ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s president on Saturday declared a state of emergency in parts of Africa’s most populous nation, after a recent slew of deadly attacks blamed on a northern-based radical Muslim sect killed dozens of people, as separate communal clashes in the country’s southeast left more than 40 dead.
President Goodluck Jonathan declared an indefinite state of emergency in four states, which would all allow security agencies there to make arrests without proof and conduct searches without warrants. He also ordered the closure of international borders near the affected areas.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Lenovo prepping 5-inch Android-based tablet, report says
(Credit: Engadget) Lenovo may be working on a 5-inch tablet, Engadget reports, citing an anonymous source.
According to the gadget news site, it has received some basic specs and photos of the device from its source. The site claims the device will come with a 5-inch display, run Android, and feature a dual-core processor. In addition, the photos seem to show that it comes with a Micro-USB port, a front-facing camera, and HDMI output. Engadget's source is unsure when the tablet might launch.
There's no telling what market the 5-inch tablet is designed for, but Lenovo is heavily focused on the enterprise. The company's ThinkPad Tablet, for example, "has several business-oriented features that should bring a smile to the IT crowd," CNET's Donald Bell said in a review of the device last month.
According to the gadget news site, it has received some basic specs and photos of the device from its source. The site claims the device will come with a 5-inch display, run Android, and feature a dual-core processor. In addition, the photos seem to show that it comes with a Micro-USB port, a front-facing camera, and HDMI output. Engadget's source is unsure when the tablet might launch.
There's no telling what market the 5-inch tablet is designed for, but Lenovo is heavily focused on the enterprise. The company's ThinkPad Tablet, for example, "has several business-oriented features that should bring a smile to the IT crowd," CNET's Donald Bell said in a review of the device last month.
Android 4.1 to Arrive in the Next Six Months
Roughly two months ago, we got a look at the latest Android flavor from Google, namely 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which has already landed on shelves on a new Google phone, the Galaxy Nexus.
Soon, we might see a new OS flavor pushed out from Google’s labs, one that would arrive on shelves on a specifically designed tablet, a new Google device, to be more precise.
Long before being launched, the Ice Cream Sandwich platform release was said to bring along one thing that many developers have been waiting for: platform unification.
Basically, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich was supposed to offer support for smartphones and tablet PCs alike, putting together features and capabilities fit for both small and large screens.
Due to the fact that there were a variety of Android flavors available for manufacturers to load on their devices, the ecosystem needed unification, and Ice Cream Sandwich was supported to offer it.
However, Google showcased the platform only on smartphones, and no tablet PC to run under it was seen until now. The first of them should arrive on shelves in the first half of the next year, it appears.
Moreover, rumor has it that Google would be preparing the release of its own Android tablet, similar with the aforementioned Google phone, a Nexus tablet.
When made available, it should run under a new version of Ice Cream Sandwich, Android 4.1, which spells trouble for tablet makers, DigiTimes suggests.
Since they will release Android 4.0 tablets, Google’s 4.1-powered device will have a great advantage that will translate into a better performance on shelves. Consumers will most probably opt for a device featuring a newer OS, concerns emerged.
If the rumor proves real, it also remains to be seen what exactly Android 4.1 would bring new in terms of functionality, and whether it will be designed only for tablets.
It would certainly not make sense for Google to further fragment an ecosystem that is already divided between smartphones and tablets (and between older and newer platform releases), especially since the company has been struggling to resolve this issue.
Ice Cream Sandwich was supposed to combine features from Android 2.3.x Gingerbread and 3.x Honeycomb, the previous OS releases, and to make them available for both handsets and tablet PCs.
Android 4.1, which is only a rumor for the time being, should continue this tradition, which means that it will start being pushed to smartphones as well sometime in the next six months, if not soon after.
Soon, we might see a new OS flavor pushed out from Google’s labs, one that would arrive on shelves on a specifically designed tablet, a new Google device, to be more precise.
Long before being launched, the Ice Cream Sandwich platform release was said to bring along one thing that many developers have been waiting for: platform unification.
Basically, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich was supposed to offer support for smartphones and tablet PCs alike, putting together features and capabilities fit for both small and large screens.
Due to the fact that there were a variety of Android flavors available for manufacturers to load on their devices, the ecosystem needed unification, and Ice Cream Sandwich was supported to offer it.
However, Google showcased the platform only on smartphones, and no tablet PC to run under it was seen until now. The first of them should arrive on shelves in the first half of the next year, it appears.
Moreover, rumor has it that Google would be preparing the release of its own Android tablet, similar with the aforementioned Google phone, a Nexus tablet.
When made available, it should run under a new version of Ice Cream Sandwich, Android 4.1, which spells trouble for tablet makers, DigiTimes suggests.
Since they will release Android 4.0 tablets, Google’s 4.1-powered device will have a great advantage that will translate into a better performance on shelves. Consumers will most probably opt for a device featuring a newer OS, concerns emerged.
If the rumor proves real, it also remains to be seen what exactly Android 4.1 would bring new in terms of functionality, and whether it will be designed only for tablets.
It would certainly not make sense for Google to further fragment an ecosystem that is already divided between smartphones and tablets (and between older and newer platform releases), especially since the company has been struggling to resolve this issue.
Ice Cream Sandwich was supposed to combine features from Android 2.3.x Gingerbread and 3.x Honeycomb, the previous OS releases, and to make them available for both handsets and tablet PCs.
Android 4.1, which is only a rumor for the time being, should continue this tradition, which means that it will start being pushed to smartphones as well sometime in the next six months, if not soon after.
Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note to Receive Android 4 in Q1 2012
Samsung’s Galaxy line of smartphones and tablets will receive an upgrade to Android 4 or Ice Cream Sandwich in early 2012, the company has announced.
The first two devices (as previously announced) to receive the upgrade will be Samsung Galaxy S II and Samsung Galaxy Note, and this should occur sometime in the first quarter of 2012.
Other devices will “soon follow,” says Samsung. The full lineup of ICS-upgradeable devices at this point includes the Galaxy S II, Galaxy S II LTE, Galaxy Note, Galaxy R, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 8.9, Galaxy Tab 7.7, and Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus.
Samsung will give out separate announcements for each device, detailing OS update schedule for individual markets.
Other manufacturers have announced ICS upgrades for their flagship smartphones as well. HTC recently announced that Ice Cream Sandwich is coming to several of its smartphones in early 2012. Motorola’s Droid Razr will get to the latest version of Android in early 2012.
The first two devices (as previously announced) to receive the upgrade will be Samsung Galaxy S II and Samsung Galaxy Note, and this should occur sometime in the first quarter of 2012.
Other devices will “soon follow,” says Samsung. The full lineup of ICS-upgradeable devices at this point includes the Galaxy S II, Galaxy S II LTE, Galaxy Note, Galaxy R, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 8.9, Galaxy Tab 7.7, and Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus.
Samsung will give out separate announcements for each device, detailing OS update schedule for individual markets.
Other manufacturers have announced ICS upgrades for their flagship smartphones as well. HTC recently announced that Ice Cream Sandwich is coming to several of its smartphones in early 2012. Motorola’s Droid Razr will get to the latest version of Android in early 2012.
Apple's Jonathan Ive gets knighthood in honours list
Jonathan Ive, Apple's head of design, has been awarded a knighthood in the New Year Honours list.
Mr Ive, who can now style himself Sir Jonathan, has been made a Knight Commander of the British Empire (KBE).
Raised in Chingford, Mr Ive began working for Apple in 1992 and since then has been the brains behind many of its products.
He described the honour as "absolutely thrilling" and said he was "both humbled and sincerely grateful".
Mr Ive added: "I am keenly aware that I benefit from a wonderful tradition in the UK of designing and making.
"I discovered at an early age that all I've ever wanted to do is design."
Mr Ive, who can now style himself Sir Jonathan, has been made a Knight Commander of the British Empire (KBE).
Raised in Chingford, Mr Ive began working for Apple in 1992 and since then has been the brains behind many of its products.
He described the honour as "absolutely thrilling" and said he was "both humbled and sincerely grateful".
Mr Ive added: "I am keenly aware that I benefit from a wonderful tradition in the UK of designing and making.
"I discovered at an early age that all I've ever wanted to do is design."
WORLD World begins ringing in 2012
PARIS - With glittering fireworks and celebrations from New Zealand to Times Square, the world eagerly welcomed a new year and hope for a better future Saturday, saying goodbye to a year of hurricanes, tsunamis and economic turmoil that many would rather forget.
Revelers in Australia, Asia, Europe and the South Pacific island nation of Samoa, which jumped across the international dateline to be first to celebrate, welcomed 2012 with booming pyrotechnic displays. Fireworks soared and sparked over Moscow's Red Square, crowds on Paris' Champs-Elysees boulevard popped Champagne corks at midnight, and up to
Revelers in Australia, Asia, Europe and the South Pacific island nation of Samoa, which jumped across the international dateline to be first to celebrate, welcomed 2012 with booming pyrotechnic displays. Fireworks soared and sparked over Moscow's Red Square, crowds on Paris' Champs-Elysees boulevard popped Champagne corks at midnight, and up to
Android Jelly Bean: 10 things we want to see in Android 5.0
Android Jelly Bean: 10 things we want to see
So we've had a few days to digest Google's enormous update to Android, with the release of its "Ice Cream Sandwich" Android 4.0 software adding a huge amount of new functionality and visual polish to the mobile OS.
But what about the Android 4.5 or Android 5? Google pumps out Android updates faster than we can scoff double-choc Magnums, and it's already been reported that work on the next version of Android is under way, with the so-called "Android Jelly Bean " update next on the radar.
So what would we like to see in Andoid Jelly Bean? Can Android 4.0 be topped, or would we all be better off with HTC Sense, TouchWiz, or surrendering to the weight of public opinion and buying an iPhone 4S?
Here's what we'd like Google to include in Android Jelly Bean. Hit the comments to share your own Jelly Bean wishlist.
1. Full Chrome browser
The changes made to Android 4.0's web browser are welcome, bringing in the fancy Android 3.0 tabbed browsing system and support for Chrome's bookmark sync system. But with phone screens continually ballooning in size, a proper mobile version of Chrome in Android Jelly Bean, complete with bookmarks bar and constantly on-screen tabs, would make sense. Just to make phones and tablets feel more like home.
So we've had a few days to digest Google's enormous update to Android, with the release of its "Ice Cream Sandwich" Android 4.0 software adding a huge amount of new functionality and visual polish to the mobile OS.
But what about the Android 4.5 or Android 5? Google pumps out Android updates faster than we can scoff double-choc Magnums, and it's already been reported that work on the next version of Android is under way, with the so-called "Android Jelly Bean " update next on the radar.
So what would we like to see in Andoid Jelly Bean? Can Android 4.0 be topped, or would we all be better off with HTC Sense, TouchWiz, or surrendering to the weight of public opinion and buying an iPhone 4S?
Here's what we'd like Google to include in Android Jelly Bean. Hit the comments to share your own Jelly Bean wishlist.
1. Full Chrome browser
The changes made to Android 4.0's web browser are welcome, bringing in the fancy Android 3.0 tabbed browsing system and support for Chrome's bookmark sync system. But with phone screens continually ballooning in size, a proper mobile version of Chrome in Android Jelly Bean, complete with bookmarks bar and constantly on-screen tabs, would make sense. Just to make phones and tablets feel more like home.
Mobile: Strong Oklahoma earthquakes are top story of 2011
Oklahoma earthquakes, deadly airplane crash, first female governor lead 2011 top stories list
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahomans felt the earth move in 2011 as the Sooner State was shaken by its strongest earthquake on record, damaging homes and other structures, buckling a highway and rattling the nerves of residents near its epicenter in central Oklahoma.
The 5.6 magnitude earthquake, its 4.7 magnitude foreshock and numerous aftershocks were the state's top news story of 2011 in balloting by members of The Associated Press and the AP's Oklahoma staff.
The crash of a single-engine aircraft that killed Oklahoma State University's head women's basketball coach, an assistant coach and two others was voted the state's No. 2 story in the annual AP poll. Also making the list were the arrest of a 25-year-old man in the mysterious 2008 shooting deaths of two girls near Weleetka, the election of a new chief of the Cherokee Nation, the largest deployment of Oklahoma National Guard troops since the Korean War and the death of a civil rights icon.
The top stories of 2010 were the election of Oklahoma's first female governor, Mary Fallin, budget shortfalls in state government and wild weather that included ice storms and tornadoes.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahomans felt the earth move in 2011 as the Sooner State was shaken by its strongest earthquake on record, damaging homes and other structures, buckling a highway and rattling the nerves of residents near its epicenter in central Oklahoma.
The 5.6 magnitude earthquake, its 4.7 magnitude foreshock and numerous aftershocks were the state's top news story of 2011 in balloting by members of The Associated Press and the AP's Oklahoma staff.
The crash of a single-engine aircraft that killed Oklahoma State University's head women's basketball coach, an assistant coach and two others was voted the state's No. 2 story in the annual AP poll. Also making the list were the arrest of a 25-year-old man in the mysterious 2008 shooting deaths of two girls near Weleetka, the election of a new chief of the Cherokee Nation, the largest deployment of Oklahoma National Guard troops since the Korean War and the death of a civil rights icon.
The top stories of 2010 were the election of Oklahoma's first female governor, Mary Fallin, budget shortfalls in state government and wild weather that included ice storms and tornadoes.
Obama to Turn Up Attacks on Congress in Campaign
HONOLULU — President Obama is heading into his re-election campaign with plans to step up his offensive against an unpopular Congress, concluding that he cannot pass any major legislation in 2012 because of Republican hostility toward his agenda.
Mr. Obama’s election-year strategy is an attempt to capitalize on his recent victory on a short-term extension of the payroll tax cut and on his rising poll numbers. As the stage is set for November, he intends to hammer the theme of economic justice for ordinary Americans rather than continue his legislative battles with Congressional Republicans, said Joshua R. Earnest, the president’s deputy press secretary, previewing the White House’s strategy.
Mr. Obama’s election-year strategy is an attempt to capitalize on his recent victory on a short-term extension of the payroll tax cut and on his rising poll numbers. As the stage is set for November, he intends to hammer the theme of economic justice for ordinary Americans rather than continue his legislative battles with Congressional Republicans, said Joshua R. Earnest, the president’s deputy press secretary, previewing the White House’s strategy.
Sony Table S And Tablet P To Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Updates
Sony has issued a statement, without much fanfare that they are going to upgrade both their Tablet S and Tablet P to the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich version. This announcement was made in a very insignificant manner on Sony’s official online community forum. It comes as no surprises to the consumers though, as the company had already announced their plans to upgrade the compatible Sony Xperia Series phones to Android 4.0 starting March 2012.
The Sony Tablet S has continued to impress reviewers and users with its nice ergonomic built and lightweight design. Respected mobile analyst Sascha Segan in fact said that the Sony Tablet S was in fact one of the ”best-looking Android Tablets around” thanks to its wedge-shaped design that resembles a magazine. That in turn inspires a familiar feeling in the user when the tablet is held and used.
However, when it comes to features, the Sony Tablet S was somewhat deficient when compared to the other leading tablets in the market like the Apple iPad 2 and the Amazon Kindle Fire. Even though the two compared tablets are at either ends of the price spectrum, each has its own set of advantages and features that makes them leading tablets in their price points. The iPads are overall the largest selling tablets in the history of the industry in fact.
Android 4.0 was only released some time back and the only mass market device currently up for grabs with the OS inside is the Samsung Galaxy Nexus phone that bears Google’s co-branding thanks to the ‘Nexus’ name brand. However, competing manufacturers like LG will soon be launching their own smartphones with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and almost every manufacturer, including the likes of HTC, will be upgrading currently available compatible handsets to Android 4.0 at some point in the future.
Android 4.0 ICS is one OS that can run on both smartphones and tablets like Sony Tablet S. So there are also major plans for Android 4.0 tablets in 2012. Google has even announced they will be ‘marketing’ an Android tablet that is going to be of the “highest quality” — which has been read by the industry as an announcement of the first ever tablet from the ‘Nexus’ line of flagship Android devices.
Google has made its intentions clear about fighting tooth and nail with current top player Apple (iPad and iPad 2) for market share. The official statement from Eric Schmidt mentioned being in a “brutal competition” with Apple even though he expressed respect and admiration for what Steve Jobs and Apple have achieved together. In the end, he said that it can’t be helped because this is “capitalism”.
Android 4.0 upgrades have not been without their set of difficulties though. Since many of the phones run their own custom UI, like the TouchWiz UI on Samsung Phones or the Sense UI on HTC phones, many of them cannot support increased processing demands for Android 4.0 and custom UI at the same time. This is the reason Samsung had to announce that they cannot upgrade certain models because despite a 1GHz processor, the pressure is still too much for smooth performance.
The Sony Tablet S has continued to impress reviewers and users with its nice ergonomic built and lightweight design. Respected mobile analyst Sascha Segan in fact said that the Sony Tablet S was in fact one of the ”best-looking Android Tablets around” thanks to its wedge-shaped design that resembles a magazine. That in turn inspires a familiar feeling in the user when the tablet is held and used.
However, when it comes to features, the Sony Tablet S was somewhat deficient when compared to the other leading tablets in the market like the Apple iPad 2 and the Amazon Kindle Fire. Even though the two compared tablets are at either ends of the price spectrum, each has its own set of advantages and features that makes them leading tablets in their price points. The iPads are overall the largest selling tablets in the history of the industry in fact.
Android 4.0 was only released some time back and the only mass market device currently up for grabs with the OS inside is the Samsung Galaxy Nexus phone that bears Google’s co-branding thanks to the ‘Nexus’ name brand. However, competing manufacturers like LG will soon be launching their own smartphones with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and almost every manufacturer, including the likes of HTC, will be upgrading currently available compatible handsets to Android 4.0 at some point in the future.
Android 4.0 ICS is one OS that can run on both smartphones and tablets like Sony Tablet S. So there are also major plans for Android 4.0 tablets in 2012. Google has even announced they will be ‘marketing’ an Android tablet that is going to be of the “highest quality” — which has been read by the industry as an announcement of the first ever tablet from the ‘Nexus’ line of flagship Android devices.
Google has made its intentions clear about fighting tooth and nail with current top player Apple (iPad and iPad 2) for market share. The official statement from Eric Schmidt mentioned being in a “brutal competition” with Apple even though he expressed respect and admiration for what Steve Jobs and Apple have achieved together. In the end, he said that it can’t be helped because this is “capitalism”.
Android 4.0 upgrades have not been without their set of difficulties though. Since many of the phones run their own custom UI, like the TouchWiz UI on Samsung Phones or the Sense UI on HTC phones, many of them cannot support increased processing demands for Android 4.0 and custom UI at the same time. This is the reason Samsung had to announce that they cannot upgrade certain models because despite a 1GHz processor, the pressure is still too much for smooth performance.
Bangladesh's most famous hangman
30 December 2011 Last updated at 00:02 GMT Share this pageEmailPrint
146
ShareFacebookTwitter
Bangladesh's most famous hangman
Mr Miah is now trying to use his experiences to stop conflicts in his home village
Continue reading the main story
Related Stories
Bangladesh hangman series shelved
Bangladesh mass prisoner release
Bangladesh executes Mujib killers
It may seem an odd way to become famous, but Babul Miah has the honour of being Bangladesh's most well-known executioner, as the BBC's Ethirajan Anbarasan reports.
Mr Miah was jailed for life for committing a murder but he was released early for hanging 17 people to death inside the prison, and also for his good conduct.
Mr Miah returned to his home village of Nagor in northern Bangladesh last year after spending 22 years in prison. Though Bangladesh has dozens of hangmen, Mr Miah is considered the most famous.
In Bangladesh all hangmen are prisoners or former convicts who have trained in jail for the job.
Mr Miah is trying to rebuild his life with his family and friends in this picturesque village dotted with ponds, paddy fields and bamboo trees.
He was 17 when he was sent to prison in 1989 for a murder in his village which he says he did not commit.
"I became a hangman against my will. During my prison term the jail authorities told me that if I became a hangman, they would take two months off my sentence for every execution.
"I wanted to get out of jail early, so I took up the offer," Mr Miah said while tending to his cattle.
New world
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
At first I was frightened... Later on I realised that he was simply doing his job in the jail ”
Mussammat Kobita Akther
Babul Miah's wife
Bangladesh is one of the countries where convicted prisoners are still executed by hanging.
More than 400 people have been executed since the country's independence from Pakistan in 1971. Officials say more than 1,000 prisoners are on death row.
Mr Miah was released last year as part of a general amnesty to around 1,000 prisoners in an attempt to ease overcrowding in jails.
For Mr Miah his release after two decades was like a rebirth.
"I was overjoyed after my release. When I came through Dhaka, it looked like a new world to me. The city had changed completely.
"When I reached my village, it was also different. I could not recognize many people and they also could not recognize me," Mr Miah recounted.
Soon after returning to his village, Mr Miah got married to a local girl, Mussammat Kobita Akther. The couple are expecting a baby.
Without a regular job, Mr Miah makes his living by working in his brother's farm and looks after cattle.
Sometimes, he works as a day labourer in neighbouring villages. He earns about 5000 takas ($70/£41) a month.
"A lot of people promised that they would give me a job or some money to start a business. But nothing has materialised. The cost of living has gone up tremendously in the last 20 years.
"I am not sure how I will manage my family with my meagre earnings," said Mr Miah.
Dhaka Central Prison is where Babul Miah learnt the hangman's craft
His wife said that initially she was a bit scared to live with someone who had hanged a number of people.
"I felt sad when I heard about his past and that he had hanged many people to death in prison. At first I was frightened.
"Later on I realised that he was innocent and that he was simply doing his job in the jail," Ms Akther said.
"Nowadays he talks a lot about our future. He wants to give our children a good education so that they do not face hardships like him."
Mental toughness
Mr Miah was given special training in prison in how to hang people. He was taught how to set up the stage and attach wooden planks and the main hanging rope.
"I was sad when I hanged a person for the first time. But it wasn't anything to do with me - the courts had rejected their appeals.
"You cannot do the job if you show emotion or if you are not mentally strong. I had only one thing in my mind. If I do this, my jail sentence will be reduced," Mr Miah recounted.
He said he never once faltered during his 12-year tenure as a hangman in Bangladeshi jails. Even a year after his release from the prison he vividly recounted the procedures.
"Once the condemned prisoner was brought on to the stage, one of us would put the noose around his neck. At that time the convict used to shiver in fear.
"Then I would wait for a signal from a senior jail official," Mr Miah remembered.
"When the clock struck one minute past midnight, the officer would drop a red cloth from his hand as a signal, then I would pull the lever.
Mr Miah is now trying to live a normal life in his home village
"The planks would go down and the person would be hanged. A doctor would check and pronounce him dead after 15 minutes."
Media spotlight
Though Mr Miah said he regretted every time he hanged someone, he was proud of one incident.
In January 2010, he was asked to hang the killers of the country's founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Mr Miah executed five former army officers for their role in the assassination of the former president in 1975.
"On that day, I was very eager to hang them because they killed the greatest leader of our country. I hanged all five of the killers.
"If the killers were a hundred in number, I would have hanged them all, without any hesitation."
The hangings attracted nationwide attention and Mr Miah became an overnight celebrity after a local newspaper published his photograph.
A private television channel also attempted to make a programme based on his experiences in jail.
Mr Miah said life inside prisons in Bangladesh was close to hell. Overcrowding and lack of sanitation was a major problem and many prisoners suffered from skin diseases.
Mr Miah shot to fame after executing the killers of Bangladesh's founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Bangladesh's 67 jails hold around 75,000 prisoners, at least three times their capacity.
Activists say the jails are unhygienic, filthy and sometimes violent.
"People living outside don't know the conditions inside the prisons. We used to fight for clean water.
"There's violence, drugs and homosexuality. But the situation has improved slightly in recent years."
Mr Miah said he would not wish a jail life even for his enemies. He does not want to think about prison life any more.
However, he is using his experience in prison to bring peace to his village.
"Whenever there is any quarrel or clashes among villagers, I go and try to settle their disputes. Most of them don't know the law.
"I tell them: 'Look at me, a similar violent incident landed me in jail and I only came out after 22 years. Do you want to face the same fate?' Then they sit down for talks."
146
ShareFacebookTwitter
Bangladesh's most famous hangman
Mr Miah is now trying to use his experiences to stop conflicts in his home village
Continue reading the main story
Related Stories
Bangladesh hangman series shelved
Bangladesh mass prisoner release
Bangladesh executes Mujib killers
It may seem an odd way to become famous, but Babul Miah has the honour of being Bangladesh's most well-known executioner, as the BBC's Ethirajan Anbarasan reports.
Mr Miah was jailed for life for committing a murder but he was released early for hanging 17 people to death inside the prison, and also for his good conduct.
Mr Miah returned to his home village of Nagor in northern Bangladesh last year after spending 22 years in prison. Though Bangladesh has dozens of hangmen, Mr Miah is considered the most famous.
In Bangladesh all hangmen are prisoners or former convicts who have trained in jail for the job.
Mr Miah is trying to rebuild his life with his family and friends in this picturesque village dotted with ponds, paddy fields and bamboo trees.
He was 17 when he was sent to prison in 1989 for a murder in his village which he says he did not commit.
"I became a hangman against my will. During my prison term the jail authorities told me that if I became a hangman, they would take two months off my sentence for every execution.
"I wanted to get out of jail early, so I took up the offer," Mr Miah said while tending to his cattle.
New world
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
At first I was frightened... Later on I realised that he was simply doing his job in the jail ”
Mussammat Kobita Akther
Babul Miah's wife
Bangladesh is one of the countries where convicted prisoners are still executed by hanging.
More than 400 people have been executed since the country's independence from Pakistan in 1971. Officials say more than 1,000 prisoners are on death row.
Mr Miah was released last year as part of a general amnesty to around 1,000 prisoners in an attempt to ease overcrowding in jails.
For Mr Miah his release after two decades was like a rebirth.
"I was overjoyed after my release. When I came through Dhaka, it looked like a new world to me. The city had changed completely.
"When I reached my village, it was also different. I could not recognize many people and they also could not recognize me," Mr Miah recounted.
Soon after returning to his village, Mr Miah got married to a local girl, Mussammat Kobita Akther. The couple are expecting a baby.
Without a regular job, Mr Miah makes his living by working in his brother's farm and looks after cattle.
Sometimes, he works as a day labourer in neighbouring villages. He earns about 5000 takas ($70/£41) a month.
"A lot of people promised that they would give me a job or some money to start a business. But nothing has materialised. The cost of living has gone up tremendously in the last 20 years.
"I am not sure how I will manage my family with my meagre earnings," said Mr Miah.
Dhaka Central Prison is where Babul Miah learnt the hangman's craft
His wife said that initially she was a bit scared to live with someone who had hanged a number of people.
"I felt sad when I heard about his past and that he had hanged many people to death in prison. At first I was frightened.
"Later on I realised that he was innocent and that he was simply doing his job in the jail," Ms Akther said.
"Nowadays he talks a lot about our future. He wants to give our children a good education so that they do not face hardships like him."
Mental toughness
Mr Miah was given special training in prison in how to hang people. He was taught how to set up the stage and attach wooden planks and the main hanging rope.
"I was sad when I hanged a person for the first time. But it wasn't anything to do with me - the courts had rejected their appeals.
"You cannot do the job if you show emotion or if you are not mentally strong. I had only one thing in my mind. If I do this, my jail sentence will be reduced," Mr Miah recounted.
He said he never once faltered during his 12-year tenure as a hangman in Bangladeshi jails. Even a year after his release from the prison he vividly recounted the procedures.
"Once the condemned prisoner was brought on to the stage, one of us would put the noose around his neck. At that time the convict used to shiver in fear.
"Then I would wait for a signal from a senior jail official," Mr Miah remembered.
"When the clock struck one minute past midnight, the officer would drop a red cloth from his hand as a signal, then I would pull the lever.
Mr Miah is now trying to live a normal life in his home village
"The planks would go down and the person would be hanged. A doctor would check and pronounce him dead after 15 minutes."
Media spotlight
Though Mr Miah said he regretted every time he hanged someone, he was proud of one incident.
In January 2010, he was asked to hang the killers of the country's founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Mr Miah executed five former army officers for their role in the assassination of the former president in 1975.
"On that day, I was very eager to hang them because they killed the greatest leader of our country. I hanged all five of the killers.
"If the killers were a hundred in number, I would have hanged them all, without any hesitation."
The hangings attracted nationwide attention and Mr Miah became an overnight celebrity after a local newspaper published his photograph.
A private television channel also attempted to make a programme based on his experiences in jail.
Mr Miah said life inside prisons in Bangladesh was close to hell. Overcrowding and lack of sanitation was a major problem and many prisoners suffered from skin diseases.
Mr Miah shot to fame after executing the killers of Bangladesh's founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Bangladesh's 67 jails hold around 75,000 prisoners, at least three times their capacity.
Activists say the jails are unhygienic, filthy and sometimes violent.
"People living outside don't know the conditions inside the prisons. We used to fight for clean water.
"There's violence, drugs and homosexuality. But the situation has improved slightly in recent years."
Mr Miah said he would not wish a jail life even for his enemies. He does not want to think about prison life any more.
However, he is using his experience in prison to bring peace to his village.
"Whenever there is any quarrel or clashes among villagers, I go and try to settle their disputes. Most of them don't know the law.
"I tell them: 'Look at me, a similar violent incident landed me in jail and I only came out after 22 years. Do you want to face the same fate?' Then they sit down for talks."
Detroit in 2012: The Rebirth Story That’s For Real
I’ve been dithering over my task of writing a year-end piece for Xconomy. Partly because I’m not a huge fan of them, and partly because, when it comes to my thoughts about the future of Detroit, there is just so darn much to contemplate.
Since I started this job in July, I have had the pleasure of talking to many people like Jerry Pfaffendorf, Anthony Holt, Veronika Scott, and Ida Byrd-Hill—people who aren’t content to let other people figure out how to make the city a better place.
Overwhelmingly, what I hear from the people I interview is that they genuinely feel the city has turned a corner. Optimism is surging among the maker/doer class, and the feeling that pervades is that this time, Detroit’s rebirth might just be for real.
I see it all the time in my Midtown neighborhood. I know I’ve said it in this space before, but after living in Lansing, where I had to drive everywhere, I’m so impressed by the fact that I can walk to everything: my bank, my hair salon, my chiropractor, my acupuncturist, a natural foods store, a great afrocentric bookstore, several boutiques that I can actually afford, my bakery, my dive bar, and my yoga studio. (I just realized that list reads like highlights from “Stuff White People Like,” but I suppose that’s a conversation for another day.)
My corner of the city is a bit of an oasis. The fact remains that great swaths of Detroit are still wrecked, wracked with devastating poverty, and populated with people for whom daily survival is an act of triumph. If Detroit is ever going to return to world-class status, we can’t revitalize a tiny portion of the city and leave everybody else in the wilderness. Those of us who have a platform from which to speak or money or a good job or an education have a responsibility to make sure that the coming prosperity trickles down, and that we engage the members of the community who dream of better things if only they knew where to start.
A city’s diversity and vibrancy is what attracts us to it. Let’s be vigilant, 10 years from now when Midtown’s population is expected to be double what it is today, that we’re mindful about gentrification and opportunity, and make sure that everyone who lives here gets a shot at taking part in it.
Of course, there are still those who look at things like the recent light-rail debacle and declare that Detroit is a lost cause. I will concede right here in print that, in my opinion, the biggest thing holding Detroit back is the abject failure if its institutions.
Something that I’ve heard people across the spectrum of race and class agree on is that, whether you’re talking about police response times, the lack of working street lights, the city council’s attempts to thwart the much-needed reform of districts, squabbling and inaction inside the mayor’s administration, the schools being run like for-profit endeavors by those entrusted to educate our most important resource, or the precarious power grid, there is simply no excuse for the level of dysfunction that infects every city institution.
I’m no longer worried about surrendering our power to an emergency financial manager, even at the behest of someone as craven and opportunistic as state treasurer Andy Dillon. If an emergency financial manager means I’ll no longer have to go down to the post office and plead with the clerk to go in the back and see if my paycheck is there because, inexplicably, my mail started getting routed to something called the “A to Z file”—despite a change-of-address form and two subsequent forms to correct a mistake I never made—then I think I’m all for it. In my opinion, the solvency ship sailed a long time ago, and the condition of our municipal infrastructure could not possibly be degraded any further than it already is.
What I’d like to leave you with is a quote from my favorite local writer, John Carlisle, otherwise known as Detroitblogger John, who has a unique gift for capturing the stories of Detroit. It’s from his excellent collection called “313: Life in the Motor City,” and it sums up perfectly why our city is worthy of all the hand-wringing, the mythologizing, and the fascination:
“There’s no place like Detroit. This city is wild and raw and unpredictable and eccentric. In Detroit, you can grow a farm in your front yard, or keep goats and chickens out back, or throw a blues concert in the field next door, or buy a historic church for $100 and make it a museum. You can even operate a strip club in your living room. In an unexpected way, Detroit in its decline has become the land of opportunity. You can do all sorts of things here that you can’t do elsewhere. … There’s a certain resilient hope among many Detroiters, a sense that you really can create your own world here, that things will get better because they can’t get much worse. And from that idea comes a feeling of freedom to do what you wish with your life here. Because in Detroit, you can be just about anything you want.”
Since I started this job in July, I have had the pleasure of talking to many people like Jerry Pfaffendorf, Anthony Holt, Veronika Scott, and Ida Byrd-Hill—people who aren’t content to let other people figure out how to make the city a better place.
Overwhelmingly, what I hear from the people I interview is that they genuinely feel the city has turned a corner. Optimism is surging among the maker/doer class, and the feeling that pervades is that this time, Detroit’s rebirth might just be for real.
I see it all the time in my Midtown neighborhood. I know I’ve said it in this space before, but after living in Lansing, where I had to drive everywhere, I’m so impressed by the fact that I can walk to everything: my bank, my hair salon, my chiropractor, my acupuncturist, a natural foods store, a great afrocentric bookstore, several boutiques that I can actually afford, my bakery, my dive bar, and my yoga studio. (I just realized that list reads like highlights from “Stuff White People Like,” but I suppose that’s a conversation for another day.)
My corner of the city is a bit of an oasis. The fact remains that great swaths of Detroit are still wrecked, wracked with devastating poverty, and populated with people for whom daily survival is an act of triumph. If Detroit is ever going to return to world-class status, we can’t revitalize a tiny portion of the city and leave everybody else in the wilderness. Those of us who have a platform from which to speak or money or a good job or an education have a responsibility to make sure that the coming prosperity trickles down, and that we engage the members of the community who dream of better things if only they knew where to start.
A city’s diversity and vibrancy is what attracts us to it. Let’s be vigilant, 10 years from now when Midtown’s population is expected to be double what it is today, that we’re mindful about gentrification and opportunity, and make sure that everyone who lives here gets a shot at taking part in it.
Of course, there are still those who look at things like the recent light-rail debacle and declare that Detroit is a lost cause. I will concede right here in print that, in my opinion, the biggest thing holding Detroit back is the abject failure if its institutions.
Something that I’ve heard people across the spectrum of race and class agree on is that, whether you’re talking about police response times, the lack of working street lights, the city council’s attempts to thwart the much-needed reform of districts, squabbling and inaction inside the mayor’s administration, the schools being run like for-profit endeavors by those entrusted to educate our most important resource, or the precarious power grid, there is simply no excuse for the level of dysfunction that infects every city institution.
I’m no longer worried about surrendering our power to an emergency financial manager, even at the behest of someone as craven and opportunistic as state treasurer Andy Dillon. If an emergency financial manager means I’ll no longer have to go down to the post office and plead with the clerk to go in the back and see if my paycheck is there because, inexplicably, my mail started getting routed to something called the “A to Z file”—despite a change-of-address form and two subsequent forms to correct a mistake I never made—then I think I’m all for it. In my opinion, the solvency ship sailed a long time ago, and the condition of our municipal infrastructure could not possibly be degraded any further than it already is.
What I’d like to leave you with is a quote from my favorite local writer, John Carlisle, otherwise known as Detroitblogger John, who has a unique gift for capturing the stories of Detroit. It’s from his excellent collection called “313: Life in the Motor City,” and it sums up perfectly why our city is worthy of all the hand-wringing, the mythologizing, and the fascination:
“There’s no place like Detroit. This city is wild and raw and unpredictable and eccentric. In Detroit, you can grow a farm in your front yard, or keep goats and chickens out back, or throw a blues concert in the field next door, or buy a historic church for $100 and make it a museum. You can even operate a strip club in your living room. In an unexpected way, Detroit in its decline has become the land of opportunity. You can do all sorts of things here that you can’t do elsewhere. … There’s a certain resilient hope among many Detroiters, a sense that you really can create your own world here, that things will get better because they can’t get much worse. And from that idea comes a feeling of freedom to do what you wish with your life here. Because in Detroit, you can be just about anything you want.”
Facebook blamed for one-third divorces across globe
LONDON: Facebook was cited as a reason for a third of broken marriages last year and is increasingly being used as a source of evidence in divorce cases.
A law firm called Divorce-Online said that 33% of the 5,000 behaviour based divorce petitions filed with the firm in the past year mentioned the site.
"Facebook has become the primary method for communicating with friends for many people," the Daily Mail quoted Mark Keenan, managing director of Divorce-Online, as saying.
"People contact ex-partners and the messages start as innocent, but lead to trouble
"If someone wants to have an affair or flirt with the opposite sex then it's the easiest place to do it," he said.
The most common reasons for Facebook causing problems in relationships were a spouse finding flirty messages, photos of their partner at a party they did not know about or with someone they should not have been with.
"If you are keeping things from your partner, Facebook makes it so much easier for them to find out," Anne-Marie Hutchinson, of Dawson Cornwell Solicitors said.
Hutchinson said that the site could also be used as evidence of unreasonable behaviour.
"If you are complaining that they have a drinking problem and they have posted statuses about going out on the razzle... that could be used," she added.
A law firm called Divorce-Online said that 33% of the 5,000 behaviour based divorce petitions filed with the firm in the past year mentioned the site.
"Facebook has become the primary method for communicating with friends for many people," the Daily Mail quoted Mark Keenan, managing director of Divorce-Online, as saying.
"People contact ex-partners and the messages start as innocent, but lead to trouble
"If someone wants to have an affair or flirt with the opposite sex then it's the easiest place to do it," he said.
The most common reasons for Facebook causing problems in relationships were a spouse finding flirty messages, photos of their partner at a party they did not know about or with someone they should not have been with.
"If you are keeping things from your partner, Facebook makes it so much easier for them to find out," Anne-Marie Hutchinson, of Dawson Cornwell Solicitors said.
Hutchinson said that the site could also be used as evidence of unreasonable behaviour.
"If you are complaining that they have a drinking problem and they have posted statuses about going out on the razzle... that could be used," she added.
PM Manmohan Singh regrets that Rajya Sabha did not pass Lokpal Bill
NEW DELHI: Amid a war of words between government and Opposition, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said it was "unfortunate" that the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill could not be passed by the Rajya Sabha and asserted that the government was committed to an effective anti-corruption law.
Wishing to put behind a "very difficult" year, Singh acknowledged that the concern about corruption has moved to the centre stage and vowed to personally work to provide an "honest and more efficient government".
In his New Year message to the nation, he noted that corruption was a serious problem that needs multi-dimensional response of which Lokpal and Lokayuktas are an important part but it will take time to have full effect of the initiatives.
"The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha. It is unfortunate that the Bill could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha. However, our government is committed to the enactment of an effective Lokpal Act," he said.
In the nine-page message which gave an overview of a host of subjects like economic situation, food security, national security, ecological security and social issues, Singh said, "I believe we have made more progress than is commonly realised."
The government has taken several "transformational" initiatives to tackle corruption which will be "recognised as such down the line", he said.
In this context, he listed introduction of Bills on Citizen's Charter and Judicial Accountability in Parliament. "These initiatives will take time to have full effect and we must, therefore, be patient," he counselled.
He termed corruption as a "serious problem" which calls for a multi-dimensional response. "New institutions such as Lokpal and Lokayuktas are an important part of the solution and we have initiated the process for establishing them."
Underlining that Lokpal and Lokayuktas were "only one part of the solution", the Prime Minister said, "we also need reforms in systems of governance which would increase transparency and minimise discretion so that the scope of misgovernance is reduced."
Singh said, "The year that has just ended was a very difficult year for the world" and in this regard cited the economic crisis, socio economic tensions, "political upheavals in many developing countries" and "a revolution of rising expectations fostered by the extraordinary reach of the electronic media and the connectivity provided by new social networking platforms."
These issues kept governments around the world "on their toes", he said, adding that "we in India have had our share of problems."
Talking in the context of India specifically, Singh said the economy slowed down, inflation edged up and "concern about corruption moved to the centre stage".
Counselling against despondency, he said, "we must address the new concerns that have arisen while remaining steadfast in our commitment to put the nation on a development path which ensures rapid, inclusive and sustainable growth.
"I want to assure you all on this New Year's day that I personally will work to provide an honest and more efficient government, a more productive, competitive and robust economy and a more equitable and just social and political order."
Singh, who was one of the architects of liberalisation initiated in 1991, said that process was aimed at freeing the citizens from the "dead weight" of bureaucracy and corruption.
"...Old forms of corruption have vanished, new forms of corruption have emerged which need to be tackled. Elimination of corruption is critical to support genuine entrepreneurship," he said, adding "It is also the demand of the ordinary citizen who encounters corruption all too often in everyday transactions with those in authority."
Wishing to put behind a "very difficult" year, Singh acknowledged that the concern about corruption has moved to the centre stage and vowed to personally work to provide an "honest and more efficient government".
In his New Year message to the nation, he noted that corruption was a serious problem that needs multi-dimensional response of which Lokpal and Lokayuktas are an important part but it will take time to have full effect of the initiatives.
"The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha. It is unfortunate that the Bill could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha. However, our government is committed to the enactment of an effective Lokpal Act," he said.
In the nine-page message which gave an overview of a host of subjects like economic situation, food security, national security, ecological security and social issues, Singh said, "I believe we have made more progress than is commonly realised."
The government has taken several "transformational" initiatives to tackle corruption which will be "recognised as such down the line", he said.
In this context, he listed introduction of Bills on Citizen's Charter and Judicial Accountability in Parliament. "These initiatives will take time to have full effect and we must, therefore, be patient," he counselled.
He termed corruption as a "serious problem" which calls for a multi-dimensional response. "New institutions such as Lokpal and Lokayuktas are an important part of the solution and we have initiated the process for establishing them."
Underlining that Lokpal and Lokayuktas were "only one part of the solution", the Prime Minister said, "we also need reforms in systems of governance which would increase transparency and minimise discretion so that the scope of misgovernance is reduced."
Singh said, "The year that has just ended was a very difficult year for the world" and in this regard cited the economic crisis, socio economic tensions, "political upheavals in many developing countries" and "a revolution of rising expectations fostered by the extraordinary reach of the electronic media and the connectivity provided by new social networking platforms."
These issues kept governments around the world "on their toes", he said, adding that "we in India have had our share of problems."
Talking in the context of India specifically, Singh said the economy slowed down, inflation edged up and "concern about corruption moved to the centre stage".
Counselling against despondency, he said, "we must address the new concerns that have arisen while remaining steadfast in our commitment to put the nation on a development path which ensures rapid, inclusive and sustainable growth.
"I want to assure you all on this New Year's day that I personally will work to provide an honest and more efficient government, a more productive, competitive and robust economy and a more equitable and just social and political order."
Singh, who was one of the architects of liberalisation initiated in 1991, said that process was aimed at freeing the citizens from the "dead weight" of bureaucracy and corruption.
"...Old forms of corruption have vanished, new forms of corruption have emerged which need to be tackled. Elimination of corruption is critical to support genuine entrepreneurship," he said, adding "It is also the demand of the ordinary citizen who encounters corruption all too often in everyday transactions with those in authority."
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Cheap Android tablets you can get for under 200$
We all know that the recession has put a heavy load on our wallets but that doesn’t mean we should stop making purchases and dreaming of what gadget we could get next. Tablets are a big hit in 2010, despite the unfavorable economic climate, but that doesn’t mean everyone can afford one.
I know that usually you get what you pay for, but in this post I’ll try and make a list with the best bargain Android tablets you can get online for under 200$. That’s right, there are tablet there that cost less than 200$, some even getting close to the 100$ mark. Of course they cannot compete with the iPad, but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth every penny.
I know that usually you get what you pay for, but in this post I’ll try and make a list with the best bargain Android tablets you can get online for under 200$. That’s right, there are tablet there that cost less than 200$, some even getting close to the 100$ mark. Of course they cannot compete with the iPad, but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth every penny.
Intel’s first Android smartphone will be made by LG, shown off at CES
Intel has already hinted at its smartphone and tablet processor plans for next year, but it seems that LG will hold the title of the first company to create a modern smartphone with Intel inside.
Intel will be showing off an LG smartphone running Android and its Medfield mobile processor at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which is only a few weeks away, reports the Korea Times.
Intel Korea head Lee Hee-sung confirmed to the paper that the company would announce a Medfield smartphone at CES, and unnamed high-level exec said that it would be made by LG. The companies partnered earlier this year for a MeeGo smartphone (which was also showed off at CES), but plans for that fell through.
Intel will be showing off an LG smartphone running Android and its Medfield mobile processor at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which is only a few weeks away, reports the Korea Times.
Intel Korea head Lee Hee-sung confirmed to the paper that the company would announce a Medfield smartphone at CES, and unnamed high-level exec said that it would be made by LG. The companies partnered earlier this year for a MeeGo smartphone (which was also showed off at CES), but plans for that fell through.
Nokia N9 Meego Smartphone Drops To £370
The Nokia N9 Meego smartphone can now be purchased from Expansys for £370 down from £455; the phone shares a number of features with the Windows Phone based Nokia Lumia 800.
It comes with a single core Cortex A8 based TI OMAP3630 chipset clocked at 1GHz with 1GB RAM, 16GB onboard storage, Meego 1.2 Harmattan operating system, a 3.9-inch 854x480 AMOLED display with curved glass display and an eight megapixel camera with AF, Carl Zeiss optics, f/2.2 aperture, 720p video recording and an LED flash.
Other features include OVI store, Music, Maps, Facebook and Twitter, NFC capabilities, AV connector, microUSB port, A-GPS, microSIM (like the iPhone 4S), Wi-Fi network positioning, Swype and a 1450mAh battery.
The phone, which was launched back in June 2011, has some unique features such as a complete lack of front facing buttons like on Honeycomb tablets, and a polycarbonate body which should improve reception. Nokia released only one Meego phone before switching permanently to Windows Phone as its main top end platform.
In September, it was announced that Intel and Samsung - a Nokia rival - would replace Meego with a new platform called Tizen, while Nokia said that it would develop a cut down version of Meego for feature phones called Meltemi.
It comes with a single core Cortex A8 based TI OMAP3630 chipset clocked at 1GHz with 1GB RAM, 16GB onboard storage, Meego 1.2 Harmattan operating system, a 3.9-inch 854x480 AMOLED display with curved glass display and an eight megapixel camera with AF, Carl Zeiss optics, f/2.2 aperture, 720p video recording and an LED flash.
Other features include OVI store, Music, Maps, Facebook and Twitter, NFC capabilities, AV connector, microUSB port, A-GPS, microSIM (like the iPhone 4S), Wi-Fi network positioning, Swype and a 1450mAh battery.
The phone, which was launched back in June 2011, has some unique features such as a complete lack of front facing buttons like on Honeycomb tablets, and a polycarbonate body which should improve reception. Nokia released only one Meego phone before switching permanently to Windows Phone as its main top end platform.
In September, it was announced that Intel and Samsung - a Nokia rival - would replace Meego with a new platform called Tizen, while Nokia said that it would develop a cut down version of Meego for feature phones called Meltemi.
Classpad takes a cue from Akash tablets
Tablets are the new tech gadgets to have found a favourable place in the Indian education sector.
After the launch of 'Aakash', the low-cost tablet, by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD), new trends are picking up in edu-tech.
Delhi-based Classteacher Learning Systems, an education solution provider, has come out with a new tablet, Classpad. Priced in the range of Rs 7,500-14,500, it comes in three models: Classpad 7, Classpad 8 and Classpad 10.
Classpad has a touch screen with a 7-hour battery life, 1.3 Ghz processing speed and a built-in memory of four Gb, expandable to eight Gb. The device is equipped with artificial intelligence and is built on the Android platform. The intelligence facility in Classpad can help categorise students as fast, average and slow learners. The device uses WiFi for communication.
Rohit Pande, CEO of Classteacher Learning Systems, believes Classpad does have an opportunity in already crowded low-cost tablet segment. According to a study done by the firm in 200 schools across the country, 32 per cent of the respondents are adopting tablet and other technologies. The study also said schools are keen to adopt new technology.
The company plans to take Classpad to the market via two business routes called the Trolley model, wherein the device can be used on a shared model by paying Rs 100 per child. The second is based on 'one tablet per child' (OTPC) model, where the parents pay for the device. It is also planning to launch a model from 2012 for the general public, which can buy online.
"We have been working on it for the last four years and as part of our efforts we have been able to come out with a sturdy device. This is like other high-end devices. Our aim is to create a personalised learning experience," Rohit Pande, CEO, Classteacher Learning Systems said.
The company, which offers solutions and applications for education sector, has a presence in 700 schools, of which Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Punjab top the list.
"We have clients ranging from high-end schools to those that take Rs 1,000 as monthly fee," Pande added.
Classpad will provide educational solutions based on the NCERT syllabus. Students will be able to use and download 7,000 education applications on the cloud.
When asked about partnering the government for the device, Pande said, "As of now, we are looking at private schools."
After the launch of 'Aakash', the low-cost tablet, by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD), new trends are picking up in edu-tech.
Delhi-based Classteacher Learning Systems, an education solution provider, has come out with a new tablet, Classpad. Priced in the range of Rs 7,500-14,500, it comes in three models: Classpad 7, Classpad 8 and Classpad 10.
Classpad has a touch screen with a 7-hour battery life, 1.3 Ghz processing speed and a built-in memory of four Gb, expandable to eight Gb. The device is equipped with artificial intelligence and is built on the Android platform. The intelligence facility in Classpad can help categorise students as fast, average and slow learners. The device uses WiFi for communication.
Rohit Pande, CEO of Classteacher Learning Systems, believes Classpad does have an opportunity in already crowded low-cost tablet segment. According to a study done by the firm in 200 schools across the country, 32 per cent of the respondents are adopting tablet and other technologies. The study also said schools are keen to adopt new technology.
The company plans to take Classpad to the market via two business routes called the Trolley model, wherein the device can be used on a shared model by paying Rs 100 per child. The second is based on 'one tablet per child' (OTPC) model, where the parents pay for the device. It is also planning to launch a model from 2012 for the general public, which can buy online.
"We have been working on it for the last four years and as part of our efforts we have been able to come out with a sturdy device. This is like other high-end devices. Our aim is to create a personalised learning experience," Rohit Pande, CEO, Classteacher Learning Systems said.
The company, which offers solutions and applications for education sector, has a presence in 700 schools, of which Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Punjab top the list.
"We have clients ranging from high-end schools to those that take Rs 1,000 as monthly fee," Pande added.
Classpad will provide educational solutions based on the NCERT syllabus. Students will be able to use and download 7,000 education applications on the cloud.
When asked about partnering the government for the device, Pande said, "As of now, we are looking at private schools."
Fisker Karma recalled over battery fire risk
(Credit: Fisker) Although there have been no reports of problems so far, Fisker is recalling 239 Karma plug-in hybrid sports cars due to a high-voltage battery problem that could result in a fire.
The problem with the luxury plug-in hybrid is that certain hose clamps may have been positioned incorrectly during assembly, which could cause a coolant leak near the battery compartment.
According to the the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: "If coolant enters the battery compartment, an electrical short could occur possible resulting in a fire."
Fisker plans to notify customers, and dealerships will replace the high-voltage battery with a new part at no cost. Costumers can call Fisker at 1-855-575-7577, option 2, for more information.
The problem with the luxury plug-in hybrid is that certain hose clamps may have been positioned incorrectly during assembly, which could cause a coolant leak near the battery compartment.
According to the the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: "If coolant enters the battery compartment, an electrical short could occur possible resulting in a fire."
Fisker plans to notify customers, and dealerships will replace the high-voltage battery with a new part at no cost. Costumers can call Fisker at 1-855-575-7577, option 2, for more information.
China's sights on moon
NEARLY 40 years after the cold grey soil of the moon was last disturbed by bounding humans, the lunar surface has become an official destination once more.
Tentative plans to land a man on the moon have been outlined in a document published by the Chinese government that confirms the nation's intention to become a major spacefaring nation.
Officials in China have spoken before of their hopes for a crewed lunar mission, but the government document is the first to state the aim as a formal goal for the nation's space agency.
Tentative plans to land a man on the moon have been outlined in a document published by the Chinese government that confirms the nation's intention to become a major spacefaring nation.
Officials in China have spoken before of their hopes for a crewed lunar mission, but the government document is the first to state the aim as a formal goal for the nation's space agency.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Alaska Volcano Observatory downgrades air threat from Cleveland Mountain in Aleutian Islands
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Alaska Volcano Observatory has downgraded the commercial airliner alert level for a volcano in the Aleutian Islands, a day after a small explosion sent ash 15,000 feet into the air.
Satellite images showed the ash cloud after remote Cleveland Mountain erupted early Thursday.
The observatory said Friday that no new explosive activity has been observed. The threat has been downgraded from orange, representing a minor eruption, to yellow, meaning elevated unrest.
Cleveland Mountain is a 5,675-foot peak on an uninhabited island 940 miles southwest of Anchorage. Scientists have been monitoring volcano activity since July when they detected lava accumulating in a crater at the summit.
Ash clouds exceeding 20,000 feet from Alaska volcanoes are a threat to trans-Pacific air carriers.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Satellite images showed the ash cloud after remote Cleveland Mountain erupted early Thursday.
The observatory said Friday that no new explosive activity has been observed. The threat has been downgraded from orange, representing a minor eruption, to yellow, meaning elevated unrest.
Cleveland Mountain is a 5,675-foot peak on an uninhabited island 940 miles southwest of Anchorage. Scientists have been monitoring volcano activity since July when they detected lava accumulating in a crater at the summit.
Ash clouds exceeding 20,000 feet from Alaska volcanoes are a threat to trans-Pacific air carriers.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
U.S. Aims for 2012 Talks With Taliban After Hiatus
WASHINGTON – The Obama administration hopes to restore momentum in the spring to U.S. talks with the Taliban insurgency that had reached a critical point before falling apart this month because of objections from Afghan President Hamid Karzai, U.S. and Afghan officials said.
One goal of renewed talks with the insurgents would be to identify cease-fire zones that could be used as a steppingstone toward a full peace agreement that stops most fighting, a senior administration official told The Associated Press -- a goal that remains far out of reach.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/12/30/us-aims-for-2012-talks-with-taliban-after-hiatus/#ixzz1i1lH1PBu
One goal of renewed talks with the insurgents would be to identify cease-fire zones that could be used as a steppingstone toward a full peace agreement that stops most fighting, a senior administration official told The Associated Press -- a goal that remains far out of reach.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/12/30/us-aims-for-2012-talks-with-taliban-after-hiatus/#ixzz1i1lH1PBu
Google, Facebook, YouTube are most visited websites in 2011
Google, Facebook and YouTube racked up the most unique visitors among U.S. websites in 2011, according to new data from the research group Nielsen.
Not necessarily the most surprising news is it? What may be a bit more interesting is that, despite its rapid growth, Google+ was on average visited by fewer users than Myspace this year, according to Nielsen. Google+ was released in beta in July and opened to the public in September.
The Nielsen data also doesn't cover the entire year, only January to October.
According to Nielsen, the top 10 U.S. social networks and blogs, by page views, in 2011 were:
Not necessarily the most surprising news is it? What may be a bit more interesting is that, despite its rapid growth, Google+ was on average visited by fewer users than Myspace this year, according to Nielsen. Google+ was released in beta in July and opened to the public in September.
The Nielsen data also doesn't cover the entire year, only January to October.
According to Nielsen, the top 10 U.S. social networks and blogs, by page views, in 2011 were:
North Korea Warns No Policy Changes Under New Leader
For the first time, North Korea is referring to the late Kim Jong Il's son as its "Great Leader." Kim Jong Un, who is in his late 20's, is assuming leadership of the impoverished and reclusive country following his father's death, said to have occurred on December 17. The North is also sending a clear message, especially to the South, that it will be business as usual in Pyongyang.
Just a day after ending an official period of mourning, North Korea wasted no time bluntly telling the world not to expect any policy changes from Pyongyang.
The National Defense Commission issued a statement. It admonishes what it called "foolish politicians around the world" - especially those in South Korea - not to expect any change from the North.
The statement was broadcast for 11 minutes at noon Friday on North Korean television. It reverted to a very tough tone about South Korea and its leader. President Lee Myung-bak is termed the head of a traitor group whose "evil misdeeds" have climaxed by failing to allow Koreans in the South to pay their final respects to Kim Jong Il.
The announcer, reading the statement, calls South Korea's president "clueless" when it comes to policy regarding the North. She says North Korea will shun his administration forever.
Georgetown University professor Balbina Hwang, a former State Department adviser on Korean policy, notes this is tough rhetoric, even by North Korean standards.
"The tenor, the sheer vitriol in the language that is used and in the tone of which, this sort of raging, specifically about South Korea and President Lee Myung-bak, it is a bit unusual," said Hwang.
Hwang says she views this as reflecting a sense of insecurity in North Korea's powerful National Defense Commission.
"I don't think any institution that does feel secure in its own power would feel the necessity to come out with such strong language and in such an intense way," she said.
Although President Lee has taken a harder line with the North than his two predecessors, in recent months he had been signaling a more flexible approach toward Pyongyang.
Whether that will still be the case, with the Kim Jong Un era beginning in North Korea, will likely be revealed in Seoul on Monday.
That is when President Lee delivers his New Year's address. Officials at the presidential Blue House tell say that it will, in great part, be devoted to his outlook on the future of inter-Korean relations.
Just a day after ending an official period of mourning, North Korea wasted no time bluntly telling the world not to expect any policy changes from Pyongyang.
The National Defense Commission issued a statement. It admonishes what it called "foolish politicians around the world" - especially those in South Korea - not to expect any change from the North.
The statement was broadcast for 11 minutes at noon Friday on North Korean television. It reverted to a very tough tone about South Korea and its leader. President Lee Myung-bak is termed the head of a traitor group whose "evil misdeeds" have climaxed by failing to allow Koreans in the South to pay their final respects to Kim Jong Il.
The announcer, reading the statement, calls South Korea's president "clueless" when it comes to policy regarding the North. She says North Korea will shun his administration forever.
Georgetown University professor Balbina Hwang, a former State Department adviser on Korean policy, notes this is tough rhetoric, even by North Korean standards.
"The tenor, the sheer vitriol in the language that is used and in the tone of which, this sort of raging, specifically about South Korea and President Lee Myung-bak, it is a bit unusual," said Hwang.
Hwang says she views this as reflecting a sense of insecurity in North Korea's powerful National Defense Commission.
"I don't think any institution that does feel secure in its own power would feel the necessity to come out with such strong language and in such an intense way," she said.
Although President Lee has taken a harder line with the North than his two predecessors, in recent months he had been signaling a more flexible approach toward Pyongyang.
Whether that will still be the case, with the Kim Jong Un era beginning in North Korea, will likely be revealed in Seoul on Monday.
That is when President Lee delivers his New Year's address. Officials at the presidential Blue House tell say that it will, in great part, be devoted to his outlook on the future of inter-Korean relations.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
China unveils ambitious 5-year space plan
BEIJING — The Chinese government Thursday announced a five-year plan for space exploration that would move China closer to becoming a major rival at a time the U.S. program is in retreat.
Coupled with China's earlier vows to build a space station and put an astronaut on the moon, the announcement conjured up memories of the Cold War-era space race between the United States and the Soviet Union.
The United States, which has de-emphasized manned spaceflight in recent years, is dependent on Russia for transporting its astronauts to the international space station. Russia has experienced an embarrassing string of failed satellite launchings.
China has been looking for ways to exert its growing economic strength and demonstrate its technological mastery and scientific achievements can approach those of any global power.
The plan announced Thursday calls for launching a space lab and collecting samples from the moon, all by 2016, along with a more powerful manned spaceship and space freighters.
In recent years, China also has sought to build a military capacity in keeping with its economic might, building up its submarine fleet and, this year, testing its first aircraft carrier, a refurbished Soviet model. Under the plan, it would vastly expand its version of GPS, which would have military and civilian uses.
The plan shows how the government intends to draw on military and civilian resources to meet the goals, which the government is betting will benefit the Chinese economy.
In the white paper that laid out the plan, released by the State Council, China's Cabinet, the authors took pains to say the nation's space program was not seeking to challenge any nation militarily.
The plan indicates China will begin the work to land its astronauts on the moon, but it did not provide a target date for when they would go.
Analysts say one of the more notable goals of the five-year strategy is to further develop the Beidou Navigation Satellite System, which Tuesday began providing navigation, positioning and timing data on China and surrounding areas.
The white paper said China intended to have a global system by 2020, with 35 satellites in orbit. If it met that goal, China would join Russia in having a system that rivals America's. China has launched 10 satellites for the Beidou system and plans to launch six more next year.
Coupled with China's earlier vows to build a space station and put an astronaut on the moon, the announcement conjured up memories of the Cold War-era space race between the United States and the Soviet Union.
The United States, which has de-emphasized manned spaceflight in recent years, is dependent on Russia for transporting its astronauts to the international space station. Russia has experienced an embarrassing string of failed satellite launchings.
China has been looking for ways to exert its growing economic strength and demonstrate its technological mastery and scientific achievements can approach those of any global power.
The plan announced Thursday calls for launching a space lab and collecting samples from the moon, all by 2016, along with a more powerful manned spaceship and space freighters.
In recent years, China also has sought to build a military capacity in keeping with its economic might, building up its submarine fleet and, this year, testing its first aircraft carrier, a refurbished Soviet model. Under the plan, it would vastly expand its version of GPS, which would have military and civilian uses.
The plan shows how the government intends to draw on military and civilian resources to meet the goals, which the government is betting will benefit the Chinese economy.
In the white paper that laid out the plan, released by the State Council, China's Cabinet, the authors took pains to say the nation's space program was not seeking to challenge any nation militarily.
The plan indicates China will begin the work to land its astronauts on the moon, but it did not provide a target date for when they would go.
Analysts say one of the more notable goals of the five-year strategy is to further develop the Beidou Navigation Satellite System, which Tuesday began providing navigation, positioning and timing data on China and surrounding areas.
The white paper said China intended to have a global system by 2020, with 35 satellites in orbit. If it met that goal, China would join Russia in having a system that rivals America's. China has launched 10 satellites for the Beidou system and plans to launch six more next year.
UFO sightings up 70% in Ireland over last three years
UFO sightings across Ireland have increased by nearly 70% in just three years.
The UFO Research Association of Ireland revealed that 59 incidents were reported in 2011, compared with 42 the year before and just 35 in 2009.
Association founder Adam Tallon suggested people are becoming more open to the possibility of UFOs and therefore feel more comfortable reporting a sighting to its website.
"I would like to believe that there is life out in the universe somewhere, whether it's walking or talking beings or microscopic bacteria I don't know," said Mr Tallon.
The association has been able to attribute most sightings to ball lighting and Chinese lanterns but its main interests lie in UFOs that cannot be explained by conventional means.
According to its website, these include incidents where the objects seem to be intelligently controlled or have been seen carrying out precise manoeuvres that are impossible for any known air or space crafts.
"As a young child I saw something strange in the night sky," said Mr Tallon.
"But as I was young it's very possible that the incident was embellished over the years and was nothing more then a meteor or some other natural phenomena."
Mr Tallon founded the group in 2005 but it officially became the UFO Research Association of Ireland in 2008 when it adopted its current system to track reported incidents.
"There is a slow but gradual increase in incidents being reported which I would attribute to two things," Mr Tallon went on.
"The first that there wasn't really any place to report incidents prior to our organisation and secondly I would attribute the increase to people being more comfortable reporting an incident compared to say 10 years ago."
Mr Tallon said people are not required to give any personal information to report a UFO which can be done through the organisation's website ufoi.org.
He suggested it is this confidentiality that encourages people who may otherwise have been unsure or embarrassed to report a UFO.
The UFO Research Association of Ireland revealed that 59 incidents were reported in 2011, compared with 42 the year before and just 35 in 2009.
Association founder Adam Tallon suggested people are becoming more open to the possibility of UFOs and therefore feel more comfortable reporting a sighting to its website.
"I would like to believe that there is life out in the universe somewhere, whether it's walking or talking beings or microscopic bacteria I don't know," said Mr Tallon.
The association has been able to attribute most sightings to ball lighting and Chinese lanterns but its main interests lie in UFOs that cannot be explained by conventional means.
According to its website, these include incidents where the objects seem to be intelligently controlled or have been seen carrying out precise manoeuvres that are impossible for any known air or space crafts.
"As a young child I saw something strange in the night sky," said Mr Tallon.
"But as I was young it's very possible that the incident was embellished over the years and was nothing more then a meteor or some other natural phenomena."
Mr Tallon founded the group in 2005 but it officially became the UFO Research Association of Ireland in 2008 when it adopted its current system to track reported incidents.
"There is a slow but gradual increase in incidents being reported which I would attribute to two things," Mr Tallon went on.
"The first that there wasn't really any place to report incidents prior to our organisation and secondly I would attribute the increase to people being more comfortable reporting an incident compared to say 10 years ago."
Mr Tallon said people are not required to give any personal information to report a UFO which can be done through the organisation's website ufoi.org.
He suggested it is this confidentiality that encourages people who may otherwise have been unsure or embarrassed to report a UFO.
NASA Spacecraft Set To Orbit Moon
Twin NASA spacecraft are on their final approach to begin orbiting the moon to study its surface and core in the space agency's latest moon-observation mission.
The two Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) crafts will be placed in orbit New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and will spend two months reshaping their orbits until they are following each other directly, according to NASA.
The agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is managing the mission, the goal of which is to use details on the moon's surface to map lunar gravity and use that information to understand better the moon's interior and thermal history, according to NASA.
The two Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) crafts will be placed in orbit New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and will spend two months reshaping their orbits until they are following each other directly, according to NASA.
The agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is managing the mission, the goal of which is to use details on the moon's surface to map lunar gravity and use that information to understand better the moon's interior and thermal history, according to NASA.
Mistaken for militants, 35 killed in Turkey air strike
DIYARBAKIR, TURKEY: Turkish warplanes killed at least 35 people in an air strike in southeastern Turkey near the Iraqi border overnight, apparently mistaking smugglers for Kurdish militants, a pro-Kurdish party and local officials said on Thursday.
Turkish warplanes strike militant targets regularly in the region in their battle against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas, and have stepped up raids after a PKK attack in August.
"We have 30 corpses, all of them are burned. The state knew that these people were smuggling in the region. This kind of incident is unacceptable. They were hit from the air," said Fehmi Yaman, mayor of Uludere in Sirnak province.
The pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) said in a statement 35 people had been killed, adding that party leaders were heading for the area.
The Turkish government was not immediately available for comment.
Smuggling is an important source of income for locals in provinces along the Iraqi border, with many villagers involved in bringing fuel, cigarettes and other goods from Iraqi villages on the other side of the border. PKK militants also cross the border in these areas.
Turkish warplanes strike militant targets regularly in the region in their battle against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas, and have stepped up raids after a PKK attack in August.
"We have 30 corpses, all of them are burned. The state knew that these people were smuggling in the region. This kind of incident is unacceptable. They were hit from the air," said Fehmi Yaman, mayor of Uludere in Sirnak province.
The pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) said in a statement 35 people had been killed, adding that party leaders were heading for the area.
The Turkish government was not immediately available for comment.
Smuggling is an important source of income for locals in provinces along the Iraqi border, with many villagers involved in bringing fuel, cigarettes and other goods from Iraqi villages on the other side of the border. PKK militants also cross the border in these areas.
Kindle Fire continues streak as Amazon's top selling item
The Kindle Fire tablet has, since its launch, sold more units than any other single item on Amazon.com.
But just how many tablets sold would that be exactly? Amazon isn't saying. As is the company's typical stance with its Kindle products, the Seattle company isn't offering up specific sales numbers.
Instead, on Thursday, the world's largest online retailer issued a statement saying that "2011 was the best holiday ever for the Kindle family as customers purchased millions of Kindle Fires and millions of Kindle e-readers."
As noted by our sister-blog Jacket Copy, so far this month, the Kindle Fire tablet and the Kindle and Kindle Touch eReaders, have sat in the top three spots for most sold items on Amazon.com, with the Fire ranking first, the Kindle Touch in second and the standard Kindle in third.
The retail giant also said that the Kindle Fire is the item most often found on Amazon.com wish lists too.
Without exact sales numbers, it's tough to judge just how well the $199 Kindle Fire is selling or whether or not it will reach analyst estimates of 5 million tablets sold before the end of the year.
Despite Amazon's continued stance on not disclosing how many Kindle Fire tablets it's selling, many analysts still project that the device will become the second-best selling tablet behind Apple's iPad.
Amazon also said that this Christmas Day was the "biggest day ever for Kindle book downloads" and that the No. 1 and No. 4 best-selling Kindle eBooks released in 2011 "were both published independently by their authors using Kindle Direct Publishing," Amazon's digital publishing platform.
"We are grateful to our customers worldwide for making this the best holiday ever for Kindle," said Jeff Bezos, Amazon's founder and CEO, in the statement. "And in a huge milestone for independent publishing, we'd also like to congratulate Darcie Chan, the author of 'The Mill River Recluse,' and Chris Culver, the author of 'The Abbey,' for writing two of the best-selling Kindle books of the year."
But just how many tablets sold would that be exactly? Amazon isn't saying. As is the company's typical stance with its Kindle products, the Seattle company isn't offering up specific sales numbers.
Instead, on Thursday, the world's largest online retailer issued a statement saying that "2011 was the best holiday ever for the Kindle family as customers purchased millions of Kindle Fires and millions of Kindle e-readers."
As noted by our sister-blog Jacket Copy, so far this month, the Kindle Fire tablet and the Kindle and Kindle Touch eReaders, have sat in the top three spots for most sold items on Amazon.com, with the Fire ranking first, the Kindle Touch in second and the standard Kindle in third.
The retail giant also said that the Kindle Fire is the item most often found on Amazon.com wish lists too.
Without exact sales numbers, it's tough to judge just how well the $199 Kindle Fire is selling or whether or not it will reach analyst estimates of 5 million tablets sold before the end of the year.
Despite Amazon's continued stance on not disclosing how many Kindle Fire tablets it's selling, many analysts still project that the device will become the second-best selling tablet behind Apple's iPad.
Amazon also said that this Christmas Day was the "biggest day ever for Kindle book downloads" and that the No. 1 and No. 4 best-selling Kindle eBooks released in 2011 "were both published independently by their authors using Kindle Direct Publishing," Amazon's digital publishing platform.
"We are grateful to our customers worldwide for making this the best holiday ever for Kindle," said Jeff Bezos, Amazon's founder and CEO, in the statement. "And in a huge milestone for independent publishing, we'd also like to congratulate Darcie Chan, the author of 'The Mill River Recluse,' and Chris Culver, the author of 'The Abbey,' for writing two of the best-selling Kindle books of the year."
Report: Apple Revealing Two iPad 3 Tablets in January
Apple will reportedly unveil two iPad 3 models next month, one sporting a 5MP camera and the other an 8MP camera.
Apple will reportedly reveal two iPad 3 models during the Macworld/iWorld expo scheduled for January 26-28, 2012, in San Francisco. Sources claim that both will offer the same 9.7-inch QXGA screen (1536 x 2048), but one will feature a 5MP camera lens while the other will sport a larger 8MP lens. Both will provide dual LED light bars to strengthen the brightness of the screens.
According to sources at Apple's supply chain partners, via Digitimes, the iPad 2 will also join the two newer models during the show. It will supposedly represent the entry-level tablet in Apple's iPad line, followed by the 5MP iPad 3 (mid-range) and 8MP iPad 3 (high-end). It will also reportedly compete directly with Amazon's Kindle Fire, thus indicating that Apple could introduce a cheaper, 8 GB version to better compete with the Kindle Fire's $199 pricetag.
Apple will reportedly reveal two iPad 3 models during the Macworld/iWorld expo scheduled for January 26-28, 2012, in San Francisco. Sources claim that both will offer the same 9.7-inch QXGA screen (1536 x 2048), but one will feature a 5MP camera lens while the other will sport a larger 8MP lens. Both will provide dual LED light bars to strengthen the brightness of the screens.
According to sources at Apple's supply chain partners, via Digitimes, the iPad 2 will also join the two newer models during the show. It will supposedly represent the entry-level tablet in Apple's iPad line, followed by the 5MP iPad 3 (mid-range) and 8MP iPad 3 (high-end). It will also reportedly compete directly with Amazon's Kindle Fire, thus indicating that Apple could introduce a cheaper, 8 GB version to better compete with the Kindle Fire's $199 pricetag.
Two killed, dozens injured in 40-car pile-up near New Orleans
By Kathy Finn
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - A 40-car pile-up near New Orleans in an area that has been blanketed by fog in recent mornings killed two men and injured dozens of other people on Thursday, tying up traffic for hours, police said.
The early morning chain-reaction crash took place on Interstate 10 just east of New Orleans, killing a 54-year-old man who was a passenger in a truck and the driver of another truck, police spokesman Officer Garry Flot said.
Both men, residents of Louisiana, died on the scene but were not immediately identified. Another 25 people were transported to a hospital with injuries ranging from minor to critical, while 37 more declined treatment, Flot said.
The injured included a New Orleans firefighter who sustained a small cut to his face while assisting in the incident.
Flot said the pile-up occurred at about 4 a.m. on Thursday, closing the interstate in both directions for more than 10 hours. By late afternoon, eastbound traffic had resumed but westbound lanes remained closed.
The cause of the accident has not been determined, but morning fog has blanketed the area in recent days. An investigation was ongoing, Flot said.
(Editing by Cynthia Johnston)
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - A 40-car pile-up near New Orleans in an area that has been blanketed by fog in recent mornings killed two men and injured dozens of other people on Thursday, tying up traffic for hours, police said.
The early morning chain-reaction crash took place on Interstate 10 just east of New Orleans, killing a 54-year-old man who was a passenger in a truck and the driver of another truck, police spokesman Officer Garry Flot said.
Both men, residents of Louisiana, died on the scene but were not immediately identified. Another 25 people were transported to a hospital with injuries ranging from minor to critical, while 37 more declined treatment, Flot said.
The injured included a New Orleans firefighter who sustained a small cut to his face while assisting in the incident.
Flot said the pile-up occurred at about 4 a.m. on Thursday, closing the interstate in both directions for more than 10 hours. By late afternoon, eastbound traffic had resumed but westbound lanes remained closed.
The cause of the accident has not been determined, but morning fog has blanketed the area in recent days. An investigation was ongoing, Flot said.
(Editing by Cynthia Johnston)
U.S., Saudi Arabia agree to $30 billion deal for F-15s
Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. government has signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia to sell nearly $30 billion worth of F-15 fighter jets, federal officials said Thursday.
The $29.4 billion deal -- announced against the backdrop of rising tensions with Iran -- calls for the production of up to 84 new F-15SA aircraft and the modernization of 70 current F-15s, along with "munitions, spare parts, training, maintenance and logistics,"
Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Andrew Shapiro told reporters.
The agreement, which was signed over the weekend by U.S. and Saudi officials, "demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a strong Saudi defense capability as a key component to regional security," Shapiro said. "This sale will send a strong message to countries in the region that the United States is committed to stability in the Gulf and broader Middle East."
Shapiro sought to allay concerns the sale could compromise Israel's military edge. "By law, all sales to the region must be evaluated for the impact on Israel's qualitative military edge," he said of the review conducted before the Saudi deal went forward. "We conducted that assessment and we are satisfied that this sale to Saudi Arabia will not (diminish) Israel's qualitative military edge," Shapiro said.
Administration officials first notified Congress of plans for a major new weapons deal with Saudi Arabia in October 2010. The deal is meant to further align the Saudi military relationship with the United States and equip the kingdom so it can better protect its security and oil structure, which "is critical to our economic interests," Shapiro said at the time.
The $29.4 billion deal -- announced against the backdrop of rising tensions with Iran -- calls for the production of up to 84 new F-15SA aircraft and the modernization of 70 current F-15s, along with "munitions, spare parts, training, maintenance and logistics,"
Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Andrew Shapiro told reporters.
The agreement, which was signed over the weekend by U.S. and Saudi officials, "demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a strong Saudi defense capability as a key component to regional security," Shapiro said. "This sale will send a strong message to countries in the region that the United States is committed to stability in the Gulf and broader Middle East."
Shapiro sought to allay concerns the sale could compromise Israel's military edge. "By law, all sales to the region must be evaluated for the impact on Israel's qualitative military edge," he said of the review conducted before the Saudi deal went forward. "We conducted that assessment and we are satisfied that this sale to Saudi Arabia will not (diminish) Israel's qualitative military edge," Shapiro said.
Administration officials first notified Congress of plans for a major new weapons deal with Saudi Arabia in October 2010. The deal is meant to further align the Saudi military relationship with the United States and equip the kingdom so it can better protect its security and oil structure, which "is critical to our economic interests," Shapiro said at the time.
Apple May be Planning Macworld|iWorld iPad Announcement Rumor
Parts suppliers claim Apple will unveil two new iPad models on January 26, 2012 at the Macworld|iWorld Conference and Expo in San Francisco — an event that Apple hasn’t attended for years.
The anonymous sources from the parts supply chain told DigiTimes the new iPad models will stick with the 9.7-inch display size found on the iPad and iPad 2, although they sport a higher resolution at 1536 x 2048 with dual LED light bars for a sharper and brighter image, and a quad-core A6 processor.
Apparently the new iPad models will sport a 5 megapixel camera and the other will include an 8 megapixel camera. They’ll also include new 14,000 mAh batteries for substantially longer run times.
The new iPads will be priced in line with the current iPad 2, and the iPad 2 will get a price cut to compete with Amazon’s Kindle Fire media reader tablet.
While the specs on the rumored new iPads sound nice, the alleged timing of their unveiling feels dubious at best. Apple stopped planning product announcements around conferences and expos some time ago and hasn’t attended Macworld Expo (now Macworld|iWorld) for a few years.
It’s no secret that Apple is always working on new products, although the company rolls them out on its own schedule in a way that lets it best control the product message. There isn’t anything preventing Apple from hosting a media event that coincides with the Macworld|iWorld event, but it seems more likely the company would invite journalists to an event sometime after the conference wraps up.
The anonymous sources from the parts supply chain told DigiTimes the new iPad models will stick with the 9.7-inch display size found on the iPad and iPad 2, although they sport a higher resolution at 1536 x 2048 with dual LED light bars for a sharper and brighter image, and a quad-core A6 processor.
Apparently the new iPad models will sport a 5 megapixel camera and the other will include an 8 megapixel camera. They’ll also include new 14,000 mAh batteries for substantially longer run times.
The new iPads will be priced in line with the current iPad 2, and the iPad 2 will get a price cut to compete with Amazon’s Kindle Fire media reader tablet.
While the specs on the rumored new iPads sound nice, the alleged timing of their unveiling feels dubious at best. Apple stopped planning product announcements around conferences and expos some time ago and hasn’t attended Macworld Expo (now Macworld|iWorld) for a few years.
It’s no secret that Apple is always working on new products, although the company rolls them out on its own schedule in a way that lets it best control the product message. There isn’t anything preventing Apple from hosting a media event that coincides with the Macworld|iWorld event, but it seems more likely the company would invite journalists to an event sometime after the conference wraps up.
Aakash tablet available to Mumbai students for Rs 1,000
MUMBAI: City college students will now be able to purchase the Aakash computer tablet, which was launched in October, at just Rs 1,138. While the market price of the low-cost tablet is Rs 2,500, students will get it a much lower price.
Union minister Kapil Sibal launched the Aakash tablet for students across the country in October. It will now be made available to 100 varsities, including Mumbai University.
Union minister Kapil Sibal launched the Aakash tablet for students across the country in October. It will now be made available to 100 varsities, including Mumbai University.
Chennai becoming hub for gaming and android-based technologies
Chennai: Home to many IT companies, Chennai is slowly becoming a hub in providing support for gaming and android based technologies besides witnessing a new trend in supporting Computer Aided Design (CAD).
"Chennai is basically a very strong market for software support, particularly in the area of medical transcription and financial system. But, now we find it is slowly becoming a preferred place for supporting android and gaming technologies," a senior Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) official told PTI on condition of anonymity.
Noting that there is an increase in providing support for Android and gaming devices, the official said world over there is a change in use of Android-based phones and to gaming devices offered by many companies.
"Chennai is basically a very strong market for software support, particularly in the area of medical transcription and financial system. But, now we find it is slowly becoming a preferred place for supporting android and gaming technologies," a senior Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) official told PTI on condition of anonymity.
Noting that there is an increase in providing support for Android and gaming devices, the official said world over there is a change in use of Android-based phones and to gaming devices offered by many companies.
Huawei launches E303C dongle and E560 MiFi data cards in India
Huawei Devices, a subsidiary of Huawei Technologies, today announced the launch of the data cards EC303C dongle and E560 MiFi in Indian market. The EC303C Dongle offers consumers the liberty to choose their favourite operator as per the best data plan available in the market. In the semi-urban markets, the customers can utilize the same SIM card used in a handset, to connect and access data. The E560 Mifi offers Wi-Fi facility, where the users and the entire family can access Internet facilities through one MiFi plugged in.
New theory explains how fishes grew into amphibians
WASHINGTON: A small fish crawling out of a drying desert pond underlines a theory that ties up the fishes with the amphibians, reveals a study.
"Such a plucky hypothetical ancestor of ours probably could not have survived the overwhelming odds of perishing in a trek to another shrinking pond," said Gregory J Retallack, professor of geological sciences at University of Oregon, who led the study.
This scenario comes from the late Devonian period, roughly 390 million to 360 million years ago, which late Harvard palaeontologist Alfred Romer propounded, the Journal of Geology reported.
Challenging Romer's theory on fish survival, Retallack said that the transitional fossils were not associated with drying ponds or deserts, but were found consistently with humid woodland soils, according to a university statement.
"Judging from where their fossils were found, transitional forms between fish and amphibians lived in wooded floodplains. Our distant ancestors were not so much foolhardy or opportunistic to take advantage of floodplains and lakes choked with roots and logs for the first time in geological history," said Retallack.
"Limbs proved handy for negotiating woody obstacles, and flexible necks allowed for feeding in shallow water," he said.
"By this new woodland hypothesis, the limbs and necks, which distinguish salamanders from fish, did not arise from reckless adventure in deserts, but rather were nurtured by a newly evolved habitat of humid, wooded floodplains," Retallack said.
"Ancient soils and sediments at sites for transitional fossils around the world are critical for understanding when and under what conditions fish first walked," he added.
"Such a plucky hypothetical ancestor of ours probably could not have survived the overwhelming odds of perishing in a trek to another shrinking pond," said Gregory J Retallack, professor of geological sciences at University of Oregon, who led the study.
This scenario comes from the late Devonian period, roughly 390 million to 360 million years ago, which late Harvard palaeontologist Alfred Romer propounded, the Journal of Geology reported.
Challenging Romer's theory on fish survival, Retallack said that the transitional fossils were not associated with drying ponds or deserts, but were found consistently with humid woodland soils, according to a university statement.
"Judging from where their fossils were found, transitional forms between fish and amphibians lived in wooded floodplains. Our distant ancestors were not so much foolhardy or opportunistic to take advantage of floodplains and lakes choked with roots and logs for the first time in geological history," said Retallack.
"Limbs proved handy for negotiating woody obstacles, and flexible necks allowed for feeding in shallow water," he said.
"By this new woodland hypothesis, the limbs and necks, which distinguish salamanders from fish, did not arise from reckless adventure in deserts, but rather were nurtured by a newly evolved habitat of humid, wooded floodplains," Retallack said.
"Ancient soils and sediments at sites for transitional fossils around the world are critical for understanding when and under what conditions fish first walked," he added.
India activist Swami Nigamanand 'was not poisoned'
The death of an Indian activist after he went on a hunger strike was caused by malnutrition and not poisoning, a federal investigation agency says.
Swami Nigamanand, 36, who went on a hunger strike in February, slipped into a coma in May days after being hospitalised and died the next month.
The government had banned mining in part of the Uttarakhand state as demanded by the activist.
Members of his group had complained the activist had been poisoned.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said in a statement that the "technical, clinical [and] medical investigation has concluded that the cause of death was malnutrition... and associated complications due to prolonged fasting".
"Chemical analysis of the viscera [internal organs] of Swami Nigamanand did not detect any poison," the statement said.
A founder member of a group called Matri Sadan, Swami Nigamanand went on a hunger strike on 19 February demanding a ban on mining around the Ganges river in the Kumbh region in Uttarakhand state.
He was hospitalised on 27 April after his condition deteriorated and he went into a coma on 2 May.
India has seen a number of hunger strikes against corruption recently by prominent activist Anna Hazare and popular yoga guru Baba Ramdev.
Swami Nigamanand, 36, who went on a hunger strike in February, slipped into a coma in May days after being hospitalised and died the next month.
The government had banned mining in part of the Uttarakhand state as demanded by the activist.
Members of his group had complained the activist had been poisoned.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said in a statement that the "technical, clinical [and] medical investigation has concluded that the cause of death was malnutrition... and associated complications due to prolonged fasting".
"Chemical analysis of the viscera [internal organs] of Swami Nigamanand did not detect any poison," the statement said.
A founder member of a group called Matri Sadan, Swami Nigamanand went on a hunger strike on 19 February demanding a ban on mining around the Ganges river in the Kumbh region in Uttarakhand state.
He was hospitalised on 27 April after his condition deteriorated and he went into a coma on 2 May.
India has seen a number of hunger strikes against corruption recently by prominent activist Anna Hazare and popular yoga guru Baba Ramdev.
In Rajya Sabha, Samajwadi Party may vote against Lokpal Bill
NEW DELHI: The Samajwadi Party, which has 5 MPs, and RJD with 4 MPs may vote against the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha today.
Party sources said its 22 MPs, who walked out of the Lok Sabha before voting on the Lokpal Bill on Tuesday, said that their MPs may vote against the measure in the Upper House today. Like SP, if BSP with 18 MPs and RJD with 4 MPs also oppose the bill and if decide to vote against it, then the government will have serious concerns over the fate of the bill's passage.
In the 243-member Rajya Sabha, Congress and its allies do not not have a majority with its number placed at 92 and needs the support of the MPs of these parties supporting the government from outside.
At least a walk out by them could help the government but not not a vote against. RJD sources said the bill was "doomed" because "nobody" wants it and the party may also vote against it.
BSP leader in Rajya Sabha Satish Chandra Mishra said the party has not not taken a final decision and its strategy will be revealed at the time of voting in the House. But to say that the party MPs will walk out of the House is wrong, he said.
Trinamool Congress, which is part of the UPA government and has 6 MPs in Rajya Sabha, has moved amendments to the bill that it considers encroaches on the federal structure of the Constitution and the states rights.
"We have already submitted our amendments. We are going to press for it," Mukul Roy, Trinamool leader and Minister of State for Shipping, told reporters here.
The bill passed by Lok Sabha two days ago has provisions for setting up of Lokayuktas in the states with the consent of state governments.
Asked whether the six party MPs will vote against the bill, he said the question does not arise as of now.
"After the discussions and after amendments are over, the question of voting will arise. But till now, Trinamool is firm in its opinion that Part III of the bill be deleted from the original bill," Roy said.
"We are just pressing for the deletion of Lokayukta part, We have no problem with Lokpal part," he said, adding they are in favour of Lokayuktas but it should be done by states and not the Centre.
He said he and other party leaders have spoken to finance minister Pranab Mukherjee to sort out the issue.
Party sources said its 22 MPs, who walked out of the Lok Sabha before voting on the Lokpal Bill on Tuesday, said that their MPs may vote against the measure in the Upper House today. Like SP, if BSP with 18 MPs and RJD with 4 MPs also oppose the bill and if decide to vote against it, then the government will have serious concerns over the fate of the bill's passage.
In the 243-member Rajya Sabha, Congress and its allies do not not have a majority with its number placed at 92 and needs the support of the MPs of these parties supporting the government from outside.
At least a walk out by them could help the government but not not a vote against. RJD sources said the bill was "doomed" because "nobody" wants it and the party may also vote against it.
BSP leader in Rajya Sabha Satish Chandra Mishra said the party has not not taken a final decision and its strategy will be revealed at the time of voting in the House. But to say that the party MPs will walk out of the House is wrong, he said.
Trinamool Congress, which is part of the UPA government and has 6 MPs in Rajya Sabha, has moved amendments to the bill that it considers encroaches on the federal structure of the Constitution and the states rights.
"We have already submitted our amendments. We are going to press for it," Mukul Roy, Trinamool leader and Minister of State for Shipping, told reporters here.
The bill passed by Lok Sabha two days ago has provisions for setting up of Lokayuktas in the states with the consent of state governments.
Asked whether the six party MPs will vote against the bill, he said the question does not arise as of now.
"After the discussions and after amendments are over, the question of voting will arise. But till now, Trinamool is firm in its opinion that Part III of the bill be deleted from the original bill," Roy said.
"We are just pressing for the deletion of Lokayukta part, We have no problem with Lokpal part," he said, adding they are in favour of Lokayuktas but it should be done by states and not the Centre.
He said he and other party leaders have spoken to finance minister Pranab Mukherjee to sort out the issue.
Kim Jong-il memorial service: Kim Jong-un hailed as new supreme leader
North Korea staged a vast memorial service for Kim Jong-il overnight, and formally declared his young son Kim Jong-un as the new supreme leader.
The nationwide memorial ceremony for North Korea’s departed leader wrapped up two days of brilliantly choreographed mourning events while setting a very public seal on the successorship of the third-generation Kim family member to hold power in Pyongyang.
Thursday’s memorial was less emotional than Wednesday’s funeral, but like the previous event, demonstrated that the regime has not lost any of its power to mobilise masses. Hundreds of thousands of people were packed into Kim Il-sung Square in the heart of the capital.
The nationwide memorial ceremony for North Korea’s departed leader wrapped up two days of brilliantly choreographed mourning events while setting a very public seal on the successorship of the third-generation Kim family member to hold power in Pyongyang.
Thursday’s memorial was less emotional than Wednesday’s funeral, but like the previous event, demonstrated that the regime has not lost any of its power to mobilise masses. Hundreds of thousands of people were packed into Kim Il-sung Square in the heart of the capital.
Why Windows 8 Tablets Will Surprise Everyone
Windows-based tablets haven’t been treated kindly by the test of time. Those released in the Windows XP era relied on wonky, stylus-based data entry, and even modern, touch-based tablets running Windows 7 are poor performers.
Indeed, Microsoft has a troubled tablet history that the public isn’t soon to forget. This November, Forrester released a study that showed consumer interest in a Windows-based tablet dropped significantly this year. At the start of 2011, 46 percent of potential tablet owners wanted a Windows device. By Q3, that number slipped to 25 percent.
Forrester’s report stated, “Windows 8 hasn’t entered the consciousness of tablet buyers yet.”
That’s a shame because Gadget Lab has seen a Windows 8 tablet in action, and the experience opened our eyes to just how useful — and, yes, even fun — a Windows 8 tablet might be. Sure, Microsoft was demoing a mere reference design, but what we saw was so intriguing, we’re legitimately excited to see final, shipping products.
Windows 8 is being developed from the ground up to elegantly run on both traditional computers (desktops and notebooks) as well as touch-based tablets. The OS can run on either ARM or x86 processors, though apps written specifically for the x86 desktop environment won’t be able to run on ARM-based mobile devices.
Is this a terrible handicap? No, not based on what we’ve seen. Windows 8 tablets will run an updated version of the Metro UI found on Windows Phones, and the UI appears to transfer remarkably well to larger touch screens. You’ll get that same fun, friendly and animated “Live Tile” home screen found on Windows Phones, but with (theoretically) much more processing power to drive more powerful apps.
Windows 8 will go beta in February, which would peg a full software release around June 2012. Everything we’ve seen thus far suggests that Microsoft has really taken the time to develop a platform that will succeed on tablets, without abandoning the company’s PC roots.
Still a skeptic? You should be. Windows tablet wanna-haves have been burnt before. But please consider these four reasons why Microsoft’s upcoming push into the tablet space may surprise everyone by ultimately proving successful.
Indeed, Microsoft has a troubled tablet history that the public isn’t soon to forget. This November, Forrester released a study that showed consumer interest in a Windows-based tablet dropped significantly this year. At the start of 2011, 46 percent of potential tablet owners wanted a Windows device. By Q3, that number slipped to 25 percent.
Forrester’s report stated, “Windows 8 hasn’t entered the consciousness of tablet buyers yet.”
That’s a shame because Gadget Lab has seen a Windows 8 tablet in action, and the experience opened our eyes to just how useful — and, yes, even fun — a Windows 8 tablet might be. Sure, Microsoft was demoing a mere reference design, but what we saw was so intriguing, we’re legitimately excited to see final, shipping products.
Windows 8 is being developed from the ground up to elegantly run on both traditional computers (desktops and notebooks) as well as touch-based tablets. The OS can run on either ARM or x86 processors, though apps written specifically for the x86 desktop environment won’t be able to run on ARM-based mobile devices.
Is this a terrible handicap? No, not based on what we’ve seen. Windows 8 tablets will run an updated version of the Metro UI found on Windows Phones, and the UI appears to transfer remarkably well to larger touch screens. You’ll get that same fun, friendly and animated “Live Tile” home screen found on Windows Phones, but with (theoretically) much more processing power to drive more powerful apps.
Windows 8 will go beta in February, which would peg a full software release around June 2012. Everything we’ve seen thus far suggests that Microsoft has really taken the time to develop a platform that will succeed on tablets, without abandoning the company’s PC roots.
Still a skeptic? You should be. Windows tablet wanna-haves have been burnt before. But please consider these four reasons why Microsoft’s upcoming push into the tablet space may surprise everyone by ultimately proving successful.
Samsung ships 1 million Galaxy Notes, promises US release in 2012
The stylus-strapped Galaxy Note has achieved its first milestone, crossing the one million shipments mark within a couple of months of its global release. Shipments to retailers and carriers are, by definition, always greater than actual end-user sales, but Samsung will still be encouraged to see broad support for its unorthodox Android device. Measuring in at 5.3 inches, the Galaxy Note intentionally straddles the gap between tablet and smartphone form factors, aiming to be everything to everyone. We'll soon get a chance to see how an American audience will react to the Note's dimensions, as Samsung has also promised to deliver the Galaxy Note to the US in 2012.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
NASA's twin moon probes to enter orbit this weekend
A pair of NASA spacecraft is getting set to orbit the moon this weekend, a move that will kick off the probes' effort to study Earth's nearest neighbor from crust to core.
NASA's twin Grail spacecraft are slated to start circling the moon one day apart, with Grail-A arriving on Saturday and Grail-B following on Sunday. The two probes will then fly around the moon in tandem, mapping the lunar gravity field in unprecedented detail and helping scientists better understand how the moon formed and evolved.
"This mission will rewrite the textbooks on the evolution of the moon," Grail principal investigator Maria Zuber, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said in a statement.
Precision flying
The $496 million Grail mission (short for Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory) launched on Sept. 10 from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
The two washing-machine-size probes have taken their sweet time since, charting circuitous, energy-efficient courses that will get them to the moon after more than three months of flying. Contrast that with NASA's manned Apollo 11 mission, which prioritized speed and got there in three days back in 1969.
Grail-A and Grail-B won't be ready to start their science campaign immediately upon arriving at the moon. Rather, they'll spend another two months circling lower and lower, eventually settling into orbits just 34 miles (55 kilometers) above the lunar surface, researchers said.
The twin probes will begin taking measurements in March. They'll chase each other around the moon for 82 days, staying 75 to 225 miles (121 to 362 kilometers) apart. [Video: Grail's Mission to Map Moon Gravity]
Regional differences in the moon's gravitational field will cause the two spacecraft to speed up or slow down slightly, changing the distance between them as they fly. Using microwave signals that they bounce back and forth to each other, Grail-A and Grail-B will gauge these distance variations constantly.
And they'll do so with incredible precision. The Grail probes will be able to determine how far apart they are from each other to within a few microns — less than the width of a human red blood cell, researchers have said.
Mapping the moon's interior
The Grail team will use the twin probes' measurements to construct highly detailed maps of the lunar gravity field. These maps should help scientists plan out future lunar landings, of both robotic and manned spacecraft, officials have said.
And the mission's observations should yield other benefits as well.
Specifically, Grail's data should reveal the moon's structure in great detail, allowing scientists to draw insights about how the rocky body formed and how it has changed over time.
"Grail is a journey to the center of the moon," Zuber told reporters Wednesday. The two probes' measurements, along with data collected by other spacecraft, she added, "will enable us to reconstruct the moon's early evolution."
This information, in turn, could shed light on how other large objects in the inner solar system came to be, researchers have said.
An extended mission?
Grail's primary science work should wrap up in June. But the Grail team hopes NASA grants the two spacecraft a mission extension through next December, Zuber said. She and her colleagues want to take Grail even lower, to just 15 miles (25 kilometers) or so above the lunar surface.
"I call it flying over the treetops of the moon," Zuber said of the proposed extended mission. "We will take the spacecraft down as low as we can, to map, have a sensitivity to the shallowest, shallowest structures of the lunar crust."
Researchers also want Grail to raise public awareness about the moon, and to help engage kids in math and science. To this end, special cameras aboard the probes will be used to encourage middle-school students to participate in lunar research and follow along with Grail, during both its nominal mission and any extended campaign.
The so-called MoonKam project, which will snap photos of the lunar surface for students on Earth, is led by former NASA astronaut Sally Ride and her educational company Sally Ride Science.
You can follow Space.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter:@michaeldwall. Follow Space.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
An earlier version of this story bore a headline that incorrectly suggested the orbiters would land on the moon.
NASA's twin Grail spacecraft are slated to start circling the moon one day apart, with Grail-A arriving on Saturday and Grail-B following on Sunday. The two probes will then fly around the moon in tandem, mapping the lunar gravity field in unprecedented detail and helping scientists better understand how the moon formed and evolved.
"This mission will rewrite the textbooks on the evolution of the moon," Grail principal investigator Maria Zuber, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said in a statement.
Precision flying
The $496 million Grail mission (short for Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory) launched on Sept. 10 from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
The two washing-machine-size probes have taken their sweet time since, charting circuitous, energy-efficient courses that will get them to the moon after more than three months of flying. Contrast that with NASA's manned Apollo 11 mission, which prioritized speed and got there in three days back in 1969.
Grail-A and Grail-B won't be ready to start their science campaign immediately upon arriving at the moon. Rather, they'll spend another two months circling lower and lower, eventually settling into orbits just 34 miles (55 kilometers) above the lunar surface, researchers said.
The twin probes will begin taking measurements in March. They'll chase each other around the moon for 82 days, staying 75 to 225 miles (121 to 362 kilometers) apart. [Video: Grail's Mission to Map Moon Gravity]
Regional differences in the moon's gravitational field will cause the two spacecraft to speed up or slow down slightly, changing the distance between them as they fly. Using microwave signals that they bounce back and forth to each other, Grail-A and Grail-B will gauge these distance variations constantly.
And they'll do so with incredible precision. The Grail probes will be able to determine how far apart they are from each other to within a few microns — less than the width of a human red blood cell, researchers have said.
Mapping the moon's interior
The Grail team will use the twin probes' measurements to construct highly detailed maps of the lunar gravity field. These maps should help scientists plan out future lunar landings, of both robotic and manned spacecraft, officials have said.
And the mission's observations should yield other benefits as well.
Specifically, Grail's data should reveal the moon's structure in great detail, allowing scientists to draw insights about how the rocky body formed and how it has changed over time.
"Grail is a journey to the center of the moon," Zuber told reporters Wednesday. The two probes' measurements, along with data collected by other spacecraft, she added, "will enable us to reconstruct the moon's early evolution."
This information, in turn, could shed light on how other large objects in the inner solar system came to be, researchers have said.
An extended mission?
Grail's primary science work should wrap up in June. But the Grail team hopes NASA grants the two spacecraft a mission extension through next December, Zuber said. She and her colleagues want to take Grail even lower, to just 15 miles (25 kilometers) or so above the lunar surface.
"I call it flying over the treetops of the moon," Zuber said of the proposed extended mission. "We will take the spacecraft down as low as we can, to map, have a sensitivity to the shallowest, shallowest structures of the lunar crust."
Researchers also want Grail to raise public awareness about the moon, and to help engage kids in math and science. To this end, special cameras aboard the probes will be used to encourage middle-school students to participate in lunar research and follow along with Grail, during both its nominal mission and any extended campaign.
The so-called MoonKam project, which will snap photos of the lunar surface for students on Earth, is led by former NASA astronaut Sally Ride and her educational company Sally Ride Science.
You can follow Space.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter:@michaeldwall. Follow Space.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
An earlier version of this story bore a headline that incorrectly suggested the orbiters would land on the moon.
Christmas Solar Eruption to Hit Earth and Mars
On Christmas Day, the sun decided to get into the festive mood by laying on some decorations. Lacking the tinsel and tacky glow-in-the-dark reindeer on its front lawn, our nearest star decided to create a humongous coronal mass ejection (CME) in the shape of an interplanetary bauble, firing it right at us.
One of NASA's twin Solar-Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft managed to get a side-on view of the CME racing toward Earth and Mars on Dec. 26. Also, the veteran NASA/ESA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) nabbed a picture of the CME at around the same time (pictured above).
All predictions suggested the CME would likely hit us on Dec. 28 (Wednesday) and it appears that is going to happen.
Depending on the orientation of the magnetic field wrapped around the CME bubble of highly charged solar particles when it hits the Earth's geomagnetic field, there will be a chance of some auroral activity.
"There is a 20-40% chance of geomagnetic storms! If you live at a high latitude, look out for #auroras today," tweeted NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory team on Wednesday.
ANALYSIS: Epic Geomagnetic Storm Erupts
Although being hit by a CME is a very well-known phenomenon for Earth, a CME impact on Mars will have a very different effect.
"Different world, different space weather," writes NASA's Tony Phillips of Spaceweather.com.
When a CME hits Earth, our planet's global geomagnetic field deflects the energy, interacts with the CME's magnetic field and funnels the solar energetic particles toward high latitude regions. The more fierce the geomagnetic storm, the deeper the particles penetrate.
As these particles rain down on high-latitude regions -- typically forming an "oval" around the polar caps when viewed from space -- interactions between the solar particles and molecules in our atmosphere generate light. The light is known as aurorae.
On Mars, it's a different story.
The Red Planet does not have a global magnetic field. Whereas Earth's magnetic field and thick atmosphere protects us from the worst ionizing effects of the sun's high-energy particles, Mars' thin atmosphere and insignificant magnetic field allow these CME particles to hit the surface.
Mars is therefore often bathed in the sun's high-energy particles -- a factor that could seriously hamper future human colonization efforts.
However, Mars does have pockets of magnetic "umbrellas." They are the ancient remnants of a once global magnetic field. It is thought that early in Martian history a huge asteroid smashed deep into the planet, interrupting the inner "dynamo" that generated its global magnetic field.
This effectively "switched off" Mars' geomagnetic field, leaving its atmosphere open to the ravages of the solar wind. That may be one of the reasons why the Martian atmosphere is 100 times thinner than Earth's -- it has quite literally been "blown away."
NEWS: Martian Air Blown Away by Solar Super Wave
So if you are lucky enough to witness the beautiful, dynamic aurora that may occur tonight or tomorrow, spare a thought for Mars where the majority of that radiation will rain down onto its surface.
One of NASA's twin Solar-Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft managed to get a side-on view of the CME racing toward Earth and Mars on Dec. 26. Also, the veteran NASA/ESA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) nabbed a picture of the CME at around the same time (pictured above).
All predictions suggested the CME would likely hit us on Dec. 28 (Wednesday) and it appears that is going to happen.
Depending on the orientation of the magnetic field wrapped around the CME bubble of highly charged solar particles when it hits the Earth's geomagnetic field, there will be a chance of some auroral activity.
"There is a 20-40% chance of geomagnetic storms! If you live at a high latitude, look out for #auroras today," tweeted NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory team on Wednesday.
ANALYSIS: Epic Geomagnetic Storm Erupts
Although being hit by a CME is a very well-known phenomenon for Earth, a CME impact on Mars will have a very different effect.
"Different world, different space weather," writes NASA's Tony Phillips of Spaceweather.com.
When a CME hits Earth, our planet's global geomagnetic field deflects the energy, interacts with the CME's magnetic field and funnels the solar energetic particles toward high latitude regions. The more fierce the geomagnetic storm, the deeper the particles penetrate.
As these particles rain down on high-latitude regions -- typically forming an "oval" around the polar caps when viewed from space -- interactions between the solar particles and molecules in our atmosphere generate light. The light is known as aurorae.
On Mars, it's a different story.
The Red Planet does not have a global magnetic field. Whereas Earth's magnetic field and thick atmosphere protects us from the worst ionizing effects of the sun's high-energy particles, Mars' thin atmosphere and insignificant magnetic field allow these CME particles to hit the surface.
Mars is therefore often bathed in the sun's high-energy particles -- a factor that could seriously hamper future human colonization efforts.
However, Mars does have pockets of magnetic "umbrellas." They are the ancient remnants of a once global magnetic field. It is thought that early in Martian history a huge asteroid smashed deep into the planet, interrupting the inner "dynamo" that generated its global magnetic field.
This effectively "switched off" Mars' geomagnetic field, leaving its atmosphere open to the ravages of the solar wind. That may be one of the reasons why the Martian atmosphere is 100 times thinner than Earth's -- it has quite literally been "blown away."
NEWS: Martian Air Blown Away by Solar Super Wave
So if you are lucky enough to witness the beautiful, dynamic aurora that may occur tonight or tomorrow, spare a thought for Mars where the majority of that radiation will rain down onto its surface.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Russian Satellite Crashes in Latest Failed Rocket Launch
A Russian communications satellite crashed just after liftoff Friday (Dec. 23) when its rocket apparently failed, the latest in a series of rocket launch failures for the country this year.
An unmanned Soyuz-2 rocket launched the Meridian military communications satellite from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Russian northern region. But the rocket failed to reach orbit, making it the fifth failed space mission for Russia in 2011.
"This area of the space industry is in sort of a crisis," Russian space agency chief Vladimir Popovin told reporters in a televised press conference today. "We can say even now that the problem lies in the engine." But more analysis is needed to be certain exactly what went wrong, he added.
An unmanned Soyuz-2 rocket launched the Meridian military communications satellite from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Russian northern region. But the rocket failed to reach orbit, making it the fifth failed space mission for Russia in 2011.
"This area of the space industry is in sort of a crisis," Russian space agency chief Vladimir Popovin told reporters in a televised press conference today. "We can say even now that the problem lies in the engine." But more analysis is needed to be certain exactly what went wrong, he added.
Several US states weigh in on cigarette label suit
RICHMOND, Va. – Several states and U.S. territories are weighing in on a lawsuit over proposed graphic cigarette warning labels that include a sewn-up corpse of a smoker and a picture of diseased lungs, saying the federal government should be allowed to require the labels for the "lethal and addictive" products.
The 24 attorneys general filed a friend of the court brief on Friday in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington in support of the Food and Drug Administration's challenge of a lower court ruling in the case.
Last month, a U.S. District Court judge granted a request by some of the nation's largest tobacco companies, including R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and Lorillard Tobacco Co., to block the labels while deciding whether the labels violate their free speech rights. The judge ruled it is likely the cigarette makers would succeed in a lawsuit to block the requirement that the labels be placed on cigarette packs next year.
Representatives for R.J. Reynolds declined to comment. Officials with Lorillard did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Saturday.
The tobacco companies have questioned the constitutionality of the labels, saying the warnings don't simply convey facts to inform people's decision whether to smoke but instead force the cigarette makers to display government anti-smoking advocacy more prominently than their own branding. They also say that changing cigarette packaging will cost millions of dollars.
Meanwhile, the FDA has said that the public interest in conveying the dangers of smoking outweighs the companies' free speech rights.
In the filing Friday, the attorneys general said that the First Amendment does not prevent the government from requiring that "lethal and addictive products carry warning labels that effectively inform consumers of the risks those products entail."
"Over forty years' experience with small, obscurely placed text-only warning labels on cigarette packs has demonstrated that they simply do not work," they wrote. "The warning labels reflect the unique magnitude of the problem they address, the deadly and addictive nature of the product, and the unparalleled threat this product and its marketing pose to America's youth."
The brief was filed by attorneys general from Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, the Virgin Islands, Washington and West Virginia.
In June, the FDA approved nine new warning labels that companies are to print on the entire top half of cigarette packs, front and back. The new warnings, each of which includes a number for a stop-smoking hotline, must constitute 20 percent of cigarette advertising, and marketers are to rotate use of the images.
One label depicts a corpse with its chest sewn up and the words "Smoking can kill you." Another shows a healthy pair of lungs beside a yellow and black pair with a warning that smoking causes fatal lung disease.
Joining North Carolina-based R.J. Reynolds and Lorillard in the lawsuit are Commonwealth Brands Inc., Liggett Group LLC and Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company Inc.
Richmond-based Altria Group Inc., parent company of the nation's largest cigarette maker, Philip Morris USA, which makes top-selling Marlboros, is not a part of the lawsuit.
The free speech lawsuit is separate from a lawsuit by several of the same companies over the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. That law, which took effect two years ago, cleared the way for the more graphic warning labels. But it also allowed the FDA to limit nicotine and banned tobacco companies from sponsoring athletic or social events or giving away free samples or branded merchandise.
A federal judge upheld many parts of the law, but the case is now pending before the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.
While the tobacco industry's latest legal challenge may not hold up, it could delay the new warning labels for years. And that is likely to save cigarette makers millions of dollars in lost sales and increased packaging costs.
Tobacco companies are increasingly relying on their packaging to build brand loyalty and grab consumers. It's one of few advertising levers left to them after the government curbed their presence in magazines, billboards and TV.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/12/24/several-us-states-weigh-in-on-cigarette-label-suit-777795131/#ixzz1hdFlUqN0
The 24 attorneys general filed a friend of the court brief on Friday in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington in support of the Food and Drug Administration's challenge of a lower court ruling in the case.
Last month, a U.S. District Court judge granted a request by some of the nation's largest tobacco companies, including R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and Lorillard Tobacco Co., to block the labels while deciding whether the labels violate their free speech rights. The judge ruled it is likely the cigarette makers would succeed in a lawsuit to block the requirement that the labels be placed on cigarette packs next year.
Representatives for R.J. Reynolds declined to comment. Officials with Lorillard did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Saturday.
The tobacco companies have questioned the constitutionality of the labels, saying the warnings don't simply convey facts to inform people's decision whether to smoke but instead force the cigarette makers to display government anti-smoking advocacy more prominently than their own branding. They also say that changing cigarette packaging will cost millions of dollars.
Meanwhile, the FDA has said that the public interest in conveying the dangers of smoking outweighs the companies' free speech rights.
In the filing Friday, the attorneys general said that the First Amendment does not prevent the government from requiring that "lethal and addictive products carry warning labels that effectively inform consumers of the risks those products entail."
"Over forty years' experience with small, obscurely placed text-only warning labels on cigarette packs has demonstrated that they simply do not work," they wrote. "The warning labels reflect the unique magnitude of the problem they address, the deadly and addictive nature of the product, and the unparalleled threat this product and its marketing pose to America's youth."
The brief was filed by attorneys general from Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, the Virgin Islands, Washington and West Virginia.
In June, the FDA approved nine new warning labels that companies are to print on the entire top half of cigarette packs, front and back. The new warnings, each of which includes a number for a stop-smoking hotline, must constitute 20 percent of cigarette advertising, and marketers are to rotate use of the images.
One label depicts a corpse with its chest sewn up and the words "Smoking can kill you." Another shows a healthy pair of lungs beside a yellow and black pair with a warning that smoking causes fatal lung disease.
Joining North Carolina-based R.J. Reynolds and Lorillard in the lawsuit are Commonwealth Brands Inc., Liggett Group LLC and Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company Inc.
Richmond-based Altria Group Inc., parent company of the nation's largest cigarette maker, Philip Morris USA, which makes top-selling Marlboros, is not a part of the lawsuit.
The free speech lawsuit is separate from a lawsuit by several of the same companies over the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. That law, which took effect two years ago, cleared the way for the more graphic warning labels. But it also allowed the FDA to limit nicotine and banned tobacco companies from sponsoring athletic or social events or giving away free samples or branded merchandise.
A federal judge upheld many parts of the law, but the case is now pending before the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.
While the tobacco industry's latest legal challenge may not hold up, it could delay the new warning labels for years. And that is likely to save cigarette makers millions of dollars in lost sales and increased packaging costs.
Tobacco companies are increasingly relying on their packaging to build brand loyalty and grab consumers. It's one of few advertising levers left to them after the government curbed their presence in magazines, billboards and TV.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/12/24/several-us-states-weigh-in-on-cigarette-label-suit-777795131/#ixzz1hdFlUqN0
Thursday, December 15, 2011
How Is a Cancer-Screening Guideline Developed, Anyway?
By Katherine Hobson
The American Cancer Society is changing how it develops its screening guidelines.
This might sound like a fairly obscure topic. But debates over screening for diseases such as breast and prostate cancer often include dueling guidelines, including those from the ACS and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
The ACS says it has revised its methods “to create a more transparent, consistent and rigorous process for developing and communicating guidelines.” (And they will align with principles laid out in two reports — see here and here — from the Institute of Medicine, the ACS says.)
One of the big changes is a switch in who will write the guidelines. Historically, the group has relied on ad hoc cancer screening guidelines groups that vary in size and composition but typically include specialists as well as experts in treatment, epidemiology and primary care, the ACS writes in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Now it will rely on a single group made up of 12 members serving five-year terms. It will include one patient advocate; the rest of the members will be “generalist health care professionals and clinical and population health care professionals with expertise in the interpretation of evidence regarding benefits, limitations, and harms of clinical interventions,” the ACS says.
In other words: no specialists will be involved in the writing of screening guidelines. They will, however, offer input to the group.
Other changes include commissioning independent evidence reviews as the basis of guidelines and a formal external review process that will allow other groups and experts to comment on the guidelines before they’re published. That, the ACS says, will help people understand differences between guidelines from different groups.
Guidelines will be updated at least every five years, and more frequently if new evidence emerges, the ACS says.
Last year, the USPSTF started using a new process for finalizing its own recommendations; it now posts a draft form of the guidelines on its website and allows a four-week public comment period. Those comments are considered before the recs are finalized.
One of the calls by critics of the USPSTF’s breast-cancer screening guidelines was for more transparency in process by which the group develops its recommendations.
The American Cancer Society is changing how it develops its screening guidelines.
This might sound like a fairly obscure topic. But debates over screening for diseases such as breast and prostate cancer often include dueling guidelines, including those from the ACS and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
The ACS says it has revised its methods “to create a more transparent, consistent and rigorous process for developing and communicating guidelines.” (And they will align with principles laid out in two reports — see here and here — from the Institute of Medicine, the ACS says.)
One of the big changes is a switch in who will write the guidelines. Historically, the group has relied on ad hoc cancer screening guidelines groups that vary in size and composition but typically include specialists as well as experts in treatment, epidemiology and primary care, the ACS writes in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Now it will rely on a single group made up of 12 members serving five-year terms. It will include one patient advocate; the rest of the members will be “generalist health care professionals and clinical and population health care professionals with expertise in the interpretation of evidence regarding benefits, limitations, and harms of clinical interventions,” the ACS says.
In other words: no specialists will be involved in the writing of screening guidelines. They will, however, offer input to the group.
Other changes include commissioning independent evidence reviews as the basis of guidelines and a formal external review process that will allow other groups and experts to comment on the guidelines before they’re published. That, the ACS says, will help people understand differences between guidelines from different groups.
Guidelines will be updated at least every five years, and more frequently if new evidence emerges, the ACS says.
Last year, the USPSTF started using a new process for finalizing its own recommendations; it now posts a draft form of the guidelines on its website and allows a four-week public comment period. Those comments are considered before the recs are finalized.
One of the calls by critics of the USPSTF’s breast-cancer screening guidelines was for more transparency in process by which the group develops its recommendations.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Studies may have overplayed cellphone crash risk
(Reuters) - The increased risk of having a car crash attributed to people using their cellphones while driving may have been overestimated in some past studies, a U.S. analysis said.
So-called "distracted driving" has become a big public health issue in recent years, and the majority of U.S. states now ban texting behind the wheel. A handful prohibit drivers from using handheld cellphones at all.
But studies have reached different conclusions about how much of an added crash risk there is, and a recent analysis by researchers at the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit found that two influential studies may have overestimated the risk.
Lead author Richard Young wrote in the journal Epidemiology that the method of two studies on the issue -- one 1997 study in Canada, and another from Australia in 2005, which said that cellphone use while driving raised the crash risk four-fold -- may have posed problems.
The studies recruited people who had been in a crash, and then used their billing records to compare their cellphone use during the time of the crash with their cell use during the same time period the week before, a so-called "control window."
"Earlier ... studies likely overestimated the relative risk for cellphone conversations while driving by implicitly assuming that driving during a control window was full-time when it may have been only part-time," he wrote.
Such "part-time" driving would necessarily cut the odds of having a crash, and possibly reduce people's cellphone use, during the control window -- and make it seem as if cellphone use is a bigger crash risk.
The two studies asked people if they had been driving during the control window, but they did not account for part-time driving.
Young and his team used GPS data to track day-to-day driving consistency for 439 drivers over 100 days. The days were grouped into pairs: day one was akin to the "control" days used in the earlier studies, and day two the equivalent of the "crash" day.
Overall, there was little consistency between the two days when it came to driving time. When he looked at all control windows where a person did some driving, the total amount of time on the road was about one-fourth of what it was during a "crash" day.
If that information were applied to the two earlier studies, Young estimates, the crash risk tied to cellphone use would have been statistically insignificant -- and may help explain why some earlier studies have not linked cellphone use to an increased crash risk.
Fernando Wilson, an assistant professor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center who was not involved in the analysis, said that the two earlier studies may well have overstated the risk.
But a number of other studies designed in different ways suggest that cellphone use -- and especially texting -- is indeed hazardous on the road, he added.
In his own study published last year, Wilson looked at information from a government database tracking deaths on U.S. public roads. After declining between 1999 and 2005, deaths blamed on distracted driving rose 28 percent between 2005 and 2008.
"In wider policy, I don't think this study is going to change the conversation about distracted driving. Most of the conventional thinking is that we need to do something to reduce it," he told Reuters Health. SOURCE: bit.ly/voOicU
(Reporting from New York by Amy Norton at Reuters Health; editing by Elaine Lies)
So-called "distracted driving" has become a big public health issue in recent years, and the majority of U.S. states now ban texting behind the wheel. A handful prohibit drivers from using handheld cellphones at all.
But studies have reached different conclusions about how much of an added crash risk there is, and a recent analysis by researchers at the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit found that two influential studies may have overestimated the risk.
Lead author Richard Young wrote in the journal Epidemiology that the method of two studies on the issue -- one 1997 study in Canada, and another from Australia in 2005, which said that cellphone use while driving raised the crash risk four-fold -- may have posed problems.
The studies recruited people who had been in a crash, and then used their billing records to compare their cellphone use during the time of the crash with their cell use during the same time period the week before, a so-called "control window."
"Earlier ... studies likely overestimated the relative risk for cellphone conversations while driving by implicitly assuming that driving during a control window was full-time when it may have been only part-time," he wrote.
Such "part-time" driving would necessarily cut the odds of having a crash, and possibly reduce people's cellphone use, during the control window -- and make it seem as if cellphone use is a bigger crash risk.
The two studies asked people if they had been driving during the control window, but they did not account for part-time driving.
Young and his team used GPS data to track day-to-day driving consistency for 439 drivers over 100 days. The days were grouped into pairs: day one was akin to the "control" days used in the earlier studies, and day two the equivalent of the "crash" day.
Overall, there was little consistency between the two days when it came to driving time. When he looked at all control windows where a person did some driving, the total amount of time on the road was about one-fourth of what it was during a "crash" day.
If that information were applied to the two earlier studies, Young estimates, the crash risk tied to cellphone use would have been statistically insignificant -- and may help explain why some earlier studies have not linked cellphone use to an increased crash risk.
Fernando Wilson, an assistant professor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center who was not involved in the analysis, said that the two earlier studies may well have overstated the risk.
But a number of other studies designed in different ways suggest that cellphone use -- and especially texting -- is indeed hazardous on the road, he added.
In his own study published last year, Wilson looked at information from a government database tracking deaths on U.S. public roads. After declining between 1999 and 2005, deaths blamed on distracted driving rose 28 percent between 2005 and 2008.
"In wider policy, I don't think this study is going to change the conversation about distracted driving. Most of the conventional thinking is that we need to do something to reduce it," he told Reuters Health. SOURCE: bit.ly/voOicU
(Reporting from New York by Amy Norton at Reuters Health; editing by Elaine Lies)
Cancer treatment no birth risk - study
Rockville - The radiation and chemotherapy given to young cancer patients don't seem to increase the risk that their own children will have birth defects years later, a US and Canadian study said.
Researchers, whose findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, said this was "reassuring" because some doctors have wondered if the powerful drugs and radiation - especially radiation directed near the ovaries or testicles - might have long-term effects on the DNA of egg and sperm cells.
There is already evidence the treatments can affect a growing girl's uterus, for example, in ways that can cause other pregnancy problems.
"A lot of children are rendered infertile from strong treatments. We know now that depending on the types of treatment they received, they have higher rates of miscarriage [and] higher rates of low birth weight," said study author Lisa Signorello, from the International Epidemiology Institute in Rockville, Maryland.
Cancer survivors
"As a cancer survivor, the worries extend to the health of your children in many ways."
For the study, researchers followed close to 2 800 childhood cancer survivors in the United States and Canada, giving them regular surveys into adulthood that included questions about pregnancies and births.
Signorello and her colleagues recorded all instances of birth defects in the next generation, and compared the chance of having a baby with a birth defect to the dose or radiation or chemotherapy drugs the cancer survivors had received.
Out of 4 700 babies born to survivors at least five years after they finished treatment, 129 - just under 3% - had at least one birth defect, including cleft lip and palate, Down Syndrome and heart and blood vessel defects.
Among the babies of women who'd survived childhood cancer, those rates were 3% after chemo and radiation compared to 3.5% when mothers hadn't had those treatments. They were 1.9% and 1.7%, respectively, in babies born to fathers who'd had cancer.
Dosage
The dose of the drugs did not appear to have an impact. Higher doses of chemotherapy drugs or radiation to areas around the testicles and ovaries, such as for treatment of kidney cancer, weren't linked to a greater chance of birth defects than low doses.
About 3% of US babies have a birth defect, Signorello and her colleagues wrote.
Their study did not include birth defects that were definitively linked to family history, and the study did not have a control group of parents who had never had cancer.
"These kinds of studies are very important in terms of counselling for children who have cancer and go through these treatments," said Anna Chiarelli, a senior scientist at Cancer Care Ontario in Toronto, who has studied pregnancy outcomes after childhood cancer treatment.
"There has always been that concern, what effect it will have, because of course the child is in a developing stage."
Though previous studies also have not found any extra birth defect risk after cancer treatment, Signorello said the size of their study, and the fact that her team had access to medical records with information on cancer treatment, make the findings more conclusive - and Chiarelli agreed.
"This is a very significant study. I think it has gone further than the other ones," she said.
Researchers, whose findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, said this was "reassuring" because some doctors have wondered if the powerful drugs and radiation - especially radiation directed near the ovaries or testicles - might have long-term effects on the DNA of egg and sperm cells.
There is already evidence the treatments can affect a growing girl's uterus, for example, in ways that can cause other pregnancy problems.
"A lot of children are rendered infertile from strong treatments. We know now that depending on the types of treatment they received, they have higher rates of miscarriage [and] higher rates of low birth weight," said study author Lisa Signorello, from the International Epidemiology Institute in Rockville, Maryland.
Cancer survivors
"As a cancer survivor, the worries extend to the health of your children in many ways."
For the study, researchers followed close to 2 800 childhood cancer survivors in the United States and Canada, giving them regular surveys into adulthood that included questions about pregnancies and births.
Signorello and her colleagues recorded all instances of birth defects in the next generation, and compared the chance of having a baby with a birth defect to the dose or radiation or chemotherapy drugs the cancer survivors had received.
Out of 4 700 babies born to survivors at least five years after they finished treatment, 129 - just under 3% - had at least one birth defect, including cleft lip and palate, Down Syndrome and heart and blood vessel defects.
Among the babies of women who'd survived childhood cancer, those rates were 3% after chemo and radiation compared to 3.5% when mothers hadn't had those treatments. They were 1.9% and 1.7%, respectively, in babies born to fathers who'd had cancer.
Dosage
The dose of the drugs did not appear to have an impact. Higher doses of chemotherapy drugs or radiation to areas around the testicles and ovaries, such as for treatment of kidney cancer, weren't linked to a greater chance of birth defects than low doses.
About 3% of US babies have a birth defect, Signorello and her colleagues wrote.
Their study did not include birth defects that were definitively linked to family history, and the study did not have a control group of parents who had never had cancer.
"These kinds of studies are very important in terms of counselling for children who have cancer and go through these treatments," said Anna Chiarelli, a senior scientist at Cancer Care Ontario in Toronto, who has studied pregnancy outcomes after childhood cancer treatment.
"There has always been that concern, what effect it will have, because of course the child is in a developing stage."
Though previous studies also have not found any extra birth defect risk after cancer treatment, Signorello said the size of their study, and the fact that her team had access to medical records with information on cancer treatment, make the findings more conclusive - and Chiarelli agreed.
"This is a very significant study. I think it has gone further than the other ones," she said.
Health Older Adults Get Cancer Screenings Against Recommendations
By KIM CAROLLO (@kimcarollo)
Dec. 12, 2011
Most adults 75 and older undergo cancer screenings, even though the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends against routine screening for certain cancers in that age group, according to a study published in Archives of Internal Medicine.
Researchers led by Keith Bellizzi, an assistant professor of human development and family studies at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, found that among 1,697 adults between the ages of 75 to 79, 57 percent were screened for colorectal cancer, 62 percent were screened for breast cancer and 56 were screened for prostate cancer. Adults older than 80 were screened less often -- 38 percent of the 2,376 adults in this age group received screening for cervical cancer and 50 percent were screened for breast cancer.
"What we found, generally, was that a high percentage of older adults are continuing to undergo cancer screening, despite ambiguity regarding recommendations," said Bellizzi. "We even see those rates as relatively high in adults 80 years or older."
Other factors correlated with screening were physician recommendations, education level and certain medical conditions. Older adults were more likely to get screened if their doctors recommended it, if they were college educated and, regarding prostate cancer screening, if they had other medical conditions.
Bellizzi explained he and his colleagues wanted to get an idea of how many older Americans were still getting screened for cancer. The findings, he hopes, will lead to dialogue about what factors should be taken into account when making screening recommendations.
"The important question that is raised as a result of these findings is what are the factors physicians should consider in deciding to screen? he said. "And how do we decide whether to screen or not to screen?"
There have not been many studies evaluating how effective screening is in the older adult population. Most research has focused on younger adults, and recommendations are based on findings of these studies.
Age Just a Number When It Comes to Screening
Cancer experts say there are a number of variables to consider when recommending screening, and relying solely on a person's chronological age may not be the best way to determine whether screening is necessary. Life expectancy and current health status are also important.
"For breast cancer, colorectal cancer and cervical cancer -- the cancers for which screening has been proved to be effective -- if a person has less than five years to live, then screening is not beneficial," said Dr. Locovico Balducci, program leader of the Senior Adult Oncology Program at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla. "But if it's longer and if a patient can tolerate cancer treatment, they shouldn't be denied screening."
But determining life expectancy can be tricky, and patients may also have very strong beliefs about the need for screening, so doctors will often still recommend screening tests.
"There's no crystal ball -- we don't know what life expectancy is for sure, and patients may be really concerned about cancer. Doctors and patients may still want screening to occur, and that's a tough thing to fight," said Dr. David Penson, professor of urologic surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center at Nashville.
Dec. 12, 2011
Most adults 75 and older undergo cancer screenings, even though the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends against routine screening for certain cancers in that age group, according to a study published in Archives of Internal Medicine.
Researchers led by Keith Bellizzi, an assistant professor of human development and family studies at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, found that among 1,697 adults between the ages of 75 to 79, 57 percent were screened for colorectal cancer, 62 percent were screened for breast cancer and 56 were screened for prostate cancer. Adults older than 80 were screened less often -- 38 percent of the 2,376 adults in this age group received screening for cervical cancer and 50 percent were screened for breast cancer.
"What we found, generally, was that a high percentage of older adults are continuing to undergo cancer screening, despite ambiguity regarding recommendations," said Bellizzi. "We even see those rates as relatively high in adults 80 years or older."
Other factors correlated with screening were physician recommendations, education level and certain medical conditions. Older adults were more likely to get screened if their doctors recommended it, if they were college educated and, regarding prostate cancer screening, if they had other medical conditions.
Bellizzi explained he and his colleagues wanted to get an idea of how many older Americans were still getting screened for cancer. The findings, he hopes, will lead to dialogue about what factors should be taken into account when making screening recommendations.
"The important question that is raised as a result of these findings is what are the factors physicians should consider in deciding to screen? he said. "And how do we decide whether to screen or not to screen?"
There have not been many studies evaluating how effective screening is in the older adult population. Most research has focused on younger adults, and recommendations are based on findings of these studies.
Age Just a Number When It Comes to Screening
Cancer experts say there are a number of variables to consider when recommending screening, and relying solely on a person's chronological age may not be the best way to determine whether screening is necessary. Life expectancy and current health status are also important.
"For breast cancer, colorectal cancer and cervical cancer -- the cancers for which screening has been proved to be effective -- if a person has less than five years to live, then screening is not beneficial," said Dr. Locovico Balducci, program leader of the Senior Adult Oncology Program at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla. "But if it's longer and if a patient can tolerate cancer treatment, they shouldn't be denied screening."
But determining life expectancy can be tricky, and patients may also have very strong beliefs about the need for screening, so doctors will often still recommend screening tests.
"There's no crystal ball -- we don't know what life expectancy is for sure, and patients may be really concerned about cancer. Doctors and patients may still want screening to occur, and that's a tough thing to fight," said Dr. David Penson, professor of urologic surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center at Nashville.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Big climate change could happen fast - and soon
New research from NASA into the Earth's paleoclimate history indicates we could be facing rapid climate change this century, including sea level rises of many meters.
And while international leaders have suggested a goal of limiting global warming to two degrees Celsius from pre-industrial times, Goddard Institute for Space Studies director James E Hansen says that even this would lead to drastic changes.
The Earth's average global surface temperature has already risen by 0.8 degrees Celsius since 1880, says Hansen, and is now increasing by more than 0.1 degree Celsius every decade.
At the current rate of fossil fuel burning, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will have doubled from pre-industrial times by the middle of this century, causing an eventual warming of several degrees, he says.
Hansen and his colleague Makiko Sato compared the climate of today, the Holocene, with previous similar interglacial epochs. By studying cores from both ice sheets and deep ocean sediments, they found that global mean temperatures during the Eemian period, which began about 130,000 years ago and lasted about 15,000 years, were less than one degree Celsius warmer than today.
If temperatures were to rise two degrees Celsius over pre-industrial times, global mean temperature would far exceed that of the Eemian, when sea level was four to six meters higher than today, says Hansen.
"The paleoclimate record reveals a more sensitive climate than thought, even as of a few years ago. Limiting human-caused warming to two degrees is not sufficient," he says. "It would be a prescription for disaster."
Two degrees Celsius of warming would make Earth much warmer than during the Eemian - indeed, similar to Pliocene-like conditions, when sea level was about 25 meters higher than today, says Hansen.
However, that sea level increase due to ice sheet loss would be expected to occur over centuries, and large uncertainties remain in predicting it accurately.
"We don’t have a substantial cushion between today's climate and dangerous warming. Earth is poised to experience strong amplifying feedbacks in response to moderate additional global warming," says Hansen.
"Humans have overwhelmed the natural, slow changes that occur on geologic timescales."
And while international leaders have suggested a goal of limiting global warming to two degrees Celsius from pre-industrial times, Goddard Institute for Space Studies director James E Hansen says that even this would lead to drastic changes.
The Earth's average global surface temperature has already risen by 0.8 degrees Celsius since 1880, says Hansen, and is now increasing by more than 0.1 degree Celsius every decade.
At the current rate of fossil fuel burning, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will have doubled from pre-industrial times by the middle of this century, causing an eventual warming of several degrees, he says.
Hansen and his colleague Makiko Sato compared the climate of today, the Holocene, with previous similar interglacial epochs. By studying cores from both ice sheets and deep ocean sediments, they found that global mean temperatures during the Eemian period, which began about 130,000 years ago and lasted about 15,000 years, were less than one degree Celsius warmer than today.
If temperatures were to rise two degrees Celsius over pre-industrial times, global mean temperature would far exceed that of the Eemian, when sea level was four to six meters higher than today, says Hansen.
"The paleoclimate record reveals a more sensitive climate than thought, even as of a few years ago. Limiting human-caused warming to two degrees is not sufficient," he says. "It would be a prescription for disaster."
Two degrees Celsius of warming would make Earth much warmer than during the Eemian - indeed, similar to Pliocene-like conditions, when sea level was about 25 meters higher than today, says Hansen.
However, that sea level increase due to ice sheet loss would be expected to occur over centuries, and large uncertainties remain in predicting it accurately.
"We don’t have a substantial cushion between today's climate and dangerous warming. Earth is poised to experience strong amplifying feedbacks in response to moderate additional global warming," says Hansen.
"Humans have overwhelmed the natural, slow changes that occur on geologic timescales."
Analysis: Green technology race outpaces U.N. climate talks
(Reuters) - China has roared to the front of a green technology race that ultimately could do more to save the planet than the endless hours of U.N. negotiations, that year after year have failed to deliver an adequate response to climate change.
The latest climate talks in the South African port city of Durban, which dragged on in bitter debate on Friday, might manage incremental steps towards a new treaty on limiting global warming.
But few expect them to deliver the kind of binding deal that would check a rise in temperature steep enough to turn farmland to desert and sink small island nations.
China, meanwhile, has overtaken the United States to become the world's biggest carbon emitter. It has also sped ahead in terms of investment in green technology.
"There is an informal green technology race, led by China, that may in the end be even more successful than that formal deal," said European lawmaker Jo Leinen, who is leading the European Parliament's delegation to the Durban talks.
"But in order to encourage countries a formal deal may be helpful," he added, reflecting the European Union's view that there is still a need for an international treaty on carbon cuts as the best guarantee of positive change.
China invested $54 billion in low carbon energy technology in 2010, compared to the United States' $34 billion, the U.S. Pew Environment Group said.
With a pressing need to provide food, fuel and water for the world's biggest population, China more than most can see the value of energy forms that limit the global warming that has already turned tracts of its land to desert.
India, the world's third biggest carbon emitter behind China and the United States, has also begun moving towards green development.
SUN-POWERED INDIA
Like China it is working on market-based trading scheme to encourage energy efficiency and green power and has followed Beijing in setting a domestic goal for curbing its rise in carbon emissions.
But India's highest hopes are pinned on a massive solar energy drive.
According to the Indian Solar Mission, introduced in 2009, solar power output by 2022 would be equivalent to one-eighth of India's current installed power base, helping Asia's third-largest economy after China and Japan to limit its reliance on carbon-intensive coal.
Solar energy is fraught with problems, such as the need for huge initial investment.
But that could be a smaller challenge than getting a new binding deal to bring all nations into mandatory carbon cuts under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its companion legislation the Kyoto Protocol.
The clause making developed nations commit to emissions cuts expires at the end of next year and debate has raged over how to replace it, with rich and poor nations squabbling over how the cost and burden of climate action should be shared.
One obstacle has been the United States, which did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol and has said it will not agree to any new accord unless all emitters are equally bound by it.
At state level in the United States progress has been achieved towards emissions trading and green technology. Nationally, environmental legislation has been systematically blocked as President Barack Obama's Democrats and Republicans squabble over green issues.
Some observers see that as an argument for an international deal which overrides the whims of short-term governments in favor of the long-term needs of the planet.
BROKEN U.N. PROCESS
But U.S. academic Roger Pielke of the University of Colorado, whose book "The Climate Fix" looks at why the world has failed to address global warming, says the international process is broken.
"Today, the pursuit of an international agreement is arguably an obstacle to action," he said. "We have gotten confused about ends and means."
The magnitude and urgency of the task called for a business-like response.
"Stabilizing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere requires that our global energy production becomes more than 90 percent carbon-free. Today it is about 15 percent," he said.
"The way to go from 15 percent to more than 90 percent is via technological innovation in energy production and consumption."
The U.N. climate legislation has been designed to encourage green innovation and can continue to do that with or without a new binding agreement on extending binding emissions cuts, he says.
But it could manage that without summit meetings, attended by nearly 200 ministers who argue through the night.
Even some firm believers in U.N. agreements accept the U.N. climate process needs to change.
Luis Alfonso de Alba, Mexico's climate special envoy, said he is gathering support for an amendment that would allow nations to force a vote on issues when consensus proves too difficult, in line with procedures in other U.N. bodies.
"It (the U.N. climate process) is probably one of the worst U.N. processes in terms of U.N. efficiency. The U.N. process can be much better. This is a process which is urgently in need of reform," said de Alba, who is also Mexico's permanent representative to the United Nations in New York.
"It takes too much financial and human effort. People meet too frequently all over the world. It has become a modus vivendi for some delegates."
The latest climate talks in the South African port city of Durban, which dragged on in bitter debate on Friday, might manage incremental steps towards a new treaty on limiting global warming.
But few expect them to deliver the kind of binding deal that would check a rise in temperature steep enough to turn farmland to desert and sink small island nations.
China, meanwhile, has overtaken the United States to become the world's biggest carbon emitter. It has also sped ahead in terms of investment in green technology.
"There is an informal green technology race, led by China, that may in the end be even more successful than that formal deal," said European lawmaker Jo Leinen, who is leading the European Parliament's delegation to the Durban talks.
"But in order to encourage countries a formal deal may be helpful," he added, reflecting the European Union's view that there is still a need for an international treaty on carbon cuts as the best guarantee of positive change.
China invested $54 billion in low carbon energy technology in 2010, compared to the United States' $34 billion, the U.S. Pew Environment Group said.
With a pressing need to provide food, fuel and water for the world's biggest population, China more than most can see the value of energy forms that limit the global warming that has already turned tracts of its land to desert.
India, the world's third biggest carbon emitter behind China and the United States, has also begun moving towards green development.
SUN-POWERED INDIA
Like China it is working on market-based trading scheme to encourage energy efficiency and green power and has followed Beijing in setting a domestic goal for curbing its rise in carbon emissions.
But India's highest hopes are pinned on a massive solar energy drive.
According to the Indian Solar Mission, introduced in 2009, solar power output by 2022 would be equivalent to one-eighth of India's current installed power base, helping Asia's third-largest economy after China and Japan to limit its reliance on carbon-intensive coal.
Solar energy is fraught with problems, such as the need for huge initial investment.
But that could be a smaller challenge than getting a new binding deal to bring all nations into mandatory carbon cuts under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its companion legislation the Kyoto Protocol.
The clause making developed nations commit to emissions cuts expires at the end of next year and debate has raged over how to replace it, with rich and poor nations squabbling over how the cost and burden of climate action should be shared.
One obstacle has been the United States, which did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol and has said it will not agree to any new accord unless all emitters are equally bound by it.
At state level in the United States progress has been achieved towards emissions trading and green technology. Nationally, environmental legislation has been systematically blocked as President Barack Obama's Democrats and Republicans squabble over green issues.
Some observers see that as an argument for an international deal which overrides the whims of short-term governments in favor of the long-term needs of the planet.
BROKEN U.N. PROCESS
But U.S. academic Roger Pielke of the University of Colorado, whose book "The Climate Fix" looks at why the world has failed to address global warming, says the international process is broken.
"Today, the pursuit of an international agreement is arguably an obstacle to action," he said. "We have gotten confused about ends and means."
The magnitude and urgency of the task called for a business-like response.
"Stabilizing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere requires that our global energy production becomes more than 90 percent carbon-free. Today it is about 15 percent," he said.
"The way to go from 15 percent to more than 90 percent is via technological innovation in energy production and consumption."
The U.N. climate legislation has been designed to encourage green innovation and can continue to do that with or without a new binding agreement on extending binding emissions cuts, he says.
But it could manage that without summit meetings, attended by nearly 200 ministers who argue through the night.
Even some firm believers in U.N. agreements accept the U.N. climate process needs to change.
Luis Alfonso de Alba, Mexico's climate special envoy, said he is gathering support for an amendment that would allow nations to force a vote on issues when consensus proves too difficult, in line with procedures in other U.N. bodies.
"It (the U.N. climate process) is probably one of the worst U.N. processes in terms of U.N. efficiency. The U.N. process can be much better. This is a process which is urgently in need of reform," said de Alba, who is also Mexico's permanent representative to the United Nations in New York.
"It takes too much financial and human effort. People meet too frequently all over the world. It has become a modus vivendi for some delegates."
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