Ants' behavior leads to research method for optimizing product development time, costs

Jan. 29, 2013 ? Trying to find just the right balance of time spent in meetings and time performing tasks is a tough problem for managers, but a Wayne State University researcher believes the behavior of ants may provide a useful lesson on how to do it.

Using computer simulations derived from the characteristics of ants seeking food, Kai Yang, Ph.D., professor of industrial and systems engineering in the College of Engineering, has developed a mathematical model-based methodology to estimate the optimal amount of time spent to develop a product, as well as the cost, in overlapped product development. It is the latest in a series of projects he has worked on for Siemens North America.

"Non-discrete Ant Colony Optimisation (NdACO) to Optimise the Development Cycle Time and Cost in Overlapped Product Development," published recently in the International Journal of Production Research, utilizes the concept of concurrent engineering (CE), a systematic approach to product development based on parallel execution of tasks. The approach integrates several functions to reduce the development time and cost of a product while maintaining its quality. Co-authors include Satish Tyagi, Wayne State research assistant, and Anoop Verma, Ph.D., of the University of Iowa.

In CE, cross-functional teams communicate through several meetings, some before the beginning of project, categorized as precommunication, and some during execution of the project, called communication policy.

Because significant cost is incurred through those meetings, Yang said, it is necessary to investigate the cost-time trade-offs involved in the concurrent product development process to enhance work performance. Otherwise, applying the process can result in a larger number of iterations, or rework, adding to both time and cost.

"Currently, there is a lack of communication flow within organizations due to their large size, time differences, etc.," Yang said. "Therefore, the amount of precommunication and communication policy and the extent of overlapping stages should be meticulously determined to achieve the desired goals."

As product development moves forward, lack of communication from upstream decision-makers to downstream workers can leave the latter to operate without the latest available information to complete their task efficiently, he said.

Researchers studying ants' food-foraging behavior have noticed that changes in the pheromone trails left behind by the insects communicate the best ways for those that come after them to proceed. That led to the development of ant colony optimization (ACO) models, which Yang and his team are using.

Researchers believe their simulation model could reduce product definition time by as much as 50 percent, and lead to best practices that improve critical thinking and remove communication barriers. Such practices can be applied to large-sector manufacturing, health care and service companies, Yang said.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Wayne State University - Office of the Vice President for Research.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. S.K. Tyagi, Kai Yang, A. Verma. Non-discrete ant colony optimisation (NdACO) to optimise the development cycle time and cost in overlapped product development. International Journal of Production Research, 2013; 51 (2): 346 DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2011.633120

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/AkYtUmYv0G0/130129111751.htm

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Under pressure, Boy Scouts may ease no-gays policy

NEW YORK (AP) ? Facing diverse and ceaseless protests, the Boy Scouts of America is signaling its readiness to end the nationwide exclusion of gays as scouts or leaders and give the sponsors of local troops the freedom to decide the matter for themselves.

If approved by the Scouts' national executive board, possibly as soon as next week, the change would be another momentous milestone for America's gay-rights movement, following a surge of support for same-sex marriage and the ending of the ban on gays serving opening in military.

"The pulse of equality is strong in America, and today it beats a bit faster with news that the Boy Scouts may finally put an end to its long history of discrimination," said Chad Griffin of the Human Rights Campaign, a major gay-rights group.

Under the proposed change, which was outlined Monday by the Scouts, the different religious and civic groups that sponsor Scout units would be able to decide for themselves how to address the issue ? either maintaining an exclusion of gays, as is now required of all units, or opening up their membership.

Southern Baptist leaders ? who consider homosexuality a sin ? were furious about the possible change and said its approval might encourage Southern Baptist churches to support other boys' organizations instead of the BSA. The Southern Baptists are among the largest sponsors of Scout units, along with the Roman Catholic, Mormon and United Methodist churches.

Under the proposed change, said BSA spokesman Deron Smith, "the Boy Scouts would not, under any circumstances, dictate a position to units, members, or parents."

The Irving, Texas-based BSA, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010, has long excluded both gays and atheists. Smith said that a change in the policy toward atheists was not being considered and that the BSA continued to view "Duty to God" as one of its basic principles.

Protests over the no-gays policy gained momentum in 2000, when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the BSA's right to exclude gays. Scout units lost sponsorships by public schools and other entities that adhered to nondiscrimination policies, and several local Scout councils made public their displeasure with the policy.

More recently, pressure surfaced on the Scouts' own national executive board. Two high-powered members ? Ernst & Young CEO James Turley and AT&T Inc. CEO Randall Stephenson ? indicated they would try to work from within to change the membership policy, which stood in contrast to their own companies' non-discrimination policies.

Amid petition campaigns by Change.org, shipping giant UPS Inc. and drug-manufacturer Merck & Co. announced that they were halting donations from their charitable foundations to the Boy Scouts as long as the no-gays policy was in force.

Also, local Scout officials drew widespread criticism last year for ousting Jennifer Tyrrell, a lesbian mom, as a den leader of her son's Cub Scout pack in Ohio and for refusing to approve an Eagle Scout application by Ryan Andresen, a California teen who came out as gay last fall.

Tyrrell said she was thrilled for parents and their children who've been excluded from scouting and "for those who are in Scouts and hiding who they are."

"For me it's not just about the Boy Scouts of America, it's about equality," she told The Associated Press. "This is a step toward equality in all aspects."

Many of the protest campaigns, including one seeking Tyrrell's reinstatement, had been waged with help from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

"The Boy Scouts of America have heard from Scouts, corporations and millions of Americans that discriminating against gay scouts and scout leaders is wrong," said Herndon Graddick, GLAAD's president. "Scouting is a valuable institution, and this change will only strengthen its core principles of fairness and respect."

The Scouts had reaffirmed the no-gays policy as recently as last year and appeared to have strong backing from the conservative religious denominations that sponsor large numbers of Scout units. Under the proposed change, they could continue excluding gays.

Before Monday's announcement, the BSA conferred with some leaders of these religious groups, including the Rev. Frank Page, who leads the Southern Baptist Executive Committee.

According to Roger S. Oldham, a spokesman for the executive committee, Page then wrote to the Scouts "expressing his tremendous dismay at the decision."

"They had been working for months on this proposal and just days before they informed us," Oldham said in a telephone interview. "We would anticipate that there would be a very significant backlash to this as churches re-evaluate whether scouting comports with."

If the Scouts proceed with the change, Oldham said, SBC leaders were likely to issue a statement "expressing disappointed and encouraging our churches to support alternative boys organizations."

Neither the Catholic Church nor the Mormons' Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued official statements as to how they would respond.

Said Sister Mary Ann Walsh, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, "The bishops hope the Boy Scouts will continue to work under the Judeo-Christian principles upon which they were founded and under which they have served youth well."

Were the change adopted, said BSA spokesman Smith, "there would no longer be any national policy regarding sexual orientation."

"BSA members and parents would be able to choose a local unit that best meets the needs of their families," he said. "Under this proposed policy, the BSA would not require any chartered organization to act in ways inconsistent with that organization's mission, principles, or religious beliefs."

The announcement came shortly after new data showed that membership in the Cub Scouts ? the BSA's biggest division ? dropped sharply last year and was down nearly 30 percent over the past 14 years.

According to figures provided by the organization, Cub Scout ranks dwindled by 3.4 percent, from 1,583,166 in 2011 to 1,528,673 in 2012. That's down from 2.17 million in 1998.

The BSA's overall "traditional youth membership" ? Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venturers ? totaled 2,658,794 in 2012, compared to more than 4 million in peak years of the past.

The Boy Scouts attribute the decline largely to broad social changes, including the allure of video games and the proliferation of youth sports leagues and other options for after-school activities.

However, critics of the Scouts suggest that its recruitment efforts have been hampered by high-profile controversies ? notably the court-ordered release of files dealing with sex abuse allegations and persistent protests over the no-gays policy.

The Scouts have been buffeted in recent years by multiple court cases related to past allegations of sexual abuse by Scout leaders, including those chronicled in long-confidential records that are widely known as the "perversion files."

Through various cases, the Scouts have been forced to reveal files dating from the 1960s to 1991. They detailed numerous cases where abuse claims were made and Boy Scout officials never alerted authorities and sometimes actively sought to protect the accused.

The BSA has apologized for past lapses and cover-ups and has stressed the steps taken to improve youth protection policy. Since 2010, for example, it has mandated that any suspected abuse be reported to police.

___

Associated Press writers John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, and Rachel Zoll in New York contributed to this report.

___

Boy Scouts: http://www.scouting.org/

___

David Crary can be reached at http://twitter.com/CraryAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/under-pressure-boy-scouts-may-ease-no-gays-075125406.html

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School bus-drivers union blasts employer as negotiations continue

The union representing Beaufort County school bus drivers has issued a statement that is light on details on ongoing negotiations with Durham School Services.

"Durham School Services initially told us they did not want to negotiate this contract through the media," the statement says. "We have honored their request despite the fact that they have not done the same."

Durham officials released details of the company's counterproposal Tuesday to bus drivers. John Elliott, Durham chairman emeritus, told reporters Tuesday the company offered to increase new drivers' starting pay by 50 cents to $12 an hour.

Average pay would rise 45 cents to $15.01 per hour. Drivers work at least 4 1/2-hours a day, depending on the length of their route, he said. That would increase drivers' pay 3 to 4 percent. The union had requested a 10-percent raise, according to Elliott.

Beaufort union members voted Monday to strike should negotiations fail. Teamsters and Durham officials met Tuesday and today and will meet Thursday to continue negotiations.

Each day of meetings has been devoted to a different school district where a strike may occur -- Dorchester 2, Charleston and Beaufort County districts. Negotiations for the Beaufort County district are expected to occur Thursday.

"We still hope to reach an agreement with the company that improves safety and provides the drivers and monitors with dignity and respect," the Teamsters' statement said.

Related content

1. School bus company offers counterproposal, Jan. 29, 2013
2. Beaufort County school bus drivers vote to strike if talks fail, Jan. 28, 2013
3. SC board approves emergency plan in case of school bus driver strike, Jan. 23, 2013

Source: http://www.islandpacket.com/2013/01/30/2361210/school-bus-drivers-union-blasts.html

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Rage over emergency decree in Egypt

CAIRO (Reuters) - A man was shot dead on Monday in a fifth day of violence in Egypt that has killed 50 people and prompted the Islamist president to declare a state of emergency in an attempt to end a wave of unrest sweeping the Arab world's biggest nation.

Emergency rule announced by President Mohamed Mursi on Sunday covers the cities of Port Said, Ismailia and Suez. The army has already been deployed in two of those cities and cabinet approved a measure to let soldiers arrest civilians.

A cabinet source told Reuters any trials would be before civilian courts, but the step is likely to anger protesters who accuse Mursi of using high-handed security tactics of the kind they fought against to oust President Hosni Mubarak.

Egypt's politics have become deeply polarised since those heady days two years ago, when protesters were making most of the running in the Arab Spring revolutions that sent shockwaves through the region and Islamists and liberals lined up together.

Although Islamists have won parliamentary and presidential elections, the disparate opposition has since united against Mursi. Late last year he moved to expand his powers and push a constitution with Islamist leanings through a referendum, punctuated by violent street protests.

Mursi's call for a national dialogue meeting on Monday to help end the crisis was spurned by his main opponents.

They accuse Mursi of hijacking the revolution, listening only to his Islamist allies and breaking a promise to be a president for all Egyptians. Islamists say their rivals want to overthrow by undemocratic means Egypt's first freely elected leader.

Anti-Mursi protesters were out on the streets again in Cairo and elsewhere on Monday, the second anniversary of one of the bloodiest days in the revolution that erupted on January 25, 2011, and ended Mubarak's iron rule 18 days later.

CONCERNS

Hundreds of demonstrators in Port Said, Ismailia and Suez, cities which all lie on the economically vital Suez Canal, had turned out against Mursi's decision on Sunday within moments of him speaking. Activists there pledged to defy a curfew that starts at 9 p.m. (1700 GMT).

Instability in Egypt has raised concerns in Western capitals, where officials worry about the direction of a key regional player that has a peace deal with Israel.

The political unrest has been exacerbated by street violence linked to death penalties imposed on soccer supporters convicted of involvement in stadium rioting a year ago.

In Cairo on Monday, police fired volleys of teargas at stone-throwing protesters near Tahrir Square, cauldron of the anti-Mubarak uprising. A 46-year-old bystander was killed by a gunshot, a security source said. It was not clear who opened fire.

"We want to bring down the regime and end the state that is run by the Muslim Brotherhood," said Ibrahim Eissa, a 26-year-old cook, protecting his face from teargas wafting towards him.

Propelled to the presidency in a June election by the Muslim Brotherhood, Mursi has lurched through a series of political crises and violent demonstrations, complicating his task of shoring up the economy and of preparing for a parliamentary election to cement the new democracy in a few months.

"The protection of the nation is the responsibility of everyone. We will confront any threat to its security with force and firmness within the remit of the law," Mursi said, angering many of his opponents when he wagged his finger at the camera.

The president offered condolences to families of victims of violence and also called a dialogue meeting on Monday at 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) between Islamist allies and their liberal, leftist and other opponents to discuss the crisis.

The main opposition National Salvation Front coalition rejected the offer as "cosmetic and not substantive" and set several conditions that have not been met in the past, such as forming a national salvation government. They also demanded that Mursi announce his responsibility for the bloodshed.

SECURITY MEASURES

"We will send a message to the Egyptian people and the president of the republic about what we think are the essentials for dialogue. If he agrees to them, we are ready for dialogue," opposition politician Mohamed ElBaradei told a news conference.

The opposition Front has distanced itself from the latest flare-ups but said Mursi should have acted far sooner to impose security measures that would have ended the violence.

"Of course we feel the president is missing the real problem on the ground, which is his own policies," Front spokesman Khaled Dawoud said after Mursi made his declaration.

Other activists said Mursi's measures to try to impose control on the turbulent streets could backfire.

"Martial law, state of emergency and army arrests of civilians are not a solution to the crisis," Ahmed Maher of the April 6 movement that helped galvanise the 2011 uprising said. "All this will do is further provoke the youth. The solution has to be a political one that addresses the roots of the problem."

Thousands of mourners joined funerals in Port Said for the latest victims in the Mediterranean port city. Seven people were killed there on Sunday when residents joined marches to bury 33 others who had been killed a day earlier, most by gunshot wounds in a city where arms are rife.

Protests erupted there on Saturday after a court sentenced to death several people from the city for their role in deadly soccer violence last year, a verdict residents saw as unfair. The anger swiftly turned against Mursi and his government.

Rights activists said Mursi's declaration was a backward step for Egypt, which was under emergency law for Mubarak's entire 30-year rule. His police used the sweeping arrest provisions to muzzle dissent and round up opponents, including members of the Brotherhood and even Mursi himself.

Heba Morayef of Human Rights Watch in Cairo said the police, still hated by many Egyptians for their heavy-handed tactics under Mubarak, would once again have the right to arrest people "purely because they look suspicious", undermining efforts to create a more efficient and respected police force.

"It is a classic knee-jerk reaction to think the emergency law will help bring security," she said. "It gives so much discretion to the Ministry of Interior that it ends up causing more abuse, which in turn causes more anger."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-leader-declares-emergency-clashes-kill-dozens-052915983.html

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Boston Scientific plans job cuts, 4Q tops St. view

Boston Scientific plans to cut as many as 1,000 additional jobs this year as the medical device maker expands a push to reduce operating expenses.

The company's shares jumped in morning trading Tuesday, as it also reported a fourth-quarter profit and earnings outlook that topped Wall Street expectations.

The 900 to 1,000 cuts will include layoffs as well as the elimination of unfilled positions. They come on top of a restructuring plan, started in 2011, that included 1,200 to 1,400 job cuts. The Natick, Mass., employs roughly 24,000 people worldwide, so total cuts could amount to 10 percent of the company's jobs. Boston Scientific hasn't decided where the additional cuts will be made, said spokesman Steven Campanini.

The company said Tuesday that its fourth-quarter net income shrank 44 percent to $60 million, or 4 cents per share, as it absorbed charges for restructuring and litigation. Not counting these charges, earnings were 18 cents per share. Revenue slipped 1 percent to $1.82 billion.

Analysts forecast, on average, earnings of 11 cents per share on $1.76 billion in revenue, according to FactSet.

Boston Scientific expects to reduce annual operating expenses, before taxes, by about $340 million to $375 million by the end of this year. That includes expected savings of $100 million to $115 million from the additional restructuring measures announced Tuesday.

For the year, Boston Scientific expects adjusted earnings of 64 to 70 cents per share on revenue of $7.05 billion to $7.35 billion. Wall Street predicted profit of 43 cents per share on revenue of $7.11 billion.

In the current quarter, Boston Scientific expects adjusted profit of 14 to 17 cents per share on revenue of $1.74 billion to $1.82 billion. Analysts expected profit of 10 cents per share on revenue of $1.79 billion.

The company's shares climbed nearly 6 percent, or 41 cents, to $7.27 in Tuesday morning trading. The stock peaked earlier in the morning at a 52-week high of $7.43.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-01-29-Earns-Boston%20Scientific/id-5901cbf4bcba4b72bf05bd909dcfd68f

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Store Charges $125 to Downgrade to Windows 7 for Unhappy ...

Ok, so Windows 8 is not getting the rave reviews that Microsoft had hoped for.? It seems as if some savvy computer stores are taking advantage of the dissatisfied Windows 7 loyal users.? Twitter user Michael Jerewitz snapped a picture that shows one certified Microsoft service center that saw a demand and rose to the occasion.? Are consumers really that willing to part with that kind of money to not learn a few new ?tricks? of an operating system?? OR, is the Windows 8 just full of glitches and problems?

Whether it is glitches and problems vs. not wanting to teach an old dog new tricks, there are several ways to resolve issues with Windows 8.? Microsoft customers who don?t live near the undisclosed location of this store do have other options for a downgrade. HP and Lenovo offer help online for customers trying to perform downgrades themselves.? If you don?t mind paying for Windows 7 and are willing to pay $69.99, Best Buy?s Geek Squad will install Windows 7 on a Windows 8 machine at point of purchase. A complete version of Windows 7 Home Premium for $162 and Windows 7 Ultimate for a cringe-inducing $306 can be found at Amazon.com.However, at those prices, users that unhappy with a new Windows 8 machine can emulate Microsoft?s older interfaces by installing a Start Menu Replacement app.

PC buyers who already know they don?t want to mess with Windows 8 should consider buying a new PC with Windows 7 already pre-loaded and still available from major tech retailers.? It would be good to hurry though because there is no guarantee they will stick around as long as Windows XP or Vista.

There might be other challenges you face in your personal and business technology needs.? There is a Tech Travel Agent available with a single call or e-mail who will develop unique solutions for your unique challenges. As always, if you know what you need right now, you can visit Rentacomputer.com to get a Quick Rental Quote and take care of business right now?24/7/365!

Tags: Amazon, computer rental, Downgrade, HP, Lenovo, microsoft, PC, Technology Rental, Upgrade, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Vista, Windows XP

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 27th, 2013 at 7:16 pm and is filed under computer rental, laptop rental, mac rental, sever rental, tablet rental, Technology Rentals, Uncategorized. You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://blog.rentacomputer.com/2013/01/27/store-charges-125-to-downgrade-to-windows-7-for-unhappy-windows-8-users/

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US fighter jet missing on training mission

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Air Force is searching the Adriatic Sea after losing contact with a U.S. fighter jet during a training mission off the coast of Italy.

The headquarters of the 31st Fighter Wing, at Aviano Air Base in Italy, issued a brief statement saying the F-16 fighter had one pilot aboard when contact was lost Monday evening.

There was no immediate word on the fate of the plane or the pilot.

Initial word was that the F-16 was not carrying weapons.

Italian aircraft and boats were helping in the search. The paramilitary Carabinieri force deployed helicopters, the Italian coast guard had motorboats in the area and Italian air force helicopters were also involved.

The search was being concentrated in the waters off a roughly a 9.5 mile stretch of coast between Cervia and Cesenatico in the northwestern end of the Adriatic.

Italian news agency LaPresse said the F-16 had sent an alarm signal to Aviano before it disappeared, and that three other F-16s that were flying in the same training mission made it safely back to Aviano base.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-01-28-F-16%20Missing/id-2d2e1d0ba4ed4000920ca8fd619f0468

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Norwegian Study: Global Warming Less Severe Than Feared

Numerous news outlets are reporting the findings of a study from the Research Council of Norway ? a government agency ? which concludes that (in Bloomberg's version) "After the planet's average surface temperature rose through the 1990s, the increase has almost leveled off at the level of 2000, while ocean water temperature has also stabilized." The New York Times' Dot Earth blog offers some reasons to be skeptical of the findings.

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/d6Gn4CpO-OY/story01.htm

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Investing In Citizenship: For The Rich, A Road To The U.S.

Investing In Citizenship: For The Rich, A Road To The U.S.

The Barclays Center in New York, the new home of the Brooklyn Nets, was built partially with investment from overseas donors seeking U.S. citizenship. A little-known immigration program allows wealthy investors to get a green card in exchange for funding American businesses.

The traditional immigrant story is a familiar one.

Someone who longs for a better life makes the tough journey, leaves behind the hardships of his or her native land and comes to the United States to start again. That story, in a lot of ways, helped build this country.

These days, however, there's a very different kind of immigrant who wants to come to this country the rich and they have a different set of dreams.

Anthony Korda was a barrister, or lawyer, in England who vacationed frequently in the U.S. with his family.

"Each time we left the nice weather of Florida, we were more depressed about having to leave," Korda tells NPR's Robert Smith.

Korda says they did not look forward to slogging through the London rain, so he made a lifestyle choice: He was going to immigrate to the U.S. and live in a place where you could get a real tan.

Korda found pretty quickly, though, that the last thing the U.S. needed was more lawyers, so a standard or employment-based visa was unlikely. But then he saw a shortcut to becoming an American in a small, obscure federal program called EB-5, designed for people like him to get into the country if they had enough money.

"It looked too good to be true," he says.

All Korda had to do was cash out most of his savings about $500,000 and invest in an American business. If he could help create 10 jobs, then he would get a green card.

Korda's investment was a ski resort in Vermont that was looking to improve its infrastructure. So he put down his money and got to move to Florida and vacation in Vermont. He and his family got the American dream, but what did America get in return?

A Path For Rich Immigrants

The immigration program for the rich was designed to provide a boost to the U.S. economy, and it costs very little to give out the visas. The program allows 10,000 people a year to immigrate using the investment method. It's never reached that limit, but it is getting more popular every year. In 2012, about 7,600 made use of the program.

Some of those dollars are going to the Barclay's Center, the new home of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets.

Bloomberg News reports that more than $200 million of the loans to build the arena came from foreigners who were using the investment to get into the U.S. The business plan predicts that in the end, it will create more than 5,000 jobs.

That's how it's supposed to work, but often the projects funded by the EB-5 visas are not quite as glamorous.

David North, a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, says the government's rules for these visas encourage investment in depressed areas, rural places and inner cities. These are places where private investment is scarce and often risky.

"The investments that are open to an EB-5 investor are really rock-bottom, marginal investments," North says. "These are essentially small, usually real estate investments of some kind [and] small construction investments."

North says one of the other problems with the rules is that the investors have very few responsibilities to make sure the project works.

"We're not bringing entrepreneurs to this country in this program," he says, "we're bringing passive investors."

Economic Or Immigration Program?

The federal government doesn't release numbers to show how many of the investments succeed or fail. Dune Lawrence, an investigative reporter with Bloomberg News, has tried to figure it out. She tells NPR's Smith that the program has several problems.

"The basic problem starts with the fact that it's an economic development program run by an immigration agency," Lawrence says. "The immigration agency is focused on immigration."

That focus by the agency, of handling the applications and paperwork concerned with the investor's immigration status, makes it unprepared to handle the economic side of the program, Lawrence says.

The only data released by the government is how many green cards were issued through the program, she says, which doesn't tell you how many investments actually succeeded in the long term.

"It's all based on the economic assumptions that were made at the beginning of the project," she says, "and if they can show that they're in the process of spending the money then that's that."

Despite all the questions, defenders of the program say that money is money. Maybe some rich foreigners could lose their stake and perhaps some won't create the right number of jobs, but it is a real if relatively tiny bump in investment in U.S. businesses.

Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University in Texas, says that overall he thinks the program is good for the economy.

"It is bringing in money ... and investment to the United States that otherwise might not have come here," he says.

Jones says just as you can find anecdotal evidence of failure, you can find a bunch of examples of successful projects funded with foreign investment. In Texas, he's looked at successful strip malls, horse-racing enterprises and real estate projects funded by immigrants that seem to be working.

Korda, the lawyer who wanted to live on the beach, says he has seen only a modest return on his investment in the ski resort, between 1.5 and 2 percent.

Though he could have done much better in the stock market or bonds, the tradeoff for Korda is he's now living in Florida instead of London. He now consults with other wealthy foreigners wanting to use the program to come to America.

Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

Source: http://www.gpb.org/news/2013/01/26/investing-in-citizenship-for-the-rich-a-road-to-the-u-s

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Iran says it successfully sent a monkey into space

In this undated image taken from AP Television, scientists in Iran surround a monkey ahead of a space launch. Iran said it had successfully sent the monkey into space on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, describing the launch as another step toward Tehran's goal of a manned space flight. According to a brief report on state TV, the monkey was sent up to a height of 120 kilometers (72 miles) on board a rocket dubbed Pishgam, or Pioneer in Farsi. (AP Photo/AP Video)

In this undated image taken from AP Television, scientists in Iran surround a monkey ahead of a space launch. Iran said it had successfully sent the monkey into space on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, describing the launch as another step toward Tehran's goal of a manned space flight. According to a brief report on state TV, the monkey was sent up to a height of 120 kilometers (72 miles) on board a rocket dubbed Pishgam, or Pioneer in Farsi. (AP Photo/AP Video)

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? A gray-tufted monkey strapped in a pod resembling an infant's car seat rode an Iranian rocket into space and returned safely, officials said Monday in what was described as a step toward Tehran's goal of a manned space flight.

The mission also touched on concerns that advances in Iran's rocket expertise could be channeled into military use for long-range weapons that might one day carry nuclear warheads. Iran says it does not seek atomic weapons.

Launching a live animal into space ? as the U.S. and the Soviet Union did more than a half-century ago in the infancy of their programs ? may boost a country's stature. But John Logsden, a space policy professor emeritus at George Washington University, said Iran's achievement should draw no concern.

"A slight monkey on a suborbital flight is nothing to get too excited about," he said. "They already had the capability to launch warheads in their region."

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the U.S. had no way to confirm the monkey's voyage, but that it was concerned by the reports because "any space launch vehicle capable of placing an object in orbit is directly relevant to the development of long-range ballistic missiles."

The U.N. Security Council has expressly forbidden Iran from such ballistic missile activity, Nuland added.

In June 2010, the Security Council banned Iran from pursuing "any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons."

With its ambitious aerospace program, Iran has said it wants to become a technological leader for the Islamic world.

It's not the first time Iran has announced it had rocketed a live creature out of the Earth's atmosphere. The country sent a mouse, a turtle and some worms into space in 2010, officials said.

But the purported successful voyage of the small monkey, shown wearing a protective vest, put Iran among just a handful of nations that have sent a primate into space in a mission seen as a precursor of human spaceflight. No name was given for the monkey.

Earlier this month, the director of Iran's space agency, Hamid Fazeli, said Iran wanted to launch its first manned space mission in as soon as five years ? a goal that stretches back to the shah's fascination with NASA years before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

"Iran is on its way to send a man into space," said Iran's Defense Minister Gen. Ahmad Vahidi in comments posted on the ministry's website.

He added that the capsule "returned to Earth safely at the expected speed, together with the monkey inside," without giving further details.

According to state TV, the rocket dubbed "Pishgam," or "Pioneer" in Farsi, reached a height of 120 kilometers (72 miles), pushing into the threshold of space.

Iran's state TV broadcast its first video pictures showing Iranian scientists fixing the seated monkey into the rocket before the launch. It did not give any details on the timing or location of the launch.

Still images also showed the monkey wearing a type of molded body protection and being strapped tightly into a red plastic seat. The monkey was shown immobilized with straps and his face poked through a purple shield that covered his head and upper body.

Fazel said the monkey parachuted safely with the remaining last stage of the rocket. The TV also showed experts walking to the site in the middle of a desert where the monkey landed.

Fazel told the state TV that Iran will launch a bigger rocket together with a larger animal to obtain greater safety assurances before sending a man into space.

For Iran, its aerospace program is a source of national pride at a time of slumping economic fortunes from Western sanctions. It's also one of the pillars of Iran's aspirations to be seen as the technological hub for Islamic and developing countries.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and others repeatedly describe scientific progress ? including Iran's uranium enrichment labs ? as a patriotic duty in response to Western economic and diplomatic pressures.

Iran's rocket technology alarms the West as giving it intercontinental reach for a possible arsenal. Already, conventional Iranian missiles are capable of reaching Israel and U.S. military bases in the Persian Gulf.

Iran insists it only seeks nuclear reactors for energy and medical applications. But authorities also say there can be no retreat from homegrown technological development in all fields ? from peaceful nuclear research to military surveillance drones.

Tehran has announced several successful launches of satellites, dating back to 2005 in a joint project with Russia.

In November, the head of Iran's powerful parliamentary committee on security and foreign policy, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, warned that "no power can prevent Iran's progress in scientific and nuclear science fields."

Similar statements were made last year when Iran announced plans for a new space center.

Few details have emerged on the new facility, but Iran already has a major satellite launch complex near Semnan, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) east of Tehran. A satellite monitoring facility is located outside Mahdasht, about 70 kilometers (40 miles) west of the Iranian capital.

Iran says it wants to put its own satellites into orbit to monitor natural disasters in the earthquake-prone nation, improve telecommunications and expand military surveillance in the region.

The mission involving the monkey drew historical links to the earliest years of the space race in the 1950s when both the U.S. and the Soviet Union tested rockets with animals on board, including American capsules carrying monkeys and Moscow's holding dogs. Many of the animals on the early flights perished because of equipment failure or technology unable to cope with re-entry from sub-orbit.

Later in the 1960s, the U.S. and Soviets sent animals into orbit for further biological tests on space flight and other nations, including France and China, sent animals on rocket flights.

"They're following the path that we followed more than half a century ago," Logsdon said, adding that Iran is probably ahead of India in terms of space ability, but behind its arch foe Israel.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said it was "appalled" by photos of what it described as a "visibly terrified monkey crudely strapped into a restraint device."

It said it had urged Iran in 2011 not to send a primate into space.

"Iran is repeating the wasteful and cruel mistakes that marked the darkest days of the space race," PETA said in a statement.

____

Science Writer Seth Borenstein and Bradley Klapper in Washington contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-28-Iran-Space%20Monkey/id-555aa0dca5664bdaa1a7c98d225e7b54

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Review of Speak Like Yourself: No, Really! - Business, finances, forex

Have you ever given a business presentation and thought to yourself, ?The words aren?t coming out right. ?That doesn?t sound like me. ?That?s not what I intended to say.?

Or have you ever sat down to prepare a business speech to present in front of your company or an industry group and had absolutely no idea where to begin?

Do you panic, get sweaty palms or sick to your stomach, just before a business presentation?

If you can relate to any of the above business situations, I may have just the book for you to read that can help you become a better speaker no matter what business circumstance you find yourself in.

When the book came across my desk, I thought to myself:

?Oh, it?s just another book on public speaking.?

Then I started to leaf through the pages. What caught my eye was the title: ?Speak Like Yourself ? No, Really! ?Follow Your Strengths and Skills to Great Public Speaking? by Jezra Kaye.

What I learned very quickly in the book is that to be an effective speaker: You?ve got to be yourself.

You need to be your authentic self when you make a business presentation no matter the size of your audience. In order for people to buy your message, they first need to accept who you are and what you represent. That?s why you need to ?Speak like yourself ? No, really!?

Kaye, @jezrakaye,?takes you step-by-step through the public speaking process from first thought to the closing sales pitch or final bow.

You?ll learn how to:

• Prepare a speech that brings value to your prospects or customers, employees or listening audience; practice giving it powerfully; and connect with your audience.
• Be a relaxed, confident, competent business speaker.
• Successfully handle pitches, PowerPoint, meetings, Q&A, off-the-cuff remarks, small talk, job interviews, networking, public speaking panic, and a host of other communications challenges.

The book is for speakers at all levels of experience.

If you?re new to public business speaking, you?ll find a road map for success that demystifies this sometimes-scary process, and allows you to move forward, with confidence, at your own pace.

If you?re an experienced business speaker, you?ll learn to refine and focus your presentations, practice for more predictable?success, and connect with your audience at a whole new level.

What I Really Liked

I really like that the book is its own presentation. This easy-to-read book speaks directly to you through its words. The chapters are organized as though Kaye is having a private one-on-one session with you.

The book also includes an ?Instant Speech Worksheet? plus how to ?Discover Your Public Speaking Personality ? are you a Reliable, a Helper, an Improver or an Experiencer??

At the very end of the book, Kaye talks about having fun during speaking engagements.

By reading this book and going on the journey of finding, practicing and defining who you are as a business speaker, you really will find that speaking can be fun ? rather than something that just goes with the job and you must do it.

The post Review of Speak Like Yourself: No, Really! appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Source

Source: http://news.business-news-blog.eu/review-of-speak-like-yourself-no-really/

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Is Obama gearing up for the same old gun control fight? (cbsnews)

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4,000-year-old shaman's stones discovered near Boquete, Panama

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Archaeologists working at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama have discovered a cluster of 12 unusual stones in the back of a small, prehistoric rock-shelter near the town of Boquete. The cache represents the earliest material evidence of shamanistic practice in lower Central America.

Ruth Dickau, Leverhulme Post-doctoral Fellow at the University of Exeter in England, unearthed the cache of stones in the Casita de Piedra rock-shelter in 2007. A piece of charcoal found directly underneath the cache was radiocarbon dated to 4,800 years ago. A second fragment of charcoal in a level above the cache was dated to 4,000 years ago.

"There was no evidence of a disturbance or pit feature to suggest someone had come along, dug a hole and buried the stones at a later date," Dickau said. "The fact that the stones were found in a tight pile suggests they were probably deposited inside a bag or basket, which subsequently decomposed."

Based on the placement and the unusual composition of the stones in the cache, Richard Cooke, STRI staff scientist, suggested they were used by a shaman or healer. Consulting geologist Stewart Redwood determined that the cache consists of a small dacite stone fashioned into a cylindrical tool; a small flake of white, translucent quartz; a bladed quartz and jarosite aggregate; a quartz crystal aggregate; several pyrite nodules that showed evidence of use; a small, worn and abraded piece of chalcedony; a magnetic andesite flake; a large chalcedony vein stone; and a small magnetic kaolinite stone naturally eroded into an unusual shape, similar to a flower.

"A fascinating aspect of this find is that these are not ordinary stones but are rocks and crystals commonly associated with gold deposits in the Central Cordillera of Panama and Central America," Redwood said. "However, there are no gold artifacts in the rock-shelter, and there's no evidence that the stones were collected in the course of gold prospecting as the age of the cache pre-dates the earliest known gold artifacts from Panama by more than 2,000 years. But the collector of the stones clearly had an eye for unusual stones and crystals with a special significance whose meaning is lost to us."

Indigenous groups who lived near this site include the Ng?be, Bugl?, Bribri, Cab?car and the now-extinct Dorasque peoples. Shamans or healers (curanderos) belonging to these and other present-day First Americans in Central and South America often include special stones among the objects they use for ritual practices. Stones containing crystal structures are linked to transformative experiences in many of their stories.

Anthony Ranere, from Temple University in Philadelphia, first identified and excavated Casita de Piedra in an archaeological survey of western Panama in the early 1970s. He found that the small rock-shelter had been repeatedly occupied over thousands of years and used for a variety of domestic activities such as food processing and cooking, stone-tool manufacture and retouch, and possibly woodworking. Dickau returned to the site to expand excavations from December 2006 to January 2007.

Dickau's group radiocarbon dated charcoal from the base levels of the shelter and discovered it was first occupied more than 9,000 years ago, much earlier than Ranere originally proposed. Her research also showed that the people who would have benefitted from the shaman's knowledge practiced small-scale farming of maize, manioc and arrowroot, and collected palm nuts, tree fruits and wild tubers. They also probably hunted and fished in the nearby hills and streams, but the humid soils in the shelter destroyed any evidence of animal bones. Other Preceramic peoples in Panama who lived in small, dispersed communities across the isthmus by 4,000 years ago commonly practiced these activities.

###

Dickau, R., Redwood, S.D., Cooke, R.G. 2012. A 4,000-year-old shaman's stone cache at Casita de Piedra, western Panama. Archaeol Anthropol Sci. doi 10.1007/s12520-012-0112-5 online

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: http://www.stri.org

Thanks to Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126286/______year_old_shaman_s_stones_discovered_near_Boquete__Panama

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Investors exit stock funds for 6th year in a row - KTTC Rochester ...

By MARK JEWELL
AP Personal Finance Writer

BOSTON (AP) - Investors pulled money from stock mutual funds in 2012 for the sixth year in a row, despite the stock market's strong performance. Bond funds attracted the most cash since 2009, another illustration of how conservative investors have become with their money since the financial crisis.

A net $90 billion was withdrawn from U.S. stock mutual funds last year, industry consultant Strategic Insight said on Monday. The total included $26 billion pulled out in December, the tenth month in a row that withdrawals have exceeded deposits.

The full-year total was the largest since 2008, when $136 billion was removed. Since 2007, the year that the stock market hit a historic high, nearly $405 billion has been withdrawn.

It's been the opposite story for bond funds, which typically generate smaller long-term returns than stocks, but with less chance of short-term losses.

Bond funds attracted $317 billion in new cash in 2012, the most since a record $350 billion was added in 2009. They have taken in nearly $1.14 trillion since 2007, or nearly three times the amount pulled out of stock funds.

That's a sharp departure from the norm. Before 2008, for every dollar in new cash that bond funds attracted, stock funds typically drew $2. It was rare for more money to flow out of stock funds than in, during a given year.

That changed after stocks plunged nearly 40 percent in 2008. Although the market has more than doubled as the nation recovered from a recession, many investors remain fearful.

The new year could bring a shift in sentiment. Cash surged into stock funds during the first full week of 2013, after Congress reached the so-called "fiscal cliff" agreement that averted steep tax increases. Mutual funds investing in U.S. and foreign stocks attracted $7.5 billion in net deposits during the weeklong period ended Jan. 9, the largest amount for a single week in more than 11 years, according to Lipper Inc.

While it's unclear if a single week's result represents the start of a trend, Strategic Insight research director Avi Nachmany expects demand for bond funds to taper off "as investor post-recession numbness fades."

One potential hurdle for bond investors is that interest rates remain at near-record lows, and will eventually rise. When that happens, many bond fund investors will face short-term losses, because previously issued bonds paying lower interest rates will be worth less than newly issued bonds paying higher rates. A bond fund's return is a function of bond price changes as well as the yield, or interest payments, that bonds generate.

Stock investors also face the potential for volatile returns as the new Congress tackles difficult fiscal issues, with decisions looming in coming weeks on raising the debt ceiling and approving spending cuts.

"As we have seen several times over the past few years, volatility can resurface suddenly and often lead to sharp market declines," says John Toohey, a vice president at mutual fund company USAA Investments, which is currently taking what it calls a cautious stance on stocks.

Fund investors were rewarded with strong returns last year, and not just in the stock market. Stock fund returns averaged 15 percent, and taxable bond fund returns were 9 percent, according to Strategic Insight. As a result, stock and bond fund assets have appreciated in value by $1.5 trillion this year to nearly $9.3 trillion.

Here are more details about how investors moved their money in December, and in 2012, according to Strategic Insight:

STOCK FUNDS: In addition to December's $26 billion in net withdrawals from U.S. stock funds, an additional $4 billion was pulled from funds primarily investing in foreign stocks. For the full year, flows into foreign stock funds were positive, with net deposits of $23 billion.

BOND FUNDS: December's net deposits of $ 11 billion came mostly from money flowing into taxable bond funds. Those funds, which primarily invest in corporate bonds, attracted a net $14 billion. A net $3 billion was withdrawn from municipal bond funds, which invest in bonds issued by state and local governments.

EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS: Investors deposited a net $188 billion last year into ETFs, which bundle together investments in a particular market index. It was the sixth-consecutive year that ETFs have attracted more than $100 billion in new cash. In December, ETFs attracted $39 billion. Unlike mutual funds, ETFs can be traded during daily sessions just like stocks. They continue to grow much faster than mutual funds. However, assets in mutual funds are still about seven times larger than the total in ETFs, excluding money-market mutual funds.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.kttc.com/story/20583583/fund-investors-exit-stock-funds-6th-year-in-a-row

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Facebook helps reunite siblings after 65 years

An Iowa man and his sister have reunited 65 years after being separated in foster care thanks to a 7-year-old friend's Facebook search.

Clifford Boyson of Davenport met his sibling, Betty Billadeau, in person Saturday. Billadeau drove up from her home in Florissant, Mo., with her daughter and granddaughter for the reunion at a hotel in Davenport.

Boyson, 66, and Billadeau, 70, both tried to find each other for years without success. They were placed in different foster homes in Chicago when they were children.

Then 7-year-old Eddie Hanzelin, who is the son of Boyson's landlord, got involved.

Eddie managed to find Billadeau by searching his mom's Facebook account with Billadeau's maiden name. He recognized the family resemblance when he saw her picture.

"Oh, my God," Boyson said when he saw and hugged Billadeau.

"You do have a sister," Billadeau said.

"You're about the same height Mom was," Boyson said.

Billadeau's daughter, Sarah Billadeau, 42, and granddaughter, Megan Billadeau, 27, both wiped away tears and smiled during the reunion.

"He didn't have any women in his life," Sarah said. "We're going to get that straightened out real fast."

Boyson said he's looking forward to visiting Billadeau near St. Louis and meeting more family.

"I'm hoping I can go and spend a week or two," he said. "I want to meet the whole congregation. I never knew I had a big family."

Eddie, who enjoys messing around with his family's iPad, said he's glad he was able to assist in making the reunion happen and that he learned about helping others at school.

"Clifford did not have any family, and family's important," the boy said.

Near the end of their tearful reunion Boyson and Billadeau presented Eddie with a $125 check in appreciation of his detective work.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ndtv/uQAc/~3/VnLr4d1C0Us/story01.htm

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Wal-Mart to hire vets, boost US sourcing

NEW YORK (AP) ? Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer and nation's largest private employer, is making a pledge to boost its sourcing from domestic suppliers and hire more than 100,000 veterans.

The plans were to be announced as part of an address by Bill Simon, president and CEO of Wal-Mart's U.S. business, at an annual retail industry convention in New York.

The company, based in Bentonville, Ark., says it plans to buy an additional $50 billion in U.S. products over the next 10 years. According to data from Wal-Mart's suppliers, items that are made, sourced or grown in the U.S. account for about two-thirds of the company's spending on products for its U.S. business.

Wal-Mart also projects that it will hire more than 100,000 recently discharged veterans in the next five years. Honorably discharged veterans will have a "place to go", says Wal-Mart's Simon, according to prepared text supplied by the discounter. The hiring pledge, which will begin on Memorial Day, covers veterans within 12 months of leaving active duty. Most of the jobs will be in Wal-Mart's stores or its Sam's club locations. Some will be in the company's distribution centers.

"Let's be clear; hiring a veteran can be one of the best decisions any of us can make," Simon plans to say in his address to retailers gathered on the third day of the four-day National Retail Federation convention. "Veterans have a record of performance under pressure. They're quick learners, and they're team players. These are leaders with discipline, training, and a passion for service. There is a seriousness and sense of purpose that the military instills, and we need it today more than ever."

Wal-Mart says it believes it is already the large private employer of veterans in the country.

The company says that it has spoken to the White House about its commitment, and said the First Lady Michelle Obama's team has already expressed an interest in working with Wal-Mart and with the rest of the business community.

In the next several weeks, the White House will convene the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense and major U.S. employers to encourage businesses to make significant commitments to train and employ American's returning veterans, according to Simon's prepared text.

First lady Michelle Obama, who spearheaded a White House drive to encourage businesses to hire veterans, praised Wal-Mart's announcement, calling it "historic."

"We all believe that no one who serves our country should have to fight for a job once they return home," Mrs. Obama said in the statement. "Wal-Mart is setting a groundbreaking example for the private sector to follow."

Wal-Mart which also operates Sam's Clubs, employs more than 1.4 million workers in the U.S.

Simon was also set to announce at the retail convention that the company would help part-time workers transition to full-time status if they so desired.

"We will also bring more transparency to our scheduling system so part-time workers can choose more hours for themselves," Simon said was to say.

The moves could help repair the company's image, following allegations that its Mexico unit was handing out bribes to local officials to speed up getting building permits and gain other favors. According to emails recently released by lawmakers, CEO Mike Duke found out in 2005 about the bribes. Lawmakers say that contradicts earlier claims by the company that executives weren't aware of the bribes made by the company.

Allegations first surfaced in April that Wal-Mart failed to notify law enforcement that company officials authorized the bribes. Wal-Mart has been working with government officials in the U.S. and Mexico on that investigation.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-01-15-Wal-Mart-Jobs/id-dc38cc423ced475680ca098025101c10

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Former EBRD Russia director charged with conspiracy to take bribe

MOSCOW - Russian authorities Tuesday charged a former Russia director at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development with conspiracy to take a $1.4 million bribe.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement that Yelena Kotova and a Russian banker combined their "powers as well as links in the business community" to negotiate the bribe from an unnamed Canadian oil and gas company in exchange for vetting a $95 million loan.

The London-based EBRD was set up at the end of the Cold War to foster economic development in impoverished Eastern Europe and the crumbling Soviet Union. It invested nearly ?3 billion ($4 billion) in Russia in 2011 and a combined ?21 billion in the past 20 years.

Kotova sat on the EBRD's board of directors as Russia's representative between 2005 and 2010, when she was dismissed to allow the investigation to proceed. The bank then asked authorities in Russia and the UK to lift her immunity and that of three other EBRD officials.

EBRD spokesman Jonathan Charles on Tuesday said the bank has been co-operating with Russian authorities and is following the case.

According to Kotova's personal website, she left her banking career for creative writing. Kotova, who has published three novels since her retirement in 2011, describes herself as a "writer" and "feature columnist."

Kotova has not replied to emails seeking comment. In a 2011 interview she described the probe into her work as a smear campaign and said she fell victim to infighting at the bank.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/former-ebrd-russia-director-charged-conspiracy-bribe-083106131.html

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Gene flow from India to Australia about 4,000 years ago

Jan. 14, 2013 ? Australia is thought to have remained largely isolated between its initial colonisation around 40,000 years ago and the arrival of Europeans in the late 1800s. A study led by researchers of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, now finds evidence of substantial gene flow between Indian populations and Australia about 4,000 years ago. In addition, the researchers found a common origin for Australian, New Guinean and the Philippine Mamanwa populations. These populations followed an early southern migration route out of Africa, while other populations settled in the region only at a later date.

Australia holds some of the earliest archaeological evidence for the presence of modern humans outside Africa, with the earliest sites dated to at least 45,000 years ago, making Australian aboriginals one of the oldest continuous populations outside Africa. It is commonly assumed that following the initial dispersal of people into Sahul (joint Australia-New Guinea landmass) and until the arrival of the Europeans late in the 18th Century, there was no contact between Australia and the rest of the world.

Researcher Irina Pugach and colleagues now analysed genetic variation from across the genome from aboriginal Australians, New Guineans, island Southeast Asians, and Indians. Their findings suggest substantial gene flow from India to Australia 4,230 years ago, i.e. during the Holocene and well before European contact. "Interestingly," says Pugach, "this date also coincides with many changes in the archaeological record of Australia, which include a sudden change in plant processing and stone tool technologies, with microliths appearing for the first time, and the first appearance of the dingo in the fossil record. Since we detect inflow of genes from India into Australia at around the same time, it is likely that these changes were related to this migration."

Their analyses also reveal a common origin for populations from Australia, New Guinea and the Mamanwa ? a Negrito group from the Philippines ? and they estimated that these groups split from each other about 36,000 years ago. Mark Stoneking says: "This finding supports the view that these populations represent the descendants of an early ?southern route? migration out of Africa, while other populations in the region arrived later by a separate dispersal." This also indicates that Australians and New Guineans diverged early in the history of Sahul, and not when the lands were separated by rising sea waters around 8,000 years ago

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft.

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Journal Reference:

1. Irina Pugach, Frederick Delfin, Ellen Gunnarsd?ttir, Manfred Kayser, and Mark Stoneking. Genome-wide data substantiates Holocene gene ?ow from India to Australia. PNAS, January 14, 2013 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1211927110

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/7EJ7-nTZdl8/130114152952.htm

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Activists seek same-sex marriage rights in 'unwinnable' South

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina (Reuters) - Same-sex couples stood at government counters in two North Carolina cities on Monday to ask for marriage licenses they knew they would be denied, part of a push across the U.S. South this month to demand equality even where opposition runs deep.

"We have to leave our home state to get married, so that's a little sad," said L. Rankin, 45, after the assistant register of deeds in her city of Winston-Salem refused a license to her and partner Kristin Hedin, 38.

Couples braved rain and potential ridicule to join the "We Do Campaign," an effort by the nonprofit Campaign for Southern Equality to protest state laws activists believe to be unjust and to call for full equality under federal law.

As part of the campaign, couples in seven Southern states are applying for marriage licenses in January. At the final stop on Thursday, couples expect to be denied licenses in Arlington, Virginia, before marching to Washington, D.C., where same-sex marriage is legal.

Participants say they want their neighbors and lawmakers to know they aren't going away, even if taking a stand can be uncomfortable and risky in a part of the country known for its strong religious ties and history of racial discrimination.

"The South has been written off as being unwinnable when it comes to LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) rights," said Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, executive director of the Campaign for Southern Equality and a United Church of Christ minister.

"One of the unintended consequences of that is that LGBT people also get written off," she said.

Gay rights activists billed 2012 as a watershed year after voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington state approved same-sex marriage, and President Barack Obama became the first U.S. president to declare support for such unions.

But the year also brought a sobering reminder for same-sex couples that the momentum lagged in the Southeast. Last May, North Carolina became the last state in the region to add a voter-approved ban on gay marriage to its constitution.

Thirty-one of the 50 U.S. states have passed constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage. Nine states and Washington, D.C., have legalized it.

Some of the 35 couples who have taken part in the "We Do" effort this month have married outside the South but said they still want to live there.

"I can go to a restaurant, and I can order sweet tea and grits and they have them," said Sara Bell, 31, a lifelong resident of Mississippi. "I don't think that I should have to leave those things behind just to be who I am."

STRONG OPPOSITION

Surveys by the Pew Research Center last year showed that while opposition to gay marriage in the South has waned, it is still greater than any other region in the country.

Fifty-six percent of people in the central Southern states, including Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, oppose allowing same-sex couples to marry, compared with 29 percent who are against same-sex marriage in New England.

The National Organization for Marriage, which opposes allowing same-sex couples to marry, has not taken any action in response to the "We Do Campaign," spokesman Thomas Peters said.

"Obviously these are acts of civil disobedience against laws passed overwhelmingly by voters in those states," he said on Monday.

Support for gay marriage in the South is comparable to where the country as a whole was a decade ago, according to Pew, so activists said their strategy for seeking change their inevitably looks different than in other regions.

The efforts overall are "not very sexy," admits Darlene Nipper, deputy executive director for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

That organization is one of many working to build support for marriage equality at the grassroots level, including training volunteers, developing young leaders and working to change the minds of local politicians.

The task force will hold its annual "Creating Change" conference in Atlanta later this month. Nipper said bringing 3,500 activists to that Southern city will generate excitement and help raise the profile of the issues they want addressed.

With no imminent likelihood of winning same-sex marriage rights at the state level in the South, activists are pressing for national change. In March, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in two cases challenging laws that define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Gay rights supporters also are seeking more protections in other areas such as the workplace and schools, said Jeff Graham, executive director of Georgia Equality.

"I really think that you'll see a faster pace of movement in the years to come," he said. "But we have to take a more incremental approach in what our wins are. And frankly we have to give people the space to change their opinions."

Diana Coe, 48, and Li Hooper, 49, whose 2011 wedding at a church in Winston-Salem is not recognized by the state, said they hope to see attitudes change soon.

"We think of ourselves as being married, and then we realize we are second-class citizens," Coe said.

(Reporting by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Lisa Shumaker)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/activists-seek-same-sex-marriage-rights-unwinnable-south-034937107.html

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NRA Releases iPhone Shooter Game One Month After Sandy Hook

The National Rifle Association released on Monday a first-person shooter for the iPhone and iPad ? one month to the day after a tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., left 26 dead.

The game, "NRA: Practice Range," has two modes. The first, a "Safety, Training and Education" section, has "2nd Amendment newsfeeds, gun law information centers and educational materials that you can access anywhere, anytime," according to the game's iTunes description. The second is "Target Practice," which is designed to instill "safe and responsible ownership through fun challenges and realistic simulations."

Target Practice has nine firearms (including an unlockable AK-47 and an MK-11 sniper rifle) and three shooting ranges.

Between shooting sessions, players are presented with various gun safety tips, including "always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction."

Practice Range's release comes with a degree of irony: NRA chief Wayne LaPierre blasted violent video games in the organization's post-Sandy Hook press conference. During that conference, LaPierre accused "vicious violent video games, with names like Bulletstorm, Grand Theft Auto, Mortal Kombat, and Splatterhouse" of contributing to a violent society.

Admittedly, Practice Range is one of the least violent iOS games involving guns in the App Store: Players shoot either clay disks or targets that almost, but not quite, look like human beings.

The game was developed by MEDL Mobile, makers of other titles including "Shotgun Free," which invites players to "unleash a high-caliber hell storm." NRA: Practice Range is rated appropriate for players ages four and older.

Photos courtesy the National Rifle Association

Source: http://mashable.com/2013/01/14/nra-shooter-game/

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