Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/yEUcqlATvjY/130730235642.htm
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Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Fresh fuel reignites Asperger's debate
[unable to retrieve full-text content]Children with Asperger?s Syndrome have different electroencephalography (EEG) patterns to children with autism, reveals a new study. With distinct neurophysiology, the study pours fresh fuel on the on-going debate about how Asperger?s should be classified.
Ackman's Pershing Square unveils stake in Air Products
By Svea Herbst-Bayliss, Swetha Gopinath and Ernest Scheyder
BOSTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hedge fund manager William Ackman unveiled his biggest bet ever on Wednesday, announcing a $2.2 billion play on Air Products & Chemicals Inc., but shed no light on how the billionaire trader kept the position secret for the past two months.
The activist investor's Pershing Square Capital Management owns 9.8 percent of the industrial gas maker, making it the company's biggest shareholder. Pershing Square might have bought more if Air Products had not adopted a "poison pill" defense to prevent a takeover when some on Wall Street began speculating it might be in Ackman's sights.
Speculation mounted earlier this month that Ackman, who tends to make only a few concentrated bets at a time, was laying the groundwork for something big when he set out to raise as much as $1 billion to invest in a company he declined to name.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Ackman said on Wednesday that he began buying the stock in early June and believes it to be "undervalued" and an "attractive investment." He did not finish buying shares until Tuesday.
Much of the buying was through seven holding companies Pershing Square incorporated in Delaware. Most of the entities were incorporated in early June, but one was formed on May 23 and the final one was incorporated on July 2.
Over the years, Ackman has used similar entities to accumulate shares in target companies, such as for a big stake bought in Fortune Brands in 2010.
Air Products, whose rivals include Praxair Inc
The "poison pill" plan gives existing shareholders the right to buy new shares at a discount if a person or group were to acquire 10 percent of the company without board approval.
One big mystery is how Ackman managed to keep the investment under wraps as he was building his very large stake.
Investors are required by federal securities law to disclose when they acquire 5 percent or more in a publicly traded U.S. company. But hedge fund managers, in particular those pursuing activist strategies, have become skilled over the years at finding ways around the regulatory requirement.
They can delay the disclosure process by requesting "confidential treatment" from the Securities and Exchange Commission to avoid having to disclose stakes under the argument that doing so might interfere with a business strategy.
Pershing Square has made use of this practice and filed an updated quarterly holding list in April for the quarter ended December 13, 2012, revealing that it had a 5.9 million share stake in Mondelez International.
Securities law experts said it is likely that Ackman may have deployed a similar strategy for building a large stake in Air Products.
For Ackman, the Air Products announcement comes at a critical time, as he rides a $1 billion short bet against Herbalife. Reuters reported on Tuesday that Pershing Square has incurred at least a $300 million loss on its bearish bet on the nutritional drink and supplement company.
CNBC reported on Wednesday that investor George Soros, a sometime tennis partner of Ackman's, took a large long position in Herbalife. Carl Icahn, a long-time rival of Ackman, also holds a large long position in Herbalife, which Ackman says is a pyramid scheme.
With APD shares now trading at $108.93 on Wednesday, up nearly 16 percent over the last month, Ackman might be able to show his investors gains for the month and boost his year-to-date performance. Other winners in the portfolio include Procter & Gamble, Canadian Pacific Railway and Howard Hughes Corp.
What Ackman may like about Air Products is that the company has few competitors and its industrial gas business has lucrative long-term contracts. However, in recent months it has been hit by high exposure to sluggish growth in Europe and analysts say it should divest its non-core gas businesses.
Those businesses account for roughly 20 percent of sales, including a chemicals unit and one that caters to computer chip makers.
Ackman's stake comes two years after Air Products unsuccessfully tried to buy smaller rival Airgas Inc in a $5.9 billion hostile bid. Ironically, Airgas successfully used a own "poison pill" defense to ward off Air Products.
(Additional reporting by Sakthi Prasad in Bangalore, Sam Forgione in New York; Editing by Matthew Goldstein, Matt Driskill and Dan Grebler)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ackman-buys-9-8-percent-stake-air-products-115529665.html
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Lu'an Capital & Energy Investment Inc. Acquires Shares of Sona Resources Corp.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - July 29, 2013) - Lu'an Capital & Energy Investment Inc. (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a subscription agreement (the "Subscription Agreement") with Sona Resources Corp. ("Sona"), pursuant to which the Company has purchased, on a private placement basis (the "Transaction"), 3,665,000 units (the "Units") at an offering price of $0.30 per Unit, for gross proceeds of $1,099,500. Each Unit consists of one common share of Sona (a "Common Share") and one-half of one warrant (a "Warrant"), with each whole Warrant entitling the holder to purchase, for a period of 24 months following the closing date, one additional Common Share of Sona at a price of $0.50 for the first 12 months and $0.60 thereafter.
Pursuant to the Transaction, the Company acquired 3,665,000 Common Shares of Sona (the "Purchased Shares") representing approximately 13.3% of Sona's issued and outstanding share capital. The Company previously owned 500,000 Common Shares of Sona. Subsequent to the closing of the Transaction, the Company owns 4,165,000 Common Shares of Sona, which represents approximately 15.1% of Sona's issued and outstanding share capital. The Company now also owns 1,832,500 Warrants, which, if the Warrants were fully exercised, together with the Company's current shareholdings of Sona, would represent approximately 20.4% of Sona's issued and outstanding share capital on a diluted basis. The Transaction closed on July 25, 2013.
Pursuant to the Subscription Agreement, the Company will have the right to nominate one individual (a "Nominee") to serve on Sona's board of directors (the "Board"), if the Board comprises eleven or fewer directors. If the Board comprises twelve or more directors, the Company will have the right to nominate one additional Nominee.
As a condition of the Subscription Agreement, the Company and Sona have also entered into a voting agreement (the "Voting Agreement") with respect to any current and future Common Shares owned or controlled by the Company (the "Company's Shares"). Pursuant to the Voting Agreement, Sona will determine how to vote, or act or proceed on each and every of the matters referred to in any notice of shareholders meeting held by Sona (such determination being a "Decision"). Sona will deliver a written notice to the Company of the Decision and the Company will vote the Offeror's Shares in accordance with the Decision. The Voting Agreement will automatically terminate six years after the Subscription date.
The Purchased Shares were acquired for investment purposes. Depending on market conditions and other factors, the Company may from time to time acquire additional securities of Sona or dispose of securities of Sona in the open market, by private agreement or otherwise.
A copy of the requisite early warning report will be filed on the SEDAR profile for Sona Resources Corp. at www.sedar.com.
Source: http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=1815601&sourceType=3
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Tuesday, July 30, 2013
This One-Handed Bottle Opener Sure Is Handy
Do you ever get frustrated when trying to open a beer bottle? You can do it on the side of a table, but that typically hurts your hand (a lot). You can open it with a lighter, but that's so college. You could use a regular bottle opener, but that's so boring.
Source: http://gizmodo.com/this-one-handed-bottle-opener-sure-is-handy-954328530
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Monday, July 29, 2013
First First-to-File Patent - Patent Law Blog (Patently-O)
[unable to retrieve full-text content]By Dennis Crouch The first post-AIA patent issued recently ? Design Patent No. D685,381 directed to a foldable laptop stand and owned by the UK company Bluelounge. The application sailed-through as part of the design ...
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'How to use Chromecast' video has a pretty awesome easter egg
Personality cult built around Egypt's top general
FILE - In this Monday, July 8, 2013 file photo, Egyptians chant slogans as they hold a poster of Egyptian Army Chief Lt. Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi during a protest in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt. Arabic reads on the poster reads, "Sissi, go down, let the Brotherhood hide." In dark sunglasses and a uniform studded with medals, Egypt?s top general is everywhere, looking down from posters and banners proclaiming him ?lion of the nation.? Adoring songs vow ?We are behind you.? Barely a month after he removed the elected president, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is riding a wave of adulation _ in part, state fueled _ that is drawing comparisons between him and modern Egypt?s first charismatic strongman, Gamal Abdel-Nasser. Some are warning that the personality cult could pave the way to new authoritarianism. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)
FILE - In this Monday, July 8, 2013 file photo, Egyptians chant slogans as they hold a poster of Egyptian Army Chief Lt. Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi during a protest in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt. Arabic reads on the poster reads, "Sissi, go down, let the Brotherhood hide." In dark sunglasses and a uniform studded with medals, Egypt?s top general is everywhere, looking down from posters and banners proclaiming him ?lion of the nation.? Adoring songs vow ?We are behind you.? Barely a month after he removed the elected president, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is riding a wave of adulation _ in part, state fueled _ that is drawing comparisons between him and modern Egypt?s first charismatic strongman, Gamal Abdel-Nasser. Some are warning that the personality cult could pave the way to new authoritarianism. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)
FILE - In this Wednesday, April 24, 2013 file photo, Egyptian Defense Minister Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi reviews honor guards during an arrival ceremony for his U.S. counterpart at the Ministry of Defense in Cairo. In dark sunglasses and a uniform studded with medals, Egypt?s top general is everywhere, looking down from posters and banners proclaiming him ?lion of the nation.? Adoring songs vow ?We are behind you.? Barely a month after he removed the elected president, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is riding a wave of adulation _ in part, state fueled _ that is drawing comparisons between him and modern Egypt?s first charismatic strongman, Gamal Abdel-Nasser. Some are warning that the personality cult could pave the way to new authoritarianism. (AP Photo/Jim Watson, Pool, File)
FILE - In this Sunday, July 7, 2013 file photo, opponents of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi rally in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt. In dark sunglasses and a uniform studded with medals, Egypt?s top general is everywhere, looking down from posters and banners proclaiming him ?lion of the nation.? Adoring songs vow ?We are behind you.? Barely a month after he removed the elected president, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is riding a wave of adulation _ in part, state fueled _ that is drawing comparisons between him and modern Egypt?s first charismatic strongman, Gamal Abdel-Nasser. Some are warning that the personality cult could pave the way to new authoritarianism. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)
FILE - In this Friday, July 5, 2013, photo, opponents of Egypt's ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi flock around soldiers atop armored personnel carriers at Maspero, Egypt's TV and radio station, not far from Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt. In dark sunglasses and a uniform studded with medals, Egypt?s top general is everywhere, looking down from posters and banners proclaiming him ?lion of the nation.? Adoring songs vow ?We are behind you.? Barely a month after he removed the elected president, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is riding a wave of adulation _ in part, state fueled _ that is drawing comparisons between him and modern Egypt?s first charismatic strongman, Gamal Abdel-Nasser. Some are warning that the personality cult could pave the way to new authoritarianism. (AP Photo/Hussein Tallal, File)
FILE - In this Friday, July 26, 2013 file photo, Egyptian soldiers stand guard atop an armored personnel vehicle on a bridge that leads to Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt. In dark sunglasses and a uniform studded with medals, Egypt?s top general is everywhere, looking down from posters and banners proclaiming him ?lion of the nation.? Adoring songs vow ?We are behind you.? Barely a month after he removed the elected president, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is riding a wave of adulation _ in part, state fueled _ that is drawing comparisons between him and modern Egypt?s first charismatic strongman, Gamal Abdel-Nasser. Some are warning that the personality cult could pave the way to new authoritarianism. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)
CAIRO (AP) ? In dark sunglasses and a uniform studded with medals, Egypt's top general is everywhere, looking down from posters and banners proclaiming him "lion of the nation." Adoring songs vow "We are behind you."
Barely a month after he removed the elected president, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is riding a wave of adulation, drawing comparisons between him and modern Egypt's first charismatic strongman, former President Gamal Abdel-Nasser. State media and pro-military TV channels and newspapers have done everything they can to fuel the fervor.
But some warn that the personality cult could pave the way to new authoritarianism after a coup that the army and its supporters insist was aimed at promoting democracy.
"I worry about el-Sissi and the possible arrogance of the victor. And I fear him if he decides that the army is stronger than any future president that he will control like a puppet," wrote Mohammed Fathy, a columnist in the newspaper Al-Watan. "The admiration for him has gone beyond normal levels and is now more like deifying him."
The hype has swelled to the point that some are convinced el-Sissi will take off his uniform and run for president in elections due to take place early next year. A military spokesman denied el-Sissi has any intention to do so. That has done nothing to end the speculation by those for and against the idea.
"Bottom line, el-Sissi will be president because he has no choice but to be. People have already started treating him as such and because he is de facto ruler," Fathy wrote in a column on Monday, adding that media are depicting the general as "Nasser 2013."
The raving over el-Sissi is rooted in the satisfaction many Egyptians took from his July 3 coup removing President Mohammed Morsi. It came after four days of massive protests by millions nationwide demanding the president step down, accusing him of failing to manage the country and handing power over to his Islamist allies.
The nationalist fervor and resentment of the Islamists has so far all but drowned out arguments by Muslim Brotherhood and Morsi's other supporters that the coup against Egypt's first freely elected president has wrecked democracy. Two large-scale killings of dozens of pro-Morsi protesters in clashes the past three weeks have won them little sympathy amid a public attitude ? again fueled by the military, officials and many media outlets ? that the protesters are violent extremists.
But the lavish celebration of el-Sissi also speaks of a nation looking for a leader it can rally behind. It underscores a close bond between the Egyptian public and the armed forces. As a mostly conscript army, there is hardly an Egyptian family that hasn't sent a son to the military, which fought four wars with Israel ? the most recent in 1973.
That translates into a trust of the army's intentions among many.
"The army will not stay forever, just long enough to restore order and security in the country," said Ezzat Fahim, a 38-year-old father of two. He carried an el-Sissi poster in Cairo's Tahrir Square during massive nationwide rallies on Friday that the general himself called for as a show of support for the military to act against "terrorism."
The degree of trust has survived among much of the public despite the fact that the generals were the power behind the scenes during six decades of authoritarian rule. Hosni Mubarak, ousted in the 2011 uprising after 29 years in power, was a career air force officer.
The military ruled directly for nearly 17 months after Mubarak's fall until Morsi was inaugurated ? a period that bruised the generals' image, with anti-military protests in the streets and accusations of abuses by troops. Some believe that after that experience, el-Sissi will be wary of seeming to hold too much power.
"So far, I am not worried of him seizing power," said Mohammed Hashem, a leftist book publisher and veteran pro-democracy campaigner. "I see no signs that he is tempted to do so. If he does, I will be out on the streets again shouting 'down, down with military rule'."
But the el-Sissi-fest is powerful, seemingly rooted in part in a desire for a charismatic nationalist figure.
Morsi, the country's first president not to come from the military, was unable to create that image, with his Islamist agenda appealing only few outside his base. Mubarak sorely lacked charisma and a human touch and was seen as building up a regime based on cronyism and corruption and the power of oppressive police agencies.
The yearning could explain the rampant comparisons to Nasser.
Nasser, a military officer, was the mastermind of a 1952 coup that toppled the monarchy. As president, Nasser was lionized for nationalizing the Suez Canal in 1956, negotiating the withdrawal of occupying British forces, dismantling the feudal agricultural system and spreading free education. When he died in 1970, millions participated in the funeral.
Since his death, many acknowledge his faults: His rule was oppressive against both secular and Islamist dissidents, and the state-run system he created decayed into corruption. But there is also nostalgia for what was seen as good in him.
That worries some.
"The notion of someone becoming the savior and hero of a nation as big and ancient as Egypt is a big mistake," prominent rights campaigner Gamal Eid warned.
El-Sissi, he said, "knows fully well that people are inclined to trust those who are sincere even if they don't approve of what they do."
The sort of enthusiasm for the 58-year-old el-Sissi has not been seen since Nasser's heyday in the 1950s and 1960s.
In the huge crowds that came out for Friday's rally, many waved posters juxtaposing pictures of el-Sissi and Nasser. "Buy the picture of el-Zaeem," shouted one woman selling el-Sissi posters, using the Arabic word for "leader" exclusively associated in Egypt with Nasser.
Protesters wore around their necks small portraits of el-Sissi next to a lion symbolizing strength. One poster had him smiling and in his hallmark dark sunglasses with the words: "El-Sissi, the love of the people."
Protesters drew a giant portrait of el-Sissi with green laser beams on the side of a high-rise hotel overlooking Tahrir.
Ghada Shereef, in an op-ed piece Thursday in the independent Al-Masry Al-Youm, gushed that if el-Sissi gave the word, women would line up to marry him or just be his concubines. "That is a man who is adored by Egyptians," she wrote in the article, titled "El-Sissi, just wink to get what you want."
Previously the head of military intelligence, el-Sissi was little known outside the army when Morsi appointed him defense minister and head of the armed forces last August. Morsi's aides have said they saw him as a pious Muslim who had shown signs of sympathy with their Islamist agenda.
As army chief, however, he's shown no political agenda in any direction.
But he has cultivated a unique charisma for a military man. Unlike the usual stern-faced generals, el-Sissi has shown an emotional side, a quality many of his fans cite as proof of his compassion.
On Sunday, he sat at a police graduation ceremony fighting back tears as the commander of the police academy waxed lyrical on his patriotism. The army's propaganda machine has also been marketing him as a youthful and energetic leader. Army videos show el-Sissi jogging in camouflage fatigues along with other commanders, or warmly chatting with soldiers during war games.
It's a stark contrast to his near-mummified predecessor, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the Mubarak-era defense minister who ruled Egypt for nearly 17 months until Morsi was inaugurated and soon after removed him.
El-Sissi has invited celebrities to army-sponsored functions. At a live concert in April, he held the microphone like a pop singer to address the audience.
"I want to say something to you: Don't ever worry about Egypt," he said. "Egyptians can change the whole world when they want." The singers and dancers who had just finished their show broke into chants of "the army and the people are one hand."
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Sunday, July 28, 2013
VW, Suzuki mulling rekindling relationship in face of legal battle ...
Volkswagen and Suzuki have been undergoing marriage counseling in a bid to avoid finalizing their nasty divorce. The union has been troubled for some time, with Volkswagen claiming that it could affect operational decisions at Suzuki, and the Japanese brand's sniping and constant flirting with a certain Italian temptress causing rifts.
The matter first went to court in 2012, when Suzuki demanded VW get out, and leave its 19.9-percent stake in the Japanese brand in a box to the left. Now, Automotive News is reporting that the company will give the relationship one last shot, according to closed-door dealings between the two in London.
Still, it's understood that VW and Suzuki recognize the benefit of their alliance, and that it'd be in the best interests of the kids both parties to make things work. Spokespeople declined to comment to AN, but the newsmagazine spoke with Frank Biller, an analyst for LBBW in Stuttgart, who said, "Both companies stand to benefit if they can overcome the disagreements over leadership claims."
This argument over who wears the pants in the relationship has the potential to make or break the partnership, as sources close to the discussions told AN that if an agreement can't be reached, then a London-based arbitrator could get involved.
Suzuki last made waves when it up and pulled out of the US and Canadian markets last year after declaring bankruptcy.
Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/07/27/vw-suzuki-mulling-rekindling-relationship-in-face-of-legal-batt/
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Fischer vows to keep football, NCAA lawsuit separate
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Tattletale tooth sensor tells your doctor if you've been smoking or overeating
It's official: humans suck at self-discipline so much, researchers thought it necessary to create a tooth sensor that detects if you're smoking or stuffing your face and can tell doctors about it. The National Taiwan University Team led by Hao-hua Chu recently tested prototypes by gluing them to eight people's dentures. Thanks to the device's accelerometers, it was able to differentiate between chewing, smoking, speaking and coughing 94 percent of the time. It would've been better if it could also distinguish healthy food from not, but that's not going to happen anytime soon. After all, the scientists first have to develop an onboard power source (the prototypes required external batteries) and mouth-safe Bluetooth connectivity to transmit data to smartphones. Also, the team wants to shrink the already-teensy sensor down so it can fit inside cavities or on crowns. We don't know about you, bu in the future we might choose between cavity-healing gel or these high tech fillings.
Via: Motherboard, New Scientist
Source: National Taiwan University
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/l51Aqo2fRS0/
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The Zimbabwean election by the numbers
Here are some surprising figures ahead of Zimbabwe's July 31 election.
A Zimbabwean opposition supporter holds a party newsletter at an election rally, about 56 miles east of the capital Harare on July 23, 2013. Zimbabweans go to the polls next week in an election that has already raised significant alarm bells for the international community.
Philimon Bulawayo/Reuters
Enlarge?A version of this post first appeared on the blog Freedom at Issue. The views expressed are the author's own.?
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Zimbabweans go to the polls next week for the first time since 2008. As the country prepares for the election, here are some numbers to keep in mind:
31
July 31, that is. The day of Zimbabwe?s general elections. On June 15, President Robert Mugabe unilaterally set July 31 as the date for the general elections, a move which directly violated the new constitution and a requirement in the Global Political Agreement (GPA) ? a power-sharing deal signed after the electoral violence of 2008 ? that the president consult with the prime minister in setting the election date. Despite appeals by both Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change?Tsvangirai (MDC-T) and Mr. Mugabe?s own ZANU PF party, the Constitutional Court held that the elections would take place as planned on July 31. These will be the first elections since 2008 and arguably the most important balloting in Zimbabwe?s history. The condensed timeline presents major challenges for a country recovering from decades of political intimidation and electoral manipulation.
200
The estimated number of people killed in Zimbabwe?s 2008 elections. During the run-up to the second round of voting in 2008, an estimated 200 to 300 people were killed and thousands were beaten and tortured by Mugabe supporters and security forces, prompting Mr. Tsvangirai to withdraw from the presidential runoff despite having taken the lead in the first round. As a result of this botched electoral process and a deepening economic crisis, the opposing parties eventually signed the GPA and formed the Government of National Unity (GNU), leaving Mugabe in the presidency and creating the post of prime minister for Tsvangirai.
?
6.2 million
?
The number of registered voters in Zimbabwe, out of a population of 13 million. Among undemocratic rulers, intimidation and manipulation are seen as foolproof ways to prevent a healthy political process and thwart a mobilized citizenry. In Zimbabwe, a deeply flawed and politicized voter registration process could mean that the upcoming elections were over before they even began. There are approximately 2 million Zimbabweans under the age of 30 who are not currently registered to vote, and there are significant discrepancies between urban and rural registration. According to Finance Minister and MDC-T Secretary General Tendai Biti, only 27,000 new voters were registered in Harare ? where the MDC is favored ? while 117,000 were registered in the ZANU-PF strongholds of Mashonaland West and East. In fact, the number of voters on the rolls in some Harare constituencies actually decreased compared with 2008. (Zimbabweans can check their registration status and report any inaccuracies at http://www.myzimvote.com/).
?
1 million
?
The estimated number of deceased or absent voters on the rolls. A preliminary audit of the voter registry by an independent organization, the Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU), found over a million names of people who were deceased or no longer living in Zimbabwe. In addition, 63 constituencies had more registered voters than they have inhabitants, based on the 2012 national census. On July 17, the High Court of Zimbabwe issued an order barring the RAU from presenting the complete findings of its audit at an event in Harare.
?
$92 million
?
The approximate funding shortfall for next week?s elections, according to Finance Minister Tendai Biti. The total funding needed for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to administer the elections is $132 million. While the Ministry of Finance has released $40 million, Mr. Biti claims, ?We are far away from reaching the target. We do not have the money. We can?t increase taxes.? Funding from international donors has been hard to come by due to the disregard Zimbabwe has continually shown for international electoral standards. In March, the United Nations said it was ready and willing to fund the elections in Zimbabwe, but Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa of ZANU PF barred a UN pre-election assessment team from entering the country.
?
$2 billion
?
The estimated revenue from the Marange diamond fields since 2008 that remains unaccounted for. The watchdog group Partnership Africa Canada reported that the $2 billion, siphoned off by the political elite and members of the military, is a conservative estimate. Besides demonstrating Zimbabwe?s rampant corruption, lack of transparency, and poor governance, the illegal diamond trade also represents hundreds of millions of dollars in lost tax revenue ? money that could have been used to organize free and fair elections, among other things. In 2011, Biti claimed that the Treasury would receive $600 million in revenue from diamond sales during 2012. Only $41.6 million ever materialized.
?
22,482
?
The estimated number of breaches of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) since it was signed in 2008. The civic group Sokwanele, through its Zimbabwe Inclusive Government Watch, has undertaken extensive media monitoring in order to document all violations of the GPA. According to its findings, ZANU PF has breached the GPA on 20,847 occasions since 2008, while the MDC-T has been responsible for 1,009 violations. There has been very little progress on consolidating democratic reforms, largely due to a lack of political will on the part of the Mugabe regime. While a new constitution was adopted in March with nearly 95 percent voter approval, nearly all other key provisions of the GPA ? such as the professionalization of the security sector, prevention of future political violence, and protection of independent political activity ? have been neglected, severely threatening the credibility of the July 31 elections.
?
14
?
The (far from exhaustive) number of incidents of persecution against civil society in the last year, as documented by the RFK Center for Human Rights. Although the GPA called for the protection of independent political activity, civil society organizations, especially those doing election-related work, have repeatedly come under attack by security forces in an effort to intimidate them into silence. These incidents include the arrest, detention, and abuse of activists, as well as raids on organizations? offices. A number of high-profile cases, such as the disappearance of human rights activist Paul Chizuze and the arrest of human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa, highlight the dire weakness of the rule of law in Zimbabwe and the lengths some elites will go to in order to keep their hold on power.
?
69,322
?
The number of police officers approved to vote in a July 13 special election. The special balloting, intended to accommodate security and other personnel who would be deployed and unable to vote on July 31, had 69,322 approved police voters. There are only 44,133 police officers on Zimbabwe?s official payroll. In response to this discrepancy, the MDC-T filed a case with the Constitutional Court, which was thrown out on July 19. Compounding the controversy around the special election was the fact that it was a logistical disaster: Only about 29,000 of those approved to vote were actually able to do so, despite an illegal one-day extension of voting to address a ballot shortage. Furthermore, voters who were unable to cast their ballots will be allowed to vote on July 31, raising legitimate concerns that there will be widespread double voting. With election day fast approaching and logistical problems abounding, election observers are badly needed to ensure a credible process.
?
611
?
The number of election observers from the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) who will be present in Zimbabwe for the July 31 elections. SADC?s 442 observers and the AU?s 69 will monitor the polls in all 10 provinces of a country of 13 million people that is slightly larger than the US state of Montana. No countries or regional organizations that have imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe, including the United States and the European Union, were invited to send monitors. However, an invitation to send five observers each was extended to countries such as Sudan, China, Iran, Cuba, Russia, and Belarus, all of which are ranked "not free" in Freedom House?s 2013 Freedom in the World report.
?
1
?
The number of chief executives in Zimbabwe in the last 33 years. President Mugabe, who led the liberation movement in Zimbabwe, has been in power since 1980, serving first as prime minister until the switch to a presidential system in 1987. If he wins the July 31 elections, he will be 94 years old when he next faces voters. He ranks third in sub-Saharan Africa for longest executive tenure, behind Angola?s Jos? Eduardo dos Santos (in power for 34 years this September) and Equatorial Guinea?s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (in power for 34 years this August). Zimbabwe has never experienced a democratic transfer of power, and Mugabe?s 33 years in office have been marked by violations of basic freedoms, undemocratic governance, and economic crisis.
Keep a close eye on Zimbabwe next week to see whether this reign will continue for another five years.
The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of Africa bloggers. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. To contact us about a blogger, click here.
Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/RBGCuTGzqHk/The-Zimbabwean-election-by-the-numbers
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Saturday, July 27, 2013
'Space Vikings' Spark (Unfounded) NASA Waste Inquiry
[unable to retrieve full-text content]sciencehabit writes "For Ved Chirayath, a graduate student and amateur fashion photographer, a photo project that involved NASA researchers dressed as Vikings was just a creative way to promote space science. 'I started this project hoping maybe one day some kid will look at it and say, 'I want to work for NASA,' ' says Chirayath, a student at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, who also works nearby at NASA's Ames Research Center. He never suspected that his fanciful image would put him in the crosshairs of a government waste investigation triggered by a senior U.S. senator." The project was funded by an outside art grant. The best part: the investigation into the non-existent waste probably cost more than the "waste" would have were it funded by NASA in the first place.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/aYwIhNtSGVY/story01.htm
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Friday, July 19, 2013
Negotiations on hospital jobs begin
Negotiations are underway to save as many as 25 of the 65 jobs being lost at Danbury and New Milford hospitals.
The negotiations involve possible concessions from the two nursing unions being granted to the Western Connecticut Health Network, the umbrella organization that manages the two hospitals.
Hospital spokeswoman Andrea Rynn said the hospital leaders hope to meet with union leaders next week to see what concessions are possible.
Mary Consoli, the president of the union at Danbury Hospital, which represents about 600 members, was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
But Joanne Chapin, president of the New Milford unit, which represents about 125 nurses, said the union wants to see numbers that show how the network plans to save money and jobs.
The hospital has refused to say where the layoffs will occur, except to say that they are system-wide.
On Wednesday, Rynn shot down one rumor -- that the hospital has laid off all the licensed practical nurses at Danbury Hospital.
"That's not true," she said.
Chapin said that under the layoff plan announced by the hospital last week, four registered nurses could be laid off at New Milford Hospital, while another two would have their hours reduced.
The network maintains the layoffs are the result of a $34 million cut in state funding to the network over two years. Overall, the state budget approved by the General Assembly cuts funding to state hospitals by $550 million.
The state has said this is a reduction in its overall support for state hospitals. Last week Ben Barnes, secretary of the state's Office of Policy and Management, said hospitals could cut executive compensation rather than lay off workers.
Dr. John Murphy, the president and chief executive officer of Western Connecticut Health Network, receives $995,838 in pay and benefits.
In making the announcement last week, the hospital said it will not fill 51 open positions.
Rynn said Wednesday the hospital has also saved $4 million and 50 jobs by reducing non-union employees' wages in a variety of ways.
The network is the region's largest employer, with 4,280 staff members at the two hospitals and several affiliated medical offices and organizations.
"People are sad about this, but also understanding," Rynn said. "We've been warning this might happen since last winter."
The wage changes include reductions in differential pay -- the extra pay staff gets for working night shifts, for example. It also involves cutting the premiums workers get for coming in on weekends and holidays, and also reducing overtime pay.
Rynn said the hospital is asking union members to accept the same cuts already imposed on non-union employees.
One change, Chapin said, would involve paying nurses overtime only when they work more than 40 hours in one week. Under the nurses' contract, they now get overtime when they work extra hours on a daily basis.
Chapin said many nurses now work only part time, so it's very difficult for them to work more than 40 hours a week.
She also said issues like the night differential have been issues the union has fought for over the years to boost union members' wages. Union members now earn an extra $2.60 per hour for working night shifts. The hospital wants to reduce that to $2, Chapin said.
"It took us 20 years to get that night differential," Chapin said. For that reason, she said, the union wants proof of how losing part of it will save jobs.
"We're not saying `No,' " she said. "But we're asking for dollar figures.''
bmiller@newstimes.com; 203-731-3345
Source: http://www.newstimes.com/local/article/Negotiations-on-hospital-jobs-begin-4671094.php
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Thursday, July 18, 2013
Microsoft 4Q profit misses; books Surface charge
In this Thursday, June 20, 2013, photo, people crowd the aisles during the grand opening of a Microsoft retail store in downtown Portland, Ore. Microsoft Corp. reports quarterly financial results after the market closes on July, 18, 2013. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)
In this Thursday, June 20, 2013, photo, people crowd the aisles during the grand opening of a Microsoft retail store in downtown Portland, Ore. Microsoft Corp. reports quarterly financial results after the market closes on July, 18, 2013. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Microsoft Corp.'s foray into the tablet computer market proved costly in the fourth quarter. The world's largest software company booked a $900 million write-down to account for the deep price cut it applied to its Surface RT tablet this week, a move to spur sales amid sluggish demand.
The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant cut the Surface RT's price to $349. The $150-per-device cut contributed to fourth quarter earnings that fell short of Wall Street forecasts, but even without the charge, earnings would have missed expectations.
Microsoft also saw revenue from its flagship Windows operating system decline 6 percent after excluding the late recognition of revenue from last year when it offered discounted upgrades to users of older systems.
The reception to its latest operating system, Windows 8, has been poor and the results reflected that. Analysts believe the new operating system is contributing to the longest slump in personal computer sales.
Microsoft shares fell 3.5 percent to $34.19 in after-hours trading after the results came out.
Despite weakness in key areas, revenue and profitability improved in Microsoft's other lines of business, including enterprise software, servers and tools, the Xbox video game division and the Bing search unit.
Net income in the April-June quarter came to $4.97 billion, or 59 cents per share, reversing a loss of $492 million a year ago when it wrote down almost the entire value of its 2007 purchase of online ad service aQuantive.
Excluding the Surface charge, earnings were 66 cents per share, short of the 75 cents per share expected by analysts polled by FactSet.
Revenue grew 10 percent to $19.90 billion, also below the $20.72 million expected.
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Willetts announces ?85 million for 3 key technologies
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 17-Jul-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Press Office
pressoffice@epsrc.ac.uk
01-793-444-404
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Three key technologies, identified in the pre-budget statement by The Chancellor of the Exchequer as part of the government's 'eight great technologies' to drive UK growth, are to receive an 85 million investment for capital equipment.
Speaking at the Global Intelligent Systems conference in London, David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, announced the results of a call for proposals issued by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Funding will be made available to more than 20 universities across the UK to support and strengthen existing research in the areas of Robotics and Autonomous systems, Advanced Materials, and Grid-scale energy storage.
Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts said: "For Britain to get ahead in the global race we have to back emerging technologies and ensure our universities have the latest equipment. This capital investment will help scientists make new discoveries and take their research through to commercial success. It will drive growth and support the Government's industrial strategy."
The investment will underpin key sectors for the UK economy, including automotive, manufacturing, aerospace, energy, and healthcare.
Robotics and autonomous systems will receive:
EPSRC Grant of 25 million with additional funding contributions of 8.4 million from higher education institutions and 6 million from industrial partners
= Total of 39.4 million
Advanced materials will receive:
EPSRC Grant of 30 million with additional funding contributions of 11.7 million from higher education institutions and 5.5 million from industrial partners
= Total of 47.2 million
Grid-scale energy storage will receive:
EPSRC Grant of 30 million with additional funding contributions of 9.8 million from higher education institutions and 5.8 million from industrial partners
= Total of 45.6 million
Professor David Delpy, EPSRC Chief Executive said: "The successful bids will build capability in areas that are vital for the country and where exciting research is already being carried out. Developing new ways to storing energy, creating new materials for manufacturing and other industries, and increasing our understanding of how autonomous systems communicate, learn and work with humans."
Examples of facilities benefiting from funding are:
- Micro-engineering facilities at Imperial College London for the development of miniaturised robots for surgery and targeted therapy. Which will be supported by advances in materials, micro-fabrication and micro-machining, as well as rapid prototyping technologies.
These robots are expected to have impact on minimally invasive procedures including gastrointestinal, urological, neuro, cardiac, endovascular, paediatric, and orthopaedic surgeries.
- An internationally leading facility at the University of Bristol for understanding the evolving microstructure of advanced composite materials.
The facility will build on the Advanced Composites Centre for Innovation and Science (ACCIS) which has major industrial backing and works closely with the National Composites Centre (NCC, part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult.
- A new research facility at Brunel University to deliver revolutionary new manufacturing methods for UK carmakers. There will be a focus on reusing metal many times to reduce new metal mining and revolutionary new metal casting techniques, will benefit British car makers . The 14 million Advanced Metal Casting Centre (AMCC) at Brunel will bridge the gap between fundamental research and full-scale industrial trials.
The centre is jointly funded by EPSRC, the aluminium automotive sheet & extrusions solutions provider Constellium, Brunel, and a major luxury car manufacturer.
- The creation of a Centre for Cryogenic Energy Storage at the University of Birmingham, in collaboration with the University of Hull and industrial partners, to accelerate development of cryogenic energy storage (CES) technology and novel materials at lower cost. The new Centre will be the UK's first dedicated research facility for energy storage using cryogenic liquids, comprising new laboratories, state of the art equipment, and a major demonstration plant. This will keep the UK at the leading edge of CES research and development.
The 'liquid air' technology could revolutionise the storage of energy, reducing the costs of integrating intermittent generation into the electricity system and ensuring power is available when it is most needed.
Cryogenic energy storage systems use off-peak electricity to liquefy air. The cryogenic liquid that is formed is stored in a vessel then vapourised into a gas during an expansion process, which drives a turbine. This system generates electricity when it is most needed; taking off-peak electricity and using it at peak times will solve the 'wrong-time wrong-place' energy generation and supply problem. A grid-connected pilot plant has been operating in Slough since 2010.
###
For media enquiries contact:
EPSRC Press Office
Tel: 01793 444 404
e-mail: pressoffice@epsrc.ac.uk
Notes to Editors:
1. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is the UK's main agency for funding research in engineering and the physical sciences. EPSRC invests around 800 million a year in research and postgraduate training, to help the nation handle the next generation of technological change. The areas covered range from information technology to structural engineering, and mathematics to materials science. This research forms the basis for future economic development in the UK and improvements for everyone's health, lifestyle and culture. EPSRC works alongside other Research Councils with responsibility for other areas of research. The Research Councils work collectively on issues of common concern via Research Councils UK. http://www.epsrc.ac.uk
Projects to be funded through 85 million capital call are:
25 million for Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Imperial College London. 4 million Micro-Engineering Facility for Medical Robotics
University of Oxford. 3 million Mobile Robotics: Enabling a Pervasive Technology of the Future
University College London. 2.4 million Robotic Teleoperation for Multiple Scales: Enabling Exploration, Manipulation and Assembly Tasks in New Worlds Beyond Human Capabilities
University of Warwick. 3.1 million Robotics and Autonomous Systems: The Smart and Connected Vehicle
University of Southampton. 2.8 million Robotics and Autonomous Systems: Southampton University Capital Proposal
University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University. 6.1million The Edinburgh Robotic and Autonomous Systems Interaction Research Facility
University of Leeds. 2.6 million National Facility for Innovative Robotic Systems
University of Sheffield and University of Liverpool. 1 million Human-Machine Co-operation in Robotics and Autonomous Systems
30 million for Advanced Materials
University of St Andrews. 3.7 million Characterisation and Manipulation of Advanced Functional materials and their Interfaces at the Nanoscale
University of Bristol. 3.1 million Composites Innovation: from Atoms to Applications
Brunel University. 3.9 million Scale-up Facilities for Resource Efficient Processing of High Performance Alloys
The University of Manchester. 4.3 million On the Nano-engineering of Surfaces In Demanding Environments (ON-SIDE)
University of Glasgow. 3 million Capability to Improve the Energy Efficiency of Electronic & Optoelectronic Devices
Newcastle University. 2.7million Ion-Beam-Analysis User's Service for Interface Characterisation and Engineering NEIBUS
University of Oxford. 3.5 million Multifunctional high performance alloys for extreme environments
University of Nottingham. 2. 7 million Multifunctional Additive Manufacturing
University of Southampton. 3.3 million Development and Manufacture of Advanced Composite Materials
30 million for Grid Scale Energy Storage
Imperial College London, University of Birmingham, University of Cambridge, Cardiff University, Newcastle University, University of Oxford, University of Sheffield, University of St Andrews, University College London. 14.3 million Energy Storage for Low Carbon Grids
University of Sheffield, Aston University, University of Southampton. 4.9 million Grid Connected Energy Storage Research Demonstrator
The University of Manchester, University of Liverpool. 3.3million Manchester-Liverpool Advanced Grid-scale Energy Storage R&D facilities
University of Birmingham, University of Hull. 5.9 million Centre for Cryongenic Energy Storage
Loughborough University, University of Nottingham, University of Warwick. 1.7 million ThermExS Lab: thermal energy storage lab
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Public release date: 17-Jul-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Press Office
pressoffice@epsrc.ac.uk
01-793-444-404
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Three key technologies, identified in the pre-budget statement by The Chancellor of the Exchequer as part of the government's 'eight great technologies' to drive UK growth, are to receive an 85 million investment for capital equipment.
Speaking at the Global Intelligent Systems conference in London, David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, announced the results of a call for proposals issued by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Funding will be made available to more than 20 universities across the UK to support and strengthen existing research in the areas of Robotics and Autonomous systems, Advanced Materials, and Grid-scale energy storage.
Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts said: "For Britain to get ahead in the global race we have to back emerging technologies and ensure our universities have the latest equipment. This capital investment will help scientists make new discoveries and take their research through to commercial success. It will drive growth and support the Government's industrial strategy."
The investment will underpin key sectors for the UK economy, including automotive, manufacturing, aerospace, energy, and healthcare.
Robotics and autonomous systems will receive:
EPSRC Grant of 25 million with additional funding contributions of 8.4 million from higher education institutions and 6 million from industrial partners
= Total of 39.4 million
Advanced materials will receive:
EPSRC Grant of 30 million with additional funding contributions of 11.7 million from higher education institutions and 5.5 million from industrial partners
= Total of 47.2 million
Grid-scale energy storage will receive:
EPSRC Grant of 30 million with additional funding contributions of 9.8 million from higher education institutions and 5.8 million from industrial partners
= Total of 45.6 million
Professor David Delpy, EPSRC Chief Executive said: "The successful bids will build capability in areas that are vital for the country and where exciting research is already being carried out. Developing new ways to storing energy, creating new materials for manufacturing and other industries, and increasing our understanding of how autonomous systems communicate, learn and work with humans."
Examples of facilities benefiting from funding are:
- Micro-engineering facilities at Imperial College London for the development of miniaturised robots for surgery and targeted therapy. Which will be supported by advances in materials, micro-fabrication and micro-machining, as well as rapid prototyping technologies.
These robots are expected to have impact on minimally invasive procedures including gastrointestinal, urological, neuro, cardiac, endovascular, paediatric, and orthopaedic surgeries.
- An internationally leading facility at the University of Bristol for understanding the evolving microstructure of advanced composite materials.
The facility will build on the Advanced Composites Centre for Innovation and Science (ACCIS) which has major industrial backing and works closely with the National Composites Centre (NCC, part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult.
- A new research facility at Brunel University to deliver revolutionary new manufacturing methods for UK carmakers. There will be a focus on reusing metal many times to reduce new metal mining and revolutionary new metal casting techniques, will benefit British car makers . The 14 million Advanced Metal Casting Centre (AMCC) at Brunel will bridge the gap between fundamental research and full-scale industrial trials.
The centre is jointly funded by EPSRC, the aluminium automotive sheet & extrusions solutions provider Constellium, Brunel, and a major luxury car manufacturer.
- The creation of a Centre for Cryogenic Energy Storage at the University of Birmingham, in collaboration with the University of Hull and industrial partners, to accelerate development of cryogenic energy storage (CES) technology and novel materials at lower cost. The new Centre will be the UK's first dedicated research facility for energy storage using cryogenic liquids, comprising new laboratories, state of the art equipment, and a major demonstration plant. This will keep the UK at the leading edge of CES research and development.
The 'liquid air' technology could revolutionise the storage of energy, reducing the costs of integrating intermittent generation into the electricity system and ensuring power is available when it is most needed.
Cryogenic energy storage systems use off-peak electricity to liquefy air. The cryogenic liquid that is formed is stored in a vessel then vapourised into a gas during an expansion process, which drives a turbine. This system generates electricity when it is most needed; taking off-peak electricity and using it at peak times will solve the 'wrong-time wrong-place' energy generation and supply problem. A grid-connected pilot plant has been operating in Slough since 2010.
###
For media enquiries contact:
EPSRC Press Office
Tel: 01793 444 404
e-mail: pressoffice@epsrc.ac.uk
Notes to Editors:
1. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is the UK's main agency for funding research in engineering and the physical sciences. EPSRC invests around 800 million a year in research and postgraduate training, to help the nation handle the next generation of technological change. The areas covered range from information technology to structural engineering, and mathematics to materials science. This research forms the basis for future economic development in the UK and improvements for everyone's health, lifestyle and culture. EPSRC works alongside other Research Councils with responsibility for other areas of research. The Research Councils work collectively on issues of common concern via Research Councils UK. http://www.epsrc.ac.uk
Projects to be funded through 85 million capital call are:
25 million for Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Imperial College London. 4 million Micro-Engineering Facility for Medical Robotics
University of Oxford. 3 million Mobile Robotics: Enabling a Pervasive Technology of the Future
University College London. 2.4 million Robotic Teleoperation for Multiple Scales: Enabling Exploration, Manipulation and Assembly Tasks in New Worlds Beyond Human Capabilities
University of Warwick. 3.1 million Robotics and Autonomous Systems: The Smart and Connected Vehicle
University of Southampton. 2.8 million Robotics and Autonomous Systems: Southampton University Capital Proposal
University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University. 6.1million The Edinburgh Robotic and Autonomous Systems Interaction Research Facility
University of Leeds. 2.6 million National Facility for Innovative Robotic Systems
University of Sheffield and University of Liverpool. 1 million Human-Machine Co-operation in Robotics and Autonomous Systems
30 million for Advanced Materials
University of St Andrews. 3.7 million Characterisation and Manipulation of Advanced Functional materials and their Interfaces at the Nanoscale
University of Bristol. 3.1 million Composites Innovation: from Atoms to Applications
Brunel University. 3.9 million Scale-up Facilities for Resource Efficient Processing of High Performance Alloys
The University of Manchester. 4.3 million On the Nano-engineering of Surfaces In Demanding Environments (ON-SIDE)
University of Glasgow. 3 million Capability to Improve the Energy Efficiency of Electronic & Optoelectronic Devices
Newcastle University. 2.7million Ion-Beam-Analysis User's Service for Interface Characterisation and Engineering NEIBUS
University of Oxford. 3.5 million Multifunctional high performance alloys for extreme environments
University of Nottingham. 2. 7 million Multifunctional Additive Manufacturing
University of Southampton. 3.3 million Development and Manufacture of Advanced Composite Materials
30 million for Grid Scale Energy Storage
Imperial College London, University of Birmingham, University of Cambridge, Cardiff University, Newcastle University, University of Oxford, University of Sheffield, University of St Andrews, University College London. 14.3 million Energy Storage for Low Carbon Grids
University of Sheffield, Aston University, University of Southampton. 4.9 million Grid Connected Energy Storage Research Demonstrator
The University of Manchester, University of Liverpool. 3.3million Manchester-Liverpool Advanced Grid-scale Energy Storage R&D facilities
University of Birmingham, University of Hull. 5.9 million Centre for Cryongenic Energy Storage
Loughborough University, University of Nottingham, University of Warwick. 1.7 million ThermExS Lab: thermal energy storage lab
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-07/eaps-wa071713.php
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Cuban ballplayer tells newspaper he is defecting
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) ? Cuban pitcher Misael Siverio told a Spanish-language newspaper he has defected to the United States and is going to try to make it to the major leagues.
Siverio was part of the Cuban national team that traveled to Iowa for an exhibition game against a collegiate all-star team from the U.S. But he apparently left the delegation at some point after it arrived in Des Moines on Tuesday afternoon.
"Leaving behind your country is not easy, but this was a decision that I gave a lot of thought," Siverio told El Nuevo Herald in Miami. "Of course, my dream is to play in the majors, and from now on I will start taking the first steps to make it happen."
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida also welcomed the 24-year-old Siverio to the U.S. in a post on her Twitter account on Wednesday. A message was left by The Associated Press seeking comment from the Cuban-American Republican.
Siverio was not listed when Team USA released an updated roster for Cuba on Wednesday. Team USA CEO Paul Seiler told the AP that, from Cuba's perspective, Siverio is no longer a member of their delegation.
Seiler and Antonio Becali, the head of the Cuban delegation, declined further comment.
The Cubans are in Iowa to play a team of American college stars in the opener of a five-game set spanning three cities. The set starts Thursday night in Des Moines at the home of the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, marking the first extended series between the two countries in American ballparks since 1996.
Siverio is the latest in a long line of Cuban players who defected to the U.S. Now he hopes to follow in the footsteps of a group of major leaguers who are playing prominent roles for contending teams.
Yoenis Cespedes won the Home Run Derby on Monday night during the All-Star festivities at Citi Field in New York. The 27-year-old outfielder is in his second season with Oakland, which leads the AL West by two games over Texas.
Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless inning in the National League's 3-0 loss to the American League on Tuesday night. Chapman, one of 18 Cubans on major league rosters at the start of the season, has 21 saves and a 2.79 ERA in 42 games.
Of course, there's also Yasiel Puig, who is off to a sensational start with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 22-year-old center fielder is batting .391 with eight homers and 19 RBIs in 38 games.
Siverio's defection overshadows what American and Cuban officials are hoping will be a celebration of a decades-old rivalry brought back to life.
The countries played each other in international friendlies from the late 70s until the mid-90s. Cuba also has played World Baseball Classic games in the U.S. and faced the Baltimore Orioles in Camden Yards in a memorable exhibition in 1999.
The matchup between Cuba's national team and American college players resumed last year in Havana, with the Cubans taking three of the five games.
The teams will play a pair of games in Omaha on July 19-20 before one game each in Cary and Durham, N.C.
"It was just a great opportunity to re-ignite what both ourselves and the Cuban federation believed is the two best baseball playing countries going at it," Seiler said at a press conference Wednesday, hours before news broke of Siverio's defection. "We view Cuba as the international benchmark for competition, and we believe they look at us the same way."
___
Associated Press reporter Barbara Rodriguez contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cuban-ballplayer-tells-newspaper-defecting-231608438.html
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