Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/281671666?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Thursday, January 31, 2013
Reconcilable differences: Study uncovers the common ground of scientific opposites
Jan. 30, 2013 ? Searching for common elements in seemingly incompatible scientific theories may lead to the discovery of new ones that revolutionize our understanding of the world.
Such is the idea behind a mathematical framework Princeton University researchers developed that strips away the differences between scientific laws and theories to reveal how the ideas are compatible. In a recent report in the journal Physical Review Letters, the authors explain how the mathematical model finds common ground between the famously at-odds physics equations that govern classical and quantum mechanics.
In their paper, the researchers attempt to reconcile classical and quantum mechanics. Simply put, classical mechanics -- based on the ideas of English scientist Isaac Newton -- describes the ordered laws of motion for large objects and systems. Quantum mechanics relates more to the chaotic motion and activity of microscopic particles.
Lead author Denys Bondar, a postdoctoral research associate in Princeton's Department of Chemistry, explained that the Princeton framework -- called operational dynamic modeling -- is intended to streamline the development of novel theories, a typically painstaking process that can be for naught if the end result does not agree with experimental data. The framework unpacks and mathematically tests the basic algebra of a theory against that of observed data. If they reconcile, the newborn theory might be valid, Bondar said.
"We have a new theoretical tool that we can use to look at old problems and try to solve new problems," Bondar said. He worked with second author Renan Cabrera, a Princeton postdoctoral research associate in chemistry; senior researcher Herschel Rabitz, Princeton's Charles Phelps Smyth '16 *17 Professor of Chemistry; Robert Lompay, a physics graduate student at Uzhgorod National University in Ukraine; and Misha Ivanov, a physics professor at Imperial College London.
The Princeton model builds on theorems that Austrian physicist Paul Ehrenfest developed in the 20th century to illustrate the similarities between classical and quantum mechanics. Putting these theorems into action, Bondar and his colleagues pared the differences between these branches of physics down to a single mathematical consideration: to commute or not to commute. This Shakespearean-sounding crossroads relates to whether the result relies on the order of the experimental measurements.
If the same conclusion can be drawn regardless of how the measurements are arranged, the theory is commutative. If the result depends on a specific sequence, it is non-commutative. At this point, any novel theory can be characterized as classical or quantum, Bondar said. If the theory is commutative it is classical; if not, it has quantum elements.
"Scientists are taught from the time they are students that classical and quantum mechanics can never be reconciled," Bondar said. "But now we have one equation for classical and quantum mechanics. We can make the transition from classical to quantum mechanics in a smooth and straightforward way."
The benefit of the model, Cabrera said, is that experimental systems can be constructed more in accordance with particular mechanics as they are being developed. In addition, it can reveal if and how a novel theory relates to classical or quantum mechanics in a way that might not have been considered initially, he said.
"This model allows us to experience mathematically classical or quantum theories in a more similar way than before and find common ground only differentiated by the ability to commute or not commute," Cabrera said.
Robert Gilmore, a physics professor at Drexel University, said that the Princeton framework is a unique and well-designed initial step toward bringing classical and quantum mechanics under the same theoretical roof. Gilmore is familiar with the work, but had no role in it.
The researchers "provide the smoothest possible transition from quantum mechanics to classical mechanics," Gilmore said. "Their vision is that it is possible to formulate physical theory in such a way that both classical mechanics and quantum mechanics play by the same rules. In order to do this, they upend one of the classical early results of quantum mechanics: the Ehrenfest theorems."
Though the model is simple -- its experimental basis is the position and velocity of a single electron -- it could be matured to describe more complicated physical phenomena, Gilmore said.
"In order to deepen our understanding of quantum mechanics, this theory must be extended in several directions," he said. "This paper seems to provide one footing for a larger foundation that will be needed to build a more comprehensive theory including both classical and quantum mechanics."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Princeton University.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Denys Bondar, Renan Cabrera, Robert Lompay, Misha Ivanov, Herschel Rabitz. Operational Dynamic Modeling Transcending Quantum and Classical Mechanics. Physical Review Letters, 2012; 109 (19) DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.190403
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
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Alabama School Bus Hostage Situation: Man Fatally Shoots Driver, Kidnaps 6-Year-Old Passenger
MIDLAND CITY, Ala. -- An unidentified man boarded a school bus, shot the driver several times, then escaped with a 6-year-old passenger, prompting an hourslong standoff with police that remained unresolved early Wednesday.
The Dale County Sheriff told WBMA-TV (http://bit.ly/WthpQh) that the man shot the driver in Midland City on Tuesday after he refused to let the child off the bus. The driver later died of his wounds. His identity wasn't released.
The shooter took the child to an area behind a nearby church, and police were negotiating with him, authorities said.
Midland City police would not comment, and a call to the Dale City Sheriff's office was not answered Tuesday.
Authorities from multiple agencies were on the scene and nearby residents were evacuated from their homes as a precautionary measure, said Rachel David, a spokeswoman for the police department in the nearby town of Dothan.
"Authorities also confirmed the presence of a child at the scene but are giving no further information at this time," David said in a news release late Tuesday.
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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/30/alabama-school-bus-hostage-situation_n_2578775.html
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Restaurant Review: Rotunda, King's Place, London (2013) | Fine ...
Kings Place is a major new landmark in the rejuvenation of the King?s Cross area. Peter Millican?s office development, party occupied by the offices of The Guardian and Observer, also contains concert halls, art galleries and exhibition areas which provide an attractive cultural amenity in an ultra-modern setting.
The main venue for food and drink is Rotunda Bar & Restaurant. As its name suggests, the shape of the room follows the curvature of the building design. Subtle lighting, fully glazed walls and lustrous banquette seating help to provide a stylish, contemporary venue for relaxed, informal dining. The impressive stepped ceiling, with its sweeping curves, is reminiscent of a flying saucer. My dining companion commented on the overall effect being that of a revolving restaurant, albeit one that does not move!
Nicky Foley, head chef for the last two months, has injected new life into the restaurant. With a CV that includes head chef at Butler?s Wharf Chop House and Aubaine, as well as experience at Bentley?s and Tom?s Kitchen, his experience of London kitchens is firmly established. The emphasis at Rotunda is on modern British cooking with interesting but not outlandish combinations and strong robust flavours. High quality produce such as Goosnargh duck, Rye Bay scallops, Clarence Court eggs and South coast turbot are much in evidence whilst foraged ingredients are mercifully kept to a minimum.
A few traditional dishes from Nicky?s native Ireland also feature. ?These include Devilled Irish fry ? crubeens, suet-baked kidney, white pudding, chestnut mushrooms, fried quail?s egg ? and steamed Irish suet pudding ?hare & oyster.?
However, pride of place goes to the beef and lamb. These are sourced from Peter Millican?s farm in Matten, Northumberland but are matured and butchered in the restaurant?s own hanging room to guarantee quality and purity. The menu provides useful pictures of the different cuts of the animals to aid the diner in selection. Prices range from ?17.00 to ?23 for one and ?26 to ?32 per person for large sharing cuts. ?Hay baked? lamb neck costs ?17.00 whist the sharing cuts are ?16.60 or ?19.95 per person. These might seem steep but portions are generous and there is no denying the quality of the raw material. For instance, the Limousin X beef, low in fat and high on muscle is hung for a minimum of 28 days to maximise its flavour.
Although there is a noticeable absence of pork and poultry ? presumably not reared on the farm ? the menu structure gives a good range of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes at reasonable prices. It features three nibbles (?2.00 to ?2.75), six starters (?5.95 to ?10.50, with two available in small and large sizes); five mains (?15.95 to ?19.95), five puddings (all ?5.95), and three savouries.(?7.50 to ?15). Sides average ?3.60. These prices compare favourably with charged at similar or lesser establishments.
Rotunda?s wine list, arranged by grape variety and showing an impressive range from Old and New Worlds, has prices to suit all pockets. Brief tasting notes provide useful guidance for those facing such embarrassment of choice.
Fine Dining Guide visited on a weekday evening in January to sample the menu.
Three nibbles were simply prepared and enjoyable. English radishes were crisp, and fresh with a gentle bitterness. The light mayonnaise spiked with anchovy and rosemary was well judged. Soft boiled quail?s eggs were accurately timed and candied walnuts were lightly toasted and not oversweet.
Pan fried Cod cheeks made good use of that often neglected but delicious morsel of fish. Their soft texture and succulent flavour worked well with the jelly like qualities of Judas ear mushrooms and the richness of bacon jowl.? Sorrel added a lemony note to balance the dish.
Rye Bay scallops were seared to produce a caramelised crust and moist, sweet flesh. Partnered with a rich duck blood sausage and lifted by celery, lemon and parsley, this was a harmonious marriage of textures and flavours. It would have been even better with more dressing and acidulation. The aromatic citric notes of the Sauvignon Blanc provided a fine match for both starters. (Wine: Domaine Horgelus? Sauvignon? Gros Manseng France 2011 )
A whole lamb shoulder (to share) was a triumph long slow cooking ? 12 hours in fact. The Texel breed is leaner than most, the flavour being well defined. Nevertheless, the sweetness of the shoulder meat, so meltingly tender it could be flaked with a fork, showed the qualities of this flavoursome if more fatty cut. Given its richness and size ? it could easily have fed three if not four people, this was not a dish for the feint hearted. The accompaniments of Irish champ, buttered leeks and roast squash were all competently executed, whilst a rich gravy and mint sauce brought the whole dish together.? A Bulgarian Pinot Noir with soft berry fruit proved an unusual but suitable soft red wine for this course. (Wine: Soli Pinot Noir, Moiroglio, Thracian Valley, Bulgaria 2008)
For dessert, Rosehip soup with vanilla ice cream brought a Scandinavian note to the menu. Both elements of this simple dessert were skilfully prepared, with an intense floral note to the thick sweet syrup and a smooth, velvety texture to the ice cream
Carrageen gave the right degree of wobble to a buttermilk pudding topped with a rich jelly of sea buckthorn. Here was an ingredient that evokes extreme reactions, but the dessert was well balanced, the astringency of the berry countering the creaminess of the buttermilk.? (Wine: Seifried sweet Agnes Riesling New Zealand 2009)
Service during the meal was welcoming, knowledgeable and helpful.? Manager Liz expertly advised on the wine selections as noted above. Overall, the revitalised restaurant under Nicky Foley?s direction is producing cooking of a high standard and deserves the success it has already attained. We will follow its progress with interest.
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Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Microsoft embraces git with new TFS support, Visual Studio integration
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The distributed version control system gets native, built-in support.
From ArsTechnica:Microsoft announced Wednesday that it is adding git support to TFS and Visual Studio, putting the distributed version control system on an equal footing with its current centralized system. In so doing it makes Visual Studio and TFS much better choices for distributed development teams and open source developers. Many of them were put off from even looking at TFS for one reason in particular: centralized version control. With git support, that could start to change.
Microsoft embraces git with new TFS support, Visual Studio integration
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Brook Lopez replaces Rondo in All-Star game
Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) and Orlando Magic forward Glen Davis (11) go after a loose ball in the first half of their NBA basketball game at Barclays Center, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) and Orlando Magic forward Glen Davis (11) go after a loose ball in the first half of their NBA basketball game at Barclays Center, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) shoots over the defense of Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) in the first half of their NBA basketball game at the Barclays Center, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013 in New York. Lopez scored 16 points in the Nets 97-77 victory over the Magic. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
NEW YORK (AP) ? Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez has been chosen to replace the injured Rajon Rondo on the Eastern Conference All-Star team.
Commissioner David Stern on Wednesday selected Lopez, who is averaging 18.6 points and 7.3 rebounds for the second-place Nets.
Rondo, the Boston Celtics point guard who was voted to start the Feb. 17 game in Houston, has a torn ACL. The East head coach, likely Erik Spoelstra of Miami, will decide who replaces Rondo in the starting lineup.
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Hagel supports nuclear arms cuts, then elimination
FILE - In this Jan. 7, 2013 file photo, President Barack Obama, left, shakes hands with his choice for Defense Secretary, former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, after announcing Hagel's nomination in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)
FILE - In this Jan. 7, 2013 file photo, President Barack Obama, left, shakes hands with his choice for Defense Secretary, former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, after announcing Hagel's nomination in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Chuck Hagel, the likely next secretary of defense, would be the first to enter the Pentagon as a public advocate for sharply reducing the number of U.S. nuclear weapons, possibly without equivalent cuts by Russia. He supports an international movement called Global Zero that favors eliminating all nuclear weapons.
That puts him outside the orthodoxy embraced by many of his fellow Republicans but inside a widening circle of national security thinkers ? including President Barack Obama ? who believe nuclear weapons are becoming more a liability than an asset, less relevant to 21st century security threats like terrorism.
"Sen. Hagel certainly would bring to office a more ambitious view on nuclear reductions than his predecessors," said Steven Pifer, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. "While he would likely take a less dramatic position in office, it might not be a bad thing to have a secretary of defense question what nuclear deterrence requires today."
The customary stance of defense secretaries in the nuclear age has been that the weapons are a necessary evil, a required ingredient in American defense strategy that can be discarded only at the nation's peril.
Hagel, 66, takes a subtly different view -- one shared by Obama but opposed by those in Congress who believe disarmament is weakness and that an outsized American nuclear arsenal must be maintained indefinitely as a counterweight to the nuclear ambitions of anti-Western countries like North Korea and Iran.
Hagel argues for doing away with nuclear weapons entirely, but not immediately and not unilaterally.
In a letter to Obama two months after his former Senate colleague entered the White House in 2009, Hagel wrote that Global Zero was developing a step-by-step plan for achieving "the total elimination of all nuclear weapons," but with a "clear, realistic and pragmatic appreciation" for the difficulty of realizing that goal.
Dozens of prominent politicians, diplomats and retired military leaders signed the letter. One month later Obama spoke in Prague of "a world without nuclear weapons," while saying it might not happen in his lifetime. Obama declared that "as the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon, the United States has a moral responsibility to act. We cannot succeed in this endeavor alone, but we can lead it, we can start it."
Hagel, a Republican from Nebraska whose nomination has drawn heated criticism for his past statements on Israel, Iran and gays, is likely to also face questions on nuclear issues at his Senate confirmation hearing scheduled for Thursday. A Vietnam war veteran, he served in the Senate from 1997 to 2009.
The questions actually began last week at the confirmation hearing for John Kerry, Obama's nominee for secretary of state. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said he found Hagel's affiliation with Global Zero "very concerning," and he worried that Hagel's views appeared to make him "very different than previous defense leaders."
Kerry said he believes Hagel is a realist on the topic of nuclear arms reductions. But he also acknowledged that when he first heard about Global Zero's central vision ? the elimination of all nuclear weapons ? "I sort of scratched my head and I said, 'What? You know, how's that going to work?'" But then he came to see this as nothing more than a long-range goal ? "it's not something that could happen in today's world."
Hagel, indeed, is thinking long term.
"Getting to global zero will take years," Hagel wrote in the March 2009 letter to Obama on behalf of Global Zero. "So it is important that we set our course toward a world without nuclear weapons now to ensure that our children do not live under the nuclear shadow of the last century."
Hagel stands out in this regard in part because history -- first the demise of the Soviet Union, then the rise of terrorism as a global threat -- has changed how many people think about the deterrent value of nuclear weapons. For decades after the birth of the atomic age in the 1940s the chief concern was controlling the growth, and later managing the shrinkage, of nuclear arsenals without upsetting the balance of power.
Today the thinking by many national security experts has shifted as the threat of all-out nuclear war has faded and terrorist organizations with potentially global reach, like al-Qaida, are trying to get their hands on a nuclear device.
"Hagel's views reflect the growing bipartisan consensus in the U.S. security establishment that whatever benefits nuclear weapons may have had during the Cold War are now outweighed by the threat they present," said Joe Cirincione, president of the Ploughshares Fund, which supports efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons.
Hagel was co-author of a Global Zero report last May that proposed, as an interim step, reducing the U.S. arsenal to 900 weapons within a decade, with half deployed and the other half in reserve. That compares with a current U.S. stockpile of 5,000, of which 1,700 are deployed and capable of striking targets around the globe.
The report said these cuts could be taken unilaterally if not negotiated with the Russians or carried out through reciprocal U.S. and Russian presidential directives. It called the unilateral approach "less good" but feasible. At a later stage China and other nuclear weapons countries would be brought to the table for negotiations on further cuts on the path to global zero, it said.
The White House last year weighed options for substantial new cuts in the number of deployed weapons, possibly to about 1,000 or 1,100 and probably as part of a negotiation with Moscow. But a decision, following a lengthy review of U.S. nuclear targeting requirements, was put off prior to the November election. Officials and private experts close to the administration believe Obama will soon embrace those cuts.
Previous secretaries of defense have supported reducing the U.S. nuclear stockpile under certain circumstances and have paid lip service to the United States' commitment under the 1970 nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty to eventually eliminate its nuclear arms. But none has pushed these ideas like Hagel has.
"It's historic," said Bruce Blair, a co-founder of Global Zero and a former Air Force nuclear missile launch control officer.
"We will have, if he's confirmed, a secretary of defense who's committed to the sharp reduction of nuclear weapons, leading down a path toward their elimination," Blair said in an interview last week. "I don't think any sitting secretary of defense has ever come anywhere close to Hagel's advocacy for this cause."
Leon Panetta, the current defense secretary, has not taken a public stance on future nuclear reductions.
Some Pentagon chiefs, like William Perry, became public advocates for eliminating nuclear weapons after leaving office.
At least one apparently harbored doubts about the conventional wisdom while still serving.
In his 1995 memoir, Robert McNamara, who served as President John F. Kennedy's defense secretary, wrote that by the time he entered the Pentagon in 1961 he had privately concluded that nuclear arms served no useful purpose. But he could not say that publicly, he wrote, because it contradicted established U.S. policy.
___
Follow Robert Burns on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/robertburnsAP
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Genealogy's Star: The Evolution of FamilySearch Family Tree Photos
Michael W. McCormick in his blog, Enduring Legacy Genealogy, posted a link to a Get Satisfaction dialoge about the future of Family Tree Photos and its possible interaction with FamilySearch.org's Family Tree. Over the years, I have been shown a number of prototypes by developers, some with the assurance that I was looking at the "finished product." Most of the time reality sets in and changes are made to the proposed website before it is released. It is certainly possible that FamilySearch will implement these changes but there is never a firm timetable to programming and you might have to wait a while before the changes take effect.
On the other hand, I really like what I have seen so far of FamilyTree Photos and hope the program is adopted in a release version sooner rather than later.
Source: http://genealogysstar.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-evolution-of-familysearch-family.html
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Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Grandson of oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens dies
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) ? A spokesman for T. Boone Pickens says a grandson of the oil tycoon has died.
Pickens' spokesman Jay Rosser said Tuesday that the death of Thomas Boone Pickens IV is an "unspeakable family tragedy." He asked that the family be allowed to grieve in private.
Neither Rosser nor Fort Worth police have said what may have caused the death of the TCU junior, who went by the name Ty.
A police spokeswoman says officers responded to a report of a dead person at an off-campus location around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. Ty Boone Pickens was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police say the Tarrant County medical examiner will determine the cause of death.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/grandson-oil-tycoon-t-boone-pickens-dies-221706770--finance.html
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App reveals chefs' favorite hot spots
TORONTO (Reuters) - Where do top-rated chefs, sommeliers and bartenders hang out during their time off? A new app uncovers their favorite restaurants, bars and shops in cities around the world, from high-end eateries to dive bars.
The app, Find. Eat. Drink., for iPhones provides recommendations from industry experts. It includes suggestions from Fergus Henderson, the English chef who popularized nose-to-tail dining and the Roca brothers, who run El Celler de Can Roca in Spain, which Restaurant magazine dubbed the second-best eatery in the world.
"The idea was to reach out to people within the culinary community that were doing interesting and unique work, and who were passionate about what they do," said Robin Dorian, co-founder of Find. Eat. Drink., who is based in New York.
Chef Richard Blais, of television's "Top Chef" and "Blais Off," recommends a rotisserie chicken restaurant in a strip mall in Atlanta, and Floyd Cardoz, winner of "Top Chef Masters" Season 3, gives the thumbs up for a dosa restaurant in New York.
"You eat out of Styrofoam, but the food is incredibly delicious," he said in his recommendation for the Dosa Hutt.
Suggestions are made based on the user's location and can be viewed on a map. They are also filtered by price and user ratings.
The app can be used to research a city before setting off and to collect venues by creating customized lists within the app. It includes recommendations for more than 2,000 establishments in 120 cities around the world.
"If you go, for instance, to Chinatown in New York, there's all these places, so it kind of takes that guesswork out and makes it easy to go off the beaten track," Dorian explained.
Dorian got the idea for the company from an experience she had as a Food Network television producer and host. After a day of filming, a chef took her to a restaurant in New York, and she was amazed by the number of chefs she spotted there who were customers.
"I was wondering, ?How come all the chefs know to go here?'" she said.
In addition to restaurants and bars, there are also recommendations for Asian grocers and wine, cheese, candy and salt shops.
"It's about checking out places that inspire them - more interesting, ethnic unique places. That's how they eat and how they travel," she said.
Reservations can also be made at select restaurants from the app, which is available worldwide.
A similar app for iPhones called Chefs Feed provides a visual way of scanning photos of restaurant dishes recommended by top chefs.
The app has more than 600 chefs recommending dishes through the app, including Napa's Thomas Keller of French Laundry and Per Se, Los Angeles' Wolfgang Puck of Spago and Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, and New York's Mario Batali of Babbo and Lupa.
(Editing by Patricia Reaney and Jan Paschal)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/app-reveals-chefs-favorite-hot-spots-100104316.html
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The Yeshiva World VIDEO: R' Amnon Yitzchak Speaks Out ...
[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]
Following the election defeat of his Koach L?Hashpiah party, which failed to pass the minimum threshold to enter the 19th Knesset, Rav Amnon Yitzchak speaks out, in the form of a video, speaking of the ?sheker?, the lies that accompanied the election campaign and the Shas officials ?who preferred the chilonim Yair Lapid who closes kollelim and drafts Bnei Torah instead of the person who brings people back to teshuvah.
In the 17 minute video, Rav Amnon speaks of the grief caused to Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita, and the chilul Hashem and unacceptable actions of the Shas officials. He speaks of the insults to Maran and the Torah due to the actions of Shas leaders, who acted inappropriately, as well as the attacks and insults against him.
?Shas officials preferred voting for Arabs instead of me.? He explains how the Shas rabbonim never bothered to inquire, to probe and verify if indeed the harsh allegations against him were founded, which of course they were not.
Rav Amnon says he does not forgive any of them for the spilling of his blood and pain and suffering caused.
Rav Amnon speaks of many cases in which they detected voter fraud, the tricks that took place, the threats, those who saw Shas people outside asking voters ?who are you voting for?, the distribution of cash and even distribution of cell phones free of charge, all to pull people from voting Koach L?Hashpiah.
The vehicles driving around Rosh Ha?ayin and Rehovot announcing that Koach L?Hashpiah closed and that Rav Amnon instructed voters to return to Shas. The rav speaks of how Shas ignored the rulings of Central Election Committee officials, conducting a campaign that was ruled illegal and unacceptable.
Rav Amnon laments how the actions of Shas leaders and supporters actually pushed some people away from being frum, not wishing to be associated with Jews like this, citing the foul play and tactics that have become Shas, actions that are not seen among the most left-wing secular party in Israel.
Rav Amnon speaks of how 30,000 rabbonim, roshei kollel and their followers used all their energy against one man, who was simply acting upon the instructions of HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita, and instead, Yair Lapid has 19 seats.
?Lapid is good for Shas while Amnon Yitzchak is very bad. Can someone please explain this to me? he adds.
Click HERE to watch this video from a mobile device.
Have you checked out?YWN Radio?yet? Click?HERE?to listen!
(YWN ? Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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Source: http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/?p=154367
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Egypt protesters defy curfew after emergency rule imposed
ISMAILIA/CAIRO, Egypt (Reuters) - Thousands of Egyptian protesters ignored a curfew on Monday to take to the streets in cities along the Suez canal, defying a state of emergency imposed by Islamist President Mohamed Mursi to end days of violence that has killed at least 51 people.
One man was killed in violence late on Monday in Port Said and another was shot dead earlier in Cairo as a wave of violence raged on, unleashed last week on the eve of the two-year anniversary of the popular revolt that brought down autocrat Hosni Mubarak.
Political opponents spurned a call by Mursi for talks to try to end the violence, with main opposition groups refusing to attend a meeting.
Instead, huge crowds of protesters took to the streets in the capital Cairo, Alexandria and in the three Suez Canal cities - Port Said, Ismailia and Suez - where Mursi imposed emergency rule and a curfew on Sunday.
"Down, down with Mohamed Mursi! Down, down with the state of emergency!" crowds shouted in Ismailia in defiance of the curfew. In Cairo, flames lit up the night sky where protesters set police vehicles ablaze.
In Port Said, men attacked police stations after dark. A security source said some police and troops were injured. A medical source said one man was killed in clashes.
"The people want to bring down the regime," crowds chanted in Alexandria. "Leave means go, and don't say no!" they shouted.
The demonstrators accuse Mubarak's successor Mursi of betraying the revolution that brought down Mubarak. Mursi and his supporters accuse the protesters of seeking to overthrow the country's first ever democratically elected leader through undemocratic means.
Monday was the second anniversary of one of the bloodiest days in the revolution, which erupted on January 25, 2011 and ended Mubarak's iron rule 18 days later.
The past two years have seen the Islamists win 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.
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.
A cabinet source told Reuters any trials would be in civilian courts, but the step is likely to anger protesters who accuse Mursi of using tactics like those used by Mubarak.
VOLLEYS OF TEARGAS
Propelled to the presidency in a June election by the Muslim Brotherhood, Mursi has lurched through a series of political crises and violent demonstrations while trying to shore up the economy and of prepare for a parliamentary election to cement the new democracy in a few months.
The instability unnerves Western capitals, where officials worry about the direction of a key regional player that has a peace deal with Israel. The United States condemned the deadly violence and called on Egyptian leaders to make clear violence is not acceptable. ID:nW1E8MD01C].
In Cairo on Monday, police fired volleys of teargas at stone-throwing protesters near Tahrir Square, cauldron of the anti-Mubarak uprising. Protesters stormed into the down town Semiramis Intercontinental hotel and burned two police vehicles.
A 46-year-old bystander was killed by a gunshot early on Monday, a security source said. It was not clear who fired.
"We want to bring down the regime and end the state that is run by the Muslim Brotherhood," said Ibrahim Eissa, a 26-year-old cook, protecting his face from teargas wafting towards him.
The political unrest has been exacerbated by street violence linked to death penalties imposed on soccer supporters convicted of involvement in stadium rioting in Port Said a year ago.
As part of emergency measures, a daily curfew will be imposed on the three canal cities from 9 p.m. (1900 GMT) to 6 a.m. (0400 GMT).
The president announced the 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 in the address infuriated his opponents, not least when he wagged a finger at the camera.
He offered condolences to families of victims. But his invitation to Islamist allies and their opponents to hold a national dialogue was spurned by the main opposition National Salvation Front coalition. Those who attended were mostly Mursi's supporters or sympathizers.
SENDING A MESSAGE
The Front rejected the offer of talks as "cosmetic and not substantive" and set conditions for any future meeting that have not been met in the past, such as forming a government of national unity. The group also demanded that Mursi declare himself responsible for the bloodshed.
"We will send a message to the Egyptian people and the president of the republic about what we think are the essentials for dialogue. If he agrees to them, we are ready for dialogue," opposition politician Mohamed ElBaradei told a news conference.
The opposition Front has distanced itself from the latest flare-ups but said Mursi should have acted far sooner to impose security measures that would have ended the violence.
"Of course we feel the president is missing the real problem on the ground, which is his own policies," Front spokesman Khaled Dawoud said after Mursi made his declaration.
Other 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."
Rights activists said Mursi's declaration was a backward step for Egypt, which was under emergency law for Mubarak's entire 30-year rule. His police used sweeping arrest provisions to muzzle dissent and round up opponents, including members of the Brotherhood and even Mursi himself.
Heba Morayef of Human Rights Watch in Cairo said the police, still hated by many Egyptians for their heavy-handed tactics under Mubarak, would once again have the right to arrest people "purely because they look suspicious", undermining efforts to create a more efficient and respected police force.
"It is a classic knee-jerk reaction to think the emergency law will help bring security," she said. "It gives so much discretion to the Ministry of Interior that it ends up causing more abuse, which in turn causes more anger."
(Additional reporting by Yasmine Saleh in Cairo, Yusri Mohamed in Ismailia and Abdelrahman Youssef in Alexandria; Editing by Peter Graff)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-leader-declares-emergency-clashes-kill-dozens-031734034.html
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Monday, January 28, 2013
Altering eye cells may one day restore vision
Jan. 25, 2013 ? Doctors may one day treat some forms of blindness by altering the genetic program of the light-sensing cells of the eye, according to scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Working in mice with retinitis pigmentosa, a disease that causes gradual blindness, the researchers reprogrammed the cells in the eye that enable night vision. The change made the cells more similar to other cells that provide sight during daylight hours and prevented degeneration of the retina, the light-sensing structure in the back of the eye. The scientists now are conducting additional tests to confirm that the mice can still see.
"We think it may be significantly easier to preserve vision by modifying existing cells in the eye than it would be to introduce new stem cells," says senior author Joseph Corbo, MD, PhD, assistant professor of pathology and immunology. "A diseased retina is not a hospitable environment for transplanting stem cells."
The study is available in the early online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Mutations in more than 200 genes have been linked to various forms of blindness. Efforts are underway to develop gene therapies for some of these conditions.
Rather than seek treatments tailored to individual mutations, Corbo hopes to develop therapies that can alleviate many forms of visual impairment. To make that possible, he studies the genetic factors that allow cells in the developing eye to take on the specialized roles necessary for vision.
The retina has two types of light-sensing cells or photoreceptors. The rods provide night vision, and the cones sense light in the daytime and detect fine visual details.
In retinitis pigmentosa, the rods die first, leaving patients unable to see at night. Daytime vision often remains intact for some time until the cones also die.
Corbo and others have identified several genes that are active in rods or in cones but not in both types of photoreceptors. He wondered whether turning off a key gene that is activated only in rods could protect the cells from the loss of vision characteristic of retinitis pigmentosa.
'"The question was, when retinitis pigmentosa is caused by a mutation in a protein only active in rods, can we reduce or stop vision loss by making the cells less rod-like?" he explains.
The new study focuses on a protein known as Nrl, which influences development of photoreceptors. Cells that make Nrl become rods, while cells that lack the protein become cones. Turning off the Nrl gene in developing mice leads to a retina packed with cone cells.
To see if this rod-to-cone change was possible in adult mice, Corbo created a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa with an Nrl gene that could be switched on and off by scientists.
"In adult mice, switching off Nrl partially converts the rod cells into cone cells," he says. "Several months later, when the mutant mice normally had very little vision left, we tested the function of their retina."
The test showed a healthier level of electrical activity in the retinas of mice that lacked Nrl, suggesting that the mice could still see.
Corbo now is looking for other critical development factors that can help scientists more fully transform adult rods into cones. He notes that if complete conversion of rods to cones were possible, this therapy could also be helpful for conditions where cone cells die first, such as macular degeneration.
Montana CL, Kolesnikov AV, Shen SQ, Myers CA, Kefalov VJ, Corbo JC. Reprogramming of adult rod photoreceptors prevents retinal degeneration. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, online January 14, 2013.
Funding from the National Eye Institute (EY018826 and EY019312), an Institutional Vision Science Training Grant (EY13360) and a grant from Research to Prevent Blindness to the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Washington University supported this research.?
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Washington University in St. Louis. The original article was written by Michael C. Purdy.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- C. L. Montana, A. V. Kolesnikov, S. Q. Shen, C. A. Myers, V. J. Kefalov, J. C. Corbo. Reprogramming of adult rod photoreceptors prevents retinal degeneration. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1214387110
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/top_health/~3/bmQWAsLKO80/130128104443.htm
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Cautious optimism over budget for James City County - vagazette.com
JAMES CITY?
Despite a slow fiscal recovery and looming national doubts, James City County's financial forecast for next year remains strong.Finance officials updated the Board of Supervisors Saturday morning about what to expect on the national, state and local levels before the spring budget season.
- Despite a slow fiscal recovery and looming national doubts, the county's financial forecast for next year remains strong.
Finance officials updated the Board of Supervisors Saturday morning about what to expect on the national, state and local levels before the spring budget season.
"We are in a pretty good place," County Administrator Robert Middaugh told the supervisors. Consumer-driven revenues, such as sales, meals and lodging taxes, continue to beat projections, but he is suggesting budgeting them level to be conservative. He anticipates an overall budget of $170.9 million.
Middaugh has programmed a 3-percent raise for county employees and said Saturday he expects WJC Schools to also plan a 3-percent raise in its budget request, not the 2.5 percent forecast in November. Each percentage point for the schools is expected to cost $725,800, which is not currently programmed.
Middaugh made no mention of tax increases, though a number of challenges remain as he begins to plan for the next fiscal year. While the estimates of dealing with stormwater have come down from "the tens of millions" to the "millions," he said the county will be held responsible by state and federal agencies for both the facilities it owns as well as for monitoring private facilities.
Federal health care reform is expected to cost the county an additional $81,000 if it foots the bill of increases for employees. A new Virginia Retirement System plan could also affect the county if it has to pick up the cost of employees' short- and long-term disability.
In transportation, Middaugh warned that VDOT is trending toward relying on a 50-50 revenue sharing program to pay for work on secondary roads, which are predominant across the county. The program uses half state funds and half local funds. "We are going to be in the road business," Middaugh predicted. "I guarantee you."
Middaugh suggested the supervisors consider dedicating a new revenue source to fund the program, perhaps by reinstating the vehicle registration fee. The supervisors declined, universally agreeing not to adopt a new, instead tapping General Fund revenues for roads fixes.
Middaugh also cautioned that new WJC Schools capital funding requests are likely, including increased security measures in school buildings and the costs of reconverting James Blair back to a middle school and finding new central office space.
The supervisors asked Middaugh and his staff for more information before formal budget deliberations begin in the spring. Specifically, they asked for estimates on the cost of James Blair and a central office, what memberships in outside organizations the county is currently carrying, how much employee health care costs will rise as an average percent of employee pay, and more detailed information about business changes in the county and their taxes.
Source: http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-jcc-budget-retreat-0126-20130126,0,1986663.story
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Sunday, January 27, 2013
Fears grow that Libya is incubator of turmoil
FILE - In this Tuesday Feb. 14, 2012 file photo, Libyan militias from towns throughout the country's west parade through Tripoli, Libya. Libya's upheaval the past two years helped lead to the ongoing conflict in Mali, and now Mali's war threatens to wash back and further hike Libya's instability. There is a growing fear that post-Moammar Gadhafi Libya is becoming an incubator of turmoil, with an overflow of weapons and Islamic jihadi militants operating freely, ready for battlefields at home or abroad. (AP Photo/ Abdel Magid Al Fergany, File)
FILE - In this Tuesday Feb. 14, 2012 file photo, Libyan militias from towns throughout the country's west parade through Tripoli, Libya. Libya's upheaval the past two years helped lead to the ongoing conflict in Mali, and now Mali's war threatens to wash back and further hike Libya's instability. There is a growing fear that post-Moammar Gadhafi Libya is becoming an incubator of turmoil, with an overflow of weapons and Islamic jihadi militants operating freely, ready for battlefields at home or abroad. (AP Photo/ Abdel Magid Al Fergany, File)
FILE -- In this Friday, Sept. 14, 2012 file photo, a Libyan follower of Ansar al-Shariah Brigades chants as he carries the Brigades flag, with Arabic writing that reads, "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger, Ansar al-Shariah," during a protest in front of the Tibesti Hotel, in Benghazi, Libya. Libya's upheaval the past two years helped lead to the ongoing conflict in Mali, and now Mali's war threatens to wash back and further hike Libya's instability. There is a growing fear that post-Moammar Gadhafi Libya is becoming an incubator of turmoil, with an overflow of weapons and Islamic jihadi militants operating freely, ready for battlefields at home or abroad. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon, File)
FILE - In this Friday, Sept. 14, 2012 file photo, Libyan military guards check one of the U.S. Consulate's burnt out buildings during a visit by Libyan President Mohammed el-Megarif, not shown, to the U.S. Consulate to express sympathy for the death of the American ambassador, Chris Stevens and his colleagues in the deadly attack on the Consulate last Tuesday, September 11, in Benghazi, Libya. Libya's upheaval the past two years helped lead to the ongoing conflict in Mali, and now Mali's war threatens to wash back and further hike Libya's instability. There is a growing fear that post-Moammar Gadhafi Libya is becoming an incubator of turmoil, with an overflow of weapons and Islamic jihadi militants operating freely, ready for battlefields at home or abroad.(AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon, File)
FILE --In this Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012 file photo, graffiti on one of the city walls calls on people to stop random firing of weapons making the point that when a bullet goes up it also comes down and can injure or kill people, in Benghazi, Libya. Libya's upheaval the past two years helped lead to the ongoing conflict in Mali, and now Mali's war threatens to wash back and further hike Libya's instability. There is a growing fear that post-Moammar Gadhafi Libya is becoming an incubator of turmoil, with an overflow of weapons and Islamic jihadi militants operating freely, ready for battlefields at home or abroad. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon, File)
FILE -- In this Friday, Sept. 21, 2012 file photo, Libyan civilians watch fires in the Ansar al-Shariah Brigades compound, after hundreds of Libyans, Libyan Military, and Police raided the Brigades base, in Benghazi, Libya. Libya's upheaval the past two years helped lead to the ongoing conflict in Mali, and now Mali's war threatens to wash back and further hike Libya's instability. There is a growing fear that post-Moammar Gadhafi Libya is becoming an incubator of turmoil, with an overflow of weapons and Islamic jihadi militants operating freely, ready for battlefields at home or abroad. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon, File)
Libya's upheaval the past two years helped lead to the ongoing conflict in Mali, and now Mali's war threatens to wash back and further hike Libya's instability. Fears are growing that post-Moammar Gadhafi Libya is becoming an incubator of turmoil, with an overflow of weapons and Islamic jihadi militants operating freely, ready for battlefields at home or abroad.
The possibility of a Mali backlash was underlined the past week when several European governments evacuated their citizens from Libya's second largest city, Benghazi, fearing attacks in retaliation for the French-led military assault against al-Qaida-linked extremists in northern Mali.
More worrisome is the possibility that Islamic militants inspired by ? or linked to ? al-Qaida can establish a strong enough foothold in Libya to spread instability across a swath of North Africa where long, porous desert borders have little meaning, governments are weak, and tribal and ethnic networks stretch from country to country. The Associated Press examined the dangers in recent interviews with officials, tribal leaders and jihadis in various parts of Libya.
Already, Libya's turmoil echoes around the region and in the Middle East. The large numbers of weapons brought into Libya or seized from government caches during the 2011 civil war against Gadhafi are now smuggled freely to Mali, Egypt and its Sinai Peninsula, the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip and to rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar Assad. Jihadis in Libya are believed to have operational links with fellow militant groups in the same swath, Libyan fighters have joined rebels in Syria and are believed to operate in other countries as well.
Libyan officials, activists and experts are increasingly raising alarm over how Islamic militants have taken advantage of the oil-rich country's weakness to grow in strength. During his more than four-decade rule Gadhafi stripped the country of national institutions, and after his fall the central government has little authority beyond the capital, Tripoli. Militias established to fight Gadhafi remain dominant, and tribes and regions are sharply divided.
In the eastern city of Benghazi, birthplace of the revolt that led to the ouster and killing of Gadhafi, militias espousing an al-Qaida ideology and including veteran fighters are prevalent, even ostensibly serving as security forces on behalf of the government since the police and military are so weak and poorly armed. One such militia, Ansar al-Shariah, is believed to have been behind the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate in the city that killed four Americans, including the ambassador. Since then, militants have been blamed for a wave of assassinations of security officers and government officials.
Earlier this month, former Libyan leader Mustafa Abdul-Jalil warned the militant threat extends to efforts to establish a state that can enforce rule of law.
"Libya will not see stability except by facing them," he told a gathering videotaped by activists and aired on Libyan TV. "It is time to either hold dialogue or confront them." He listed 30 officials and police officers assassinated in Benghazi the past year.
The Mali drama illustrates how the threat bounces back and forth across the borders drawn in the Sahel, the region stretching across the Sahara Desert. Libya and Mali are separated by Algeria, but the two countries had deep ties under Gadhafi. Thousands of Tuaregs moved from Mali to Libya beginning in the 1970s, and many joined special divisions of Gadhafi's military where they earned higher salaries than they would have at home.
As Gadhafi was falling in 2011, thousands of heavily armed Tuareg fighters in southern Libya fled to northern Mali. The Tuareg are an indigenous ethnic group living throughout the Sahel, from Mali to Chad and into Libya and Algeria.
The fighters, led by commander Mohammed Ag Najem, broke the Mali government's hold over the north and declared their long-held dream of a Tuareg homeland, Azawad. But they in turn were defeated by Islamic militants, some linked to al-Qaida's branch in North Africa, who took over the territory and imposed rule under an extreme version of Shariah, or Islamic law. This month, as militants moved south, France launched its military intervention to rescue the Mali government, conducting airstrikes against militants.
In retaliation, militants seized an oil complex in eastern Algeria, prompting a siege by Algerian forces that killed dozens of Western hostages and militants.
The militant group that carried out the Algeria hostage taking, in turn, had help from Libyan extremists in the form of smuggled weapons and "organizational ties," the group's leader, Moktar Belmoktar said.
"Their ideological and organizational connection to us is not an accusation against a Muslim but a source of pride and honor to us and to them," Belmoktar, the one-eyed Algerian founder of the Masked Brigade, said of the Libyans in an interview with The Mauritanian newspaper in mid-December. "Jihadists in al-Qaida and in general were the biggest beneficiaries of the Arab world uprisings, because these uprisings have broken the chains of fear ... that the agent regimes of the West imposed."
He urged Libyan militants not to submit to calls by the Tripoli government to hand over their weapons, saying their arms are "the source of their dignity and their guarantee of security."
With pressure building on Mali's Islamists, Libya provides a possible alternative haven for jihadis, said Scott Stewart of the global intelligence group Stratfor.
"It is a very good place to operate if you are an extremist," he said. "There are fault lines and divisions ... The central government has very little authority outside Tripoli. This is very conducive environment for Jihad to thrive."
They already have a free rein in Benghazi.
"Libya became a heaven for them," Col. Salah Bouhalqa, a leading military commander in Benghazi, said of al-Qaida. "The Westerners are fearful that what happened in Algeria will take place in Libya. And here, just like Mali and Egypt and Iraq, these groups have extensions."
Some extremists say they are determined to shape the new Libya. Youssef Jihani, a member of Ansar Shariah in Benghazi, vowed that he and other jihadis would not accept a return to the days when they were jailed and executed under Gadhafi's rule. He told the AP in Benghazi late last year that the toppling of Gadhafi would not have been possible without the strength of jihadi fighters who he said joined the uprising to ensure an "Islamic state of Libya, where Shariah rule is implemented."
The bearded young man said he lay down his weapons last year. But he said he would take arms up again if Libya's next constitution doesn't make a clear reference to rule by Islamic law or if secular politicians hold power and try to rein in jihadis.
Jihani proudly said he believes in al-Qaida and supports its slain leader Osama bin Laden and Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar. He said that during Libya's civil war in 2011, he killed a captured soldier from Gadhafi's army after discovering 11 video clips on his mobile phone showing soldiers raping women and men. Jihani said he ordered the soldier to dig his own grave, then severed his head with a knife.
"I wish I could behead him 11 times," he said. His story could not be independently confirmed.
Stewart, of Stratfor, also pointed to a concern that al-Qaida could make inroads among Libya's impoverished and alienated Tuareg.
Living in mud-brick slums or camps in the deserts of southwestern Libya, most Tuaregs were never given citizenship under Gadhafi's rule, though he used their fighters as mercenaries, and now they suffer not only from poverty but from the disdain of Libyans who see them as Gadhafi loyalists.
For centuries, Tuareg ran caravan routes across the Sahara, carrying gold and other valuables. Now they're known for smuggling weapons and drugs. In slums around the towns of Sabha and Owbari, they sleep next to livestock in shacks with corrugated metal roofs, with webs of electric cables dangling from poles overhead and garbage-filled streets.
Libya's new leadership has largely shunned them. The Tuareg's four members in parliament were removed because of ties to Gadhafi's regime, leaving them without a political voice. The Tuareg contend they were exploited by Gadhafi, along with all other Libyans.
"Gadhafi's rule left behind a breeding ground for terrorism by depriving people of their rights and education .... After all the promises, we thought we will live in heaven, but kids here die from scorpion bites," said Suleiman Naaim, a Tuareg rights activist, told the AP in Owbari.
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Argentina, Iran to form "truth commission" for 1994 bombing
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina said on Sunday it had agreed with Iran to establish a "truth commission" in a bid to resolve the 1994 bombing of a Buenos Aires Jewish community center that Argentine courts accuse the Iran of sponsoring.
Argentine President Cristina Fernandez agreed to open talks with Tehran on the attack last year in a sharp change in diplomatic policy that irked Israel and drew criticism from Jewish leaders in Buenos Aires and the United States.
Fernandez said foreign ministers from Argentina and Iran had signed a memorandum of understanding during a meeting in Ethiopia.
The accord establishes a truth commission made up of foreign legal experts "to analyze all the documentation presented to date by the judicial authorities of Argentina and Iran," Fernandez said in a series of Twitter messages.
Fernandez, who has close ties with other Latin American leaders who are on good terms with Tehran, such as Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, hailed the agreement as historic.
The five commissioners will be jointly nominated and will not be residents of Argentina or Iran, according to a document posted on Fernandez's Facebook page.
After analyzing the evidence, "the commission will give its vision and issue a report with recommendations about how the case should proceed within the legal and regulatory framework of both parties," according to the agreement.
It also outlines plans for Argentine legal officials to meet in Tehran to question "those people for whom Interpol has issued a red notice."
"For the first time, it will be possible for suspects identified by Argentina's justice system to be questioned by the judge and prosecutor in the case," Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman said in a statement.
In 2007, Argentine authorities secured Interpol arrest warrants for five Iranians and a Lebanese in the bombing of the center, which killed 85 people. Iran denies links to the attack.
Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi is among the Iranian officials sought by Argentina, which is home to Latin America's largest Jewish community.
Western and Israeli sources have voiced concerns that Argentina may have lost its interest in pursuing investigations of the 1994 attack, as well as the bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires that killed 29 people two years earlier.
The Islamic Jihad Organization, believed to be linked to Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, claimed responsibility for the 1992 bombing.
Fernandez said the accord, which must be ratified by Congress, showed Argentina "would never let the tragedy (attack) become a chess piece in the game of wider geopolitical interests."
"Dialogue (is) the only way to resolve conflicts between countries, however severe they are," she said via Twitter.
(Reporting by Guido Nejamkis; Writing by Helen Popper; Editing by Bill Trott)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/argentina-iran-form-truth-commission-1994-bombing-173244285.html
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Saturday, January 26, 2013
U.S. military building space robot to recycle satellites
A Pentagon project to harvest and reuse parts from dead satellites is gaining steam, and a new video shows how the far the military program has come in its first few months.
The new video serves as a progress report through last November for the?Phoenix program, a project by the?Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to recycle space junk back into valuable satellite parts, or even completely new spacecraft. DARPA scientists began the project in July and are working toward launching the first demonstration mission in two years or so.
"Today, satellites are not built to be modified or repaired in space," Phoenix program?manager Dave Barnhart said in a statement unveiling the video Tuesday (Jan. 22). "Therefore, to enable an architecture that can reuse or repurpose on-orbit components requires us to create new technologies and new capabilities. This progress report gives the community a better sense of how we are doing on the challenges we may face and the technologies needed to help us meet our goals."?
An animation of a Phoenix servicing spacecraft working on orbit runs in the background of the 2 1/2-minute video. The foreground, meanwhile, shows some of the progress that has been made in the lab to date.?[DARPA's Project Phoenix (Video)]
This progress includes the development and testing of prototype satellite-grappling technology and tele-operations control software, among other gear, according to the video.
The Phoenix program plans to use a robot mechanic to grab still-working antennas from the many retired and dead satellites in geosynchronous orbit, about 22,000 miles (35,406 kilometers) above Earth. These large, bulky antennas would then be attached to small "satlets," or nanosatellites, launched from Earth, creating new space systems on the cheap.
The goal is to demonstrate a way to turn part of the ever-expanding cloud of space junk around our planet into space resources, saving money in the process, DARPA officials have said. The first on-orbit demonstration mission is targeted for 2015.
"We have a long way to go, but we are laying the foundation for improving how we build space systems, with the goal of changing the economic model for space operations," Barnhart said.
Phoenix isn't the only satellite-servicing effort currently underway. NASA's?Robotic Refueling Mission?(RRM), which was delivered to the International Space Station in July 2011, is testing out the technology necessary to repair and refuel satellites on orbit.
The latest round of RRM experiments is going on right now, with the space station's two-armed Dextre robot attempting to snip wires, unscrew caps and pump simulated fuel using the RRM test module, NASA officials have said.
Follow SPACE.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall?or SPACE.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook?and?Google+.?
Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-military-building-space-robot-recycle-satellites-video-213731095.html
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Dolphin in Gowanus Canal
[unable to retrieve full-text content]A dolphin trapped in Brooklyn?s Gowanus Canal on Friday drew rescuers who were reluctant to intervene before high tide, when it might have swum free on its own, but it died.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/26/nyregion/dolphin-in-gowanus-canal.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
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8 Commodities You Should Be Investing In - Money Morning
Investing in Commodities: The Outlook for 2013-14
Here's the Morgan Stanley report rundown on eight commodities headed for price gains:
- Aluminum: Further infrastructure- and construction-related stimulus from China should move prices up in 2013. But the current level of supplies and high production capacity will put a floor on prices in 2014.
- Copper: Growth in the supply of copper will be slow over the next five years and demand should increase, especially from China as the country's infrastructure and auto markets stabilize.
- Nickel: Nickel remains at mid-2009 lows due to a growing oversupply and weak demand, but should rebound over the next two years.
- Zinc: A sharp drop in 2012 production in China helped cut into an oversupply of zinc that dates to the financial crisis of 2008-2009. And if China's new leadership supports infrastructure growth, that will boost zinc prices as well.
- Gold: The Federal Reserve's QE3, combined with the European Central Bank's unlimited bond-purchasing program, will continue to push the yellow metal higher, but lowered demand could limit prices in 2014.
- Silver: Production at mines has stalled since 2011 and demand should continue to increase, especially for use in electronics and jewelry.
- Platinum: Supply issues in South Africa that eliminated the surplus of platinum, coupled with strong industrial demand, should keep this metal moving higher.
- Sugar: A global surplus of sugar, due to higher-than-expected production from Brazil and India, should prevent major changes in prices for the next two years.
Aluminum ended 2012 at $2,087/metric ton. The projection for 2013 and 2014 is $2,300/metric ton - a 10.21% increase from the end of 2012.
Copper ended 2012 at $3.61/pound. The 2013 projection is $3.90/pound, up 8.03% from 2012. The 2014 projection is $3.72/pound, up 3.05% from 2012.
Nickel ended 2012 at $17,448/metric ton. The 2013 projection is $18,300/metric ton, a 4.88% increase from 2012. The 2014 projection is $19,800/metric ton, up 13.48% from 2012.
Zinc ended 2012 at $2,040/metric ton. The 2013 projection is $2,200/metric ton, an increase of 7.84% from 2012. The 2014 projection is $2,300/metric ton, up 12.75% from 2012.
Gold ended 2012 at $1,665/ ounce. The 2013 projection is $1,853/ounce, up 11.29% from 2012. The 2014 projection is $1,800/ounce, up 8.11% from 2012.
Silver ended 2012 at $30/ounce. The 2013 and 2014 projection is $35/ounce, an increase of 16.67% from 2012.
Platinum ended 2012 at $1,524/ounce. The 2013 projection is $1,715/ ounce, up 12.53% from 2012. The 2014 projection is $1,785/ounce, up 17.13% from 2012.
Sugar ended 2012 at 19.2 cents/pound. The 2013 projection is 19 cents/pound, down 1.04% from 2012. The 2014 projection is 20 cents/pound, up 4.17% from 2012.
5 Commodities That Could Really Outperform
Krauth agrees with Morgan Stanley's commodities team that gold is the safest and best commodity going forward.
But he expects the highest return from silver prices.
His 2013 price targets are $2,200/ounce for gold, which would be up 32.13% from the end of 2012, and $54/ounce for silver, for an 80% increase.
Both of these increases will be spurred by the inflationary actions of central banks, strong investor demand and decreased supplies. Krauth expects silver to outperform gold because of the added demand from its various industrial uses, and its low price compared with gold.
Krauth also sees higher prices for platinum and palladium.
Increased use of platinum and palladium in automobiles is expected to help drive consumption of the metals up 7% - 8% this year, Krauth said. But ongoing labor problems in Africa, which produces most of the world's platinum and palladium, will reduce supply of the metals, he said.
Krauth predicts the price of platinum will rise to $1,850/ounce in 2013. He foresees palladium, now trading at about $725/ounce, rising to $800 this year.
Copper, Krauth forecasts, will rise above $4/pound this year.
Read more Money Morning coverage of commodities.
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Source: http://moneymorning.com/2013/01/25/8-commodities-you-should-be-investing-in/
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