A government advisory committee has reconsidered its advice to keep certain details of bird flu experiments secret.
Revised versions of manuscripts that describe two recent studies can be openly published, the committee now says. The decision could help end a contentious debate that has raged within the scientific community for months.
In response, the editors of two journals immediately said they planned to publish the research soon.
The editor-in-chief of the journal Nature, Philip Campbell, said in an emailed statement that his journal was delighted at the news. "Subject to any outstanding regulatory or legal issues, we intend to proceed with publication as soon as possible," Campbell said.
?
The editor-in-chief of the journal Science, Bruce Alberts, said in a statement that his journal "will proceed in an expedient but careful manner" to publish the research in full.
Late last year, the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity reviewed two papers describing experiments on bird flu and recommended that science journals not publish the full details. The concern was that the information could reveal how to create a contagious new form of the bird flu virus that could potentially be used as a bioweapon.
U.S. government officials accepted that assessment and began working to set up a secure system for sharing the sensitive information only with scientists who had a legitimate need to know. But officials quickly realized that thorny legal issues were going to make it very difficult to develop such a system for researchers all around the world.
Then, in February, a group convened by the World Health Organization called for full publication of the bird flu studies, saying that widely sharing the information was important for public health efforts to prepare for flu pandemics that might emerge in the future.
Government officials consequently asked the NSABB to take another look at revised versions of the manuscripts, plus additional information. In a two-day meeting that ended today, the panel of scientists and security experts heard from the researchers who did the work and also got a classified briefing from the intelligence community.
The NSABB now says "the data described in the revised manuscripts do not appear to provide information that would immediately enable misuse of the research in ways that would endanger public health or national security."
In addition, the committee cited new evidence that "underscores the fact that understanding specific mutations may improve international surveillance" to detect an emerging flu pandemic.
The vote was unanimous for one of the revised papers, from a group led by flu researcher Yoshihiro Kawaoka at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
But not everyone on the committee agreed about what to do with a study from the lab of Ron Fouchier of Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands. For that revised paper, the vote was 12 to 6 in favor of openly publishing the data, methods, and conclusions.
The committee has no power to enforce its advice, but its views do carry weight. The flu researchers and science journals have voluntarily held off on publication since the NSABB gave its initial recommendations.
Meanwhile, the government is taking steps to try to prevent a controversy like this from arising in the future.
Yesterday officials released a new policy for overseeing biological research that could potentially be used to threaten the public. It calls for screening proposed and ongoing government-funded research projects that involve 15 particularly nasty pathogens and toxins, such as Ebola, anthrax and highly pathogenic bird flu.
If it appears that experiments could yield potentially dangerous information, officials will have to develop a plan to mitigate the risk that the work could be misused. In some cases, the work could be classified.
Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen and Maisie Williams as Arya Stark on "Game of Thrones."
Kids grow up fast in the world of Westeros on HBO's "Game of Thrones."
One day, their worst fear is disappointing Dad, and the next they watch as he gets a public beheading and his noggin ends up mounted on a spike where the whole community can see it.
Barely a teen, Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner, 16) tries to remain calm when her 13-year-old betrothed, the not-quite-stable King Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson), degrades her and forces her to live in fear after ordering the gory demise of his future father-in-law, Ned Stark. Meanwhile, her little sister, Arya, 11 (Maisie Williams, 14), boldly escapes with a ragged clan of miscreants to find what remains of her family.
It?s a lot for kids to take on.
While no one would call ?Game of Thrones? a teen drama, there?s no denying that the majority of characters are in the under-19 demo (many ranging from children to barely teens), and they carry central roles.
After the death of their daddies last season, the Stark and Baratheon kids are anything but all right when the story picks up on Sunday. ?
The season begins as teenager Robb Stark has taken up the banner as the King in the North, while his similarly aged bastard brother Jon Snow soldiers on as a member of the Night's Watch, which holds the line between the lands to the south and the otherworldly dangers to the far north with a great wall. Fellow teen Theon, a noble hostage raised as their sibling, has been sent back to his home to gather the troops in support of faux-bro Robb.
And off in the hinterlands, teen widow Daenerys Targaryen, who is just 15 (played by Emilia Clarke), is leading a ragtag group of Dothraki followers, with her fledgling trio of dragons in tow.
These are just some of the younger players featured on "Game of Thrones" this season. There are more school-aged characters on the show than you?ll find on an average CW series, with even more sexual intrigues and teen angst. And, as often happens, most of those older teens are played by young adult actors in their 20s.
As impressive as the adult cast is, it?s the child actors who really stand out as they play complicated characters with an ease that belies their age. The complex series has dozens of parts, and these kids play a major role in advancing the story.
In TV, you get used to the young actors mugging it up for the camera, not exactly showing a range of emotions that would lead to an award-winning performance. The rare recent exceptions include Kaitlyn Dever, who played orphan Loretta in ?Justified? when she was just 14 and stood toe-to-toe with Emmy winner Margo Martindale, and ?Mad Men? phenom Kiernan Shipka, 12, who has been wowing critics for a few years as Don and Betty Draper?s daughter, Sally.
In ?Game of Thrones,? the producers scored with a young cast that hits it home every week. Williams? portrayal of one of the most popular characters in the book, Arya, doesn?t miss a step as the feisty little girl disguises herself as a boy as she fends for herself.? It?s a meaty role that could go so terribly wrong in the hands of a lesser actor.
The same holds true for Turner as Sansa, the beautiful spoiled daughter of Ned Stark who dreams of marrying a prince and being a good wife, mother and princess.? She shows her mettle when she?s forced to play her own game of survival within the walls of her enemies.
Little brother Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright, 12), who would probably be a fourth-grader in modern times, is left at home to rule Winterfell, the seat of House Stark. He?s soldiering on despite being a cripple, the result of getting tossed out of a window after seeing the fornication between twins Jaime Lannister and Queen Cersei Baratheon, Joffrey?s true parents.
Now that?s something that can leave a mark.
Gleeson, who is in his late teens, shines as the sadistic Joffrey. In a TV season filled with hateful male teens from ?Smash,? ?The Killing? and ?Terra Nova,? Gleeson?s portrait rings true without the feeling that he?s just there to fulfill some network demographic need.
And as the war rages on in season two of "GoT," it looks like the game will be well played by the youngest members of this compelling drama.
Who's your favorite young character on "Game of Thrones" and why? Tell us on our Facebook page!
HR Club Philippines, in cooperation with Businessmaker Academy, conducted an informal survey of 100 HR officers and business owners in Metro Manila on what traits and skills they look for when they are recruiting potential employees for their company.
The results are in and l would like to share them with you, dear job hunters, so that you may gain insight on what employers are looking for and what you can aspire to improve to get the job that you want.
So here are the Top 7 Traits we noted from our survey respondents:
1.COMMUNICATION SKILLS
According to the survey, Communication Skills ranks as the highest quality that employers want.This came out in 85% of the responses.
Tips and Commentary:When we talk about communication skills, most applicants immediately think that it?s about English Proficiency.This is mostly true as English is the preferred language in the field of business and the corporate world.Many companies look for people who can read, write and speak English very well, especially if they have international clients.
However, let?s dig deeper and find out what Communication Skills is really about.Communication Skills is not just about writing and speaking English well.It encompasses reading, listening, writing and speaking ability.It is about how well you can understand and interpret what you hear and read, as well as how good you are at getting your message across in such a way that other people can understand you.
To improve your Communication Skills, I suggest reading as much books, newspapers and articles as you can.Discuss these with others so that you can test yourself if you truly understood the message, while you practice getting your message across.If English proficiency is your weakness, use the English language more often. If it?s another language, do the same. Practice, practice, practice!The only way you can improve your communication skills is for you to, well, communicate.
2.ATTITUDE, VALUES & PERSONALITY
The second most common characteristics that our respondents look for is attitude, values or personality.This came out in 72% of the responses.
Tips and Commentary:When we talk about attitude, values and personality, we are talking about a person?s principles, moral standards, ethics and even disposition that affect his or her behaviour in the workplace.Evaluating a person on these is not an exact science.Although there are measurements that can be used, most recruitment officers rely on their intuition, gut feel and judgement to determine if the applicant is fit for the prevailing culture of their company.
You have to understand that values and cultures may greatly differ from one company to another.Some companies put more importance to teamwork, other companies prefer individual achievements while others are very competitive in nature.Some companies encourage employees to be proactive with lean set ups, while some companies have bureaucratic environments.
To improve in this area, it is best to go with positivity since practically all companies want positive people in their company.You would also want to determine your identity as a person and your principles in life.When you know who you are, it will be easier for you to see if you will fit in a particular company.I do not suggest changing yourself drastically and giving up your principles to fit in, but rather, it is more important to find a work environment and culture that suits your personality and values.
3.INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
The third most common trait that our respondents mentioned is Interpersonal Skills.This came out in 53% of the responses
Tips and Commentary:When we talk about interpersonal skills, we are basically referring to people skills---your ability to interact socially with others.Most people mix this up with communication skills because both are part of the realms of communication.
However, let?s draw the distinction between the two. Communication Skills is the general umbrella where interpersonal skills would fall under.The basic requirement of Communication Skills is your ability to read, listen, write and speak a language well.People Skills, on the other hand, consists of being basically good at communicating but it is more than that.It reflects how well you are able to relate and work with people, which is highly important in any organization.This is where non-verbal communication such as facial expression and emotions come in.
To improve your Interpersonal Skills, learn how to smile.This may sound very simple, but it nevertheless is very important in the workplace.When I interview job applicants, even before I ask questions, the first thing I look at is the applicant?s facial expression.I?ve interviewed so many applicants in my lifetime and you would be surprised that there are many who have very limited smiles.Interestingly, when I talk to other managers who make the second interviews, they would tell me that the reason why they rejected a person is that he or she isn?t too smiley or not very pleasant.Other things you can do to improve interpersonal skills is go back and learn the basics---etiquette, good manners, respect, politeness, courtesy, ?pakisama? and ?pagunawa sa kapwa?.
4.TECHNICAL SKILLS / JOB KNOWLEDGE
The fourth most common trait that our respondents mentioned is Technical Skills and Job Knowledge.This came out in 49% of the responses
Tips and Commentary:When we talk about technical skills or job knowledge, we are referring to the competencies required for the particular job that you are applying for.Each job position requires your ability to do tasks and functions.For instance, if you are applying as a Customer Service Representative, the employer may include customer focus, problem solving, product and process knowledge as part of the competencies required.If you are applying as an Office Secretary, the employer may include computer literacy, typing speed, filing and documentation as competencies required for the Job.
To improve your technical skills and job knowledge, you may want to go for additional training on your particular field of interest.Try to learn new skills that will help you be more competitive in the job market.We are not talking about just getting a certificate or a degree although that would help, but rather learning how to do things, understanding concepts and applying them on the job.However, if you do not have the time and resources to pursue formal training, the least you can do is study the job requirements and specifications and prepare well for the interview, preferably mentioning these to impress the recruitment officer.This will show that you did not randomly applying at just any company, but you are interested in the job you are applying for.
This is the first part of the article.The second part will be published on April 25.Do watch out for it.
HTC's One series inches closer to expectant customers, with Central Europe apparently set to get the device next Monday. According to The Unwired, shoppers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland will all be able to pick up any device from HTC's 2012 catalogue, including the quad-cored One X (€599, around $800), the micro-arc oxidized One S (€499, around $670) and the somehow retro One V (€299, around $400). German carrier O2 has also backed up these claims, announcing that it expects to stock both the One X and One S next week. You'd best grab that passport and a wad of euros.
When you are an online entrepreneur who is just starting out in the world of online business, dealing with you web hosting bills is definitely a challenge. This is especially because your online business is not yet capable of generating the profit you need to cover for the expenses needed for its development. Fortunately, there is a way for you to deal with this difficult challenge with the help of hosting discounts. It is one of the best ways for you to go through the financial burden you are dealing with.
Being easily obtainable is one of the best things about these hosting discounts. Getting these discounts through the web hosting provider itself is one option you can try or you can simply search on the internet. Luckily, most online entrepreneurs also find these discounts on the internet despite the demand for these coupons. Being more convenient as well as an effective approach is what most of these online entrepreneurs believe which is why many of them pursue it.
There are instances that a discount of almost 50% of the regular hosting premiums is the kind of coupon that some web hosting companies or even resellers would give away. When it can give you this much savings, such a sweet deal should not be skipped. No wonder many online entrepreneurs spend hours and hours searching for these discounts on the internet. Giving their online business the financial boost it needs to develop is most likely why they seek these discounts.
You should keep in mind this one very important thing if you are thinking of getting hosting discounts through coupons, and that is to use the coupons that you have during the validity period. These coupons have a validity period as well as discounts that vary depending on the coupon. So you need to remember to use these coupons to avail of hosting discounts before they expire.
As long as you keep these reminders in mind, you are on your way to finding the best deal for your online business. When it comes to maintaining an online business, these savings can certainly help lift the heavy financial burden you have on your shoulder. So for your online business to further develop go ahead and search for these web hosting discounts today.
HostGator offered unlimited bandwidth, unlimited drive space and good customer support. Use the Hostgator coupon code, your first month of hosting will only cost you a penny; or check out the latest hostgator reseller coupon code for more reseller hosting deals.
[ [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Afghan security forces and police killed three', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/H9BcJE', '[Related: Bales\' wife on his alleged shooting: \'He would not do that\']', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['looking for fireworks between the opposing camps', 16]], 'http://yhoo.it/GSvEsj', '[RELATED:\?It?s going to be a circus\?: Activists begin protests outside Supreme Court]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 8]], 'http://yhoo.it/GE6jSh', '[RELATED: Obama\?s health care law passed 2 years ago, but where are we now\?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Witnesses said the gunman pulled up on a black scooter', 7]], 'http://yhoo.it/GzwOIW', '[Related: New York police tighten security at Jewish sites]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['test Zimmerman for alcohol or drugs', 11]], 'http://yhoo.it/Gzn6VF', '[Related: White House says Trayvon Martin is local issue]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Trayvon Martin decked the Neighborhood', 7]], 'http://yhoo.it/GUovUP', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/2/61/261d2c36bccf0971c2734a4d4398aa5a.jpeg', '512', ' ', 'AP/David Goldman', ], [ [['Can you create commerce in order to regulate it', 9]], 'http://yhoo.it/GSgtu8', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/7/78/778e2416573870cd705774e92403447d.jpeg', '630', ' ', 'AP/Charles Dharapak', ], [ [['associated with such a small earthquake', 4]], 'http://yhoo.it/GTco9z', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/0/b4/0b493c1a47b6e3f97f8f48a2b251d7d4.jpeg', '630', ' ', 'AP Photo/Carrie Antlfinger', ], [ [['Fox News host Geraldo Rivera sparked outrage', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GKMVTk', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/2/7c/27c7367bc512d233ae1790b320a5e92c.jpeg', '630', ' ', 'AP Photo/John Minchillo', ], [ [['The charges signed against Bales include', 1]], 'http://yhoo.it/wZT5zV', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/7/a0/7a07c51b2aa0f39b1a23355046d13870.jpeg', '512', ' ', 'AP Photo/DVIDS\, Spc\. Ryan Hallock\, File', ], [ [['George Zimmerman, if I had a son', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/thousands-protest-fla-teen-death-1332387124-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/os/152/2012/03/22/d761a49f3fcc99080a0f6a70670053cd-jpg_150905.jpg', '500', ' ', 'AP Photo/John Minchillo', ], [ [['Mohamed Merah', 10], ['prosecutor Francois Molins', 5]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/four-dead-in-french-jewish-school-shooting-1332173151-slideshow', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120321/2012_03_21t151508z_425380421_gm1e83l1sqs01_rtrmadp_3_france_shootings_raid.jpg', '630', ' ', 'REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier', ], [ [['Shortly after he wrapped up his victory remarks', 2]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/4-straight-romney-wins-washington-gop-caucus-1330835515-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/3/e9/3e9b0082c3c3111dcc19e3527ae94cc7.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP Photo/Steven Senne', ], [ [['best understands the problems of average Americans', 2]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/4-straight-romney-wins-washington-gop-caucus-1330835515-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/3/e9/3e9b0082c3c3111dcc19e3527ae94cc7.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP Photo/Steven Senne', ], [ [['Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery', 7]], 'http://yhoo.it/GB2RVy', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/os/152/2012/03/20/photo-1332257995646-4-0-jpg_171722.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AFP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
[ [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]
Aging, overrated New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez is under investigation for participating in Hollywood’s underground poker ring, according to reports.
Major League Baseball is looking into a convicted fraudster’s stunning confession that the oft-controversial Yankees slugger played in high-stakes tournaments.
Illegal ones that included celebrities Tobey Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, and a jailed hedge fund manager, Bradley Ruderman.
Ruderman embezzled $25 million of his clients’ money and used $5.2 million of it to pay off gambling debts, admitting that he played against Rodriguez, 36.
“Like all situations, when we receive new information we investigate,” said a spokesperson for MLB, which interviewed, but did not punish A-Rod, once before.
The crooked Ponzi Scheme mastermind used his clients’ millions to pay off star players including Tobey Maguire and The Notebook director Nick Cassavetes.
Multiple eyewitnesses at the games confirmed that Rodriguez was involved, but say his participation was limited. The baseball great has not commented.
[ [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Afghan security forces and police killed three', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/H9BcJE', '[Related: Bales\' wife on his alleged shooting: \'He would not do that\']', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['looking for fireworks between the opposing camps', 16]], 'http://yhoo.it/GSvEsj', '[RELATED:\?It?s going to be a circus\?: Activists begin protests outside Supreme Court]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 8]], 'http://yhoo.it/GE6jSh', '[RELATED: Obama\?s health care law passed 2 years ago, but where are we now\?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Witnesses said the gunman pulled up on a black scooter', 7]], 'http://yhoo.it/GzwOIW', '[Related: New York police tighten security at Jewish sites]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['test Zimmerman for alcohol or drugs', 11]], 'http://yhoo.it/Gzn6VF', '[Related: White House says Trayvon Martin is local issue]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Trayvon Martin decked the Neighborhood', 7]], 'http://yhoo.it/GUovUP', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/2/61/261d2c36bccf0971c2734a4d4398aa5a.jpeg', '512', ' ', 'AP/David Goldman', ], [ [['Can you create commerce in order to regulate it', 9]], 'http://yhoo.it/GSgtu8', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/7/78/778e2416573870cd705774e92403447d.jpeg', '630', ' ', 'AP/Charles Dharapak', ], [ [['associated with such a small earthquake', 4]], 'http://yhoo.it/GTco9z', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/0/b4/0b493c1a47b6e3f97f8f48a2b251d7d4.jpeg', '630', ' ', 'AP Photo/Carrie Antlfinger', ], [ [['Fox News host Geraldo Rivera sparked outrage', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GKMVTk', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/2/7c/27c7367bc512d233ae1790b320a5e92c.jpeg', '630', ' ', 'AP Photo/John Minchillo', ], [ [['The charges signed against Bales include', 1]], 'http://yhoo.it/wZT5zV', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/7/a0/7a07c51b2aa0f39b1a23355046d13870.jpeg', '512', ' ', 'AP Photo/DVIDS\, Spc\. Ryan Hallock\, File', ], [ [['George Zimmerman, if I had a son', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/thousands-protest-fla-teen-death-1332387124-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/os/152/2012/03/22/d761a49f3fcc99080a0f6a70670053cd-jpg_150905.jpg', '500', ' ', 'AP Photo/John Minchillo', ], [ [['Mohamed Merah', 10], ['prosecutor Francois Molins', 5]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/four-dead-in-french-jewish-school-shooting-1332173151-slideshow', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120321/2012_03_21t151508z_425380421_gm1e83l1sqs01_rtrmadp_3_france_shootings_raid.jpg', '630', ' ', 'REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier', ], [ [['Shortly after he wrapped up his victory remarks', 2]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/4-straight-romney-wins-washington-gop-caucus-1330835515-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/3/e9/3e9b0082c3c3111dcc19e3527ae94cc7.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP Photo/Steven Senne', ], [ [['best understands the problems of average Americans', 2]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/4-straight-romney-wins-washington-gop-caucus-1330835515-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/3/e9/3e9b0082c3c3111dcc19e3527ae94cc7.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP Photo/Steven Senne', ], [ [['Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery', 7]], 'http://yhoo.it/GB2RVy', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/os/152/2012/03/20/photo-1332257995646-4-0-jpg_171722.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AFP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
[ [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]
A Mega Millions lottery contestant buys his ticket for Friday's $500-million game at a corner newsstand in New York, Thursday, March 29, 2012. Forget setting up a charity or establishing a trust, the winner of the $500 million Mega Millions jackpot could save teachers' jobs or help pay for Medicaid-funded doctor appointments in their home state just by paying taxes. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
A Mega Millions lottery contestant buys his ticket for Friday's $500-million game at a corner newsstand in New York, Thursday, March 29, 2012. Forget setting up a charity or establishing a trust, the winner of the $500 million Mega Millions jackpot could save teachers' jobs or help pay for Medicaid-funded doctor appointments in their home state just by paying taxes. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Mega Millions lottery contestant Hector Caminero buys $215 worth of tickets for Friday's $500-million game at a corner newsstand in New York, Thursday, March 29, 2012. Forget setting up a charity or establishing a trust, the winner of the $500 million Mega Millions jackpot could save teachers' jobs or help pay for Medicaid-funded doctor appointments in their home state just by paying taxes. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Mega Millions lottery contestants queue up for tickets for Friday's $500-million game at a corner newsstand in New York, Thursday, March 29, 2012. Forget setting up a charity or establishing a trust, the winner of the $500 million Mega Millions jackpot could save teachers' jobs or help pay for Medicaid-funded doctor appointments in their home state just by paying taxes. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Kathy Babcock kisses her Mega Millions lottery tickets at the Farragut Market Thursday, March 29, 2012 in Knoxville, Tenn. With a half-billion-dollar multi-state lottery jackpot up for grabs, plenty of folks are fantasizing about how to spend the money. (AP Photo/Knoxville News Sentinel, Michael Patrick)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) ? People queuing up for Mega Millions tickets aren't the only ones salivating over the record $540 million jackpot that could be won Friday ? some state governments struggling through lean times know a hometown winner would bring a tax bonanza.
Taxes on a lump-sum payment option to a single winner could mean tens of millions of dollars of badly needed revenue that could go to restore entire social service programs on the chopping block, pay for hundreds of low-income housing units, forestall new taxes or hire more state troopers.
So many tickets have been sold that the jackpot climbed Thursday to the largest in U.S. lottery history, according to officials in Rhode Island, one of 42 states where Mega Millions is played. If a lone winner took the lump-sum payout on the jackpot's current amount, it would be an estimated $389.8 million.
"I'd love it if a Rhode Islander wins," said Rep. Helio Melo, the chairman of the House's Finance Committee.
In Rhode Island, when the tax man comes calling for his 5.99 percent, that would mean an estimated $23.3 million, forked over in a single payment.
With it, the state could pay for most of a $25 million bond for affordable housing that voters may be asked to approve this fall. It could also help Rhode Island reach its goal for aid to school districts for the first time. The state, which has a $7.9 billion budget, is $22 million short.
A big lottery windfall wouldn't solve the state's fiscal woes, but it could help chip away at the debt, pay for one-time expenses or delay budget cuts or tax increases ? including on expensive clothing, pet grooming, car washes and taxi fares ? at least for a year, Melo said.
States set their own tax rates on lottery winnings. New York, for instance, charges 8.82 percent, while several, including California, charge none.
Ohio's share of the lump-sum payout would be $23 million, hardly pocket change but still a fraction of the state's $56 billion two-year budget.
"We're not holding our breath waiting for a tax windfall for the state, but we will always root for Ohio and Ohioans and hope lottery luck comes to a Buckeye," said Joe Testa, the state's tax commissioner.
In Montana, lawmakers already could have an excess of $500 million to work with when they write a budget in 2013. Another $50 million or so from tax collections on an in-state Mega Millions win would be icing on the cake.
State Sen. Dave Lewis, a former Montana budget director who now leads the Finance Committee, said he would use his influence to make sure the windfall is used for one-time spending, such as on buildings and infrastructure.
"I just bought a ticket," he said. "I hope it's me."
Rhode Island already has a tax windfall coming its way from two recent Powerball wins. An 81-year-old Newport woman won the Feb. 11 jackpot worth $336.4 million, and the winning ticket for $60 million jackpot on March 7 was sold here.
The Rhode Island Association of School Committees has asked the state to use the $17 million for technology and wireless Internet in schools. That would be in place of a $20 million bond.
Gov. Lincoln Chafee has said the state, which is facing a $117 million budget shortfall next fiscal year, can't rely on those lottery winnings ? and, of course, no state can. But his director of administration recently weighed in, saying of the tax payment: "We're happy to collect it."
__
Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Matt Gouras in Helena, Mont.; David Klepper in Providence, R.I.; and John Seewer in Toledo contributed to this article.
eReflect, a US-focussed developer of self-improvement software packages today announced its full support of Turkeys 48th annual Library Week.
The company is making it clear that all Americans are behind the initiative, held annually in the Eurasian country to promote better job prospects, horizon diversity and personal development.
Reading will change you was the message being conveyed by Turkeys Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoan. His statement to the Nation also placed a focus on libraries importance in the overall development of Turkey:
Libraries are a road to knowledge for people of all ages and social classes and are an important stepping stone to ensuring equal opportunities, the Prime Minister said.
Marc Slater, Founder of eReflect, believes that the annual festival is something every country should consider:
Reading is vital to improving communication, interpersonal interaction and career prospects. Many people believe that every country should side time aside to recognise the importance of this he explains.
Continuing, Our company, famous for the creation of speed reading software, gives Turkey one hundred percent support of the initiative, and were confident everyone else in the United States feels the same way.
National Library Week in the United States was first launched in 1958, observed by the American Library Association as well as thousands of individual libraries in all 50 states.
This years celebration will take place between April 8th and April 14th comprising of celebrations ranging from National Library Workers Day to National Bookmobile Day.
Evidence from the buzz created by Turkeys National Library week would suggest its an event everyone wants to celebrate. With events in the United States appearing a little more low key, Slater hopes people will stand up to the opportunity and take advantage of their local library:
The library is often the central focus of every community. However, whether people take advantage of it or not is another question. With most services offered on a free basis, wed like to see more Americans rushing to read as they are in Turkey Slater adds.
Turkeys National Library Week takes place from 26th March 1st April.
******
About eReflect
eReflect is a world leader in self-improvement software, with products currently being used by tens of thousands of people in over 110 countries.
When Ultimate Vocabulary was released in 2006, it quickly became the most sought after and awarded vocabulary software available. Since then eReflect has released a number of highly successful and popular products in the speed reading, spelling, and memory improvement markets.
eReflect prides itself on creating the best products available. Each eReflect product represents the painstaking work of top content experts, engineers, academic studies, and customer research. All products are backed with a famous 365 day no-questions-asked money-back guarantee.
More information can be found online at: http://www.ereflect.com
30. March 2012 by bavaLeace
Categories: Marketing |
Tags: Americas, Announces, eReflect, Library, National, Support, Turkeys, Week |
Leave a comment
Supercomputing the difference between matter and antimatterPublic release date: 29-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Karen McNulty Walsh kmcnulty@bnl.gov 631-344-8350 DOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory
Research spurs innovations in computing technology that drive advances to supercomputers
UPTON, NY An international collaboration of scientists has reported a landmark calculation of the decay process of a kaon into two pions, using breakthrough techniques on some of the world's fastest supercomputers. This is the same subatomic particle decay explored in a 1964 Nobel Prize-winning experiment performed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), which revealed the first experimental evidence of charge-parity (CP) violation a lack of symmetry between particles and their corresponding antiparticles that may hold the answer to the question "Why are we made of matter and not antimatter?"
The new research reported online in Physical Review Letters March 30, 2012 helps nail down the exact process of kaon decay, and is also inspiring the development of a new generation of supercomputers that will allow the next step in this research.
"The present calculation is a major step forward in a new kind of stringent checking of the Standard Model of particle physics the theory that describes the fundamental particles of matter and their interactions and how it relates to the problem of matter/antimatter asymmetry, one of the most profound questions in science today," said Taku Izubuchi of the RIKEN BNL Research Center and BNL, one of the members of the research team publishing the new findings. "When the universe began, did it start with more particles than antiparticles, or did it begin in a symmetrical way, with equal numbers of particles and antiparticles that, through CP violation or a similar mechanism, ended up with more matter than antimatter?"
Either way, the universe today is composed almost exclusively of matter with virtually no antimatter to be found.
Scientists seeking to understand this asymmetry frequently look for subtle violations in predictions of processes described by the Standard Model. One property of these processes, CP symmetry, can be explored by comparing two particle decays the decay of a particle observed directly and the decay of its anti-particle, viewed in mirror reflection. "C" refers to the exchange of a particle and its antiparticle (which is exactly the same but with opposite charge). "P" specifies the mirror reflection of this decay. But as the Nobel Prize-winning experiments showed, the two decays are not always symmetrical: In some cases you end up with extra particles (matter) and CP symmetry is "violated."
Exploring the precise details of the kaon decay process could help elucidate how and why this happens.
Supercomputing the decay process
The new calculation of one aspect of this decay, which required creating unique new computer techniques to use on some of the world's fastest supercomputers, was carried out by physicists from Brookhaven National Laboratory, Columbia University, the University of Connecticut, the University of Edinburgh, the Max-Planck-Institut fr Physik, the RIKEN BNL Research Center (RBRC), the University of Southampton, and Washington University. The calculation builds upon extensive theoretical studies done since the first 1964 experiment and much more recent experiments done at CERN, the European particle physics laboratory, and at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.
The unprecedented accuracy of the measured experimental values which incorporate distances as minute as one thousandth of a femtometer (one femtometer is 1/1,000,000,000,000,000th of a meter, the size of the nucleus of a hydrogen atom) allowed the collaboration to follow the process in extreme detail: the decay of individual quarks (the subatomic components of many Standard Model particles) and the flitting in and out of existence of other subatomic particles. Viewing the picture from farther away a few tenths of a femtometer this basic process is obscured by a sea of quark-antiquark pairs and a cloud of the gluons that hold them together. At this distance, the gluons begin to bind the quarks into the observed particles. The last part of the problem is to show the behavior of the quarks as they orbit each other, moving at nearly the speed of light through a swarm formed from gluons and further pairs of quarks and antiquarks, and at last forming the pions of the decay under study.
To "translate" the mathematics needed to describe these interactions into a computational problem required the creation of powerful numerical methods and advances in technology that made possible the present generation of massively parallel supercomputers with peak computational speeds of hundreds of teraflops. (A teraflop computer can perform one million million operations per second).
The actual kaon decay described by the calculation spans distance scales of nearly 18 orders of magnitude, from the shortest distances of one thousandth of a femtometer far below the size of an atom, within which one type of quark decays into another to the everyday scale of meters over which the decay is observed in the lab. This range is similar to a comparison of the size of a single bacterium and the size of our entire solar system.
The collaboration carried out the computation using the methods of lattice quantum chromodyamics (QCD the theory that describes fundamental quark-gluon interactions), in which the decay is "imagined" as taking place within a lattice or grid of space-time points that can be entered into a computer. Then, the quantum fluctuations of the decay are calculated by a statistical method called the "Monte Carlo" method, which provides the most likely of the fluctuations as a result. The calculation required 54 million processor hours on the IBM BlueGene/P supercomputer installed at the Argonne Leadership Class Facility (ALCF) at Argonne National Laboratory. Earlier calculations were also done on Brookhaven's QCDOC (for QCD on a chip) supercomputer, a prototype for IBM's BlueGene series.
This calculation, when compared with predictions from the Standard Model, allows the scientists to determine another remaining unknown quantity important to understanding kaon decay and its relation to CP violation. A direct calculation of this remaining unknown quantity and a higher precision recalculation of the present result will be the focus of future research, requiring even more computing power.
"Fortunately," says co-author Peter Boyle of the University of Edinburgh, "the next generation of IBM supercomputers is being installed over the next few months in many research centers around the world, including the ALCF, the University of Edinburgh, the KEK laboratory in Japan, Brookhaven Lab, and the RBRC."
These new IBM BlueGene/Q machines are expected to have 10 to 20 times the performance of the current machines, Boyle explained. "With this dramatic boost in computing power we can get a more accurate version of the present calculation, and other important details will come within reach," he said. "This is a nice synergy between science and the computer the science pushing computer developments and the advanced computers pushing science forward, to the benefit of the science community and also the commercial world."
###
The calculations were performed under the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment (INCITE) program on the Intrepid BlueGene/P supercomputer in ALCF at Argonne National Laboratory and on the Ds Cluster at Fermi National Laboratory, computer resources of the USQCD Collaboration. Part of the analysis was performed on the Iridis Cluster at the University of Southampton and the DiRAC facility in the UK. The research was supported by DOE's Office of Science, the U.K's Science and Technology Facilities Council, the University of Southampton, and the RIKEN Laboratory in Japan.
DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit http://www.science.energy.gov.
One of ten national laboratories overseen and primarily funded by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Brookhaven National Laboratory conducts research in the physical, biomedical, and environmental sciences, as well as in energy technologies and national security. Brookhaven Lab also builds and operates major scientific facilities available to university, industry and government researchers. Brookhaven is operated and managed for DOE's Office of Science by Brookhaven Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by the Research Foundation of State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory facilities, and Battelle, a nonprofit, applied science and technology organization.
Visit Brookhaven Lab's electronic newsroom for links, news archives, graphics, and more at http://www.bnl.gov/newsroom , or follow Brookhaven Lab on Twitter, http://twitter.com/BrookhavenLab .
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Supercomputing the difference between matter and antimatterPublic release date: 29-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Karen McNulty Walsh kmcnulty@bnl.gov 631-344-8350 DOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory
Research spurs innovations in computing technology that drive advances to supercomputers
UPTON, NY An international collaboration of scientists has reported a landmark calculation of the decay process of a kaon into two pions, using breakthrough techniques on some of the world's fastest supercomputers. This is the same subatomic particle decay explored in a 1964 Nobel Prize-winning experiment performed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), which revealed the first experimental evidence of charge-parity (CP) violation a lack of symmetry between particles and their corresponding antiparticles that may hold the answer to the question "Why are we made of matter and not antimatter?"
The new research reported online in Physical Review Letters March 30, 2012 helps nail down the exact process of kaon decay, and is also inspiring the development of a new generation of supercomputers that will allow the next step in this research.
"The present calculation is a major step forward in a new kind of stringent checking of the Standard Model of particle physics the theory that describes the fundamental particles of matter and their interactions and how it relates to the problem of matter/antimatter asymmetry, one of the most profound questions in science today," said Taku Izubuchi of the RIKEN BNL Research Center and BNL, one of the members of the research team publishing the new findings. "When the universe began, did it start with more particles than antiparticles, or did it begin in a symmetrical way, with equal numbers of particles and antiparticles that, through CP violation or a similar mechanism, ended up with more matter than antimatter?"
Either way, the universe today is composed almost exclusively of matter with virtually no antimatter to be found.
Scientists seeking to understand this asymmetry frequently look for subtle violations in predictions of processes described by the Standard Model. One property of these processes, CP symmetry, can be explored by comparing two particle decays the decay of a particle observed directly and the decay of its anti-particle, viewed in mirror reflection. "C" refers to the exchange of a particle and its antiparticle (which is exactly the same but with opposite charge). "P" specifies the mirror reflection of this decay. But as the Nobel Prize-winning experiments showed, the two decays are not always symmetrical: In some cases you end up with extra particles (matter) and CP symmetry is "violated."
Exploring the precise details of the kaon decay process could help elucidate how and why this happens.
Supercomputing the decay process
The new calculation of one aspect of this decay, which required creating unique new computer techniques to use on some of the world's fastest supercomputers, was carried out by physicists from Brookhaven National Laboratory, Columbia University, the University of Connecticut, the University of Edinburgh, the Max-Planck-Institut fr Physik, the RIKEN BNL Research Center (RBRC), the University of Southampton, and Washington University. The calculation builds upon extensive theoretical studies done since the first 1964 experiment and much more recent experiments done at CERN, the European particle physics laboratory, and at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.
The unprecedented accuracy of the measured experimental values which incorporate distances as minute as one thousandth of a femtometer (one femtometer is 1/1,000,000,000,000,000th of a meter, the size of the nucleus of a hydrogen atom) allowed the collaboration to follow the process in extreme detail: the decay of individual quarks (the subatomic components of many Standard Model particles) and the flitting in and out of existence of other subatomic particles. Viewing the picture from farther away a few tenths of a femtometer this basic process is obscured by a sea of quark-antiquark pairs and a cloud of the gluons that hold them together. At this distance, the gluons begin to bind the quarks into the observed particles. The last part of the problem is to show the behavior of the quarks as they orbit each other, moving at nearly the speed of light through a swarm formed from gluons and further pairs of quarks and antiquarks, and at last forming the pions of the decay under study.
To "translate" the mathematics needed to describe these interactions into a computational problem required the creation of powerful numerical methods and advances in technology that made possible the present generation of massively parallel supercomputers with peak computational speeds of hundreds of teraflops. (A teraflop computer can perform one million million operations per second).
The actual kaon decay described by the calculation spans distance scales of nearly 18 orders of magnitude, from the shortest distances of one thousandth of a femtometer far below the size of an atom, within which one type of quark decays into another to the everyday scale of meters over which the decay is observed in the lab. This range is similar to a comparison of the size of a single bacterium and the size of our entire solar system.
The collaboration carried out the computation using the methods of lattice quantum chromodyamics (QCD the theory that describes fundamental quark-gluon interactions), in which the decay is "imagined" as taking place within a lattice or grid of space-time points that can be entered into a computer. Then, the quantum fluctuations of the decay are calculated by a statistical method called the "Monte Carlo" method, which provides the most likely of the fluctuations as a result. The calculation required 54 million processor hours on the IBM BlueGene/P supercomputer installed at the Argonne Leadership Class Facility (ALCF) at Argonne National Laboratory. Earlier calculations were also done on Brookhaven's QCDOC (for QCD on a chip) supercomputer, a prototype for IBM's BlueGene series.
This calculation, when compared with predictions from the Standard Model, allows the scientists to determine another remaining unknown quantity important to understanding kaon decay and its relation to CP violation. A direct calculation of this remaining unknown quantity and a higher precision recalculation of the present result will be the focus of future research, requiring even more computing power.
"Fortunately," says co-author Peter Boyle of the University of Edinburgh, "the next generation of IBM supercomputers is being installed over the next few months in many research centers around the world, including the ALCF, the University of Edinburgh, the KEK laboratory in Japan, Brookhaven Lab, and the RBRC."
These new IBM BlueGene/Q machines are expected to have 10 to 20 times the performance of the current machines, Boyle explained. "With this dramatic boost in computing power we can get a more accurate version of the present calculation, and other important details will come within reach," he said. "This is a nice synergy between science and the computer the science pushing computer developments and the advanced computers pushing science forward, to the benefit of the science community and also the commercial world."
###
The calculations were performed under the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment (INCITE) program on the Intrepid BlueGene/P supercomputer in ALCF at Argonne National Laboratory and on the Ds Cluster at Fermi National Laboratory, computer resources of the USQCD Collaboration. Part of the analysis was performed on the Iridis Cluster at the University of Southampton and the DiRAC facility in the UK. The research was supported by DOE's Office of Science, the U.K's Science and Technology Facilities Council, the University of Southampton, and the RIKEN Laboratory in Japan.
DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit http://www.science.energy.gov.
One of ten national laboratories overseen and primarily funded by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Brookhaven National Laboratory conducts research in the physical, biomedical, and environmental sciences, as well as in energy technologies and national security. Brookhaven Lab also builds and operates major scientific facilities available to university, industry and government researchers. Brookhaven is operated and managed for DOE's Office of Science by Brookhaven Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by the Research Foundation of State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory facilities, and Battelle, a nonprofit, applied science and technology organization.
Visit Brookhaven Lab's electronic newsroom for links, news archives, graphics, and more at http://www.bnl.gov/newsroom , or follow Brookhaven Lab on Twitter, http://twitter.com/BrookhavenLab .
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 29-Mar-2012
Share ]