Wednesday 31 October 2012

Morning after: 3 things homeowners should do now

As homeowners start to assess the water and wind damage to their properties after Hurricane Sandy, they'll need to know the ins and outs of their insurance. Robert Hartwig of the Insurance Information Institute has tips on navigating your storm coverage.

By Martha C. White

A lot of homeowners in the Northeast woke up today and confronted the specter of flooded structures, fallen trees and other serious property damage. Last year's Hurricane Irene clocked in as the fifth most expensive hurricane in history, with $19 billion in damages, and Sandy's impact is expected to be even larger.

Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute, said homeowners who suffered damage from Superstorm Sandy should take a few steps immediately. Here's what you need to do to get repairs under way.

  • While Hartwig recommends a sit-down with an insurance agent once a year to go over coverage types and levels, many of us don't do that, so the first step is reading your policy to find out whether or not you have covered claims. While wind causes some damage to homes, cars and other property, the big issue is flooding. Flooding is responsible for more than 90 percent of property damage inflicted by natural disasters, although it isn't covered in most homeowners' insurance policies.
  • Inspect your home, take pictures of any structural or property damage as soon as possible and pull together a list of damaged property along with, if possible, how much those items were worth. Gathering all that information quickly will help your claim get processed faster, Hartwig said. Homeowners who file their claims right away can expect to meet with an adjuster in just a few days, so people who file today could meet with an adjuster by the end of the week. If your home is too badly damaged to inhabit, some insurance companies can give you money for temporary living expenses on the spot.?
  • To get rebuilding under way, shop around for estimates from contractors. Even though you'll be anxious to get your house and your life back to normal, it's important to conduct due diligence and make sure that whoever's handling the repairs is reliable. Unscrupulous contractors prey on the victims of natural disasters, so ask friends or family for referrals, and be sure to check the contractor's references.

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Source: http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2012/10/30/14806222-the-morning-after-3-things-homeowners-should-do-now?lite

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Monday 29 October 2012

Young millennials: Fiscal conservatives?

CHICAGO (AP) ? This generation of young Americans has been called many things, from civic-minded to "entitled." But fiscally conservative?

That's a new one, and it just might have an impact on the presidential election.

Listen to Caroline Winsett, a senior at DePaul University, who considers herself fairly socially liberal but says being fiscally conservative matters most right now.

"Ultimately, I'm voting with my pocketbook," says Winsett, a 22-year-old political science major who's president of the DePaul student body. She recently cast an absentee ballot for Republican Mitt Romney in her home state of Tennessee.

To be clear, polls show that President Barack Obama remains the favorite among 18- to 29-year-old registered voters, as he was in 2008. No one thinks the majority of young voters will support Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, in the Nov. 6 election.

But the polls also hint at a "schism" between those who weren't old enough to vote in 2008 and their older twenty-something counterparts, says John Della Volpe, the polling director at Harvard University's Institute of Politics.

In one poll, for instance, he found that 42 percent of 18- and 19-year-olds identified as "conservative," compared with just over one-third who said they were "liberal." By comparison, those proportions were nearly flipped for 22- to 24-year-olds: 39 percent said they were "liberal," and a third called themselves "conservative." It was much the same for older twenty-somethings.

Tina Wells, head of Buzz Marketing, an agency that tracks the attitudes of young people, has noticed this shift to the right. Her own researchers have found that the youngest adults are much more likely to label themselves "conservative," ''moderate" or "independent" than older Millennials, a term for young adults who've entered adulthood in the new millennium.

Like a lot of youth experts, Wells thinks it has to do with one thing: the economy.

Suddenly, she says, the "entitled generation," those who grew up in more prosperous times and were seen as having ridiculously high expectations for jobs and standard of living, was no more.

"That bubble burst the minute the economy started tanking, and they were the 'unemployed generation,'" Wells says. "They had to grow up."

She says the recession had a particularly profound effect on the political attitudes of younger Millennials, who've come of age as the adults who preceded them have lost homes, jobs and retirement funds. It has set a decidedly grimmer tone as their age group also has faced the highest unemployment rate of any age bracket, while many others have had to take jobs below their qualifications.

"We heard about how our parents' bank accounts were shrinking and how money that was there one day was gone the next," says Jessie Wurzer, a 17-year-old in Fairport, N.Y.

She says it's left her and her peers "with a lingering anxiety about money and finances in general."

They worry about how they'll afford college, whether Social Security will be there when they're ready to retire and how the national deficit will affect them. That's why Wurzer now calls herself a "fiscal conservative."

At the same time, however, she considers herself a moderate on social issues, including gay marriage and abortion. So in traditional political terms, this generation is hard to peg.

Unemployment is now the top concern among young people, says Deborah Maue, vice president at TRU, a Chicago-based research company that specializes in tweens, teens and young adults. Just after the 2008 election, unemployment ranked fifth, behind such issues as education and health care.

But, Maue, says this is a generation that's also passionately "hands off" on social issues. TRU's research also has found that teens are increasingly uninterested in organized religion.

"They're all about individuality and accepting people as individuals," says Maue, who leads the TRU Enrollment Insights Program for higher education professionals.

For some young people, an interest in individual freedom has sent them to the Libertarian party. Rachel Palermo, a 19-year-old in Northfield, Minn., is one of them.

"Our loss of trust may be why we have the mentality that the economy would be best with less intervention" says Palermo, a sophomore at St. Olaf College. She plans to vote for Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson.

"Even though politician after politician promises they'll improve the economy, they have failed, and we are going to suffer from it."

Republicans also have seen an opportunity here.

In 2008, Republican pollster Kristen Soltis says she watched disappointedly as her party "really let the youth vote go."

This election, that hasn't been the case. Vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan has spent time campaigning on college campuses. George P. Bush, son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, has done the same for the Romney-Ryan ticket in that state.

Soltis also notes that, last summer, during a recall election in Wisconsin, a slight majority of voters in the 18- to 24-year-old age bracket cast a ballot to keep Republican Gov. Scott Walker in office.

"This election is such a huge opportunity for Republicans," says Soltis, who, at age 28, is also a member of the millennial generation.

But it remains to be seen whether Republicans can win over these young voters on social issues, especially when the economy rebounds.

"Either the party will have to persuade more young people or the party will adapt. I don't necessarily know which way that's going to go yet," Soltis says.

Winsett, the DePaul senior, says Republicans would be wise to "shift back to the center" to attract more young people.

Brady Meixell, a freshman at the College of William & Mary in Virginia, agrees.

"People in my age group who would typically be Republicans, and are very fiscally conservative, are disenchanted with the social conservatism of the GOP and don't exactly know where to turn," says Meixell, who's 18 and plans to vote for Obama.

He says Obama has won many students over with college loan reforms and with his health care plan, which allows young people to stay on their parents' insurance into early adulthood.

Meanwhile, 21-year-old Alex Avdakov describes himself as conservative on social issues such as abortion and welfare. But his vote will be driven by what amounts to fiscal conservatism: a concern about government spending.

He plans to vote for Obama because he strongly opposes Romney's plan for military spending, "especially when his entire campaign is centered around reducing the deficit," says Avdakov, a senior at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio.

These mixed emotions help explain why this election is generating much less excitement on college campuses than there was in 2008.

"They're not fully committed to Obama. But they're not fully committed to Romney either," says Della Volpe, the pollster from Harvard.

Or perhaps they're not fully committed to the political process as a whole, but are turned off, as many young people note, by partisan bickering and gridlock.

A recent TRU poll found that more young people answered "don't know" or "don't care" when asked if they were liberal, moderate or conservative.

Six months after the 2008 election, 13 percent of teens and twentysomethings gave that answer. In a recent poll, that "don't know/don't' care" number rose to 27 percent for the entire age group ? and to 36 percent for teens.

That could be bad news for those hoping to build on the last election's banner youth vote numbers. But Maue, at TRU, doesn't necessarily think it means they're disengaged.

"It may mean they're undecided," she says. "So it could go either way."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/young-millennials-fiscal-conservatives-144054323--election.html

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Friday 26 October 2012

Top UN official hopes Syria cease-fire takes hold

GENEVA (AP) ? The deputy head of the United Nations warned Thursday that there are no guarantees that a proposed Syrian cease-fire will hold, but urged Syrian rebels and the regime in Damascus to observe it.

The 15-nation U.N. Security Council unanimously endorsed the idea of a four-day cease-fire proposed by the U.N. secretary-general with the aim of setting up talks on ending the country's 19-month-old conflict. The truce is set to start Friday, during the Muslim holy day of Eid al-Adha.

A day before the proposed truce, U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said, "We all have our eyes on the tragedy in Syria, and we pin our hopes now on the cease-fire that hopefully can take place."

Eliasson, a former Swedish foreign minister, urged both sides on the battlefield to seize the opportunity to ratchet down the bloodshed and create a climate for conducting talks.

"We very much hope that this first step towards the reduction of violence and the beginning of the political progress will be taken because we see very great dangers, both vis-a-vis the Syrian people and the future of the nation of Syria, and of course also for the security and stability of the region," he told reporters in Geneva, adding that there are many signs the conflict is spreading beyond Syria.

Lakhdar Brahimi, the U.N.-Arab League envoy for Syria, has warned that the failure of yet another U.N. cease-fire plan would only worsen the fighting.

A "cease-fire has its major significance in the symbolic quieting, silencing of the guns, and letting the Syrian people finally have silence around themselves for the possibilities to see what the fighting has done. But the most important thing is that it could, possibly, create an environment in which a political process is possible," Eliasson said.

Eliasson said that U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon proposed during a meeting in New York with Syria's foreign minister several weeks ago that both sides lay down their arms during Eid al-Adha.

"Hundreds of thousands of people are in grave danger. We have refugee flows across the borders. Winter is approaching in Syria, and those winters are harsh," he added. "There are problems with the electricity grids. We see huge humanitarian problems ahead of us. It's already serious but it could become even worse."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/top-un-official-hopes-syria-cease-fire-takes-123130457.html

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'Cloud Atlas' Leaves Halle Berry Unrecognizable To Her Co-Stars

'We were talking about her kid, but she was dressed as this bizarre-looking Korean man with rotting teeth,' Jim Sturgess tells MTV News.
By Kara Warner


Halle Berry in "Cloud Atlas"
Photo: Warner Bros.

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1696252/cloud-atlas-halle-berry-transformation.jhtml

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Illinois hoarder ordered to get rid of hundreds of birds

By Lauren Petty and Anthony Ponce, NBCChicago.com

A judge late Wednesday afternoon ordered an Aurora, Ill., man to let a city-hired crew remove hundreds of birds from his home.

Police served David Skeberdis with the order shortly after 6 p.m. He said he wanted to do the cleanup on his own because he couldn't afford the $13,000 the city would charge to capture the birds, but the judge overruled him.

"I feel bad about causing such a circus for them. I mean, I wish I would have had a little bit more control," said Skeberdis.

The homeowner estimated he has 80 birds, but Aurora police estimated there may be as many as 200 birds in the basement and approximately 100 birds between the first and second floors.


Read the original report??| ?More from NBCChicago.com

Aurora Police Chief John Lehman said the air quality of the home was unsafe because of dead birds on the premises and bird droppings that have not been cleaned up. Testing on the home showed two to 15 times the normal mold reading, according to city officials.

"I didn't realize how bad the bird doo was," Skeberdis said.? "If you saw it, you'd probably think I was crazy."

Hundreds of finches, canaries, parakeets, cockatiels and other birds?were found last week flying around the home in the 200 block of Shadybrook Lane.

Around midday Wednesday, two volunteers from the Greater Chicago Cage Bird Club showed up with cages to safely remove the remaining birds and to help the birds find new homes.?

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"We are renting a storefront in Villa Park to put the birds in for short term until we can determine how healthy they are and we can place them in other places," said volunteer Diane Federl.

Skeberdis said he admits the hoarding got out of control but said he doesn't plan on seeking help for the obsession.

"I have enough psychology classes that I took in college,"?he said.

The GCCBC is a 501c3 and is looking for donations. The storefront is costing them $1,000/month and additional funds are needed to feed the birds.??Donations can be made online at GCCBC.org.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/25/14694320-illinois-hoarder-ordered-to-get-rid-of-hundreds-of-birds-dead-and-alive?lite

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Panetta: Unclear early info slowed Benghazi response (cbsnews)

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Saturday 20 October 2012

Earth-sized planet in Alpha Centauri an alien concept to many Earthlings

The alien planet?s existence suggests that others might lurk farther out from the star, just far enough for liquid water ? and possibly life ? to exist.

By Tia Ghose,?LiveScience Contributor / October 17, 2012

This artist's impression shows the planet orbiting the star Alpha Centauri B, a member of the triple star system that is the closest to Earth in this image released on October 17, 2012.

L. Calcada/N. Risinger/ESO/Reuters

Enlarge

Scientists announced the existence of an Earth-size planet orbiting a star in neighboring Alpha Centauri, but back on the home planet, only half the people polled informally had heard of the star system. Still, most support the idea of sending a mission to explore the new discovery.

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The scorched,?rocky planet has about Earth's mass, but circles the sun Alpha Centauri B at a distance of just 3.6 million miles? (6 million kilometers), making it likely that its surface is covered in molten lava. The alien planet?s existence suggests that others might lurk farther out from the star, just far enough for liquid water ? and possibly life ? to exist.??

Though the constellation is our next-door neighbor, many San Franciscans had never heard of it.

"I have no idea what it is," said Paul Thomas, a cook waiting for a bus here.

While more than half of the 13 people polled said that Alpha Centauri was a star system, only one knew it was about 4 light-years away from Earth.

None knew it would take about?40,000 years?to get there on a spacecraft like?NASA's Voyager 1, though guesses ranged from two days to 150,000 years. [Gallery: Nearby Alien Planet Alpha Centauri Bb]

"I would have known when I went to space camp when I was 9," said bartender Anya Aplin.

Despite the ignorance of our interstellar neighbors, most said they would definitely support sending a mission to study the new planet.

"Not everything starts out having a practical purpose, but along the way you discover things that turn out to be practical," said entrepreneur Jeff Lin. "The?Apollo?missions, they yielded things that were super-useful for human beings even though in the race to the moon, we didn't harvest moon rocks."

But first, scientists should get the costs down, determine whether the planet has an atmosphere, and develop?artificial gravity?to prevent the health problems of anti-gravity, people said.

Mary Beth Stone, a nonprofit worker, said an interstellar mission couldn't be justified unless Earthlings were in better shape.

"I think we should put some of the money that might be spent on that on taking care of the hungry and the homeless first," Stone said.

Others took a more expansive view of what should be considered before a trip.

"It depends on what the motivation is," said Paulette, an ordained Tibetan monk. "If it made all sentient beings happy, then we should go."

Though he just learned of the existence of Alpha Centauri?s and its alien planet, college student Pedro Navarro said he would still go if the travel time could be improved.

Many said safety concerns would need to be worked out first.

"I wouldn't want to be the first person ? I would want to make sure the return trip was pretty much guaranteed," said Ian Matthew, a financial analyst.

But comfort was key for software engineer Miriam Goldberg. "It depends on the amenities on the ship," she said.

Straw Poll Results

1) Do you know what Alpha Centauri is?

2) The planet is four light-years away, how long do you think it would take to get there?

  • No idea: 7
  • Two days: 1
  • Decades: 1
  • Several Years: 1
  • 100 Years: 1
  • 400 Years: 1
  • 150,000 Years: 1

3) If we found a faster way to get there, should we go check it out?

  • Yes: 8
  • It Depends: 4
  • No: 1

4) Would you want to go?

  • Yes: 4
  • It Depends: 3
  • No: 6

Follow LiveScience on Twitter?@livescience. We're also on?Facebook?&?Google+.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/kzZfvyQsU-k/Earth-sized-planet-in-Alpha-Centauri-an-alien-concept-to-many-Earthlings

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Friday 19 October 2012

Deaf university roiled by gay marriage controversy

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Gallaudet University is under fire from both proponents and opponents of gay marriage after placing an administrator on leave for signing a petition to put Maryland's gay-marriage law on the ballot.

They say that regardless of Angela McCaskill's personal opinion on the matter, the chief diversity officer at the nation's leading university for deaf and hard-of-hearing students shouldn't be punished for exercising her First Amendment rights.

And yet, at a university that is home to a prominent contingent of gay and lesbian students who feel embraced by their peers, professors and administrators, there's genuine concern that McCaskill has alienated a large portion of the student body and may not be the best person for the job.

On Thursday, the mere mention of her name on the school's stately Northeast Washington campus was enough to set off a spirited debate between two fraternity brothers, who signed passionately as their friends cast glances back and forth.

"What she did is unacceptable. It hurts the gay community," 18-year-old sophomore Andrew Duncan, who is straight, said through an American Sign Language interpreter. "It's a very open-minded college, and we need to welcome everybody."

Duncan said Gallaudet is a haven for all deaf people, regardless of their sexual orientation.

"It's a small community. We welcome those who are part of us. If we're already small and we reject somebody, then we're just going to get smaller," he said. "We experience oppression already. Coming to Gallaudet is like an escape from that oppression."

Although Gallaudet does not track how many of its 1,600 students identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, students said Gallaudet is a friendly place for LGBT people. Many of the gay students come out while at Gallaudet, said Amanda Biskupiak, 24, a theater major who is a lesbian.

"I feel very accepted. I feel very open, confident on the campus," Biskupiak said through an interpreter. "Here, holding hands with a girl is perfectly OK."

Some believe that because their deafness already sets them apart, it's easier for gay deaf people to be open about their sexuality.

"I have several gay professors that are out, that have been out. I know tons of students who are out, and it's no big deal," said Joel Colon, a hearing Gallaudet student who is gay. "Because the deaf community is just a naturally open community, because they are a minority themselves ... they don't have as many barriers to expressing their sexuality as the majority of hearing people, I would say."

McCaskill has said she is not anti-gay, although she declined to reveal how she would vote when Maryland's gay-marriage law goes before voters next month. McCaskill, who is black, signed the petition at her church after listening to a sermon about marriage. African-American churches have been a focal point of the effort to repeal gay marriage in Maryland, although there are also black ministers who support the law.

Gov. Martin O'Malley signed gay marriage into law in March, but it was put on hold in part because a referendum was anticipated. The vote is expected to be close, and Maryland is one of four Democratic-leaning states where voters will decide on Nov. 6 whether same-sex marriage should be legal.

O'Malley, a Democrat, has said McCaskill should be reinstated, as has the pro-gay-marriage group Marylanders for Marriage Equality. They say that whatever McCaskill's personal opinion is on the issue, she should be allowed to exercise her rights as a citizen and sign a petition.

The conservative Family Research Council has been highly critical of Gallaudet, saying the university has a narrow definition of diversity because it apparently does not tolerate diverse views on the gay-marriage issue.

Established in 1864 by an act of Congress, Gallaudet remains the nation's only liberal-arts university with programs designed specifically for the deaf.

Gallaudet students are known for their activism to protect deaf culture. In 1988, landmark protests led to the installation of the university's first deaf president, I. King Jordan. But in 2006, Jordan himself was the subject of protests after he appointed unpopular university provost Jane K. Fernandes as his successor. One of the complaints about Fernandes was that because she didn't learn American Sign Language until graduate school, she wasn't "deaf enough" to lead the school. Her appointment was ultimately rescinded.

"History speaks for itself; the Gallaudet community has a penchant for stirring the pot whenever we catch a whiff of controversy," columnist Colin Whited wrote in the student newspaper, the Buff and Blue. He compared the McCaskill situation to the Fernandes protests and criticized the administration for not being more forthcoming about its plans.

President T. Alan Hurwitz, who was traveling Thursday and unavailable for comment, said in a statement Tuesday that university leaders want to work with McCaskill to enable her to return. But McCaskill said at a news conference Tuesday that she considered herself fired.

"I'm dismayed that Gallaudet University is still a university of intolerance, a university that manages by intimidation, a university that allows bullying among faculty, staff and students," she said.

As chief diversity officer, McCaskill's role is to foster a supportive learning environment for all students, regardless of race, sexual orientation or other differences. Before the petition controversy, McCaskill was well-liked in the LGBT community and was instrumental in setting up an LGBT resource center, students said.

Alumni are tracking the news closely, alumni association president Alyce Slator Reynolds said.

"A large number of people from both sides are upset," Reynolds wrote in an email.

Some Gallaudet students are uncomfortable with homosexuality, although they appear to be in the minority. Michai Hanley, a 20-year-old psychology major who wore a T-shirt reading "Jesus (heart) Me," said through an interpreter that many of her fellow students may not understand McCaskill's religious beliefs.

Some students said that while Gallaudet is progressive about sexuality, it still has unresolved issues relating to race. McCaskill was the first deaf black woman to earn a Ph.D. from the university, which is 11 percent black.

"Gallaudet needs to accept the accountability that they did not provide a safe place for Angela, especially as a deaf woman of color," Derrick Behm, 21, chief of staff to the student body government, wrote in an email.

Others just hope the situation will blow over.

"My belief is that she's not against homosexuality," Robert Ballengee, 36, a senior social work major, said through an interpreter. "She's a very sweet woman; she's an awesome woman. I don't know why it's becoming such a big deal."

___

Follow Ben Nuckols at http://twitter.com/APBenNuckols .

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/deaf-university-roiled-gay-marriage-controversy-085504898.html

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Researchers explore how the brain perceives direction and location

ScienceDaily (Oct. 19, 2012) ? The Who asked "who are you?" but Dartmouth neurobiologist Jeffrey Taube asks "where are you?" and "where are you going?" Taube is not asking philosophical or theological questions. Rather, he is investigating nerve cells in the brain that function in establishing one's location and direction.

Taube, a professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, is using microelectrodes to record the activity of cells in a rat's brain that make possible spatial navigation -- how the rat gets from one place to another -- from "here" to "there." But before embarking to go "there," you must first define "here."

Survival Value

"Knowing what direction you are facing, where you are, and how to navigate are really fundamental to your survival," says Taube. "For any animal that is preyed upon, you'd better know where your hole in the ground is and how you are going to get there quickly. And you also need to know direction and location to find food resources, water resources, and the like."

Not only is this information fundamental to your survival, but knowing your spatial orientation at a given moment is important in other ways, as well. Taube points out that it is a sense or skill that you tend to take for granted, which you subconsciously keep track of. "It only comes to your attention when something goes wrong, like when you look for your car at the end of the day and you can't find it in the parking lot," says Taube.

Perhaps this is a momentary lapse, a minor navigational error, but it might also be the result of brain damage due to trauma or a stroke, or it might even be attributable to the onset of a disease such as Alzheimer's. Understanding the process of spatial navigation and knowing its relevant areas in the brain may be crucial to dealing with such situations.

The Cells Themselves

One critical component involved in this process is the set of neurons called "head direction cells." These cells act like a compass based on the direction your head is facing. They are located in the thalamus, a structure that sits on top of the brainstem, near the center of the brain.

He is also studying neurons he calls "place cells." These cells work to establish your location relative to some landmarks or cues in the environment. The place cells are found in the hippocampus, part of the brain's temporal lobe. They fire based not on the direction you are facing, but on where you are located.

Studies were conducted using implanted microelectrodes that enabled the monitoring of electrical activity as these different cell types fired.

Taube explains that the two populations -- the head direction cells and the place cells -- talk to one another. "They put that information together to give you an overall sense of 'here,' location wise and direction wise," he says. "That is the first ingredient for being able to ask the question, 'How am I going to get to point B if I am at point A?' It is the starting point on the cognitive map."

The Latest Research

Taube and Stephane Valerio, his postdoctoral associate for the last four years, have just published a paper in the journal Nature Neuroscience, highlighting the head direction cells. Valerio has since returned to the Universit? Bordeaux in France.

The studies described in Nature Neuroscience discuss the responses of the spatial navigation system when an animal makes an error and arrives at a destination other than the one targeted -- its home refuge, in this case. The authors describe two error-correction processes that may be called into play -- resetting and remapping -- differentiating them based on the size of error the animal makes when performing the task.

When the animal makes a small error and misses the target by a little, the cells will reset to their original setting, fixing on landmarks it can identify in its landscape. "We concluded that this was an active behavioral correction process, an adjustment in performance," Taube says. "However, if the animal becomes disoriented and makes a large error in its quest for home, it will construct an entirely new cognitive map with a permanent shift in the directional firing pattern of the head direction cells." This is the "remapping."

Taube acknowledges that others have talked about remapping and resetting, but they have always regarded them as if they were the same process. "What we are trying to argue in this paper is that they are really two different, separate brain processes, and we demonstrated it empirically," he says. "To continue to study spatial navigation, in particular how you correct for errors, you have to distinguish between these two qualitatively different responses."

Taube says other investigators will use this distinction as a basis for further studies, particularly in understanding how people correct their orientation when making navigational errors.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Dartmouth College. The original article was written by Joseph Blumberg.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Stephane Valerio, Jeffrey S Taube. Path integration: how the head direction signal maintains and corrects spatial orientation. Nature Neuroscience, 2012; 15 (10): 1445 DOI: 10.1038/nn.3215

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/DNKtUtonlmc/121019153236.htm

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Acer announces the 7-inch A110 tablet, Tegra 3, 8GB, and microSD card slot

 

Acer-A110.

Acer has unveiled their take on the 7-inch Android tablet, and the Iconia Tab A110 will be available October 30 for $229.99. The 7-inch form factor has turned out to be fairly popular, but is there room for one more tablet with an entry-level price? We think there is, and this one has one thing going for it that plenty of you will love -- a microSD card slot.

The full specs are as follows -- Tegra 3, 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage and a 1024x600 display, all running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The A110 weighs in at 0.86 pounds and is less than .5 inches thick, and certainly sounds ultra-portable. Add in features like Bluetooth 3.0, HDMI out via the dedicated microHDMI port, and a standard MicroUSB 2.0 port and you might have a recipe for success.

Acer certainly thinks so, and we're excited to have a look at another "real" Android tablet in the 7-inch size. The Iconia A110 goes on sale in the US and Canada on 12 short days. Read the full press release and see a gallery of press pictures after the break.

read more



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/ARsx9qrnZw4/story01.htm

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Thursday 18 October 2012

BII MOBILE INSIGHTS: Are Mobile Websites A Fad? - Business Insider

Mobile Insights?is a new daily newsletter from?BI Intelligence?delivered first thing every morning exclusively to?BI Intelligence?subscribers.?Sign up for a free trial of BI Intelligence today.


Nobody "Goes Online" Anymore, Because They Are Always Connected (Forrester via All Things Digital)

Forrester surveyed Internet users and found that they say they spend fewer hours per week online than they did a year ago. Wait, what?

Forrester Research

The drop is more about perception than reality, because many people are virtually always online these days. "Despite the fact that they always have connected devices and are always online, they don?t really realize they?re online," said Forrester analyst Gina Sverdlov. "They?re using Google Maps or checking in on Facebook, but that?s not considered online because it has become such a part of everyday life." Why talk or think about "going online" when you?re already there? What we actually do is generally more important than the words we use to describe it. But the fact that these labels are trailing behind is another indicator of the significance of these shifts.

3 Tips For Better Mobile Email Marketing (Jeff Bullas)
Enter Pete, your typical smartphone user. Pete is a thirty-something male who purchased an iPhone last October. He uses it frequently to change his Facebook status, upload vacation pictures, tweet witty opinions, check the weather, browse YouTube videos, text his friends, and check his email. All while he drops off dry cleaning, picks up a latte, walks to the office, and eats a burrito for lunch. Your message in Pete?s inbox has a lot of competitors for his undivided attention. Here is what you need to know to play it well:

  1. Pete will read your pre-header
  2. Your email is under Pete's thumb
  3. Pete is probably on the go

By reaching Pete with your mobile email marketing campaign, you can possibly reach his friends too. But only if you play the game.

Are Mobile Websites A Fad Or Should Businesses Invest In Them? (myhosting)
Mobile websites represent a trend in internet access which is fueled by the rising speed of wireless internet access and the increasing capabilities of smartphones. The purpose of a mobile website is to provide fast facts to customers on the go. The International Advertising Bureau has found that 61% of customers who visit a website that isn?t mobile-friendly will leave the site to visit a competitor. This fact alone makes the cost of setting up a mobile website seem minuscule. However it?s important to see the broader picture. By the end of 2012, projections suggest there will be more internet-connected mobile devices than people. Additionally, mobile devices will provide access to more than half of the world?s internet users by 2015. This means that investing in a mobile website now will payoff for years to come.

The Mobile Takeover: 1 Billion Smartphones In Use (Strategy Analytics)
According to Strategy Analytics, the number of smartphones in use worldwide surpassed the 1 billion-unit mark for the first time ever in the third quarter of 2012. It has taken 16 years for the smartphone industry to reach this historic milestone. By the third quarter last year, it was estimated there were 708 million smartphones in use worldwide. The company estimates that 1 in 7 of the world?s population owned a smartphone in this latest quarter. That said, smartphone penetration is still relatively low. Most of the world does not yet own a smartphone and there remains huge scope for future growth, particularly in emerging markets such as China, India and Africa. The first billion smartphones in use worldwide took 16 years to reach, but they forecast the next billion to be achieved in less than three years, by 2015.

Mobile Is Complex, But It's No Space Jump (Marketing)
Felix Baumgartner?s jump from the edge of outer space has been a massive media coup for sponsors. Back here on planet earth, as a marketer, you need not go to those lengths to get consumers engaged with your brand. That said, it?s imperative that companies tackle the complexities of mobile head on. Sure, mobile is a complex environment fragmented by multiple operating systems and literally thousands of devices. But the consumer shift to mobile is real. Mobile has enormous consequences for your brand. The future of your brand equity rests with how well you adapt for the mobile environment. Mobile commerce is growing and the habit of using a mobile phone to aid a purchase decision is becoming commonplace. Remember, mobile is not just an extension of desktop. As a brand marketer, if you?re displaying a shrunken down version of your main website for mobile users, you?re not on top of the mobile game.

Tablets Widen Lead Over Smartphones On Ad Click Costs (BI Intelligence)
Advertisers compete fiercely for tablet users, who are believed to be relatively receptive to ads, and have been bidding up CPCs, especially at peak shopping times like back-to-school and the holidays. Smartphones get seasonal bumps too, but increasingly tablets are racing further ahead. Performics, a marketing company that is part of the Publicis Groupe, predicts tablet paid search CPCs will catch up to desktop CPCs before year-end 2012, and that smartphone ads will continue to lag. The reason? As more advertisers design mobile ad campaigns around specific devices, the competitive bidding for click values also has become disaggregated, to the detriment of smartphones.

TabletCPCs_Performics

The chart above shows tablet and smartphone paid search CPCs as a percentage of desktop CPCs. In August 2012, smartphones commanded CPCs that were 51% of those on desktops, tablets 88%.

iPhone Driving Nearly Half Of Smartphone Web Traffic (Chitika via CNet)
Online advertising network Chitika determined that nearly half of all web traffic via smartphones is generated by the various versions of the iPhone. The iPhone 5 alone creates 3% of the total smartphone usage, while older versions of the device make about 43%. Android, collectively, makes up 51%. By comparison, Samsung devices make up 17% of traffic, with the Galaxy S3, generating 2% of total smartphone Web usage.

Chitika

The iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3 alone already surpass the web traffic from all BlackBerry users, which totals 2%. Windows Phone users, meanwhile, make up only 1% of online usage.

Nearly 20% Of New Facebook Fans Come From Mobile (AllFacebook)
Facebook?s mobile user base is growing, but how quickly? New statistics from social analytics firm PageLever show that 19% of new Facebook fans in August came from mobile, compared with only 5% in May.

Facebook, largely because of the grand increase of people accessing the site from their smartphones, has had a renewed focus on mobile. In the past, the company had a core mobile team. Now, each department within the social network has mobile duties. The site wants to ensure that users have a quality experience whether they check Facebook on an iPhone, a BlackBerry, or an Android device.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/bii-mobile-insights-are-mobile-websites-a-fad2-2012-10

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Rovio releases another trailer of Angry Birds Star Wars - Video - Digit

Rovio has released another trailer for its Angry Birds Star Wars game, which is set to release on November 4.

The trailer reveals a very little about the forthcoming game. It features a snippet from A New Hope where Han Solo tells Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi that his Millennium Falcon ?made the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs?.

Then appears an Angry Birds version of Millennium Falcon, which looks to have a little trouble in gaining the light speed, but with a slingshot the machine eventually makes it there. Not much else Rovio has disclosed in its second trailer. However, the video definitely suggests Millennium Falcon will play a major role in the game. Also, the Angry Birds Star Wars may have games based on stories of the first Star Wars movies. Details such as the flinging elements and overall gameplay still looks sketchy.

According to reports, Rovio will be releasing as many as eight trailers for Angry Birds Star Wars in near future. Rovio had officially announced earlier this month it was going to release an Angry Birds Star Wars game.

Angry Birds Star Wars will be coming to all major platforms including iOS, Android, Kindle Fire, Mac, PC,Windows 8, and Windows Phone 8. For more information about Angry Birds Star Wars, visit www.angrybirds.com/starwars. In the meanwhile, check out the video trailer below:?

Source: http://www.thinkdigit.com/Gaming/Rovio-releases-another-trailer-of-Angry-Birds_11095.html

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Newsweek to cease print, go digital-only in 2013

(Newsweek)

After years of losing money,?Newsweek announced on Thursday that it will stop printing its magazine and become a digital-only publication.

"Newsweek will transition to an all-digital format in early 2013," editor Tina Brown wrote in an email to employees early on Thursday. "As part of this transition, the last print edition in the U.S. will be our December 31st issue."

The new all-digital publication, called Newsweek Global, "will be a single, worldwide edition," Brown wrote. The e-magazine will be supported by paid subscriptions and made available for e-readers for both tablet and the Web, with some content available on The Daily Beast.

More from Brown's email:

We are transitioning Newsweek, not saying goodbye to it. We remain committed to Newsweek and to the journalism that it represents. This decision is not about the quality of the brand or the journalism, that is as powerful as ever. It is about the challenging economics of print publishing and distribution.

The inexorable move to an all-digital Newsweek comes with an unfortunate reality. Regrettably we anticipate staff reductions and the streamlining of our editorial and business operations both here in the United States and internationally.

In 2010, the Washington Post Company sold Newsweek to audio equipment magnate Sidney Harman for $1 plus the assumption of the magazine's estimated $40 million-plus debt.

Later that year, Harman struck a deal with Brown, editor of The Daily Beast, and Barry Diller's InterActiveCorp (IAC) to run the business. Harman died in April 2011 at 92, leaving his ownership stake to his estate.

[Related: Tina Brown defends photo-editing Princess Di on Newsweek cover]

In July, Harman's family said it would no longer invest in the 79-year-old magazine, leaving Diller and the Beast in full control. During a conference call with investors several weeks later, Diller hinted that the newsweekly?with a circulation of 1.5 million?would soon be a digital-only publication.

"The transition to online from hard print will take place," Diller said. "We're examining all of our options. ...?The brand is good. What's the problem? The problem is manufacturing and producing a weekly newsmagazine. That's going to have to be solved. Advertising in this category is entirely elective. The transition will happen."

IAC?which also owns Match.com, Ask.com and CollegeHumor.com?generates most of its revenue from digital properties.

[Related: Did Newsweek choose Michele Bachmann cover photo to make her 'look crazy'?]

According to Bloomberg.com, Newsweek is projected to lose as much as $22 million this year. In 2011, ad pages for Newsweek fell 16.8 percent, according to the Publishers Information Bureau?a dismal year following an even worse 2010, when ad pages plummeted nearly 20 percent.

Since taking the reins, Brown, former editor of Vanity Fair and the New Yorker, has put her stamp on Newsweek. She has produced controversial print covers (imagining what Princess Diana would have looked like at 50, for instance, or declaring Barack Obama to be the "first gay president") in a bid to prop up newsstand sales, create buzz and be part of what she likes to call "the conversation."

According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, those efforts proved futile, at least at the newsstand. Through June, Newsweek's single-copy sales were down 10 percent compared with the first half of 2011, selling an average of 42,065 copies per issue.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/newsweek-print-digital-125249313--finance.html

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Video: Clinton: We want to ?get to the bottom of what happened? in Benghazi??

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/49432234/

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National Secular Society - Islamic bloc abandons plans for global ...

The Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation has revealed that it has abandoned plans to introduce a global blasphemy law through the United Nations.

Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said his 57-nation body would not try again for United Nations support to ban insults to religion, saying that Western opposition ? particularly from the USA and Europe ? made the prospect of success very remote.

"We could not convince them," said the Turkish head of the 57-member organisation which had tried from 1998 until 2011 to get a United Nations-backed ban on blasphemy. "The European countries don't vote with us, the United States doesn't vote with us."

Western countries see the publication of such images and materials regrettable but a matter of free speech.

The campaign for a worldwide ban on "religious defamation" was revived after the posting of the Innocence of Muslims video on YouTube. Twenty-five people have been killed during protests over the video.

Ihsanoglu told a conference in Istanbul at the weekend that the OIC had failed to win a ban at the United Nations and would not revive its long diplomatic campaign for one.

Asked about recent media reports that the OIC wanted to resume the campaign for a blasphemy ban, he said: "I never said this and I know this will never happen."

The OIC respects freedom of expression but sees anti-Islam videos and cartoons as an abuse of this freedom. He thinks that Western countries should introduce sanctions through their own blasphemy or hate crime laws, he said.

Responding at the United Nations last month to the Muslim protests against the U.S., President Barack Obama said: "The strongest weapon against hateful speech is not repression, it is more speech ? the voices of tolerance that rally against bigotry and blasphemy."

A number of Islamic leaders have expressed their bewilderment that Western leaders do not share their concerns about blasphemy which they want to be an offence in law punishable in some cases ? such as Pakistan ? with death.

Meanwhile, a key proposal by Tunisia's ruling Islamist party to outlaw blasphemy in the new constitution, which stoked fears of creeping Islamisation, is to be dropped from the final text, Assembly speaker Mustapha Ben Jaafar has told reporters.

The agreement to drop the clause follows negotiations between the three parties in the ruling coalition and must still be approved by the committees drafting the constitution, which Jaafar said would be debated by parliament next month.

The move came after President Moncef Marzouki warned that radical Islamist militants pose a "great danger" to the Maghreb region, and following a wave of violent attacks ? blamed on Salafists ? on targets ranging from works of art to the US embassy.

"There will certainly be no criminalisation," Jaafar, the 72-year-old speaker of the National Constituent Assembly, told the AFP news agency. "That is not because we have agreed to (allow) attacks on the sacred, but because the sacred is something very, very difficult to define. Its boundaries are blurred and one could interpret it in one way or another, in an exaggerated way," he added.

The draft Constitution still ensures sharia law will be implemented.

See also: Why a constitution is a bad place for a blasphemy law

Source: http://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2012/10/islamic-bloc-abandons-plans-for-global-blasphemy-law-at-un

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Wednesday 17 October 2012

Megan Fox, Brian Austin Green welcome son

Jason Merritt / Getty Images file

Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green in January 2011.

By Natalie Finn, E! Online

Megan Fox has transformed into one hot mama! The 26-year-old actress welcomed a baby boy last month, her first child with husband Brian Austin Green, E! News has exclusively confirmed.

What a couple of secret-keepers! Not that we're surprised.

The news did make its way to Fox's Facebook page on Wednesday, where the actress said Noah Shannon Green was born on Sept. 27. "He is healthy, happy, and perfect."

Megan was rocking clingy dresses throughout her pregnancy

Fox and Green also stayed entirely mum about their expectant status, which E! News exclusively reported in April.

But once the bump became apparent -- and that took some time?for the slender Fox -- the happy duo got with the program and offered up a sweet baby-on-board pictorial confirmation?for an obliging paparazzo.

Fox told Cosmopolitan?in April that she's "always been maternal" and that she wants "at least two, probably three kids."

The "Friends With Kids" actress and her "90210" beau tied the knot?in June 2010. Green also has a 10-year-old son, Kassius, from a previous relationship.

Unsuprisingly, there was no immediate comment from either actor's rep on their new addition, but as soon as we learn the details, we'll be sure to pass along.

Take a look back at the romance of Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green

Mario Anzuoni / Reuters

More in TODAY Entertainment:

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2012/10/17/14512366-megan-fox-brian-austin-green-welcome-baby-boy?lite

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Today Only! Subscribe To Martha Stewart Living Magazine For Just ...

by ClipperGirl on October 16, 2012

DEAL OF THE DAY ? OCTOBER 16, 2012
MARTHA STEWART LIVING MAGAZINE

On sale today only for just $18.49 for 1 Year



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domestic arts standards and creative ideas to improve your lifestyle and make
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information on cooking, entertaining, seasonal fruits and vegetables, antiques,
pets, home decorating and gardening, all done with a smooth down-to-earth style,
illustrated with lavish full-color photography. Infused into each article is
Martha?s philosophy that slowing down and investing energy into your home, will
help you to enjoy what you have and make it better. This can be done with simple
improvements such as presenting nutritious meals on elegant, beautiful table
settings and enhancing your home?s decor. Martha?s delicious recipes will
inspire you to create your own unique dishes that your family will rave about
for years. Monthly features include ?Ask Martha,? which solves reader problems
from health to cleaning, and ?Clip-Art Craft.?
Order your subscription today for just $18.49 for
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Be sure to check out this week?s Best Deal Magazines weekly offers for Bridal Guide, Nylon and Nylon Guys.

?You can also save an additional 15% off at Best Deal Magazines when you enter code PXSS1021 at checkout.

If this information was helpful, be sure to share it with a friend and have them sign up for my email list or subscribe in a reader in order to keep up with all of the great bargains and deals!

Source: http://www.clippergirl.com/today-only-subscribe-to-martha-stewart-living-magazine-for-just-18-49

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Authentic Greek Recipes: 10 Most Popular Greek Vegetarian Recipes

10 Most Popular Greek Vegetarian Recipes

Greece has a lot of vegetarian food and we've included a large number of vegetarian recipes on this blog. They get a lot of visitors, but this is a list of the 10 most popular - the vegetarian recipes most visited. Just click on the names of the dishes to go to the recipes.

Which is your favourite?

?

No.1

?(see photo above)

No.2

No.3

?

No.4

No.5

?

No.6

No.7

No.8

No.9

No.10

Eat and Enjoy!

?

Source: http://realgreekrecipes.blogspot.com/2012/10/10-most-popular-greek-vegetarian-recipes.html

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Thursday 11 October 2012

93% Looper

All Critics (222) | Top Critics (41) | Fresh (207) | Rotten (15)

The reasoning behind all this may not reward prolonged inspection, but Johnson is smart enough to press onward with his plot, leaving us with neither the time nor the desire to linger over the logic ...

Writer-director Rian Johnson establishes himself as an original talent who clearly believes storytelling must prevail.

A mind-bending ride that is not afraid to slow down now and again, to explore themes of regret and redemption, solitude and sacrifice, love and loss. It's a movie worth seeing and, perhaps, going back to see again.

Looper has more heart than Brick and the 2008 con-man flick The Brothers Bloom. Both fine achievements, they could also be described as viscerally cerebral.

I'm a sucker for time-travel movies.

Looper felt to me like a maddening near-miss ...

Kind of a reverse-"Terminator" without any of James Cameron's wit (or wisdom),

An endlessly creative mind-blowing film that captures everything right about the movie going experience. Johnson conjures up the most imaginative action/science fiction film since 'Inception.'

Part science fiction, part mob movie, and with a nice infusion of dark comedy at just the right moments, Looper is Johnson's best movie yet, and manages to be hugely entertaining, affecting, and thought-provoking.

takes us far beyond the film's high-concept premise into the kind of emotional terrain that too often escapes even the best genre filmmakers

Doesn't quite reach the heights of the lofty ideals that it so ardently seeks to expound, but makes up for this with the sheer thrill of the journey Rian Johnson takes us on.

Ingenious with a fine performance by Emily Blunt, but far too much cold-blooded violence.

Engaging, exciting, and successfully cross-breeding elements of Terminator and even Pet Sematary, Looper is a solid work of palatable science-fiction.

Looper's super. An action-thriller that bothers to have a brain.

Looper may not take us back to the future as satisfyingly as Robert Zemeckis' Marty McFly trilogy or James Cameron's Terminator franchise, but writer-director Rian Johnson does enough right to all but guarantee that he has a future cult film on the books.

The best time travel films play on emotion rather than logic, and once Looper realises this and drops all the tail-chasing about how time travel works it settles into the engrossing action/drama about destiny it should have been from the get go.

Has more depth, smarts, and heart than the usual sci-fi bluster.

A just about brilliant sci-fi crime-drama-thriller mostly set in the years 2044 and 2074. Rian Johnson is a rare director who creates entertainment with depth.

The key to enjoying the gruesome violence mixed with a healthy potion of emotional depth rarely found in this genre is to not dwell on the fiction in the science.

Sometimes time travel is just used a cheap device in movies to make them seem different; this is not one of those films. It's genuinely unique and fresh.

Very entertaining on many, many levels.

The best kind of light entertainment that expects you to be just as intelligent as it is.

It's complex enough that sci-fi fans can dig deeper over multiple viewings, but thrilling enough that casual viewers can take it all in with one watch.

...an above-average sci-fi tale.

Rian Johnson makes a loud, dark, highly stylized film that looks good but whose ideas do not really bear close examination.

Time travel makes sense in Looper because writer-director Rian Johnson keeps it on a short leash, not requiring enough manufactured logic to trip over later.

More Critic Reviews

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/looper/

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Romney seeks more assertive US policy on China

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney gives a foreign policy speech at Virginia Military Institute, Monday, Oct. 8, 2012, in Lexington, Va. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney gives a foreign policy speech at Virginia Military Institute, Monday, Oct. 8, 2012, in Lexington, Va. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney is promising to get tough on China to help American workers, but his plans could backfire.

Romney is pledging, on his first day in office, to designate China a currency manipulator, a step no administration has taken against any country for 18 years.

That could, eventually, lead to tariffs punishing China for policies that Americans believe unfairly keep Chinese products cheap, hurting U.S. manufacturers. Tariffs could trigger a trade war with a country that is the fastest-growing market for U.S. exports. Even if they don't, the designation would instantly set back relations with Asia's emerging superpower.

The U.S. seeks Chinese cooperation on international hot spots, such as North Korea and Iran, and wants to narrow differences over how to handle maritime territorial disputes in East Asia.

Given the potential repercussions, some foreign policy experts doubt Romney would carry out the currency threat. Other presidential candidates have made similar promises in order to appeal to voters who have seen manufacturing jobs migrate to China. But, once elected, they soften their approach.

"There's probably been wisdom in administrations in the past, Republican and Democrat, of not wanting to go there," said Jon Huntsman, who served as President Barack Obama's first ambassador to China before a failed bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

But the commitment to act on Inauguration Day doesn't appear to leave much room to back down.

Romney has also taken aim at Obama's "pivot" to Asia ? a strategy of deploying more forces and shoring up U.S. alliances there, in part to counter China's military buildup.

In a speech this week, Romney said China's recent assertiveness was "sending chills through the region." He said the pivot is under-resourced and has alienated U.S. allies elsewhere. He outlined plans to expand U.S. naval power ? although it's unclear how he'd pay for it since he also wants to slash government spending.

"What we have seen from the Obama administration has been acquiescence to China, not just on trade issues and currency issues, but on issues of security and human rights," said Romney foreign policy adviser Alex Wong. "To protect our interests and those of our small businesses and of our economy, we have to take measures to make sure China does play by the rules."

U.S.-Chinese relations are entering a critical juncture. Two days after the Nov. 6 vote, China will begin its own once-in-a-decade leadership transition. How the next U.S. administration gets on with the new guard in Beijing could determine whether the world's pre-eminent military powers can cooperate in the Asia-Pacific region or head on a path to confrontation.

Appreciation of those stakes tends to get lost in the fiercely fought election campaign.

Both Romney and Obama have TV spots with China as a foil. Romney accuses Obama of being soft on China's trade practices; Obama accuses Romney of outsourcing U.S. jobs to China when he ran the private equity firm Bain Capital.

The tone of the debate, labeling China a "cheat," has drawn withering criticism from the architect of U.S. re-engagement with Beijing 40 years ago, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who has nonetheless endorsed Romney. Kissinger said that avoiding conflict between the powers is the most fundamental challenge for U.S. foreign policy.

China's state media has weighed in with unusually direct criticism of a presidential candidate, suggesting that Beijing hopes Obama will win.

News agency Xinhua has accused Romney of hypocrisy, saying much of his wealth was made doing business with Chinese companies and warning that his "mudslinging" policies could spark a trade war.

Early in his presidency, Obama made warmer relations with China a priority, and ties have deepened. The two governments have navigated some rough patches ? such as the standoff over a blind activist, Chen Guangcheng, who sought refuge in the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and was then allowed to come to the U.S. to study. The Obama administration said that reflected a maturing relationship.

But diplomacy has failed to bridge fundamental differences on issues such as climate change, the civil war in Syria and China's territorial disputes with its neighbors. And as the U.S. has wound down its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, its modest moves to deploy more forces around Asia have irritated Beijing.

Romney is calling for an even stronger U.S. presence in the Pacific. Wong said that would encourage the peaceful resolution of the region's many maritime territorial disputes, including one flaring between U.S. ally Japan and China over islands both claim. He said Romney would make clear it has a treaty alliance with Japan that covers the islands and has the naval power to back it up.

Those plans, though, could take years to implement. Addressing the currency issue on Day One would immediately affect relations.

Romney says he would designate China as a manipulator unless it stops currency manipulation by his January inauguration. Romney trade policy adviser Oren Cass said this would set a new tone and show the U.S. is willing to take China to task over a range of trade violations, including intellectual property theft and restrictions on market access for U.S. companies in China.

The designation itself would not mandate any sanctions, but would require that the U.S. hold consultations with China.

Cass said that if Beijing doesn't move toward changing its currency policies after consultations, the U.S. could impose so-called countervailing duties on Chinese products.

But Matthew Goodman, former director of international economics in the National Security Council under Obama, said the U.S. discretion to unilaterally impose retaliatory tariffs ended when it joined the World Trade Organization in 1995, and in practice it is difficult to take a currency dispute to the WTO for settlement. Cass says that under domestic law, the U.S. could impose countervailing duties, and it's an open legal question at the WTO whether member states can do so unilaterally to compensate for a currency subsidy.

How China would respond may be swayed by its leadership transition. The new guard would not want to appear weak. But neither would China want the dispute to escalate as it relies on exports and faces its own economic slowdown. If that translates into major job losses at home it could affect social stability, which is Beijing's biggest concern.

Obama has consistently opted against designation of China as a currency manipulator. Like President George W. Bush before him, he has preferred to wait while economic forces encourage Beijing to allow its currency to strengthen ? which it has done, although most economists still believe it is undervalued.

The Treasury is due to make its next six-month assessment on Monday, although it's not yet clear if it will be announced on that date. China is likely to get a pass.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-10-11-Romney-China/id-9d8dafc19c8c49f185b65b7e23edf0c6

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Wednesday 10 October 2012

Planning ahead for survival is the only sure way to ensure survival ...

If there is one thing that today?s headlines can teach us, it is that?
the unthinkable is transpiringevery day. From tsunamis in Japan, to hurricanes and tornadoes closer to home, natural disasters are becoming the usual things rather than rare events. The people today who are caught up in these phenomena are in life threatening scenarios and the ones who make it are the ones who have prepped. Emergency news is important and the initial thing a survivor needs is facts, then shelter, then food and water.

The initial question is very important: Where will everyone meet? If the disaster is a tornado then the meeting place must be somewhere safe from killing winds and flying debris. A cellar or storn shelter is best but failing that an interior hallway or rest room that doesn?t have windows is next best. In that meeting place there should be a way to get emergency news before and {right after|following|right right after|soon right after the storm such as a battery driven radio or some other communications system that doesn?t depend on external power. Tornadoes are short lived events, but the ramifications of the storm can be devastating.

Hurricanes are very like tornadoes but much longer lived. In the meeting place for a hurricane there needs to a water supply, a stock of food, and first aid supplies. The storm may knowck out all transportation routes in the area and so the individuals who are able to have enough clothes and blankets are more likely to make it well. Even in warm climates where hurricanes are most liable to hit having a supply of bed linen including blankets can be life preserving. The shock and trauma of the storm are very real difficulties and being prepared with cover is vital. Having the batteries for the radio in large enough amounts to last for three days is very important because retaining up with emergency news can save your life.

A water disaster such as a flooding river or a tsunami also requires a safe meeting place that is well stocked with supplies. This meeting place must be away from the flooding areas and above the high water line. Food and water for all the individuals expected plus half again more for three days is a good rule of thumb. Following three days the emergency responders should be there for resupply. clothes, bed linen, and comfort provides should be stocked for the folks who are there, and all these things must be in place prior to the onset of the disaster. Planning forward for survival is the only sure way to guarantee that survival.

The children will need to be planned for. A designated caregiver other than a parent should be assigned and trained. If the unthinkable does come about it is possible that mom and dad might not be there to see to their children. A caregiver should be planned for.

The most important thing in an emergency is the planning that transpired before the emergency transpired. Getting the place ready is vital but acquiring the individuals ready is even more important.

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Source: http://www.gochiangkhan.com/misc/1844-planning-ahead-for-survival-is-the-only-sure-way-to-ensure-survival-2

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