the night sky as protesters set vehicles ablaze.
The demonstrators accuse Mursi of betraying the two-year-old revolution. Mursi and his supporters in the Muslim Brotherhood accuse the protesters of seeking to overthrow Egypt's first ever democratically elected leader by undemocratic means.
Debris from days of unrest was strewn on the streets around Cairo's Tahrir Square, cauldron of the anti-Mubarak uprising.
Youths clambered over a burned-out police van. But unlike on previous mornings in the past few days, there was no early sign of renewed clashes with police.
Since the 2011 revolt, Islamists who Mubarak spent his 30-year rule suppressing have won two referendums, two parliamentary elections and a presidential vote.
But that legitimacy has been challenged by an opposition that accuses Mursi of imposing a new form of authoritarianism, and punctuated by repeated waves of unrest that have prevented a return to stability in the most populous Arab state.
U.S. UNEASE
The army has already been deployed in Port Said and Suez and the government agreed a measure to let soldiers arrest civilians as part of the state of emergency.
The instability has provoked unease in Western capitals, where officials worry about the direction of a powerful regional player that has a peace deal with Israel. The United States condemned the bloodshed and called on Egyptian leaders to make clear violence is not acceptable.
Mursi's invitation to rivals to hold a national dialogue with Islamists on Monday was spurned by the main opposition National Salvation Front coalition, which described it as "cosmetic".
The only liberal politician who attended, Ayman Nour, told Egypt's al-Hayat channel after the meeting ended late on Monday that attendees agreed to meet again in a week.
He said Mursi had promised to look at changes to the constitution requested by the opposition but did not consider the opposition's request for a government of national unity. Mursi's pushing through last month of a new constitution which critics see as too Islamic remains a bone of contention.
The president announced the emergency measures on television on Sunday. "The protection of the nation is the responsibility of everyone. We will confront any threat to its security with force and firmness within the remit of the law," Mursi said.
His demeanor infuriated his opponents, not least when he wagged a finger, imperiously, at the camera.
Some activists said Mursi's measures to try to impose control on the turbulent streets could backfire.
"Martial law, state of emergency and army arrests of civilians are not a solution to the crisis," said Ahmed Maher of the April 6 movement that helped galvanize the 2011 uprising. "All this will do is further provoke the youth. The solution has to be a political one that addresses the roots of the problem."
(Additional reporting by Yasmine Saleh and Omar Fahmy in Cairo, Yusri Mohamed in Ismailia and Abdelrahman Youssef in Alexandria; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egyptian-protesters-defy-curfew-attack-police-stations-074130394.html
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Opposing Online Gaming in New Jersey: The Time to Act is Now
Opposing Online Gaming in New Jersey: The Time to Act is Now
There is a full court press to get Governor Christie to sign the legislation legalizing online gaming in New Jersey to benefit Atlantic City.? Senator Lesniak, other politicians,?and the Poker Player's Alliance are pushing the Governor to sign this legislation.? It is imperative for racing interests to work against this legislation as much as the PPA is promoting it.There are several reasons why this bill must be vetoed by the Governor prior to the February 7 deadline.? First, there are the constitutional issues.? When the constitutional amendment legalizing casino gaming in New Jersey, limiting it to Atlantic City was passed, it was a second attempt as a constitutional amendment approving casino gambling state-wide?went down to defeat.? At the time of the amendment's approval, it was clear the New Jersey voter's intent was to limit casinos to Atlantic City alone, nowhere else in New Jersey.
This proposed?legislation clearly is an attempt to circumvent the will of the people at the time of the constitutional amendment's passage.? By having the servers in Atlantic City, the state legislature is trying to claim?gambling will still be restricted to Atlantic City.? Really?? Are people going to have to drive down to Atlantic City to fund their wagering accounts or will they be able to fund their accounts using the mail or via their computer located in Morristown?? When a gambler plays a casino game from Hackettstown, making a wager or hitting the enter button on their lap top is not considered making a wager?? I find this hard to believe.? If the state wants online gaming, they need to do it right by getting a new constitutional amendment passed legalizing it, along with allowing a casino at the Meadowlands.
But constitutional issues aside, this legislation benefits Atlantic City at the expense of horse racing in New Jersey, be it ACRC, Freehold, Meadowlands, or Monmouth Park.? While poker is a game of skill, other casino games are based on luck and can attract the same customers as racetracks do.? For the state to pass legislation for the advantage of one industry at the direct expense of another industry?is unconscionable.? I understand the state is trying to salvage a now obsolete model of casino resorts which is Atlantic City and I don't deny them the opportunity to give Atlantic City a window of time to get their house in order.? This is why if? New Jersey?wants to offer online gaming, it should be done with the passage of a constitutional amendment which will allow online gaming for Atlantic City Casinos and allow the opening of a casino in the Meadowlands as of January 1, 2015 which will give the casinos their five year window to get their house in order yet allow the Meadowlands to get ready to open a casino on January 1, 2015.
At this time, what is needed is for those opposed to this online gaming bill to make sure their voices are heard.? There are several ways this can be done.? First, you may use social media to make your views known by writing the Governor on Twitter at @GovChristie or sending him a message on Facebook at Governor Chris Christie.? In addition to social media, you may contact the Governor's office at 609-292-6000 to voice your opinion or via email.
Racing seems to be straightening its ship.? If you wish to allow New Jersey racing to continue to improve, it is important that the Governor hears your opinions regarding online gaming now.? If not now, there may never be another chance.?
Source: http://viewfromthegrandstand.blogspot.com/2013/01/opposing-online-gaming-in-new-jersey.html
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February Small Business SEO Tips and Tools Seminar Announced ...
Exciting online webinar explains no cost ways to use tools and tips to get to the top of Google and Bing for small businesses.
Dallas, TX (PRWEB) January 29, 2013
The JM Internet Group (web: jm-seo.org), a leader in providing SEO Tips for Small Business via innovative online seminars, has announced its latest small business webinar coming up February 4, 2013, on the top ten free tools for Google and SEO for small business. This popular live, online training is a favorite among small business owners looking for SEO tips, secrets and tips for Google success and to boost their company's presence on the internet via search engine optimization in Google. Students will learn how to use the top ten no cost tools to successfully optimize their website for SEO. Classes tend to fill up fast, so it is recommended that small business owners and marketers sign up as soon as possible.
"I'm very excited about 2013 as the field of SEO constantly evolves," explained Jason McDonald, SEO expert and director of the JM Internet Group. "Our February 4th class explains the tips, tools, and secrets to Google success for small businesses."
For more info and to sign up go to:
????http://www.jm-seo.org/seo-tips
SEO Small Business Tips Seminar- Summary and Agenda
Many people want a quick, online training course on SEO, and so the JM Internet Group has responded with an introductory, no obligation, fwebinar on the "Top TenTools" for SEO. Rather than deal with hundreds of questions and answers, the company has found most people get their questions answered about the course in this easy, quick online session. The class is taught by Jason McDonald, SEO / Social Media expert.
While the class is taught online, many businesses from the technology areas of Texas have shown up and participated. Dallas, Texas, for instance is a hotbed of networking and technology industries as is Austin of course. Even in cities like San Antonio or Houston, Texas businesses often struggle to find real-world training on search engine optimization. Therefore, many Texas businesses have 'gone online' and participated in these live, online seminars to help understand both local and global search engine optimizations.
It takes less than one hour, and in that hour participants will learn -
????Search Engine Optimization - what is SEO? What are the basic concepts?
????Keywords - how can you identify your BEST keywords for Google, Yahoo, and/or Bing?
????Free SEO Tools - what are the BEST FREE tools are out there on the Internet that can help quickly get to the top of the search engines?
????The Course - what will a participant learn in the entire course, if you decide to proceed?
The online SEO seminars fill quickly, so here are links to upcoming available courses. Registration is quick and easy - and no obligation.
SEO Course Syllabus
????Top Ten: Top Ten Free Tools for SEO / Search Engine Optimization
????Keywords: How to Generate Great Keywords for Great Google Rank
????Page Tags - Quick Boost - Use Page Tags to Improve your Google Rank
????Link Strategies: The Who, What, Where, When and How of Getting Good Links for SEO
????News: News You Can Use - Using News as an SEO Opportunity -
????Google Rank: Monitoring Your Google Rank, and Leveraging it for SEO and PPC
????Website Structure: Creating the Best Topology for Google Rank
????Metrics: Tools for Measuring Your Website SEO and Performance
About JM Internet Group
The JM Internet Group provides SEO, Social Media Marketing, and Google AdWords training and courses for busy marketers and businesspeople. Online search engine optimization training helps explain keywords, page tags, link building strategies and other techniques needed to climb to the top of search engine rankings for Google, Yahoo, and Bing. The teaching methodology is hands on, with live examples and discussions, taught from the convenience of each student's computer.
Contact:
JM Internet Group, Media Relations
Web. http://www.jm-seo.org/
Email. jm.internetgroup(at)gmail(dot)com
Tel. +1-510-713-2150
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebtexas/seo/prweb10373578.htm
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Earthquake Early Warning in California Shifts Closer
An early warning system for California earthquakes could soon get a much-needed dose of money, a state lawmaker announced today (Jan 28).
State Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) introduced legislation to fund a California-wide earthquake early warning system during a press conference at Caltech. The technology for a warning system already exists, through a prototype called the California Integrated Seismic Network, but scientists need more money to take it public. Other earthquake-prone countries with public warning systems include Japan, Mexico, Taiwan and Turkey.
The estimated cost to create a public warning system is $80 million. This will cover adding new seismic monitoring equipment and upgrading the state's existing network, as well as public outreach and education, said Lucy Jones, senior adviser for risk reduction for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), one of the monitoring network partners. "If we were building it from scratch, it would cost $650 million," she said.
Padilla added, "If you think about the lives we can save, the injuries we can reduce, and the billions upon billions of damages associated with every large earthquake, the system would more than pay for itself."
It would take from one to three years to fully launch the new system, Jones said.
Hope for more funding
However, Padilla's bill has no funding source within the state's budget, which is only now recovering from years of billion-dollar deficits. He hopes to identify a funding source by August, he said. The project also needs federal funding, Padilla said. Private groups have stepped in to help: The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation kicked in $6 million in 2011 for the prototype.
"I'm moving on the state funding piece because I don't want to wait for the federal government. We ought to deploy it sooner rather than later," Padilla said.
There is a 99 percent chance of a magnitude-6.7 earthquake or larger in the next 30 years in California, according to the U.S. Geological Survey's most recent forecast, released in 2008. But the state's been relatively quiet for the past two decades ? college students born and raised in the Golden State have never lived through a catastrophic earthquake.The last big shaker, the Northridge quake in 1994, killed 60 people and caused about $13 billion in damage. [The 10 Biggest Earthquakes in History]
"We should do this before the next big earthquake," said Caltech seismologist Egill Hauksson, one of the project leaders. "Then we will not miss the opportunity of saving lives," he told OurAmazingPlanet.
How earthquake early warning works
The warning system relies on the speed of light to outrun earthquake waves, which travel at the speed of sound, Hauksson explained. "It's like lightning and thunder. You see the lightning first, and hear the thunder later."
Here's how it works:
California is dotted with a dense network of sensitive seismic monitoring equipment called seismometers. When an earthquake starts, the nearest seismometers ? and there are almost 1,000 in California ? detect ground shaking and send electronic signals at the speed of light to computers that rapidly analyze the strength and location of the quake.
The early warning system relies on the time delay between two earthquake waves. The first wave to emerge from an earthquake, called the P-wave, is an acoustic, or sound wave. It may make a slap or a bump as it passes, but doesn't cause much shaking. The second wave out is an S-wave (sometimes called secondary waves), and they travel at half the speed of the P-wave ? about 1.8 miles (3 kilometers) per second. The slower S-wave is the destroyer, the source of heavy shaking during an earthquake.
A computer can figure out the earthquake's size and location from the P-wave, and send out a warning signal before the damaging S-wave arrives. [Video: Earthquake Early Warning System Demonstration]
The signal arrives a few seconds to a minute before shaking, depending on the distance between the earthquake epicenter and the user's location, said Doug Given, the USGS early earthquake warning project coordinator. The primary users will be emergency personnel, hospitals, nuclear reactors, trains, factories and schools, Jones said. However, the signal will be publicly available, as in Japan, where programmers have created custom signal apps for phones, Hauksson said.
The prototype in place today works best for smaller earthquakes, and needs to be improved so it has fewer false alarms and can perform better during major quakes, such as those expected on the San Andreas Fault, Hauksson said. A recently published study suggests that California could experience a statewide earthquake, with the fault ripping apart for hundreds of miles.
"This is a starting point," Hauksson said.
The early warning system is a partnership between Caltech, the USGS and the University of California, Berkeley.
Reach Becky Oskin at boskin@techmedianetwork.com. Follow her on Twitter @beckyoskin. Follow OurAmazingPlanet on Twitter?@OAPlanet. We're also on?Facebook?and Google+.
Copyright 2013 OurAmazingPlanet, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Source: http://news.yahoo.com/earthquake-early-warning-california-shifts-closer-223726888.html
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Penvirtual: Apps and English Language Learning
I'm often asked by teachers what information and communication technologies (ICTs) I use with my students. This is a brief list of digital tools and applications (apps) that I'm either using with my students or tools that they use for their own personal learning on a regular basis.
At present all of my students ?learn English on a one-to-one basis via Skype and sometimes collaborate with other students on various projects. A few of them are currently preparing for exams: First Certificate level and above. Therefore, the tools listed below pertain to this particular context. Although I have grouped some of them under specific literacy skills i.e. speaking, listening,?reading and writing, this in no way suggests that the resources are designed for, or implemented solely for this purpose. It purely signalizes that this tool has been chosen with the emphasis being on a particular literacy skill. However, other skills will naturally come into play. We don't just use one skill at a time when learning but rather focus on one or more intensively than the others, depending on the purpose of any activity.
Reference Tools
Dictionaries are an essential tool, whether you're learning a new language or not. I dip into mine daily and couldn't be without a dictionary in digital format. No need to drag kilos of books around when I can download an app. I use and can?recommend?Dictionary.com?, as this application and the online dictionary are both a dictionary and thesaurus and supply the etymology of the word. If you're using Google Chrome, Dictionary.com can be added as an extension.? ???It has speech to text recognition which can be?used?by English and Spanish language students to practice their pronunciation. For vocabulary building there is the 'Word of the Day' function which throws up some really interesting vocabulary. There is a 'Question of the Day' which covers many grammatical topics and points of interest pertaining to language in general. A list of trending or popular words is supplied which is again useful for vocabulary building. I'd advise students to practice using new vocabulary in context and with collocations if possible and not just creating language banks or flash cards with lists of words in isolation. Using vocabulary in context and in examples that you can identify with will make it easier to remember. In addition to the above functions, a short history of your searches is saved which can be useful if you've forgotten a definition or how to spell something correctly. I advise my students?to make the most out of the affordances of this tool. After all that's the idea of developing a ?multifunctional digital tool: offering users a fuller package.?
Another dictionary that I've actually only just discovered and am impressed with is?Visuwords, which is web-based. This tool is an online graphical dictionary and thesaurus. It creates lovely colour coded, neural type patterns of words and their associations (see ?image 1 below).? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ???Image 1 Screenshot of Visuwords
The node type endings can be clicked on to reveal the definition and any other relevant information. There is a colour key on the left hand side which is self-explanatory and the nodes can be clicked on and pulled around the screen for further investigation. A wonderful tool for developing a broader vocabulary, for building collocations and certainly a useful tool for anyone who writes regularly.
Pronunciation
For pronunciation practice and learning?phonetics, I find the English File Pronunciation App quite good. The video (see image 2) demonstrates the functionality of this app.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??? ?Image 2 ?Source: YouTube ?' English File Pronunciation App'
Cambridge English also has pronunciation apps that are?game based, but I've not yet had the opportunity to experiment with these. ? ? ?Additionally, I advise my students to make use of speech to text recognition if any of their devices have this function. Dragon?is a wonderful voice recognition tool that responds very accurately to ?your speech. As well as being a practical dictation and note-taking app, it can be implemented by students for pronunciation practice. The style of English, along with other languages?can be selected. It comes with a share function i.e. Twitter, Facebook and email which is great if you're on the go and feel like tweeting and couldn't be bothered typing (providing you have access to the internet). In image 3, you will see an example of a dictated text that I recorded on my iPad and mailed to myself. Noticeable of course is the lack of punctuation but you do have the possibility to edit the final dictation if this is necessary. However, if the app is being used with an emphasis on speech and pronunciation then personally I don't view this as a negative feature. ?? ?Image 3 Example of a sample text using Dragon for iPad with speech to text recognition.
Speaking
In order to engage in asynchronous communication and also to improve speaking skills my students use the apps,?Audio Note,?which is a notepad and voice recorder and?MailVu, which is video email. Additionally, students use?Vocaroo?as a form of audio communication. It's a web-based tool which I have?blogged?about previously. I use?Voxopop?(web-based) on the other hand with students for more specific speaking practice which I can analyse and archive for future use and reference.?Listening
My exam students use various apps in preparation for listening exams such as,?Cambridge Advanced listening. There are four parts with several extracts and multiple choice questions to test comprehension. The?First Certificate in English?practice listening test app is structured in the same manner. These are suitable for both iPhone and iPad and there are also more Android apps being developed in this specific area of language learning. There is now a broad range of apps specifically for exam practice ?available as well as online exams. Here are just a few more examples from Cambridge English?Apps which cover grammar, vocabulary and general English etc.?? ? ? Is it?necessary to use apps that have been specifically designed for language students? I believe it depends on the individual. Some of my students will work happily with authentic material from a variety of sources including simulating listening tests with me online, others prefer to use these kinds of educational apps as the exam draws closer and there are those who prefer a blend.?
On the subject of listening practice,?TED?videos and podcasts? are popular with my?students and myself. The topics covered are extensive and the genres mixed?which makes the app or online version a useful resource. The advantage with the online version is ?the availability of a transcript. Students can click on any phrase and the video will sync to this point. Nevertheless, a useful app for mobile learning. There are versions available for Mac and Android users.?iTunes U?also has exceptional videos and podcasts including specific material for English language learners such as that produced by the British Council.
Reading
Kindle?and?iBooks??are the preferred apps for practicing reading skills. I also direct my students to sites such as?The Times,?National Geographic?and?News in Levels?for extra reading. The latter is a site specifically designed for English language students from beginners to advanced. Articles are written in various genres and a podcast or video is supplied for each ?text. Hence, numerous possibilities here for both autonomous learning and classroom activities.? ? ?For brief and authentic texts in a completely different genre?Twitter?is interesting to use. I encourage my students to search for groups that they can identify with and to drop in on a regular basis to read and also upload their own tweets. As an educator I find this a wonderful tool?for keeping up-to-date with current topics in the field of education and educational technology.?Creativity
Explain everything,? Educreations?and?Show Me?are all interactive whiteboards for the iPad and seem to be the most popular with my students. These are excellent for creativity i.e. students demonstrating in their own manner how they can play with language using multimedia and sharing their projects with others. I prefer Explain Everything because of the range of tools that can be used and the import, export possibilities, but it's a matter of preference and individual needs. The video below (see image 4) gives a brief insight into the?functionality of this app. ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ?Image 4 ?Source: You Tube 'Explain Everything'
A couple of my students enjoying working with digital flashcards and use Mental Case. I have this on my Mac as well but at $29.99, I can imagine that users may search for a cheaper product. The mobile app is at present $4.99. ?Students can create their own flashcards or download from Flashcard Exchange and Quizlet. com.?
Writing
I use Google Drive with my students during and between lessons for writing practice ?and creative work, so it seems logical to have them download?the app?as well if they are willing. This makes mobile learning more comfortable for them and also for me. I also find?The Guardian Eyewitness App?useful. This is a collection of contemporary images with a caption and a brief extract which is relevant to the image. Everyday a new photograph is added to the collection which can be viewed as a thumbnail and in a larger format. Images are a wonderful way of inspiring students to write and speak. And of course exam students will need to practice their deductive and comparative language skills in?relation?to imagery, so this app comes in quite handy.?
Points for consideration
As stated in the introductory paragraphs, I presently teach adult students English on a one-to-one basis via Skype. Therefore, the above mentioned resources may not be suitable for your teaching context. Think carefully about the individual needs of your learners. Take into consideration what devices they are using as there could be compatibility problems. Not all web-based tools function on mobile devices and not all apps are compatible with both?iOS and Android operating systems. On the subject of apps it's also worth investigating which require internet access after download. I've been caught out with this before. What kind of budget do you and your students have? Many apps are free and others have to be?bought. Which apps come into consideration i.e. those?specifically designed for language students, or would you rather repurpose other apps for their needs, or a blend?? ? ? Don't overload students with ICTs as they are there as an aid and not meant to hinder the learning process and experience. Some of my students use only a couple of tools and others prefer to have a variety of choice. And what they are using at the moment may not be what they choose to use in a couple of months. It's a matter of individual needs within a specific learning context.
Extra Reading
I update the following topics on Scoop.it quite regularly:
References
Explain Everything ( 2011 ) 'Explain Everything'
Available online at:
( last accessed 28. 02. 2013 )
OUPELTGlobal ( 2012 ) 'English File Pronunciation App'
Available online at:?
( last accessed 28. 02. 2013 )
Source: http://patricia-daniels.blogspot.com/2013/01/apps-and-english-language-learning.html
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Apple TV update lists an as-yet unreleased minor hardware variant, Apple TV 3,2
Looks like the just-released Apple TV software update contains strings referencing Apple TV 3,2, an as-yet unreleased hardware variant of the Apple TV 3,1, or the 3rd generation Apple TV with 1080p support that Apple released last March. The code name, J33I, as opposed to last year's simple J33, also suggest only the most minor of differences.
MacRumors's Erik Silvka suggests the I might stand for "international", and represent a version of the current Apple TV updated for all those new countries that just got iTunes media content. That certainly sounds reasonable.
No word yet on when Apple will launch the update, but it certainly doesn't sound event-worthy all on its own.
Source: ios.e-lite.org (version numbers), via MacRumors
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/71Q7cFFIDu0/story01.htm
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Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Soldier looks forward to driving with new arms
Retired Infantryman Brendan M. Marrocco uses his transplanted arm to brush his hair back during a news conference Tuesday, Jan. 29. 2013 at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore. Marrocco received a transplant of two arms from a deceased donor after losing all four limbs in a 2009 roadside bomb attack in Iraq. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Retired Infantryman Brendan M. Marrocco uses his transplanted arm to brush his hair back during a news conference Tuesday, Jan. 29. 2013 at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore. Marrocco received a transplant of two arms from a deceased donor after losing all four limbs in a 2009 roadside bomb attack in Iraq. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Retired Infantryman Brendan M. Marrocco listens during a news conference Tuesday, Jan. 29. 2013 at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore. Marrocco received a transplant of two arms from a deceased donor after losing all four limbs in a 2009 roadside bomb attack in Iraq. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Retired Infantryman Brendan M. Marrocco smiles during a news conference Tuesday, Jan. 29. 2013 at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore. Marrocco received a transplant of two arms from a deceased donor after losing all four limbs in a 2009 roadside bomb attack in Iraq. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Retired Infantryman Brendan M. Marrocco listens during a news conference Tuesday, Jan. 29. 2013 at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore. Marrocco received a transplant of two arms from a deceased donor after losing all four limbs in a 2009 roadside bomb attack in Iraq. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Retired Infantryman Brendan M. Marrocco wheels himself into a news conference followed by lead surgeon W.P. Andrew Lee, M.D., Tuesday, Jan. 29. 2013 at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore. Marrocco received a transplant of two arms from a deceased donor after losing all four limbs in a 2009 roadside bomb attack in Iraq. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
BALTIMORE (AP) ? A soldier who lost all four limbs in a roadside bombing in Iraq says he's looking forward to driving and swimming with new arms after undergoing a double-arm transplant.
"I just want to get the most out of these arms, and just as goals come up, knock them down and take it absolutely as far as I can," Brendan Marrocco said Tuesday.
The 26-year-old New Yorker spoke at a news conference at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was joined by surgeons who performed the operation.
After he was wounded, Marrocco said, he felt fine using prosthetic legs, but he hated not having arms.
"You talk with your hands, you do everything with your hands, basically, and when you don't have that, you're kind of lost for a while," he said.
Marrocco said his chief desire is to drive the black Dodge Charger that's been sitting in his garage for three years.
"I used to love to drive," he said. "I'm really looking forward to just getting back to that, and just becoming an athlete again."
Although he doesn't expect to excel at soccer, his favorite sport, Marrocco said he'd like to swim and compete in a marathon using a handcycle.
Marrocco joked that military service members sometimes regard themselves as poorly paid professional athletes. His good humor and optimism are among the qualities doctors cited as signs he will recover much of his arm and hand use in two to three years.
"He's a young man with a tremendous amount of hope, and he's stubborn ? stubborn in a good way," said Dr. Jaimie Shores, the hospital's clinical director of hand transplantation. "I think the sky's the limit."
Shores said Marrocco has already been trying to use his hands, although he lacks feeling in the fingers, and he's eager to do more as the slow-growing nerves and muscles mend.
"I suspect that he will be using his hands for just about everything as we let him start trying to do more and more. Right now, we're the ones really kind of holding him back at this point," Shores said.
The procedure was only the seventh double-hand or double-arm transplant ever done in the United States.
The infantryman was injured by a roadside bomb in 2009. He is the first soldier to survive losing all four limbs in the Iraq War.
Marrocco also received bone marrow from the same donor to minimize the medicine needed to prevent rejection. He said he didn't know much about the donor but "I'm humbled by their gift."
The 13-hour operation on Dec. 18 was led by Dr. W.P. Andrew Lee, plastic surgery chief at Hopkins.
Marrocco was being released from the hospital Tuesday but will receive intensive therapy for two years at Hopkins and then at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda.
After a major surgery, human nerves regenerate at a rate of an inch per month, Lee said.
"The progress will be slow, but the outcome will be rewarding," he added.
___
Associated Press Writer David Dishneau contributed to this story from Hagerstown, Md.
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Misconceptions about a popular pet treat
Jan. 28, 2013 ? A popular dog treat could be adding more calories than pet owners realize, and possibly be contaminated by bacteria, according to a study published this month by researchers at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and the University of Guelph.
The treat in question: the "bully" or "pizzle stick." The American and Canadian researchers analyzed the caloric density and bacterial contamination of these popular items, made from the uncooked, dried penis of a bull or steer. They also administered a survey to pet owners to assess their knowledge of these treats.
The study, published in the January 2013 issue of the Canadian Veterinary Journal, examined 26 bully sticks purchased from retailers in the United States and Canada and made by different manufacturers.
A random subset of the 26 bully sticks was tested for caloric content. These bully sticks tested contained between nine to 22 calories per inch, meaning the average six inch stick packed 88 calories--nine percent of the daily calorie requirements for a 50-pound dog, and 30 percent of the daily calorie requirements for a 10-pound dog.
"While calorie information isn't currently required on pet treats or most pet foods, these findings reinforce that veterinarians and pet owners need to be aware of pet treats like these bully sticks as a source of calories in a dog's diet," said Lisa M. Freeman, DVM, PhD, DACVN, professor of nutrition at TCSVM who is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition.
Freeman was first author on the paper. Co-authors were J. Scott Weese, professor in the Department of Pathobiology at the University of Guelph, and Nicol Janecko, a research associate at the Canadian university.
"With obesity in pets on the rise, it is important for pet owners to factor in not only their dog's food, but also treats and table food," Freeman added.
All 26 treats were tested for bacterial contaminants. One (4 percent) of the sticks was contaminated with Clostridium difficile; one (four percent) was contaminated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics; and seven (27 percent) were contaminated with Escherichia coli, including one tetracycline-resistant sample.
The number of treats sampled was small and not all of these bacterial strains have been shown to infect humans. However, the researchers advise all pet owners to wash their hands after touching such treats, as they would with any raw meat or raw meat diets. The very young, elderly, pregnant, immunocompromised and other high-risk individuals should avoid all contact with raw animal-product based treats and raw meat diets, note the scientists.
To learn more about veterinarian and pet owner perceptions of dog foods and treats, the research team developed a 20-question Web-based survey. The survey was posted online for public participation for 60 days and all responses were anonymous. It was completed by 852 adults from 44 states and six countries. Most respondents were female dog owners.
"We were surprised at the clear misconceptions pet owners and veterinarians have with pet foods and many of the popular raw animal-product based pet treats currently on the market," said Freeman. "For example, 71 percent of people feeding bully sticks to their pets stated they avoid by-products in pet foods, yet bully sticks are, for all intents and purposes, an animal by-product."
Another surprising finding was the large number of people who did not know what bully sticks actually were. A higher proportion of veterinarians (62 percent) were able to correctly identify the source of bully sticks as bull penis compared to general respondents (44 percent). Twenty-three percent of the respondents fed their dogs bully sticks.
Further research with a larger sample size is needed to determine whether the calorie content and contamination rate found in this study is representative of all bully sticks, or other types of pet treats, according to the authors.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Tufts University, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
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Journal Reference:
- Lisa M. Freeman, Nicol Janecko, J. Scott Weese. Nutritional and microbial analysis of bully sticks and survey of opinions about pet treats. Canadian Veterinary Journal, January 2013
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/mAJUX0F5Meo/130128082912.htm
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Egypt violence persists despite emergency moves
CAIRO (AP) ? Protesters and riot police clashed in Cairo and the riot-torn city of Port Said as Egypt's political violence stretched into a fifth day on Monday, despite efforts by the Islamist president to contain the crisis by imposing a state of emergency in three provinces.
At least 56 people have been killed in the wave of violence, which has led to the military deploying in Port Said and another city along the Suez Canal and threatened to shake the control of President Mohammed Morsi's government.
The main opposition coalition rejected Morsi's call for national dialogue to resolve the crisis, demanding that he first make deep concessions to break what opponents call the monopoly that Islamists have tried to impose on power. The National Salvation Front said it wouldn't join any dialogue until Morsi forms a national unity government and begins work to rewrite parts of the Islamist-backed constitution.
Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, which forms the backbone of his rule, have instead tried to take a tougher approach. Angry and at times screaming and wagging his finger, Morsi went on national TV Sunday night and declared a 30-day state of emergency in the Suez Canal provinces of Port Said, Ismailiya and Suez, which are named after their main cities. A nighttime curfew goes into effect in those areas Monday ? though protesters are likely to challenge it.
In Port Said ? the hardest hit city so far with at least 44 people killed in clashes over the weekend ? thousands poured out into the streets Monday for the funeral of six people killed during clashes the day before. They offered prayers on the dead at the city's Mariam mosque and marched with the bodies to the city's cemetery about a mile away.
Two army helicopters hovered above the funeral.
Clashes erupted in the evening in the al-Arab district of the city, and a security forces' armored personnel carried opened fire, one witness, Ibrahim Ezzideen, told The Associated Press. He did not have word on casualties. The same district saw heavy fighting the past two days.
In Cairo, hundreds of young, stone-throwing protesters fought pitched battles Monday with riot police near Qasr el-Nil Bridge, a landmark bridge over the Nile River next to major hotels. One protester died of gunshot wounds, according to health and security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to talk to the press.
White clouds of tear gas hung over the area from early on Monday morning and at times wafted across the river to the upscale island of Zamalek and the leafy district of Garden City. The fighting was reminiscent of scenes two years ago to the day, when police and protesters battered each other on the same bridge in the most violent day of the 2011 uprising that toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak.
Anger over Morsi's latest measures was evident at the site of Monday's clashes, near Tahrir Square.
"People died to gain their freedom, social justice, bread. Now after 29 years of the despotic Mubarak, we're ruled by a worse regime: religious fascist, more dangerous," said Mohammed Saber, a 65-year old engineer who came to watch the clashes with his wife and children.
The wave of violence began Thursday and accelerated the following day, which fell on the two-year anniversary of the start of the anti-Mubarak uprising. Protests Friday that turned to clashes around the country left 11 dead, most of them in Suez.
The next day, riots exploded in Port Said after a court convicted and sentenced to death 21 defendants ? mostly locals ? for a mass soccer riot in the city's main stadium a year ago. Rioters attacked police stations, clashed with security forces in the streets and shots and tear gas were fired at protester funerals in mayhem that left 44 people dead over the weekend.
Throughout the past five days, anger over the policies of Morsi, who in June became Egypt's first freely elected president, and the slow rate of change have helped fuel the protests and clashes.
The opposition National Salvation Front has painted the explosion of unrest as a backlash against attempts by Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists to monopolize power in Egypt. It says the instability is proof that Morsi doesn't have enough legitimacy to bring security or achieve reforms alone.
In his television address, Morsi repeated calls for a national dialogue to resolve the nation's problems, a call opponents have repeatedly rejected, saying the talks are mere window-dressing with no real say.
At a televised news conference, Salvation Front head Mohamed ElBaradei said the call was "without form and content."
ElBaradei said Morsi must first appoint a national unity government and a commission to amend the disputed constitution ratified in a referendum last month before the opposition can join a dialogue. He also wants Morsi to take legislative powers away from the Islamist-dominated upper house of parliament, or the Shura Council. Normally, the body is toothless with no lawmaking powers but it is serving in the role until a new lower house is elected. Fewer than 10 percent of voters bothered to cast ballots in elections for the body last year.
"We support any dialogue if it has a clear agenda that can shepherd the nation to the shores of safety," said ElBaradei, flanked by former Arab league chief Amr Moussa and leftist Hamdeen Sabahi.
The Front later issued a statement in which it said failure by Morsi to meet its conditions should be cause for early presidential elections, now scheduled for 2016. It also insisted Morsi, his administration and the interior minister bore political responsibility for last weekend's bloodshed and called for the lifting as soon as possible of the state of emergency declared in the three Suez Canal provinces.
It also called for mass, nationwide protests on Friday.
An official at President Mohammed Morsi's office said the dialogue will go ahead as scheduled later on Monday despite the absence of what he called "some forces." The official listed six parties and two political figures to be participating in the dialogue. They are mostly Islamist groups supporting Morsi.
The military was deployed in Suez on Friday and in Port Said the next day ? a move that threatens to drag the armed forces into a direct conflict with protesters.
The Cabinet on Monday approved draft legislation that would authorize the armed forces to work alongside police in keeping security and arrest civilians, the state news agency MENA said. The military would have that role until the end of parliamentary elections, expected in April.
The legislation, quickly adopted by the Shoura Council for approval, means soldiers would be maintaining law and order on the streets alongside the police at a time when many Egyptians are increasingly distrustful of both.
The state of emergency call has sparked criticism that Morsi is using the same methods as Mubarak, who maintained his police-state rule through emergency laws in effect over the entire country throughout his rule.
Morsi has struggled to address the country's daunting social and economic problems since taking power in June. A relative unknown until his Muslim Brotherhood nominated him to run for president last year, he has been criticized for offering no coherent policy to tackle seemingly endless problems, from a free falling economy and deeply entrenched social injustices to surging crime and chaos on the streets.
___
Associated Press writer Amir Makar contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-violence-persists-despite-emergency-moves-162807589.html
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Monday, January 28, 2013
AUD/USD: Australian Dollar trading higher this morning | GCI Forex ...
GCI Forex News - AUD/USD: Australian Dollar trading higher this morning
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AUDUSD Movement
For the 24 hours to 23:00 GMT on Friday, the AUD weakened 0.31% against the USD to close at 1.0412.
LME Copper prices rose 0.3% or $24.0/MT to $8059.8/MT. Aluminium prices rose 0.8% or $15.5/MT to $2042.3/MT.
In the Asian session, at GMT0400, the pair is trading at 1.0418, with the AUD trading marginally higher from Friday?s close. Activity thin this morning with Australian markets closed for a National Holiday.
The pair is expected to find support at 1.0390, and a fall through could take it to the next support level of 1.0361. The pair is expected to find its first resistance at 1.0459, and a rise through could take it to the next resistance level of 1.0499.
The currency pair is trading below its 20 Hr and 50 Hr moving averages.
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Brazil, Mexico And Other Deadly Nightclub Fires In Latin America
In the early morning hours of Sunday, Jan. 27, 232 people perished in a nightclub fire in Santa Maria, Brazil. The fire is one of the deadliest nightclub fires in the world and it could be the deadliest on record in Latin America.
The nightclub fire erupted around 2 a.m. after a band used flares during their performance on stage which set the ceiling on fire, according to investigators. The club called Kiss, which holds a capacity of 1000 to 2000 people, was filled with about 900 young partygoers. The first death toll estimates came in at 90 and have risen to 232 with 200 injured. Authorities are expecting the death toll to rise.
Here?s a look at the deadliest nightclub fires in Latin America.
Deadly nightclub fires in Latin America
The Brazil nightclub fire bares a striking similarity to the fire that killed 193 people and injured 700 in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Dec. 30, 2004? a result of a flare thrown from the crowd. After the ceiling and roof caught fire, club-goers were trapped inside when the nightclub?s emergency exits were blocked, reports La Tercera.
Faulty pyrotechnics used in a performance at an awards ceremony at Factory nightclub in Quito, Ecuador on April 19, 2008, were behind the nightclub fire that killed 15 and injured 35.
In Mexico City, 22 people were killed and 24 were injured in a nightclub fire on Oct. 20, 2000, when propane gas canisters were said to have exploded at Lobohombo, a well-known after hours club. Many of the victims were trampled to death, reports the Independent.
Two years later on July 20 in Lima, Peru, 29 people were killed and 100 were injured in a nightclub fire caused by a fire show put on by bartenders at the upscale club called Utopia. In this case, the club had a capacity of 400 but was filled with 900 to 1000 people, according to the Associated Press.
That same year on Dec. 1, 47 people were killed at La Guajira nightclub in Caracas, Venezuela. The estimated 400 people at the nightclub rushed toward the exit when smoke began filling the club housed in the basement of Hotel Venezuela. Investigators said the fire may have been caused by faulty electrical wiring.
Originally published in VOXXI as Deadliest nightclub fires in Latin America
Earlier on HuffPost:
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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/28/nightclub-fires-latin-america_n_2564738.html
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