Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/271315337?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Hubble telescope spies seven galaxies from baby years of universe
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., December 12 - Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have found seven galaxies that formed relatively shortly after the universe's birth some 13.7 billion years ago, scientists said on Wednesday, describing them "as baby pictures of the universe."
One of the objects may be the oldest galaxy yet found, dating back to a time when the universe was just 380 million years old, a fraction of its current age.
"These early galaxies represent the building blocks of present-day galaxies," John Grunsfeld, NASA's associate administrator for science, told reporters in a conference call.
The discovery of galaxies dating back to the universe's early years should help scientists figure out what happened after the "dark ages," a period of time about 200 million years after the Big Bang explosion when cooling clouds of hydrogen, clumped together by gravity, began to ignite, triggering the first generation of stars.
"It was a very important moment in cosmic history," said astronomer Richard Ellis, with the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
Scientists do not know exactly when this "cosmic dawn" occurred and whether it was a single, dramatic event that caused all the galaxies to form their first stars, or whether it happened more gradually over millions of years.
The discovery of seven galaxies spanning a period between 350 million and 600 million years after the Big Bang supports theories that the cosmic dawn was a drawn-out affair, with galaxies slowly building up their stars and chemical elements over time, said Brant Robertson of the University of Arizona in Tucson.
Astronomers plan follow-up studies after Hubble's successor, the James Webb Space Telescope, launches in 2018.
The research appears in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
(Editing by Jane Sutton and Peter Cooney)
Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/scienceNews/~3/rJm7-YQfHaI/us-space-hubble-idUSBRE8BB1SF20121212
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Wednesday, December 12, 2012
DeMarco: Did big bucks make?LA a contender?
Skyrocketing payroll will put tremendous pressure on team to succeed
ReutersLos Angeles Dodgers signed?right-handed pitcher Zack Greinke?to a six-year, $147 million deal in December.
OPINION
By Tony DeMarco
NBCSports.com contributor
updated 7:46 p.m. ET Dec. 12, 2012
|
They've spent about $650 million in the last seven months, and some time in the near future, will make Clayton Kershaw the highest-paid pitcher in history.
Last week, they dropped just over $200 million on Zack Greinke and Korean left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin.
The record-setting payroll number is heading well north of $200 million for the 2013 season, probably landing in the $220-225 million range.
Considering they finished 86-76 and missed the playoffs by only two games in 2012, the Dodgers likely have bought their way back into the post-season. After all, unlimited resources may not win titles, but almost always put you in position to get there.
But how far above 90 regular-season wins ? and how deep into the post-season ? the Dodgers might go in 2013 will in part be a function of what currently are a series of question marks.
And arguably the biggest one of those remains an absolute mystery: How will the clubhouse respond to an inordinate amount of scrutiny headed its way, beginning on day one in Camelback Ranch? As for the roster: As it's presently constituted, the rotation lines up this way:
Kershaw, Greinke, Josh Beckett and Ryu, and a four-for-one proposition complicated by the health issues of Chad Bilingsley and Ted Lilly that could leave Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang in key roles again.
You could make legit cases for the Nationals, Giants and Reds (counting Aroldis Chapman) as having equal or better projected rotations. Possibly the Phillies, too, assuming Roy Halladay is something very close to his 2002-2011 self again and a quality fifth starter is added.
Nothing wrong with the Kershaw/Greinke 1/1A pairing, which could post a combined 10 WAR. Kershaw has put up back-to-back 6.4 and 6.3 numbers, and Greinke peaked at 10.1 in his dominant 2009 Cy Young Award season before slipping into the 3.2-3.4 range in two of the last three seasons.
Beckett ? as he did last August and September ? should continue to benefit from facing NL lineups, and several starts in the California parks. But Ryu comes with mixed reviews attached, Billingsley didn't pitch after Aug. 24 and Lilly, 36, made only eight starts in 2012 ? none after May 23. So the idea that Kyle Lohse or Anibal Sanchez could end up in Don Mattingly's rotation has at least some merit.
But since the latest health reports on BIllingsley and Lilly are encouraging, the likelier scenario is the Dodgers heading into spring training with the current cast, and making a deal only if/when the health uncertainties are removed, leaving themselves with a potential sixth starter serving as a long man.
The bullpen also has a health uncertainty in Kenley Jansen, who's dealing with heart issues, but is expected to face no limitations in the spring. And that needs to be the case, because he's an important piece at the back end along with Brandon League.
The rest of the cast likely will include familiar faces Ronald Belisario, Javy Guerra, Matt Guerrier, Scott Elbert, Paco Rodriguez. But this may not even be the best bullpen in the NL West.What the Dodgers get out of Carl Crawford is another major uncertainty. Although Crawford is projected to be ready for Opening Day, counting on a significant contribution from him after an Aug. 13 Tommy John surgery, a wrist surgery last spring, and back-to-back off seasons is a stretch.
If he can do it, he's Comeback Player of the Year material. But there could be at least some left field at-bats to spread among Jerry Hairston Jr., Skip Schumaker, another veteran right-handed bat to-be-acquired, and possibly highly regarded prospect Alex Castellanos.
The bigger issue is a quality leadoff hitter other than Crawford. The role likely would fall to second baseman Mark Ellis, Hairston or Schumaker when in the lineup. And the vulnerability to left-handed pitching of both Crawford and Ethier could become problematic.
But with full seasons from Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez ? as well as Matt Kemp, who played only 106 games in 2012 ? the Dodgers should be able to improve on their 2012 run total of 637. Maybe that's why they haven't made a bigger offensive splash, preferring to drop big dollars into Greinke and Ryu and League.
Defensively, they're a bit of a mixed bag. But playing Ramirez at shortstop figures to cost them.
Far from an All-Star-at-every-position ideal, far from even a settled roster ? what do you expect for $200-million-plus these days?
? 2012 NBC Sports.com? Reprintsadvertisement
More news'Too absorbed' with his celebrity?
HBT: We?ve noted all the back and forth between R.A. Dickey and the Mets. It?s a hard negotiation. The part that tickles me the most is where, yesterday, the Mets made it clear that they were not pleased by Dickey going after the Mets in the press. Because they?d never do that, right?
DeMarco: Did big bucks make?LA a contender?
DeMarco: Are the Los Angeles Dodgers really the legitimate World Series title contenders their skyrocketing payroll demands they be? They've spent about $650 million in the last seven months but still will enter 2013 facing a series of question marks.
Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/50181714/ns/sports-baseball/
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Performance review of Yamaha Factory Racing Team in 2012 - Bettor
Performance review of Yamaha Factory Racing Team in 2012 season ? MotoGP News
2012 was a spectacular year for Yamaha Factory Racing as they won the MotoGP Championship, Jorge Lorenzo being their star performer.
Spies tried but it seemed that the odds were against him throughout the season and he could never deliver except on a few rare occasions.
A three day test session started at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia on Jan. 31, 2012. This was the first activity of the MotoGP session 2012 as it finally got underway. Lorenzo ended the first day?s training on 1st position with 30 laps and also recorded the fastest lap time. Ben Spies was close behind Lorenzo with 28 laps ending up on the 4th positions. On the second day of the training session, the team mostly gathered data to enhance the performance of the 2012 1000cc YZR-M1. On the last day, emphasis was on gathering data about the balance of the chassis and to make necessary improvements to the electronic package in order to yield the enhanced horsepower of M1.
Lorenzo and Spies were again back in Malaysia on Feb. 28, 2012 for the second official IRTA test. The post-lunch session was washed out by rain. Still both team members tried to utilize the available dry time as best as they could. It was mixed weather on the second day as well and the team tested the wet settings of M1. The Yamaha Factory Racing team members finished the second test session on a high note with Lorenzo rounding up on 4th position and Spies ending up 8th. The second test session for the 2012 MotoGP season, although disturbed by bad weather, was quite satisfactory for both Lorenzo and Spies since they got the chance to get a feel of the improved YZR-M1 in both dry and wet conditions.
Now it was time for the final 3 day test in Jerez which started on Mar. 23, 2012. The first day ended quite well with Lorenzo ending up second fastest and Spies ending the fourth fastest. Early half of the second day was wiped out by bad weather until the team mates decided to go out on a wet track in the afternoon session. The final day proved quite fruitful since both Lorenzo and Spies pressed the bike hard putting in 84 and 61 laps respectively. The test sessions were all up and it was time for some real action. Lucky for Yamaha Factory Racing, both riders were in high spirits and could hardly wait till they were back in action in the Qatar Grand Prix to be held on Apr. 8, 2012.
Prior to the Qatar Grand Prix, Lorenzo got the 2nd position in the Free Practice No. 1 whereas Spies stood 4th. Same were the results in Free Practice No. 2. In Free Practice No. 3, Lorenzo moved up to 1st position whereas Spies dropped down to 11th position. Spies had a rough session which according to him was because he had not let the front tyre heat up properly.
On the day of the Qatar Grand Prix, Lorenzo was at his best. He was able to clinch victory just 0.852?ahead of Pedrosa. With 25 points to his name, Lorenzo put himself in lead from the very start of the championship. Spies finished a disappointing 11th.
It was Stoner who took the medal in the Jerez circuit with Lorenzo ending up 2nd with 0.947?seconds behind Stoner. The Yamaha Factory rider was still leading the championship with 45 points.
Similar were the in the Estoril circuit. Still, Lorenzo was able to setup a new fastest lap record of 1'36.909 for Estoril.
In the fourth race of the championship, Lorenzo was facing a wet racing day. Yet he delivered his best and won the Grand Prix consolidating his position at the top of the list. Lorenzo?s team mate, Spies, battered by hard luck, finished 16th.
Lorenzo clinched both Gran Premi De Catalunya & Hertz British Grand Prix. The British Grand Prix victory meant 3 successive victories for Lorenzo. Ben Spies kept lingering and was at 11th place in the standings.
Lorenzo had to face a dramatic turn of events in the Dutch TT when he had to retire from the race because he was taken out by an eager ?lvaro Bautista on the first corner whereas Spies finished 4th.
Lorenzo finished 2nd in German, United States, Indianpolis, Czech Republic, Aragon, Japanese, Malaysian and Australian Grand Prix. He won the Italian and San Marino and Rimin?s Coast Prix. He had to retire again in the last race of the Championship, The Valencian Community Grand Prix after he lost grip on the damp dry line suffering a side crash but was luckily uninjured. It was glory for Jorge Lorenzo as he won the MotoGP World Championship with 350 points.
Spies was never able to calm his never during the whole season and retired from most of the races after the Italian Grand Prix. In the Valencian Community Grand Prix, Yamaha Factory opted for the Wildcard Nakasuga instead of Spies. In a lucky turn of events, Nakasuga finished 2nd in the final race of the event.
The next season of the MotoGP Championship begins on Apr. 7, 2013 in Qatar. Yamaha fans all over the globe wait and see if Yamaha Factory Racing will be able to defend the title or not.
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Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Massapequa Schools' Breast Cancer Fundraiser Raised More Than ...
The Massapequa School District's annual breast cancer awareness fundraiser, raised $6,600 in October, district officials announced this week.
The centerpiece of the fundraising event was the Girls Volleyball team's Dig Pink Match, but several other?teams, including girls tennis, field hockey, boys volleyball, boys junior varsity football and girls junior varsity soccer also raised funds as part of "Think Pink" week.
The events were held in October as part of Breast Cancer awareness Month.
In addition to raising money for breast cancer research, the girls volleyball team also raised funds for "Stand Up to Cancer." ?For a small donation, fans placed the name of a loved one with cancer on a display poster.
The effort, led by volleyball coach CarolAnn Habeeb-Kiel, has raised close to $50,000 over the past five years.
?Many thanks go out to everyone who participated in this year?s Dig Pink event and Think Pink efforts,? Habeeb-Kiel said. ?Because of you, and the generosity and support of our community, the volleyball booster club, local businesses and staff members throughout the district, we have made impact on fighting this dreaded disease.?
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Apple could be preparing Bluetooth keyboard support for the next Apple TV iOS update
Apple may be planning on offering support for Bluetooth keyboards when the next software update arrives for the Apple TV. When iOS 6.1 beta 3 was released, it enabled Bluetooth support on the Apple TV. 9to5 Mac decided to try pairing Bluetooth keyboards with the device, and it worked with both Apple's own Bluetooth keyboard, and a third-party keyboard.
Once connected, you can use a wireless keyboard to completely control the Apple TV without using the included remote. The arrow keys function for navigation, the Return key is the play/pause, and the Escape key maps to ?menu? or up ?one level? functionality. More importantly, searching for content becomes a thousand times easier when you can enter search terms with a hard keyboard.
It's important to remember that what is tested in beta sometimes stays in beta, so just because the Bluetooth keyboard support works now doesn't mean Apple will include it in the final iOS 6.1 release.
However, adding this type of Bluetooth support for the Apple TV makes a lot of sense. Controlling the Apple TV with the hardware remote now is constrained to infrared line-of-sight, and offers really poor text entry support for searches. Bluetooth will work from anywhere, at any angle, in range, and a physical keyboard makes text entry much easier.
Perhaps we could also see the door open for third-party manufacturers to start offering their own remote controllers for the Apple TV. We could start to see some innovation like we already do from the likes of Logitech who offer sophisticated remote controllers with inbuilt keyboards for other bits of A/V kit.
Apple could use the additional Bluetooth functionality, for example, for a remote controller with an in-built microphone for a Siri controlled Apple TV maybe. The Remote app for iOS could perhaps also ditch Wi-Fi for a low-power, faster-to-connect Bluetooth 4.0 version.
Hopefully we'll find out more soon.
Source: 9to5 Mac
 |  |
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/rHI2s1njKZQ/story01.htm
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Monday, December 10, 2012
GAZA: Hamas chief Meshaal vows never to recognise Israel
Exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, making his first ever visit to the Gaza Strip, vowed on Saturday never to recognise Israel and said his Islamist group would never abandon its claim to all Israeli territory.
?Palestine is ours from the river to the sea and from the south to the north. There will be no concession on an inch of the land,? he told a sea of supporters at an open-air rally, the highlight of his three-day stay in Gaza.
?We will never recognise the legitimacy of the Israeli occupation and therefore there is no legitimacy for Israel, no matter how long it will take.?
In an uncompromising speech, Meshaal also vowed to free Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, indicating Islamist militants would try to kidnap Israeli soldiers to use as a bargaining chip.
Israel last year released 1,027 Palestinians from its jails in return for the liberation of Gilad Shalit, a conscript soldier who was seized by Palestinian guerrillas in 2006 and hidden for more than five years in Gaza.
'Prisoners will be freed'
Thousands of Palestinian detainees remain in Israel. The Jewish state says many of them are terrorists. Hamas calls them freedom fighters.
?We will not rest until we liberate the prisoners. The way we freed some of the prisoners in the past is the way we will use to free the remaining prisoners,? Meshaal said to cheers from the huge crowd that had flocked to see him.
Meshaal, who was born in the West Bank but lived most of his life in exile, arrived on Friday for his first visit to Palestinian territory since 1975, saying he hoped he would one day die a "martyr" in the Palestinian land.
After his seven-vehicle convoy swept across the border from Egypt, Meshaal got out and kissed Palestinian soil before embracing Gaza's Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, a member of Hamas.
Green Hamas flags and the red, white, green and black of the Palestinian flag were everywhere to mark the unprecedented visit.
Reporting from the Gaza rally, FRANCE 24 correspondent Gallagher Fenwick said, ?This is a very important political moment for Meshaal. He is here to reassert that he?s the boss of the Islamist party that rules the Gaza strip and not the Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.
?The rivalry between the two men can really be felt throughout this trip.?
Meshaal was accompanied by his deputy Mussa Abu Marzuk and other top officials on a trip which came just two weeks after the end of a deadly confrontation with Israel, which began on November 14 with an Israeli air strike that killed Hamas military commander Ahmed Jaabari.
Shortly after his arrival, Meshaal was taken to see the charred remains of Jaabari's car, which had been transported to Rafah especially for the visit.
"I hope God will make me a martyr on the land of Palestine in Gaza," he said.
Homecoming is ?third birth?
Security was tight across the territory. Masked militants from Hamas? military wing the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades out in force, wearing fatigues and carrying Kalashnikov assault rifles, as they patrolled the roads along which Meshaal's convoy was to travel.
"This is the first time that I am coming to Palestine in 37 years," said Meshaal. "This is my third birth," he told reporters at a brief press conference, saying his second was after he escaped an Israeli attempt to kill him in Jordan in 1997.
Izzat al-Rishq, another senior member of the Islamist movement's exiled politbureau, said it was a moving experience to finally be in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
"This is the greatest feeling I've ever had. It is an unforgettable historic moment," he told news agency AFP. "Our wish to kiss the soil of Palestine has come true."
Mahmud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas official in Gaza, said the visit was replete with symbolism.
"No matter how long a Palestinian is away from his homeland, he will always return after a victory," Zahar told AFP.
(FRANCE 24 with wires)
?
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Thursday, December 6, 2012
Judge's order to man with nine kids: Stop procreating
Racine County Sheriff's Department
Corey Curtis, 44, was sentenced to three years of probation on Monday with the condition that he is not to procreate until he
can support the nine children he fathered with six women.
By Andrew Mach, NBC News
A Wisconsin judge has ordered a man who owes $90,000 in child support after fathering nine children with six women to not have any more kids, at least for now.
Racine County Circuit Court Judge Tim Boyle sentenced Corey Curtis, 44, to three years of probation on Monday with the condition he is not to procreate until he shows he can support his children, according to court documents.
Curtis pleaded no contest in October to one count each of felony bail jumping and failure to pay child support.
Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Sommers said Curtis owes about $50,000 in back child support, plus another $40,000 in interest to the mothers, the Journal Times reported.
?Common sense dictates you shouldn?t have kids you can?t afford,? Racine County Circuit Court Judge Time Boyle said at a hearing, according to the Journal Times. ?It?s too bad the court doesn?t have the authority to sterilize.?
In his decision, the judge cited a 2001 case in which Wisconsin Supreme Court justices upheld a Court of Appeals ruling that a judge may, as a condition of a person?s probation, order the defendant not to have another child unless he can show financial viability.
Curtis told local station WDJT-TV he planned to comply with the unusual order in his case.?
"Judges, they make rulings," Curtis said. "They make them kind of hastily. So, if that's what he feels one of my conditions should be then I'm going to abide by it."
This isn't the first time a judge has made a ruling intended to block breeding.
A Kentucky judge in March ordered a man who had fathered a dozen children by 11 women to refrain from having ?any sexual intercourse? for the one-to five-year period he?s on parole.
A Texas judge in 2008 sentenced a 20-year-old mother to 10 years probation for not protecting her 19-month-old daughter from abuse by the child's father. The judge ordered her to not get pregnant during her probation.
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Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Harry Coumnas Loves To Practice High Ropes
In Today's world, everyone is busy in their daily life so it becomes necessary to get involve in some kind of recreational activities. These activities help to get rid of the stress, boredom and are a perfect way to stay healthy. Everyone enjoys different recreational activities, some enjoy indoor activities like reading, painting and some gets pleasure in outdoor recreational activities such as hiking, camping, skiing, rock climbing, river rafting and more. Harry Coumnas enjoys adventurous activities and has tried his hands on almost all the adventurous activities. He believes that these activities bring the entire body in motion resulting in activeness, healthy mind and body.
Harry Coumnas, a highly educated person, is recognized for his commitment to fulfill the responsibilities assigned to him. He is an open minded person who loves to bring adventure in life. Along with this, he is a softhearted person who is always ready to help others. He owns a business and work hard to deliver quality services to his customers.
High rope is another dangerous and adventurous activity that he loves to do. He understands the risk and to avoid that risk he has taken training lesson before practicing high ropes. He also advises everyone to have proper coaching before practicing it. The instructors provide all the vital information, tips and equipment to ensure personal safety. Many adventure parks provide the facility of high ropes.
It is a challenging activity which consists of high or low elements. The elements can be only few feet above the ground or tall structures that form part of the modern world. This includes tall trees, sky scrapers, wind turbines, bridges, communication towers, oil rigs and more. It is a combination of both vertical and horizontal challenges. Harry Coumnas enjoys this activity because it provides him an opportunity to face fears, overcome challenges, test his ability and skills and to gain confidence.
His list of recreational activities also includes rhythmic breathing. He enjoy going to rhythmic breathing classes and believes that this activity is perfect for both mind and soul. He also loves to go for cycling on weekends with his friends.
About the Author:
Kevin Smith is a professional author who has written many articles on various topics & now he has written an article on Harry Coumnas . For more information on Harry Coumnas, visit http://harrycoumnashobbies.com
Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Harry-Coumnas-Loves-To-Practice-High-Ropes/4304261
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Tuesday, December 4, 2012
An 'ethical vacuum' in Internet media?
An official inquiry into the abuses of British newspapers calls for tougher regulation of journalist behavior. But it holds little hope for ethics in online media. This ignores the history of journalist ethics.
Actor Hugh Grant speaks on a BBC show Dec. 2 about the Leveson report into press standards and ethics. He was a victim of phone hacking by a newspaper.
REUTERS/Jeff Overs/BBC/Handout
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Yes, if you accept one conclusion of an official inquiry on the British press released last Thursday.
The report?s author, Lord Justice Sir Brian Leveson, offers many recommendations on how to restore the integrity of British newspapers after recent scandals, which included hacking of personal cellphones, even one belonging to a deceased girl. His main proposals to Parliament are to pass a new law and use a government regulator to help hold newspapers to account for lapses of their own ethical codes.
While he is optimistic that traditional newspapers can be reformed ? although his peculiar solutions may be a slippery slope to censorship ? Sir Brian is strangely pessimistic that news consumers can ever trust much of what they read in the new digital media.
?The [I]nternet? does not claim to operate by any particular ethical standards, still less high ones. Some have called it a ?wild west? but I would prefer to use the term ?ethical vacuum?,? he wrote.
Bloggers and others who write on public topics can act with impunity, he states. Newspapers, however, already have ethical codes and promise a quality product. ?The [I]nternet does not function on that basis at all. People will not assume that what they read on the [I]nternet is trustworthy or that it carries any particular assurance or accuracy; it need be no more than one person?s view.?
History would argue against the view that ?new media? ? bloggers, tweeters, citizen journalists, or news aggregators like Google ? can ever adopt principles such as truthfulness and fairness. After all, digital media already generally conform to laws on copyright, defamation, and contempt of court. Is it really a big leap to expect them to conform someday to ethical codes like those of traditional journalism?
Most American and British newspapers began to adopt codes a century ago in response to reader outrage over inaccuracies, sensationalism, personal attacks, and bias in news reporting. This publication, for example, was founded in 1908 with the mandate to ?injure no man, but to bless all mankind.? In the United States, the Society of Professional Journalists continues to upgrade its code as new ethical challenges are exposed. Sir Brian acknowledges that ?most of what the [British] press does is good journalism free from the sort of vices I have had to address at length.?
Journalists do keep an eye on each other. The press scandals in Britain, for example, were first brought to light not by the government but by The Guardian newspaper.
Indeed, the best guardians of the old and new media are the people who practice it as well as readers who can choose to ignore any website or publication that operates unethically. And no new law need target journalists that doesn?t also apply to all citizens. Libel is libel, for example, as is illegal invasion of privacy.
In the US, some independent news bloggers have begun to set their own standards. Even more promising, schools have begun to teach students how to use information on the Internet, sifting truth from falsehoods and distortions.
Digital media do offer new challenges, in large part because anyone with a modem or even smart phone can now practice journalism with little oversight or professional vetting. Internet journalism is also more immediate and interactive. The pressure to publish quickly can more easily lead to mistakes or the harming of others. The business incentives to chase a mass audience can lower standards, including news judgment.
The ?democratization? of media will require an effort to form a consensus on ethical standards for online media. The Internet itself is a powerful feedback loop for correcting ?entrepreneurial? journalists who, say, have a conflict of interest or hide behind anonymity. Even defining who is a journalist these days needs work.
That last task can?t be left to government through its credentialing of journalists. The Fourth Estate, whether in print or online, is the news consumer?s best way to keep a check on government. And it is news consumers, as well as journalists, who must hold any media to account with ethical codes.
Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/WoaSIbDAXi8/An-ethical-vacuum-in-Internet-media
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Monday, December 3, 2012
Southeast Louisiana Hospital to be run by Florida company | NOLA ...
A Florida-based health care company will assume operation of Southeast Louisiana Hospital near Mandeville, a state mental health facility that has been fixture on the north shore for 60 years. In November, the state Department of Health and Hospitals selected Meridian Behavioral Health Service of Gainesville as its favorite to take over SELH, whose announced closure last summer triggered a wave of opposition from local officials, hospital staff members and patients' families.
With the private company part of the equation, St. Tammany Parish government and DHH have been working on cooperative endeavor agreements with Meridian with the goal of keeping psychiatric beds on the hospital's campus on U.S. 190 east of Mandeville.
On Monday, state Sen. Jack Donahue, R-Mandeville, DHH Secretary Bruce Greenstein, St. Tammany Parish President Pat Brister, Meridian Behavioral Healthcare CEO Wesley Mason and other state and local officials met at the St. Tammany Parish Council chambers to sign the agreement.
Under the plan, the state gives St. Tammany Parish the authority to manage all property at Southeast and has signed an agreement for Meridian to operate 58 psychiatric inpatient beds: 42 for youths and 16 for adults. A separate agreement between the parish and Meridian allows the health care company to operate the 58 beds on the Southeast campus.
"This is a solution that continues to provide necessary services to this parish and the north shore, as well as keeps hundreds of jobs in this community,"Brister said. "This is a great thing for St. Tammany Parish,?but in the end the parients and families of those that desperately need those services will benfit?most."
The agreements also allow the current outpatient and group home services providers on the campus to remain in place.
Meridian will give hiring preferences to current Southeast employees where comparable jobs are available.
Catching many local officials by surprise, DHH announced in July that it would close the hospital, which had 94 in-patient beds earlier this year. DHH officials believe the closure will save $1.6 million this fiscal year and $3.5 million in subsequent years as the state struggles to cope with reductions in federal money for Medicare.
The state health department says it wants to ensure a sustainable behavioral care system for the future by de-emphasizing the role of large public institutions and instead building partnerships with community providers.
The shuttering of the hospital unleashed a wave of opposition from employees, families of patients and others who dreaded the loss of mental health facilities in the region. The immediate formation of the Committee to Save Southeast Louisiana Hospital helped stoke the issue by holding public rallies at the hospital and at the business offices of local legislators.
The group lobbied unsuccessfully for a special session of the Legislature to address significant budget cuts made by Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration to the state's health care system. Committee members have said privatizing the hospital is better than shutting it down, but they would prefer that it remain a public institution. They raised concerns that for-profit companies might be too focused on revenues and might be inclined to turn away patients who need long-term care.
Source: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/12/do_not_publishflorida_company.html
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Explorers to retrace Shackleton's epic Antarctic journey
SYDNEY |
SYDNEY (Reuters) - A group of intrepid explorers are readying themselves for the first-ever recreation of the epic voyage made by British explorer Ernest Shackleton on his ill-fated attempt to reach the South Pole in 1914, on an exact copy of Shackleton's lifeboat.
Shackleton's boat, the Endurance, became trapped in the Antarctic ice and was eventually crushed and sank. His attempt to raise the alarm is considered by many to be one of the greatest journeys ever made.
Shackleton took a small party from his crew and rowed 1,287 km (800 miles) on the lifeboat James Caird from Elephant Island to South Georgia, where they knew they could get help from a whaling station. Their journey took from 1914 to 1916.
The British and Australian team, led by Australian explorer and environmentalist Tim Jarvis, will row the same route and then cross the mountainous, glacial interior of South Georgia to reach the north coast. They will use no equipment that was not available in Shackleton's time.
The Shackleton Epic team will depart from South America in early January, rowing an identical copy of Shackleton's 6.85 meter (22 feet 6 inches) lifeboat before climbing the mountains.
The journey will not be without danger. The replica boat, named the Alexandra Shackleton after the British explorer's granddaughter, has no keel and capsizes very easily.
"You know, we ran the numbers and said what can we do with an exact replica of Shackleton's boat, without cheating, to try and make this ... less susceptible to capsize than what he had," Jarvis said.
The team have practiced capsizing the vessel and trying to right it again, and have attempted to use their supplies, equipment and rocks as ballast instead of just rocks as Shackleton did.
"We ran all the numbers, we fiddled around with rocks and our camera batteries because we are filming this ... and you know what? We came up with exactly the same configuration of how the ballast was loaded as what Shackleton did with rule of thumb," Jarvis said.
"It's amazing to think that (after) a hundred years, with all of our modern thinking, we've ended up with exactly what Shackleton had. But yeah, it's still a very tippy, very unsafe boat," he said.
Jarvis was toasted at a presentation in Sydney at the weekend with an identical whisky to that carried on board the original Endurance, served in tin mugs for added authenticity.
Jarvis, an environmental scientist and an experienced explorer, said he was inspired by Shackleton's leadership style and his ability to turn disaster into success.
He also said Shackleton's story was an ideal platform to promote his environmental message.
"Well, Shackleton was trying to save his men from the Antarctic and we're now trying to save Antarctica from man," Jarvis said.
(Reporting by Stuart McDill; Editing by Elaine Lies and Paul Tait)
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