Star@News

2013 Oscar Nominations surprised to Ben Affleck and Kathryn Bigelow

2013-01-11T02:37:00.002+07:00

After the previous Oscar nominations in 2010 fell to Leonardo DiCario and Nicole Kidman, but another case in 2013, which was entered in 2013 Oscar Nominations are Ben Affleck and Kathryn Bigelow.

The news is certainly surprising to some people because the incoming Hollywood celebrity Oscar nominations in 2013 is different from previous years.

The 2013 Oscars were not without some major surprises. From Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman to Ben Affleck and Kathryn Bigelow, some of awards season's best and brightest were left by the wayside, doomed to join Michael Fassbender, Albert Brooks and Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" in the annals of Oscar snub history.

What were the biggest snubs and surprises on Oscar nomination morning? Below, a look at some of the biggest Oscar snubs of 2013.

Source : huffingtonpost.com

The best NFL players Junior Seau suffered from CTE brain disease

2013-01-11T01:32:00.000+07:00

One of the best NFL players and fiercest for nearly two decades, Junior Seau, has a degenerative brain disorder, it is unknown when he committed suicide last May, the National Institutes of Health told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The results of the NIH study revealed that the brain Junior Seau had abnormalities consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Dr. Russell Lonser independent supervisor brain research, "said." We have a chance to get some experts involved in a way they would not be able to directly identify the network even if they know he is one man who became our research. "

NIH, based in Bethesda, Md., conducted a study of three unidentified brain, one of which is that Seau. It said the findings of the autopsy Seau similar to people "with exposure to repetitive head injuries."
Seau families requested the analysis of brain disease suffered by the Junior Seau.

Seau is the star quarterback for 20 NFL seasons with San Diego, Miami and New England before retiring in 2009. He died of wounds inflicted by guns themselves.

More Images of the NFL legend through the years

He joins a list of several dozen football players who had CTE. Boston University's center for study of the disease reported last month that 34 former pro players and nine who played only college football suffered from CTE.

"I was not surprised after learning a little about CTE that he had it," Seau's 23-year-old son Tyler said. "He did play so many years at that level. I was more just kind of angry I didn't do something more and have the awareness to help him more, and now it is too late.

"I don't think any of us were aware of the side effects that could be going on with head trauma until he passed away. We didn't know his behavior was from head trauma."

That behavior, according to Tyler Seau and Junior's ex-wife Gina, included wild mood swings, irrationality, forgetfulness, insomnia and depression.

"He emotionally detached himself and would kind of 'go away' for a little bit," Tyler Seau said. "And then the depression and things like that. It started to progressively get worse."

He hid it well in public, they said. But not when he was with family or close friends.

The NFL faces lawsuits by thousands of former players who say the league withheld information on the harmful effects concussions can have on their health.

"We appreciate the Seau family's cooperation with the National Institutes of Health," the league said in an email statement to the AP. "The finding underscores the recognized need for additional research to accelerate a fuller understanding of CTE.

"The NFL, both directly and in partnership with the NIH, Centers for Disease Control and other leading organizations, is committed to supporting a wide range of independent medical and scientific research that will both address CTE and promote the long-term health and safety of athletes at all levels."NFL teams have given a $30 million research grant to the NIH.

Seau is not the first former NFL player who killed himself, then was found to have CTE. Dave Duerson and Ray Easterling are others.Duerson, a former Chicago Bears defensive back, left a note asking for his brain to be studied for signs of trauma before shooting himself. His family filed a wrongful death suit against the NFL, claiming the league didn't do enough to prevent or treat the concussions that severely damaged his brain.

Easterling played safety for the Falcons in the 1970s. After his career, he suffered from dementia, depression and insomnia, according to his wife, Mary Ann. He committed suicide last April.

Mary Ann Easterling is among the plaintiffs who have sued the NFL. "It was important to us to get to the bottom of this, the truth," Gina Seau said, "and now that it has been conclusively determined from every expert that he had obviously had it, CTE, we just hope it is taken more seriously.

"You can't deny it exists, and it is hard to deny there is a link between head trauma and CTE. There's such strong evidence correlating head trauma and collisions and CTE."

Tyler Seau played football through high school and for two years in college. He says he has no symptoms of any brain trauma. Gina Seau's son Jake, now a high school junior, played football for two seasons, but has switched to lacrosse and has been recruited to play at Duke."Lacrosse is really his sport and what he is passionate about," she said. "He is a good football player and probably could continue. But especially now watching what his dad went through, he says, 'Why would I risk lacrosse for football?'

"I didn't have to have a discussion with him after we saw what Junior went through."he said, but I can only say that Junior Seau is the best NFL players of all time

Source : Sporting News NFL

Visa Credit Card Application Form in 2013

2012-12-30T04:03:00.001+07:00

In applying for a credit card there are some things to consider, one of which is how we are in filling out the application form from the credit card company.

Each credit card company has a Visa Credit Card Application Form which will be different from one credit card company to company.

Visa Credit Card Application Form is something that is very important in the process of applying for Visa credit card. Visa Credit Card Application Form must be filled out by prospective customers in accordance with the actual data because this is how the company that issued the credit card visa to gather all the important information they need to know about their prospective customers.

Generally, the information required by the credit card issuing visas to prospective Visa Cardholder must be given through Visa Credit Card Application Form is:

Name of Primary Applicant and Co-Applicant
Address of Primary Applicant and Co-Applicant
Phone Numbers of Primary Applicant and Co-Applicant
Social Security Number of both
Monthly Gross Pay at the current employment
Monthly Gross of Additional Income if there exists any additional source of income

In addition to this information we can also mention the name of where the additional card to be issued if he wants to apply for additional cards.
Along with the purpose of gathering information from prospective customers, Visa Credit Card Application Form also provides some important information to customers to be filled out by potential customers. This information is provided under the heading-Information Credit Agreement, Credit Life and Disability Insurance and Credit Card Disclosures.

The information provided under the heading Information and Credit Agreement requires careful reading by Credit Card Visa Applicant. After reading the terms and conditions carefully, Primary Applicant and Co-Applicant should be in place is shown along with the mention of their Date of Birth. Signatures they will be seen as their consent to all terms and conditions mentioned in the Application Form and Visa Credit Card as their final nod in the process of credit card for applying.

Under the head of Credit Life and Disability Insurance, all the important information provided insurance are:

Insurance Policy Number
Insurance Maximum Coverage
Maximum Period for Loan Repayment
Retroactive Benefit in case of Credit Disability Insurance
Waiting Period in case of Credit Disability Insurance

Under the head of Credit Card Disclosure, the information provided is:

Annual Fee for the Visa Credit Card
Annual Percentage Rate on Purchases
Method of Calculating Card Balance
Grace Period for the Repayment of Card Balances
Late Payment Fee
Fees for exceeding Credit Limit
Fees for Card Replacement

Similarly, our writing in terms of instructions filling the visa application form of credit card. Hopefully what we describe may be useful for those of you who are applying a credit card.

To get more detailed information on Visa Credit Card Application Form one can browse the sites like mtedcu.org and nufcu.com.

Homeowners Insurance

2012-11-04T22:09:00.000+07:00

Whether you’re interested in learning the home?

insurance basics, looking to lower your homeowners?

insurance rates, or just finding a home insurance?

quote, we’ll show you the way.

Homeowners insurance (HOI) as the name implies, is property insurance coverage that not only protects you from the damage or loss of your property, but also provides liability protection for you, your family and guests, should an accident occur. If you own a home, you need home insurance. Not only does home insurance protect what’s most likely your largest asset, but it’s required by lenders when financing a home, making it one of the most necessary and abundant forms of insurance available today.

Homeowners insurance, in it’s essential form, covers the cost of rebuilding or repairing your home, replacement or reimbursement of personal property, and liability or legal responsibility for injury to other people caused by you or your family members. Home insurance provides protection from most disasters, such as fire. The two exceptions include floods and earthquakes. Additional coverage must be purchased when insuring against these natural disasters.

Types of Home Owner Insurance

Home insurance comes in a number of standardized forms. These forms were designed to eliminate the burden of purchasing several separate policies such as fire, theft, liability, and so on. The HO-3, sometimes called the “special policy” is the most commonly utilized form of homeowners insurance, as it provides comprehensive coverage.

The standardized forms are covered below:

HO-1 is a very basic policy, which covers specific risks outlined in the home insurance policy. These might include such risks as fire or lightening, hail, explosion, vandalism, theft, and more. This is not inclusive of personal property.
HO-2 includes coverage of HO-1, but adds additional coverage for specific perils. These perils are named in the policy, but commonly include plumbing and heating issues. This is not inclusive of personal property.
HO-3 is the most common form of homeowners insurance, as it’s designed as a blanket policy, covering most common issues. The protection of structure, personal property, and liability are all included. It is important for you to read your policy, however, as there are often exclusions. Common exclusions are flood, earthquake, and nuclear.
HO-4 is renters insurance designed for those renting a home or an apartment. Renters insurance policies will cover issues not outlined in the property owner’s policy. The tenant receives liability and personal property protection.
HO-5 is essentially a more comprehensive HO-3 home insurance policy.
HO-6 is condo insurance. This covers issues that aren’t covered by the condominium/homeowners association policy. Much like renters insurance, it provides liability insurance for residents and guests, as well.
HO-8 is an “older home” policy. This allows homeowners to insure older homes at lower rates. Rather than insuring the higher replacement costs associated with replacing an older home to its originality, you’re insuring for cheaper, more readily available, materials.

How Much Home Insurance?

You should insure your home for the total cost that it would take to replace it completely. This amount would be the cost to rebuild your home, if it was totally destroyed. When determining this value you should factor the quality of construction, custom features, square footage, and any other factors affecting value. Remember that you’re insuring your home, not the land it’s built on. So, don’t forget to subtract the value of the land, as the land will always be there, regardless of disaster. Also, if your home is destroyed, where are you going to go? You’ll need coverage for additional living expenses, like relocation.

Purchase a guaranteed replacement homeowners policy. This will insure that your house is rebuilt to replacement quality, regardless of rising construction or material costs. This is important, as material shortages are common after major disaster. It’s not at all uncommon for home insurance companies to cap these guarantees, limiting their risk exposure.

If you live in an area prone to flood, it’s important to get flood insurance coverage. Most homeowners insurance policies don’t include flood damage protection. Flood protection can be purchased through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Similarly, if you live in earthquake prone California, the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) provides earthquake insurance coverage.

Don’t forget your home’s content. Most home insurance policies provide minimal personal property protection. If you have items of value that you’d like protected, this will most often require an additional rider. These additional home insurance riders are purchased to protect expensive jewelry, art, antiques, collectibles, and other items of sentimental or economic value.

What Determines Home Insurance Rates?

For obvious reasons, location plays a large role in determining your home insurance rates. Certain high-risk areas prone to storm or disaster will always come at higher rates, due to the higher claims associated with those areas. What you might not know is that your sex, age, and marital status are all contributing factors when your home owner insurance rates are determined. Your credit score also plays a role in how much you’ll pay. There is a direct statistical correlation between low credit scores and high home insurance claims. Basing your rates on sex, age, marital status, or even your credit score may seem discriminatory, though that’s not the insurance company’s objective. These demographics allow the home insurance company to balance the statistical risks from an actuarial standpoint.

How to Save on Homeowners Insurance

You may not be able to change your demographics, but there are other ways you can save on your homeowners insurance policy. Combining your insurance coverage has become a popular way to save on insurance premiums. Some insurers will cut your rates as much as 20 percent by simply combining your home and auto insurance policies. And just like raising your auto insurance deductible, raising your homeowners deductible can help with the affordability of your policy. Certain safety equipment, such as a monitored home alarm, might provide for additional reductions. If you fall in the bad credit category, it will pay in more ways than one to repair credit. Be sure to check your credit record regularly to catch or correct any errors. Keeping little or preferably no revolving credit card debt will not only help with your credit score, but benefit your home insurance rates too.

Getting a Home Insurance Quote

When getting a home insurance quote, it’s important to go with a quality company, one that will be around when needed. Going with a fly-by-night company might provide cheap home insurance, but you’ll often pay in the end, through poor service or when making a claim. Insurance companies are rated by financial strength rating services, such as Moody’s or Standard & Poor’s. It’s always prudent to look into any home insurance company you plan to rely on. One of the best ways to save, when it comes to choosing the best homeowners insurance policy, is to get a multiple home insurance quote from a handful of quality insurers. Thanks to the internet, it’s relatively easy to get a homeowners insurance quote online that compares several reputable carriers. This will allow you to go with the quality your looking for, but at a great rate.

Source : Internet Marketing Royalty

Insurance Matters To A Home Office in 2012

2012-11-03T02:22:00.002+07:00

How to Get Insurance Matters To A Home Office in 2012..??

The home office is fairly commonplace these days as more people choose to work from home, either telecommuting or starting their own businesses.

Several things need to be considered when setting up a home office, not the least being how to insure it. If you are working at home under a telecommuting arrangement with your employer, the risk will be borne either wholly or partially by them. You will need to clarify exactly who is responsible for what before entering into the arrangement.

If starting a business from home, you are responsible for ensuring that the insurance coverage is adequate. Some different types of insurance for the home-based business operator to consider are:

• Office equipment

• Inventory (if stock kept on the premises):

• Public Liability

• Professional Indemnity

• Workers’ Compensation

• Personal Accident/Income Protection

Many small or “micro” business operators may feel they need little, if any, additional insurance. Picture this…

Your home is struck by lightning during a major storm and all of your electrical equipment is “fried”. Your Home Contents Policy will cover replacement of household electrical appliances destroyed as a result of the lightning strike but does not cover equipment used in the operation of a business. Some companies do offer limited cover for home office equipment…yours doesn’t.

Do you ever consult with clients at your home office? If a client trips on one of your children’s toys and is injured, don’t expect to be indemnified by the public liability section of your household policy. Any liability arising out of your business activities will be borne by you.

Think about this for a minute. Medical expenses, loss of income due to incapacity, not to mention legal expenses if the matter goes to court plus any judgement that may be awarded. Without Public Liability insurance for your business, one claim is all it would take to ruin you financially.

If you keep inventory on the premises, remember that it is not covered under your household policy. A separate policy to insure your stock will be required.

Perhaps you don’t handle stock. Your product may be your expertise and talent such as a business consultant or financial advisor. What if your advice is proven to be wrong? A financial advisor whose clients lose a lot of money because of his advice may well sue him for that loss. Without Professional Indemnity insurance, another small business folds.

Another question to ask yourself is this: What effect would losing my home-based business income have on my current lifestyle? If the answer is anywhere from “hardly any” to “catastrophic”, some form of Income Protection or Personal Accident insurance is recommended.

Then there’s Workers’ Compensation. “Workers’ Compensation?” I hear you incredulously ask. “But I don’t employ anyone!”

Consider this …

You’re a graphic designer and very, very busy. Demand for your services has grown so much that you occasionally subcontract out some of the work.

On one particular occasion, you contact another designer with whom you’ve worked before. He meets you at your favourite coffee “haunt” and you go over the job specifications with him. The meeting ends well and you look forward to receiving his part of the project in due time. He can’t wait to get started (or to receive your cheque).

On the way home from his meeting with you, the other designer is involved in a car accident and seriously injured. He will be unable to work for at least eight weeks and has no Personal Accident insurance.

His was the only vehicle involved so there’s no recourse there either. His only alternative to keep life in some kind of order is to claim Workers’ Compensation…from you. Since the accident occurred on his way home from his meeting with you – someone who has offered payment for a service provided – it would be difficult to successfully dispute his claim.

Regardless of what type of business is being operated from your home, it is imperative that the correct insurance type and level of cover is obtained. As is illustrated by the examples given, it only takes one incident, giving rise to one claim that can ruin, not only a business, but also lives.

And it is not just the business operators who suffer. The injured parties who are themselves unable to earn a living, through no fault of their own, also suffer - as do their families. Even if a judgement is awarded in favour of an injured party, the now bankrupt home-based business operator involved would have no means by which to pay it.

Talk to your insurance broker today!

How to Get Student Loans in 2012

2012-11-03T02:14:00.002+07:00

How to Get Student Loans in 2012 for Study Abroad..??

About Student Loans

Student Loans are a form of financial aid designed as a low-interest borrowing solution for students who seek to pursue higher education. Student loans allow students to cover the cost of a degree program and consequently fulfill their career goals with relative financial ease. There are essentially two main types of student loans: those offered by the federal government, which are federal student loans; and those offered by banks and lending institutions, which are private student loans.

Researching How to get Student Loans

If you need to get a student loan, it is essential to explore all your options. Since there are many different types of student loans, it is imperative to know the details of each so that you may know as to which kind of loan best meets your needs. SimpleTuition’s Student Loan Comparison Tool is extremely helpful for sorting and comparing all your options: it allows you to compare loans from major and local lenders side-by-side to cut through all the confusing details, and explains exactly how to get student loans. By doing your research on SimpleTuition, you won’t find yourself thinking, "How to get student loans?" and, even better, you’ll find the loan that best fits your financial profile.

Types of Student Loans

Broadly, Student Loans can be divided into the categories of federal and private student loans. Federal student loans include Stafford loans, Perkins loans and Plus loans, which are considered to be the best first borrowing option for students, as they have comparatively low interest rates versus private loans. However, federal student loans have relatively low borrowing limits, and generally do not cover the complete cost of education. Banks and other financial institutions offer private student loans, which, although they have a high rate of interest compared to federal loans, they can provide you with a great way to manage your academic expenses if the federal loans do not prove to be sufficient.

Wondering how to Get Student Loans? Meet these Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for Student Loans vary from one loan and lender to another. To receive federal loans, you must be a US citizen and be enrolled at least half-time in a recognized program to get federal student loans. To get private student loans, you need to have a good credit history or a credit-worthy cosigner in addition to having US citizenship or a cosigner who is a citizen. You must also be enrolled at least halftime in a 4 year degree program to apply.

Want to know the best practices for how to get student loans? Search and compare.

Once you have found out all the details of different student loans, you should compare them against each other. Consider the amount that you will borrow, as well as the interest rate and repayment terms; from there, you can decide what loan fits you best. Use our Student Loan Comparison tool above to easily compare the details of many different loans and to apply for the best loan for you.

Yemeni president returns home

2011-09-23T16:47:00.000+07:00

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has returned home after undergoing treatment in Saudi Arabia, a government spokesman said Friday.

Saleh returned to Yemen after a three-month medical stay in Saudi Arabia, said Mohammed Albasha, the Yemeni government spokesman.

Protesters have been calling for the ouster of the longtime president, who had been recuperating from a June attack on his palace.

He has vowed to finish his term.
A violent crackdown by authorities has left hundreds dead at protests, rights groups said.

Amnesty International said that since February, 200 people have been killed and more than 1,000 injured in protests in Yemen "as security forces have repeatedly used excessive force, including by firing live ammunition at peacefully gathered protesters."

Government officials have repeatedly denied accusations of excessive use of force, and said the government is committed to establishing a peaceful transfer of power.

Yemeni officials have said forces cracked down on those committing acts of violence during protests.

Source : CNN

Independent candidates test China's election experiment

2011-09-23T16:43:00.000+07:00

Beijing -- Elections are underway in China. Not for the country's presidency but for "Renmin Daibiao," or the National People's Representatives Congress.

Over the next few months, electorates in townships and urban districts all over the country will elect delegates to their local People's Congress, the lowest level of China's multi-tiered parliamentary system.

Conducted every five years, this is the only time citizens can directly vote for their legislators.

On paper, anyone can seek a seat by collecting signatures of at least 10 constituents.

But in China's tightly-controlled political system, all candidates are closely vetted by Communist Party officials. Elections are carefully choreographed.

Still, there are more than 100 people who have come forward as independent candidates.

Among them is Li Chengpeng, who has declared his candidacy on Weibo, China's version of Twitter.

A popular writer and social commentator, Li boasts of more than three million Weibo followers.

"With so many people following me, my name is ranked very high (on Weibo) and through my postings people can better understand my proposals," Li told CNN.

A native of Chengdu in Sichuan province, Li proposes bread-and-butter solutions for his constituents: how to improve use of school buses so pupils can avoid traffic jams; how to help university graduates find jobs and how to ensure prompt medical care for senior citizens.

"My purpose of running in the election is not to rebel or overthrow the government," he said. "That will be too naïve."

To avoid trouble with the police, Li said he will turn down any offers of financial donations and will avoid organizing street demonstrations.

The charismatic writer says most of his friends support him, but his wife remains worried and does not understand why he wishes to run.

"She thinks that we already enjoy a relatively good life—houses, cars, a lovely son," he explained. "She lives by the philosophy that we need not seek a pear tree since we already sit under the apple tree. But my view is, why not?

"There is so much injustice in China."

According to Li Fan, a long-time observer of grassroots elections in China, "it is the conflict that is driving so many activists and lawyers to run in these elections.

"Many people think they can make their voices heard and supervise the government by being candidates."

But the emergence of independent candidates is unsettling for Beijing officials.

Last June, an unnamed official of the National People's Congress, the top-level legislature, told state-run Xinhua that running as an independent had "no legal basis."

Few, if any, of these independent candidates are expected to get elected.

"Some of the 100 or so independent candidates have been intimidated by local officials, six have pulled out, which shows that the elections have not been going well so far," said Li Fan, who runs the World and China Institute, a think-tank in Beijing.

Nevertheless, political analysts say their participation is encouraging. "It shows that a civil society is taking root in China, although gradually," explained Wenran Jiang, political science professor at the University of Alberta in Canada.

"More people are asserting their constitutional rights rather than just living in the current situation largely dominated by the Communist Party."

Every election in China, he says, is an experiment and a glacial process.

China has been holding similar grassroots elections for years.

I remember observing one in 1980, when I was a senior at Peking University. For days, I joined campaign rallies on campus organized by student leaders who sought seats as deputies to a local legislature.

Inside a packed hall, we listened to impassioned speeches and Q&A sessions featuring candidates who extemporaneously answered questions from the audience. They debated on current affairs and national issues, akin to campaign debates in the United States and other countries.

But such political activism has caused jitters in the Chinese leadership. Over the years, experts say, Chinese leaders have tried to exclude independent candidates from local elections -- with much success.

Still, grassroots elections go on because they serve as a social safety-valve. Wenfang Tang, political science professor at Ohio University, noted that Beijing is now caught in a bind between keeping its political monopoly and coping with increasing public demand for political participation.

"The Chinese leaders know very well that people need to vent their dissatisfaction," he said. "It's certainly better to allow people to participate in elections than in protests."

In recent months, China has seen a spate of local disturbances in different regions of the country, including mass protests against land grabs, environmental pollution, and abusive behavior of officials and their children.

Last August, thousands of residents in the northeastern city of Dalian demonstrated against the building of the Fujia chemical plant to air their environmental and health concerns. The city government ordered the suspension of its construction.

Analysts say grassroots elections, even if faulty, are necessary baby steps that could allow public participation and preempt violent social unrest.

If allowed to evolve, Wenran Jiang opined, "China may well move in the direction of democracy with Chinese characteristics. If in one or two generations China can get where Singapore is today, that will be significant progress."

Independent candidate Li Chengpeng is philosophical about his seemingly quixotic quest.

"Even if only one of us gets elected, that's progress."

Source : CNN

BLITZER’S BLOG: My chance to chat with Iranian Pres. Ahmadinejad

2011-09-23T16:34:00.000+07:00

New York – I had a rare opportunity to talk directly with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday at a press event he held in New York after he addressed the U.N. General Assembly.

By most accounts, Ahmadinejad’s views are way out there. He stuck to his favorite talking points on a variety of topics ranging from America’s troubles, Israel, the uprising in the Middle East and homosexuality. When faced with negative questions about Iran, Ahmadinejad knew how to quickly deflect them and turn the conversation back toward the flaws of the United States. In our one hour together, the Iranian leader was asked about several of those issues. Here are just some of them:

I asked him what his impression was of President Obama. Ahmadinejad said Obama came with the slogan of change but never delivered. He went on to say that Obama lost the support of the American people, and he said his own opinion of Obama is very much in line with the American population.
I also asked him about his September 24, 2007, comments at Columbia University in which he denied the existence of homosexuals in Iran. Ahmadinejad didn’t back away from those remarks and said his position hadn’t changed even though he conceded there may be some gays in Iran. He said homosexuality is a shameful act, one of the ugliest forms of behavior, and there is no way to defend it.
On Israel, the Iranian leader said his country is not ready to recognize “the Zionist entity,” which is what he calls Israel, even if there were a peace agreement with the Palestinians. When asked if he’s worried Israel might launch a military strike, Ahmadinejad responded that “the Zionists” entered the region only to fight and create wars, and if they try any aggression toward Iran, they will regret it.
When asked about the Arab Spring, Ahmadinejad said all the regimes that have fallen have done so because they were supported by the United States.

Speaking of revolts, Ahmadinejad pointed to economically charged demonstrations in Europe, saying that discontent will eventually spread to the United States. He went even further, claiming some of America’s economic troubles are due to the sanctions imposed on Iran. He admitted they did have an effect, but said Iran is a great, resilient nation and the Iranian people will deal with it.
I will say this about the Iranian leader: He knows his talking points. He doesn’t give an inch. I also thought he actually enjoyed talking with the American reporters.

Source : CNN

Health crisis adds to Somalia's woes

2011-09-23T16:30:00.000+07:00

In addition to a disastrous drought and political violence, Somalia is facing a potentially devastating health crisis.

The World Health Organization's regional office for the Eastern Mediterranean said that at one hospital alone, more than 6,000 cases of cholera and diarrhea have been reported since January of this year.
Banadir Hospital in Mogadishu is one of Somalia's largest, but its website warns that it has been "flooded" with recent cases of acute watery diarrhea, or AWD, a condition associated with cholera and unclean drinking water leading to malnutrition and fatal dehydration.

CNN video taken Thursday at a Banadir Hospital's pediatric diarrhea center shows heart-wrenching images of emaciated babies and their worried parents. Many of the infants were receiving fluids through intravenous drips.
A flyer distributed by the center emphasizes the importance of hydration, and encourages mothers to breastfeed as much as possible.

But even with intensive hydration and medical care, many will not survive. In just the past week, four children under the age of 5 have died at Banadir Hospital, health agencies say.

More than 190 other children were hospitalized there in the same period, along with nearly 100 adults. But it is children who bear the brunt of this condition: This year, 45% of AWD-related deaths have been among children under 2 years old, according to World Health Organization statistics.

The organization has been building up its supplies and working on preventive activities in reaction to the ongoing conflict near Mogadishu, Somalia's capital. Its most recent statement warns that "the increased influx of internal displaced people and the precarious living conditions are high risk for outbreaks, and the number of AWD cases is expected to rise significantly between now and October."

Source : CNN

Does Facebook really care about you...???

2011-09-23T16:26:00.000+07:00

The ire and angst accompanying Facebook's most recent tweaks to its interface are truly astounding. The complaints rival the irritation of AOL's dial-up users back in the mid-'90s, who were getting too many busy signals when they tried to get online. The big difference, of course, is that AOL's users were paying customers. In the case of Facebook, which we don't even pay to use, we aren't the customers at all.

Let's start with the changes themselves. Until now, the main thing that showed up on users' pages was a big list of "updates" from all the friends and companies and groups to which they were connected. It was a giant chronological list that made no distinction between an article (like this one) that may have been recommended by a hundred friends and the news that one person just changed his relationship status or had a funny dream.
Facebook has now prioritized that flow of stories into a news feed that puts "top stories" on top, and the more chronological list of everything down below. Top stories are selected by an algorithm of some sort that "knows" what will be important to the user based on past behavior and numbers of connections to those recommending the story, and so on.
Meanwhile, as if to make up for this violation of the what-just-happened-is-the-only-thing-that-matters ethos of the social net, Facebook added a live, Twitter-like stream of everything everyone else is doing or saying. It runs down the right side of the screen, almost like CNN TV's awfully distracting and wisely retired "news crawl."

On an Internet where everyone and everything are becoming "friended" to one another, such a division of the relevant "solid" bits from the topic stream of data points makes sense. After all, updates from your closest friends and favorite bloggers should take priority over those from some relative stranger you "friended" because he said he was in your fifth grade class and you didn't want to insult him. If everyone ends up connected to everyone, Facebook will have to make some distinctions or the service will be useless.
But users are bothered by all this. On the simplest level, they don't like change, particularly when it results in making their free time more complex and stressful. Facebook was always a lazy person's friend and time waster. Turning into a dashboard designed to increase productivity and relevancy turns it more into, well, work.

Of course, if they stopped and thought about it, they would realize that Facebook is work. We are not Facebook's customers at all. The boardroom discussions at Facebook are not about how to help little Johnny make more and better friendships online; they are about how Facebook can monetize Johnny's "social graph" -- the accumulated data about how Johnny makes friends, shares links and makes consumer decisions. Facebook's real customers are the companies who actually pay them for this data, and for access to our eyeballs in the form of advertisements. The hours Facebook users put into their profiles and lists and updates is the labor that Facebook then sells to the market researchers and advertisers it serves.
Deep down, most users sense this, which is why every time Facebook makes a change they are awakened from the net trance for long enough to be reminded of what is really going on. They see that their "news feeds" are going to be prioritized by an algorithm they will never understand. They begin to suspect that Facebook is about to become more useful to the companies who want to keep "important" stories from getting lost in the churn -- and less useful for the humans.

Ultimately, they don't trust Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg and are suspicious of his every move. By contrast, Apple founder Steve Jobs took away his customers' hard drives, Flash movies, keyboards and Firewire ports -- and yet consumers put up with the inconvenience and discomfort every step of the way because they believed that Steve knew best, and trusted that he was taking them somewhere better.
Apple users pay handsomely for the privilege of putting themselves in the company's hands. Facebook does not enjoy this same level of trust with its nonpaying subscribers.

That's because on Facebook we're not the customers. We are the product.

Source : CNN

Google designing Android for Intel chips

2011-09-14T13:54:00.000+07:00

San Francisco -- Intel, which dominates the PC market but has struggled to break into smartphones, is getting a hand from Google.
Upcoming versions of Android, the No. 1 smartphone operating system from Google, will be compatible with Intel processors, the companies announced at Intel's developer conference on Tuesday.
"We want to make Intel architecture the platform of choice for smartphones," Intel CEO Paul Otellini said onstage. "Every time we have collaborated with Google, good things have come out of it."
The partnership will aid Intel in delivering on its promise to finally release smartphones with its technologies by the middle of 2012.
Google may benefit from accommodating a company that has significant influence in computers, which is the market Google is struggling to break into with its Chromebook project. The two companies already collaborate on that laptop operating system.
"The partnership has been great," said Andy Rubin, Google's executive for mobile development, who took the stage at Intel's conference to announce the deal.
In his keynote, Otellini touted Intel's Ultrabook concept, which the company has been reportedly nudging partners to embrace. The laptop concept facilitates very thin, light and affordable computers with batteries that can last for about a full day on a single charge. They look similar to Apple's MacBook Air, which uses Intel's Core processor.
Otellini also discussed a new processor, slated for 2013, called Haswell. Devices with the chip can remain connected to the Internet in standby mode for 10 days before the battery depletes, he said. Haswell will be tailored to Ultrabooks and tablets running Windows 8, the new operating system Microsoft was showing at the same time at its own conference in Anaheim, California.
"Computing means a lot more than just computers," Otellini said. "Just as computing has evolved, so too has Intel's architecture."
Intel's recent focus on reducing energy consumption, thereby improving battery life, should bolster its efforts in smartphones, analysts say. The company is also working on more compact chips, which it is calling "3-D transistors" because of the unique way the microscopic parts are situated.
Google and Intel did not say which chip will power upcoming Android phones or which manufacturers have agreed to make devices for it. Most smartphones and tablets use chips designed by ARM Holdings, which are popular for their efficiency. The next version of Android for phones and tablets, called Ice-Cream Sandwich, will debut next month or in November, Google has said.

Source : CNN

Staying safe while using Facebook on mobile phones

2011-09-14T13:52:00.000+07:00

Configuring your Facebook settings from a laptop is confusing enough, but try monitoring your Facebook privacy and security setting on a mobile phone. It's even more of a mess.
There's some help on the way, however. On Tuesday, the nonprofit group MobileActive published its list of tips for using mobile Facebook more safely.
About one-third of Facebook's 750 million active users worldwide access the service via mobile phones.
MobileActive's mobile Facebook guide is written with activists in mind (especially in light of the key role that Facebook played in many Arab Spring uprisings), but it's useful for any Facebook user.
Some Facebook-related mobile security risks have to do with how you use Facebook in general. Others relate to how your phone and its various mobile communication channels handle security when you're using a Wi-Fi connection rather than your carrier's data network.
For instance, many people set their phone to use a Wi-Fi connection whenever possible, in order to curb their data usage, which can get expensive. If you use Wi-Fi on your phone, depending on how your mobile browser or Facebook app handles security, someone might snoop on your login credentials ("sidejacking") and use them to impersonate you on Facebook. They could even lock you out of your own account.
Sidejacking is a Wi-Fi-related risk for many online services, not just Facebook. The main way you can protect yourself is to always use a secure connection (URLs that begin with "https" rather than "http") when logging in to an online account from any device, including your phone.
You can configure your Facebook account to always use "https." However, MobileActive cautions: "Be aware that this setting is not applied when browsing from a phone! You may also notice that some applications warn you that you cannot access them using HTTPS. If you use such applications, be aware that they may turn the 'always use HTTPS' setting off -- you will need to go back into your account settings and turn it back on every time."
So this means that using Facebook's mobile website could be more secure than using a Facebook app -- when you're on Wi-Fi. And the same would be true for Twitter, Tumblr and other services.
It's a good idea to bookmark the mobile websites for the services you use -- the URL versions that start with "https," of course -- on your phone's browser. Then use those sites (rather than service-specific apps) when accessing them over an open or shared Wi-Fi network.
Also, check that your mobile browser really can make a secure Web connection. MobileActive notes that some older or more primitive browsers (probably including many browsers that come pre-installed on feature phones) may revert the connection to "http," which is not secure. So once you've tried to access a site using "https," after the page loads, double-check the location bar in your browser to make sure it still says "https."
If you prefer to use Facebook apps, it's safer to turn off Wi-Fi access on your phone while you're using them. Your carrier's data connection is more secure. This is especially important if you use your Facebook account to log in to additional sites, via the Facebook Connect service; it would be bad enough just getting your Facebook account hacked, let alone everything else you've connected that account to.
MobileActive also notes that Facebook provides extra options to help you control which devices can access your account.
"Log-in notifications warns you every time your account is accessed from a new device (both computers and phones). Log-in Approvals takes things a step further by requiring you to enter a code sent to your mobile phone every time you access the site from a new device. And in the U.S., Facebook users can send a text message to a predefined number to request a one-time password."
MobileActive's guide did not address third-party services (such as PicPlz) that can be used to post photos or video to Facebook, Foursquare and other services. But in general, if you use these tools, be aware of the various audiences and level of privacy each service affords. Before you upload a photo, make sure it's getting cross-posted only to the services you wish to use.

Source : CNN

How many pages are on the internet...???

2011-09-14T13:50:00.000+07:00

It seems like an answerable question, right?
But no one really knows how many websites or individual Web pages make up this seemingly infinite digital universe that is the internet.
Kevin Kelly, a founder of Wired magazine, has written that there are at least a trillion Web pages in existence, which means the internet's collective brain has more neurons than our actual gray matter that's stuffed between our ears.
"The Web holds about a trillion pages. The human brain holds about 100 billion neurons," Kelly writes in his 2010 book "What Technology Wants."
"Each biological neuron sprouts synaptic links to thousands of other neurons, while each Web page on average links to 60 other pages. That adds up to a trillion 'synapses' between the static pages on the Web. The human brain has about 100 times that number of links -- but brains are not doubling in size every few years. The global machine is."
Wild, huh?
Well, at long last, an answer may be coming.
A group called the World Wide Web Foundation -- appropriately founded by Tim Berners-Lee, who pretty much created the internet -- is on a quest to figure out, with some degree certainty, how big the internet really is.
With a $1 million grant from Google, the foundation plans to release the results of its online forensic search, called the World Wide Web Index, early next year, the foundation's CEO, Steve Bratt, said in a recent interview.
Here's how the foundation described the project in an e-mail to CNN:
"The Web Index will be the world's first multi-dimensional measure of the Web and its impact on people and nations. It will cover a large number of developed and developing countries, allowing for comparisons of trends over time and benchmarking performance across countries."
Bratt stressed that it won't answer every question people have about the internet, but he hopes the index, which will be presented as a series of annual reports, will go a long way toward filling in some of the gaps.
"We want to be really careful about what will happen (as a result of the Web Index) because we just don't know," he said. "But this will be probably the best opportunity to quantify" the Web.
So, what kind of tools does one use to try to measure the internet? Certainly not yard sticks and rulers, right?
Bratt said the Web Foundation will conduct surveys of internet users, interview relevant people and try to gather data from internet service providers, national governments and search engines such as Google to come up with its findings.
In addition to looking at how big the Web is, the group wants to use data to tease out the role social media sites had in sparking revolution in the Middle East this year. And it wants to find out what kinds of websites people all over the world are looking at; what websites exist; and how internet trends differ from country to country and region to region.
The International Telecommunications Union digs into some similar questions, publishing reports on the number of internet users in various countries and how fast connections are around the world (South Korea is by far the fastest, in case you were wondering. The United States is super-slow in comparison).
Bratt said the Web Foundation's work will supplement, not replace, what the ITU does.

The foundation is starting work on the Web Index soon and is still seeking funding for the project, he said. The first of five annual reports will be available early next year, the group says.

Source : CNN

Microsoft prepares Windows 8 for battle against the iPad

2011-09-14T13:47:00.000+07:00

Microsoft is set to unveil the next generation of Windows today. The new operating system, currently known as Windows 8, is the tech giant's attempt to regain ground that it has lost to Apple, which surpassed Microsoft last year as the world's most valuable company.
It isn't the MacBook or Mac OS X Lion that has Microsoft executives worried, though. It's the sheer dominance of the iPad.
The iPad hasn't skipped a beat since its debut last year. Thanks to Apple's ingenuity, a shockingly low starting price and a strong marketing campaign, the device has sold more than 25 million units in less than a year and a half. More importantly, it has defined a whole new category of consumer devices. And it dominates that category with an iron fist.
iPad competitors have come and gone, but none have been able to make a dent in the iPad's rapid growth. HP has given up on the TouchPad, the RIM Playbook has underperformed and countless Android tablets have fallen by the wayside. Nothing has emerged as the alternative to the iPad.
Windows 8: One OS to rule them all
This presents a dangerous problem and an opportunity for Microsoft. The tech giant cannot let Apple monopolize the tablet market like Microsoft did with the desktop OS. That would seal its fate as a technology power destined to diminish into a shell of its former self.
There is a need for a legitimate alternative to the iPad, though, and the company that gets it right will emerge in a strong position to take a big piece of the fast-growing tablet market. Success in tablets would boost Microsoft's profits, ease investor concerns about the shrinking PC market and set it up for future growth.
That's where Windows 8 comes in. The next generation OS, which will be unveiled at the Microsoft Build conference on Tuesday, is not only designed for PCs, but it is also made to work on tablets as well. We got a taste of its touchscreen capabilities at the D9 conference earlier this year, but we expect Microsoft to unveil the first Windows 8 tablet during Tuesday's keynote. Our sources tell us that the device will be manufactured by Samsung but has been designed meticulously by Microsoft in an attempt to create the iPad alternative.
Will Microsoft's gamble work? Can the company create an OS that works seamlessly on both tablets and PCs? And most of all, will it be useful enough, different enough and cheap enough to give the iPad a run for its money?
We'll be closer to knowing the answers to those questions Tuesday morning. The tablet wars are about to begin in earnest.

Source : CNN

China denies blocking release of frozen Libyan assets

2011-09-14T13:45:00.000+07:00

Beijing -- China denied Tuesday it has been obstructing the release of Libya's frozen assets, one day after Beijing recognized the rebel-led National Transitional Council as Libya's legitimate governing body.
Earlier news reports had quoted the head of NTC as saying Beijing objected to the unfreezing of Libyan assets abroad -- estimated to be $170 billion -- beyond $15 billion for immediate needs.
"China has not opposed releasing the frozen funds in relevant discussions," said Jiang Yu, a foreign ministry spokeswoman, at a regular press briefing. "What we wanted was to have relevant countries provide clearer and more comprehensive information on the use of the funds and its supervision."
"We will continue to adopt a constructive and responsible attitude in dealing with this issue in the future," she added.
Despite years of close ties to Moammar Gadhafi and public criticisms of NATO's bombing campaign against regime loyalists, China Monday switched its diplomatic recognition to the NTC -- further isolating the former Libyan dictator now in hiding.
Some analysts view Beijing's abandonment of Gadhafi -- as well as its reported earlier obstruction of releasing frozen Libyan funds -- as a practical move aimed at protecting China's billions of dollars worth of investments in the North African country.
Chinese officials emphasize their decisions on Libya have been "responsible and principled" based on respect for the Libyan people, but they acknowledge Beijing's political and economic interests are also at stake.
"The NTC has stated that it would firmly adhere to the 'One China' policy and honor all previous treaties and agreements between Libya and China -- and we express our appreciation," Jiang said. "We hope to work with the NTC to promote a peaceful transition of bilateral ties and further develop them down the road."
China, which wields veto power at the U.N. Security Council, insists the United Nations spearhead the post-conflict reconstruction in Libya. Jiang said Beijing would reopen its embassy in Tripoli when security improves.

Last week China denied it had offered to sell $200 million worth of weapons to Gadhafi in the waning days of his rule.

Source : CNN

Analysis: Battle for Libya not quite over

2011-09-04T13:26:00.000+07:00

Ten days ago the vanguard of rebel forces streamed into the Libyan capital. Moammar Gadhafi's forces put up virtually no resistance, and it seemed that the end of Libya's six-month conflict was imminent.
The people of Tripoli could smell freedom; there was an anarchic euphoria about the city despite continuing gun battles.
Today the picture is less clear, and the future holds many questions. The joy at being liberated from Gadhafi's brutal and capricious rule is still unconfined, especially as residents celebrate the end of Ramadan.
Security in Tripoli has improved, but the humanitarian situation remains precarious, with water shortages especially a problem. The National Transitional Council's political leadership has not installed itself in any organized fashion as a government-in-waiting and there appears little command and control over the disparate groups of fighters consolidating their hold on Tripoli.

There also seems to be an emerging dispute within the NTC over who administers Libya's enormous sovereign wealth fund, while relations with neighboring Algeria are not exactly stellar.

Water and Basics

Much of Tripoli's water comes to the capital through a 1,700-kilometer pipeline from an aquifer deep in the Sahara desert, an area that is apparently still under the control of pro-Gadhafi forces. Basically, they have sabotaged the flow. The massive holding tanks to the south of Tripoli are said to be virtually empty, and 60% of the city's residents are without main water. Many have to rely on bottled or trucked water; others are using wells.
The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, said Tuesday that engineers were working to repair the pumping stations that bring in water from the desert, but it wasn't clear how long it would take to restore service. "The humanitarian situation in Libya demands urgent action," he said.
Supplies are beginning to arrive. The World Food Program sent in a convoy from Tunisia, carrying water, medical supplies and blood. The main road between the Tunisian border and Tripoli appears to be more secure, while the World Health Organization is sending 45 tonnes of medical supplies, as Tripoli's seaport is open again.
There are also other shortages -- especially of gasoline and cash. But the NTC is organizing tankers of fuel into the capital, and lines at gas stations (as well as prices) are now close to pre-war levels. CNN correspondents Wednesday reported that garbage collectors were out on the streets.
The cash shortages at banks should be eased with the decision by the U.N. sanctions committee to release $1.55 billion in Libyan assets that were being held in Britain.

Resistance

While resistance from Gadhafi forces has effectively ended in the capital, it continues elsewhere with fighting reported in some parts of the country, most notably Gadhafi's home town of Sirte, Sabha and points to the south.
The rebels have given pro-Gadhafi elements in Sirte, about 400 kilometers east of Tripoli, until Saturday to surrender or face attack. "Unfortunately, to preserve blood sometimes you have to shed blood," said the newly appointed deputy prime minister of the NTC, Ali Tarhouni. Sabha, deep in the desert, is an important junction leading to the Algerian and Chadian borders. Another pro-Gadhafi hold-out is Bani Walid, south of Misrata. Royal Air Force jets targeted three command and control buildings there on Monday.

NATO has acknowledged that resistance from Gadhafi forces is not over. "The pro-Gadhafi troops that we see are not in total disarray. They are retreating in an orderly fashion," said NATO spokesman Colonel Roland Lavoie Tuesday. Gadhafi had the ability "to exercise some level of control and command," he said.
On Wednesday, Saif al Islam Gadhafi, one of Gadhafi's sons still in hiding, broadcast a defiant message via a TV station in Syria. Gadhafi did not divulge the whereabouts of his father, but said, "The leader is fine. We are fighting and we are drinking tea and drinking coffee and sitting with our families and fighting." Saif said he was speaking from a suburb of Tripoli, but there was no way of independently confirming his whereabouts.
It is unclear whether the remnants of the pro-Gadhafi forces will reorganize underground and begin an Iraq-style insurgency, or whether they will just melt away. While there is no occupying power to focus on, tribal and sectarian rivalries in Libya run deep.

NTC troubles

The rebel fighters don't exactly march in step. Different groups from different parts of the country patrol different parts of the capital. There is no overall command, despite the appointment of Abdel Hakimal-Hasadi to lead the Tripoli Military Council. Hasadi is also known as Abdelhakim Belhaj, a former jihadist who was an important figure in the militant Libyan Islamic Fighting Group. An effective military leader, Hasadi's past unsettles others in the loose rebel coalition.
Some fighters have reached Tripoli from Misrata in the east; while some have come from the mountains to the south-west. There was little co-ordination ahead of their arrival in Tripoli. The NTC leadership in Benghazi tried to exercise some influence over the rebels in the west, but never had direct control over their campaign.
Rifts within the NTC's military leadership were exposed in July with the murder of the overall commander, Fatah Abdel Younis. The NTC's investigation into his killing continues but has been shrouded in mystery; Younis' supporters say they want answers.
Some of the NTC's Executive Committee and other senior officials are now in Tripoli; others are still in Benghazi or Doha in Qatar. There are clearly disagreements and competition among them for influence. The Financial Times reported Wednesday that there was a tussle for control of Libya's $65 billion sovereign wealth fund, with two different officials named to take control of it. Tarhouni, who holds the Oil and Finance brief for the NTC, has promised more clarity in coming days.

Squabble with the neighbors

The escape to Algeria of Gadhafi's wife and two of his sons, along with their families, has deepened the mistrust between the NTC and Libya's powerful neighbor.
Algeria described the move as a humanitarian gesture, but it angered the NTC, with one official calling it "an aggressive act." The NTC has previously accused the Algerian government of supporting the Gadhafi regime; the Algerians have complained to the United Nations about damage done to their embassy soon after the rebels entered Tripoli.

NTC officials are trying to play down any differences with Algeria. Tarhouni told CNN Tuesday that relations with Algeria were good, and the Algerian authorities would not permit Moammar Gadhafi to cross the border.

Source : CNN

Gadhafi's Ukrainian nurse talks about life with 'Daddy'

2011-09-04T13:11:00.000+07:00

Mogilnoye, Ukraine -- In the Ukraine house where she grew up, Oksana Balinskaya's hazel eyes transfixed on television images of Moammar Gadhafi.
He was now a fallen leader, a fugitive sought for justice. He had been known as the ruthless leader of a pariah state, a butcher, a delusional man divorced from reality.

But Balinskaya, 25, who served as one of Gadhafi's five Ukrainian nurses for nearly two years, had always seen him in a different light.
She had checked his blood pressure, monitored his heart, stuck him with a needle to draw blood, gave him vitamins and pills for his ailments, though he didn't seem to have many. He was a healthy man.
She even called him "Daddy." All the Ukrainian nurses did. It was a nickname they used to speak about him among themselves, without attracting attention.
"Daddy gave us jobs, money and a good life," she said.
Far removed now from the sands of Libya, Balinskaya sat at the kitchen table with her Serbian husband, looking upward at the boxy TV set atop the refrigerator. Images of Gadhafi's fiery defiance flashed in the face of ouster.
She would feel sorry for him if he were killed or captured, she said.
"Gadhafi was quite considerate to us," she said. "He would ask us whether we are happy and whether we have everything that we need."
Every September, on the anniversary of his rise to power, Gadhafi presented souvenirs to his Ukrainian nurses and other members of his inner circle. Balinskaya received a medallion and a watch etched with his picture.
She took turns with the other nurses accompanying him on foreign trips, sometimes sparking rumors spread in the media about Gadhafi's harem.
All of what was being said about Gadhafi seemed contrary to what she knew about the man -- including the allegations by Gadhafi family nannies and domestic staff that they were tortured and abused.
Gadhafi, she said, always treated her very well.
Her job now lost to Libya's civil war, she pitied the nation.
"If it were not for Gadhafi, who else would have built it?" she said. "It was he who constructed it. He has transferred Libyans from camelbacks into cars."

The rules were strict: No lipstick

By the time Gadhafi visited Ukraine in October 2009, Balinskaya had graduated from nursing school in Kiev and been working in the area of her native Mogilnoye for three years. But life was not easy in Ukraine; she was making only $125 a month.
She knew of opportunities in Libya and had already submitted an application for work there. It was an opportunity to make a better life for herself. Salaries were higher in Libya and she would receive housing and other perks.
She had been waiting for about a month to hear back when Gadhafi arrived on his state visit to Ukraine.
A meeting was arranged for him to meet six personal nurse candidates. Balinskaya was one of them.
She knew little about Gadhafi then and felt nervous at their first meeting. Three of the six nurses had already worked in Libya and knew Arabic. Balinskaya thought she did not have a chance.
Gadhafi greeted them but Balinskaya found nothing special in the selection process.
"I don't know how he made the choice; perhaps he was a good psychologist," she said.
She learned later that he understood people from that first handshake, from that first gaze into their eyes.
Soon, she was on her way to Tripoli. Her job was solely to treat Gadhafi and his large family.
The rules were strict. The attractive Ukrainian nurses wore no flashy makeup or revealing clothes.
"Our appearance was very humble so as to not attract anybody's attention," she said. "We would never put on lipstick going to his house and have vivid colors in our clothes."
She was always surrounded by others -- Gadhafi's wife, children, grandchildren, officials within his inner circle.
"None of us had ever been one on one with him," she said. "There wasn't even a single room in his household where we could have possibly been left alone with him."
That's why she was shocked by the gossip that Gadhafi had sexual relationships with his foreign nurses.
Veteran Ukrainian nurse, Galina Kolonitskaya, 38, who had worked with Gadhafi for nearly a decade, was described in a U.S. diplomatic cable posted by WikiLeaks as a "voluptuous blonde" who "knows his routine." It said the Libyan dictator was deeply attached to her.
"Galina was the same kind of nurse as we all were," Balinskaya said. "She is of course a glamorous and very kind woman with a big heart. She helped me a lot.
"I don't know who created this image about us nurses, as well as about his female bodyguards," she said. "How could anyone in sane mind assume that we could have had any intimate relationship with Gadhafi?"

Hoping to return to Libya

Both Balinskaya and Kolonitskaya left Libya in February when the uprising against Gadhafi took root.
But it was not just the threat of war that prompted Balinskaya to leave.
She was pregnant then and had started showing. She returned to her native Mogilnoye, a village south of Kiev. Her husband Dejan, a 38-year-old Serbian businessman, joined her there.
A month ago, as Gadhafi's regime teetered, Balinskaya gave birth to a baby boy.
Journalists were also eager to hear Kolonitskaya's tales of Gadhafi, lining up at her apartment door. But she has avoided publicity.
"All that gossip about her is untrue," Balinskaya said. "She was totally fed up. There was too much attention on her for no reason."
The nurses, she said, had no personal relationship with Gadhafi.
"I can only say good things about him," she said, thinking of the comfortable life she had in Libya, dreaming of how to make it happen again.
"I very much hope that we will return to Libya," she said, flipping through an album with photographs of herself in Libya.

Only, it will be a different Libya now. One without Gadhafi. Without "Daddy."

Source : CNN

Gadhafi loyalists given one more week to surrender

2011-09-04T13:05:00.000+07:00

Tripoli, Libya -- Libya's interim leadership gave Moammar Gadhafi loyalists one more week to surrender before they face military force in the last bastions of the strongman's power.
But with the olive branch came a threat.
Anti-Gadhafi forces are positioning around the former leader's hometown, Sirte, and Bani Walid, where a powerful tribe is sympathetic to Gadhafi, Mustafa Abdul Jalil, chairman of the National Transitional Council, said Saturday.
"This extension does not mean we are unaware of what Gadhafi's accomplices are up to," Jalil said at a news conference, countering earlier criticism that a grace period might give Gadhafi's forces to regroup.
Ali Tarhouni, the interim deputy prime minister and oil minister, said the city was close to falling.
"It's possible, although we are not sure, that the Bani Walid (tribe) has joined the revolution, and now it's under control of the revolutionaries," he said.
Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said key tribal leaders in Bani Walid are still loyal to Gadhafi.
Ibrahim told Reuters that Gadhafi, while not in Bani Walid, is still in the country. He said he did not know where.
"I know that very much he is in the country, which is for sure," Ibrahim said. "He is in a safe place, surrounded by many people who are prepared to protect him."
Anti-Gadhafi fighters from the east pushed toward Bani Walid Saturday, with virtually no resistance. They were able to reach El Mardum, which sits on the border of Bani Walid province and is home to Khamis Gadhafi's 32nd Brigade base.
The anti-Gadhafi forces entered the base and arrested three men in civilian clothes they claim were loyalists. They also were able to take seven armored personnel carriers.
National Transitional Council media coordinator Adel Zintani told CNN's Kareem Khadder that rebel fighters could enter Bani Walid by Sunday morning.
"The rebel fighters have surrounded the outskirts of Bani Walid on the western side," he said.
"Some tribal leaders and many of the residents have surrendered their weapons, but there are still many loyalists who are protecting Moammar Gadhafi and his sons," Zintani said.
Tarhouni said Libya's new leadership will move their headquarters from Benghazi to Tripoli next week to begin implementing political plans to shape a new future.
But for the time being, guns trump government on the streets of the capital.
Tripoli has become a city of checkpoints, weapons and no real authority as the threat of Gadhafi's loyalists lingers.
Jittery and suspicious anti-Gadhafi fighters blocked a road Saturday where a drive-by shooting occurred earlier. They collected weapons and registered them at police stations. Those who called themselves rebels just a week ago were now working with Tripoli's law enforcement authorities.
With Gadhafi's armories emptied, guns, always in large supply in Libya, have proliferated on the streets.
Those who want to carry weapons now must be issued identification cards but the selection process is not centralized -- neighborhood councils are making that decision.
A group called the Tripoli Revolutionary Council is trying to exert control over the city, creating potential for further conflict with the established National Transitional Council in a volatile situation.
Tarhouni, meanwhile, announced Saturday the formation of the Supreme Security Committee, which held its first meeting Friday. Among the priorities for the committee were the protection of public institutions and weapons in Tripoli.
Tarhouni said the committee agreed that protecting Tripoli will eventually fall under the Interior Ministry but for now, given the lack of police on the streets, the anti-Gadhafi brigades will take on that role under the watch of the new committee.
Many residents don't want to hand over their weapons, their sole source of security on a nation freed from a strongman's grip.
Azeldin Al-Hensheri said one man refused to turn in his gun.
"He said: 'No no no, I am a big guy. I am in power now. Gadhafi not here anymore. I am going to use my gun and shoot everywhere,' " Al-Hensheri said.
He said the man was killed by the rebels, summary justice prevailing.
Insecurity, compounded by dire shortages of water, food and gas, has punctured the celebratory air of victory with fear and anxiety.
After an international conference on Libya, held in Paris Thursday, a United Nations team was on the ground to re-establish the organization's presence to address immediate concerns.
"It is critical to ensure an immediate and effective U.N. presence on the ground to help identify and assist vulnerable people who have been particularly affected by the conflict and the disruption of services," said Panos Moumtzis, the global body's humanitarian coordinator for Libya, who arrived in Tripoli Thursday.
Food and water distribution -- about 60% of Tripoli is without drinking water -- has already begun.
The transitional council, meanwhile, is trying to get Libya's oil-dependent economy going again.
It expects to restart oil production at the Misla and Sarir oil fields in less than two weeks, said Tarhouni, the oil minister.
The council is also reportedly trying to build international relationships in order to beef up oil exports.
To that end, Russia invited new Libyan leaders to Moscow for talks on energy projects, the state-run RIA Novosti reported Saturday.
"They have proposed a discussion," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We invited some (Libyan) officials to Moscow at their request."
The NTC has said those NATO countries that gave them support during their fight with the Gadhafi regime "would have the priority in energy projects in the oil-rich country," RIA Novosti said.

Russia, a critic of the NATO bombings, only recently recognized the transitional council as Libya's governing authority.

Source : CNN

Failure to Pay Debts Americans Threatened

2011-08-04T19:59:00.000+07:00

TEMPO Interaktif, Washington - United States critical financial condition. Superpower is getting closer to the failure to pay the debt after the Democrats and Republicans failed to agree on the proposed debt ceiling increase in the federal government. Though the deadline to get additional loans increasingly tight until Tuesday next week.
Failed in the senate and parliament, President President Barack Obama, reacted instantly. In his speech, he declared, failure to increase the borrowing limit would be very detrimental to the nation.
"First time in history, the triple-A credit rating will be lowered state," Obama said, this condition, he continued, "leaving the question for investors, whether the United States is still a promising place to do business?"
Intensive negotiations between Republican and Democratic lawmakers last week, has not agreed to increase America's debt limit from U.S. $ 14.3 trillion. As a result, the country will not be able to pay bills maturing on 2 August.
Negotiation impasse create market confusion. This week the price of gold rose to number 1,600 per troy ounce, the highest in history. The value of the dollar fell as fears the U.S. economy continued.
"Every day, passed without the deal will make investors a little more defensive," said Omer Esiner, chief market analyst at the Commonwealth Foreign Exchange in Washington.
Obama warned of default would trigger a tax increase for all citizens of the United States, higher interest rates loans, credit cards, and mortgages. But Obama remains convinced that a deal was still possible.
"I have told the leaders of both parties that they should hold talks fairly," he said. Obama added, "There are still a few days, I'm sure they could take the deal."
Credit rating agencies, Standard & Poor's downgraded the debt would remind the United States if the country fails to reduce the budget deficit amounted to U.S. $ 4 trillion.
The impact of pruning the debt will be felt by the entire world. Investors are likely going to demand a higher return on U.S. government debt. Financial markets are reeling, forcing up interest rates and weaker asset prices.
Republicans and Democrats promised not to let the United States failed to pay the debt. But they have not one vote matter of raising the debt limit.
Democrats want to protect Medicare and Medicaid. The party states, any funding cuts public health programs for poor elderly must be balanced with tax increases. But the proposal was opposed by Republicans. The party insists rejected a tax increase.
A spokesman for the parliament, John Boehner, Republicans in Congress must pass the proposal on two-step reduction of the deficit on Monday. In a first step, Boehner proposes cuts in state spending up to U.S. $ 1.2 trillion.
But it must be rejected Obama's proposal, because it is considered a solution only for a moment. Beginning 2012, this policy should be revisited and it will heat up the political atmosphere ahead of elections. "When six months is not enough to avoid the debt downgrades," Obama said.

History of American Economic Crisis

2011-08-04T19:33:00.004+07:00

Some time ago, the Government of the United States (U.S.) reached an agreement with its creditors are Russia, Japan, and China, the related debt of U.S. $ 14.3 trillion, most of which mature on August 2, 2011. As expected, the U.S. does not pay the debt that is due the use of cash, but use more debt, amounting to U.S. $ 2.1 trillion.

New debt of U.S. $ 2.1 billion will mature in the next 10 years, and will be paid using the money of U.S. $ 2.4 trillion obtained from the state budget savings. Assuming that the U.S. is able to save expenses, the debt will be repaid next ten years. But if you learn from experience, usually later the debt will be extended again, who knows how long. If the debt can be compared as a time bomb, the bomb was never tamed, but only delayed the explosion.
The question, whether in the past 'bomb' as it ever explode? And when that happens, what happens next?
The success of the U.S. became a superpower at the moment, one of which is due to the incessant activities of accelerated development, by relying on debt. But in the past, the U.S. had several times failed to pay the debt, either government debt or the accumulation of debts of its citizens, which continues on a massive financial crisis. Okay, let us trace its history.

The first crisis in the U.S. occurred in 1819, known as the 'Panic of 1819'. The crisis is the end of a massive economic expansion that occurred across the country, after the U.S. win the war against England in 1812. Post-war, supported by a conducive political conditions, the local banks started giving loans to workers, employers, and anyone who wants to build houses, business premises, and so on. Economy was growing rapidly. But U.S. society when it forgets that the U.S. Government is also owed to local banks to finance its war. As economic activity starts to walk does not match the expected, starting from Europe will decline in demand for imports of foodstuffs from the U.S., then that's when businesses started to fail to pay its debts to the bank. The U.S. government alone can not cover the debts of its citizens, because he himself also had a mountain of debt. As a result, the U.S. experienced its first economic crisis, where dozens of banks forced to close, unemployment is rampant everywhere, and hundreds of people jailed for nonpayment of debts.

The next crisis occurred in 1857, which again preceded by the expansion of bank debt in the shed. At that time, exports of foodstuffs and agricultural products from the U.S. east coast (New York and surrounding areas) to Europe began to back down, so many U.S. citizens who live on the east coast move to the west (California and surrounding areas) to seek a new livelihood. They use the train for the trip. As a result rail transport service businesses to reap huge profits, and encourage banks to disburse loans to railway companies. Economic crisis began when the U.S. citizens, most of which are farmers, found that the land in the west was barren and could not be used for planting, so the next person who no longer travel to the west. When the railway company no longer get the passengers, then they began to go bankrupt one by one, and come dragging the bank that gave them a loan. The peak of the crisis of 1857 occurred when one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S. at that time, the Ohio Life Insurance, having failed to pay U.S. $ 7 million and went bankrupt, a very large value for the size of the time.

The third crisis occurred in the 1930s, known as the 'Great Depression'. The cause remains the same: debt. At this time of crisis, the debt began to involve the capital market. Starting from the fall of the Wall Street stock market in October 1929, the U.S. afflicted with major economic crisis that could only recover about ten years later. And that's thanks to World War II, where the U.S. economy when it began to move back because many businesses accept orders weapons and aircraft from countries in Europe.
The cause of the fall of Wall Street is none other than the U.S. because of capital market experienced a severe bubble before. Before the crash, stocks on Wall Street continued to rise rapidly, up to an average PER of the stocks in the Standard & Poor's had reached 32.6 times, very expensive!

The increase in stock price is driven too fast by the action of the securities and banks, which provide large loans to investors and traders to keep buying shares, including by way of short selling. When people began to realize that stock prices are too expensive, then they immediately sell the shares, and followed by other market players are panicking, so Wall Street immediately plummeted. The most prominent stock index in the U.S., Dow Jones, continued to fall until 1932. At that time, the Dow has dropped to 41.22, or 89% lower than pre-crisis positions.

After the 'Great Depression', until recently the U.S. has never experienced a big crisis again. Dow indeed had several times experienced major corrections, including in 2008, which is usually also caused by the bubble. However, the corrections never gets as bad as the correction that occurred in 1930. Unfortunately, as if unwilling to learn from experience, U.S. and debt again. Even in recent years, the debt continues to increase. In 2005, the debt of the U.S. 'only' U.S. $ 7.9 trillion, before it became U.S. $ 14.3 trillion at this point.
Then what about Indonesia? While Indonesia has a crisis in 1998 and 2008, the cause is also debt. In 1998, entrepreneurs who have a debt denominated in U.S. $ suddenly unable to repay its obligations, because the debt they suddenly swell, caused by the weakening of rupiah exchange rate against the dollar. Some people say that the 1998 crisis was actually created by the U.S., who deliberately play on Asian currencies, including Euro, so that Indonesia became indebted to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). For entrepreneurs Indonesia should be able to pay its debts if the word does not weaken rupiah against the U.S. $.
While in 2008, which has a debt is a U.S. citizen, that is debt for mortgages, instead of Indonesia. So the crisis that occurred in 2008 not as severe as the crisis that occurred in 1998. In 2008, CSPI 'only' dropped by half, before then rebounded and reached the position at this time.

From the above series of events, then we can take some conclusions:

1. Economic crisis usually starts from a too rapid economic growth, which sometimes even accompanied by euphoria. Though growth is not sustained by the real sector and macro fundamentals. Rarely occurs without a crisis initiated by the financial condition of the super-conducive in advance.

2. Aka Expectations excessive expectations for income is huge in the future, will only end in the fall. When banks lend money to the railway company, the bank is thought that the railway company will continue to profit every year. They did not consider the specific risks which could have led to the railroad went bankrupt. So, be reasonable!

3. History proves that the debt is the culprit of the crisis. Indeed, taking the debt to the bank or other financial institutions is good, if accompanied by a thorough consideration. But beyond that, then you hold the debt that it will be a time bomb.

4. Any increase in stock prices are too high up to the bubble, almost certainly will end with a massive correction, which was meant be careful whenever JCI up too fast.

5. However, the correction will stop when stock prices are cheap again, so it's time to shop for back stock, because basically the stock index will continue to rise over time. When the Great Depression, the Dow Jones was in position 41. While as of this writing, the Dow was at 12.132 position, or has gained about 300-fold within 80 years. Unless the world ends in 2012, felt it was not possible the Dow could drop to position 41 back.

Back to the U.S. debt problem. I wonder what will happen to the world economy if the U.S. really have the default? The answer of course would be a crisis, and stock prices around the world will fall. And unfortunately, we can not avoid it if it happens. However, as already mentioned above, whose name the crisis will not happen forever, and only a matter of time before the situation becomes normal again. The good news is that based on history, a crisis like that rarely happens. Most often only once every 10 years. Given Mr. Obama managed to delay the time of the explosion of 'bomb' which he held until the next 10 years, so for now we relax a little so-so, unless there be a new development about this American debt.

But if you want your investment is completely safe, then listen to Warren Buffett's advice: 'Do not you ever indebted to invest. Just use the existing funds, and even then do not use all of it. "

The U.S. economy is burdened with debt, giving a negative sentiment towards the stock market. Some even worry about the Dow Jones could slide to as low as 10,000.
According to analysts of capital markets, Shem Susilo, Dow Jones has terkoteksi consecutive 8 days. It is used as an excuse as a signal of market crash part 2. "I am still very confident this will not happen. Not easy to break through the psychological support Jones 11000-11500, let alone undermine the big support 10,000, "he said, Wednesday (3 / 8).
As the calculation of the initial logic, he added, Americans avoid debt default. But to pay the debt by adding new debts is not a good solution or just a temporary solution. "We believe they knew about it and will take steps solusif rational," he explained.

This belief is based on a map of the world economy today is far different from the situation before the market crash part 1. At that America is still the real superpower. Position and its economic role is very dominant at the time, so that every event in the American economy as it has a systemic impact on the world perekomian.
Currently, the fact, America became a country burdened with massive debt. And a map of the world economy has shifted to Asia, which on average have the endurance and power of domestic support is excellent.
"So the possibility of the presence of financial crisis is a very small volume II. Moreover, the price of energy becomes the trigger triggers crash part 1, is still relatively stir in a healthy range, "he explained.
Under these conditions, attention will also be focused on the movement of JCI. Therefore, it is definitely going to participate in conducting a situational adjustment of regional and global market conditions. But this will not last long so it's not crash.

"So no need to panic. Stay with cool running investment concept. Keep what is worth keeping, and loose what ought to be removed. Panic is only left for hot traders who trade on the stock market without any concept, "he said.

Source : Syiahali

US credit crisis deteriorating

2011-08-04T19:17:00.002+07:00

Fed governor Sarah Raskin warned of the growing number of American citizens who no longer have access to affordable credit. The Christian Science Monitor website reported that members of Congress only had nine more days to reach an agreement to raise the country's debt ceiling before it is forced into default.
Sarah Raskin‘s words strongly reminded of earlier warnings from renowned banking analyst Meredith Whitney. Whitney already forecast more than a year ago that a large number of US citizens would completely drop out of the system, since many people did not meet lending or regulatory qualifications anymore. More than 14 million Americans were currently out of a job and another 8.5 million were underemployed, since their hours had been reduced or they were not able to find a full time job. This is what the latest official employment report from the US Labor Department stated. According to Raskin, the report had been gloomy and very disappointing. Furthermore she said that the official unemployment rate of 9.1% did not reflect the real extent of the US job market’s problems.
Thousands of unemployed Americans have completely given up on looking for jobs in the last couple of weeks, although most of them were willing to work. Due to their difficult individual situation they had to face the double challenge not to have access to affordable financial services on the one hand and not to be able to build up personal savings on the other, as Raskin explained during an economic conference in Washington.
Even many citizens who have a job had problems getting loans, after the US authorities tightened lending standards in the wake of the financial crisis. Over a third of potential house buyers were no longer granted mortgages by banks. Many small businesses have also been frustrated for months, since tighter lending rules cut off their access to new loans. This development is heavily weighing on their businesses. Raskin, who formerly worked for the state of Maryland´s regulating authority, added that both unemployed and underemployed persons hardly had any access to the simplest financial services anymore. This included opening a bank account, or owning a debit or credit card. Those who only had a low or moderate income did not have enough assets to qualify for the high lending standards of the banking system. Raskin did not comment whether the Federal Reserve planned another bond purchasing programme but stated that hurdles would be very high.
The White House recently warned of potential default of outstanding US sovereign debt if a political agreement between Republicans and Democrats could not be reached by August 2nd. As The Christian Science Monitor website reported that Congress members were only given nine more days to reach an agreement to raise the country´s debt ceiling. These calculations considered holidays, recesses, and diverging sessions from the House of Representatives and Senate. Moreover, the ratings agency Standard & Poor´s (S&P) announced this week their intention to drastically downgrade the US credit rating if no political agreement was reached on the debt ceiling. Financial markets would face Armageddon if this happened, much worse than the collapse of investment bank Lehman Brothers in 2008. However, the gold price has not profited from this announcement, since the Greek parliament´s passage of extensive budget cuts provided relief for financial markets, especially stock markets. Nevertheless, gold will likely remain one of the best investment alternatives in the wake of globally deteriorating debt problems. Even if it seems that a Greek tragedy could be avoided for now, there are too many other ticking timebombs around the globe. Perceived as safe havens and growingly seen as monetary assets again, gold and silver will likely benefit from this situation in the future.

Source : Goldmoney

Inspiration, Stories Rejected Someone Working in MICROSOFT

2011-07-31T19:59:00.010+07:00

A jobless man applied for a position as an 'office boy' at Microsoft. HR manager interviewed him, then look at it to clean the floor as a test.

"You're hired. Give your e-mail address and I will send the application to be filled, also the date when you can start working," said the HR manager.

The man replied, "But I do not have a computer, even email."

"Forgive me, if you do not have email, it means you are not there. And who does not exist, can not have a job," added the HR Manager.

The man with no hope at all. He did not know what to do, with only a $ 10 bill in his pocket, he then decided to go to the supermarket and buy a 10 kg crate of tomatoes.

He then sold the tomatoes around it from house to house. In less than two hours, he managed to double his capital.

He reiterated its sales are around three times, and came home with $ 60. The man realized that he could survive by selling tomatoes, and she began to go sell tomatoes daily, and often come home late at night trading the wares day after day.

Uuang the profits doubled or tripled in sales daily. Shortly, he bought a car and truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles.

5 years later, he became one of the largest retail food business in the United States. He began planning his family's future, and decided to have life insurance.

He called an insurance broker, and choose a protection plan. When the conversation, the broker asked about the email that will be used for insurance purposes.

The man replied, "I do not have email."

Brokers were curious and wanted to know why he did not have email, "You do not have email, but has managed to build an empire of business enterprises. Can you imagine what could happen if you have email?"

The man thought for a moment and replied, "Yes, I will become an office boy at Microsoft!"

Message from the story above:

When one door closes, another door opens. But sometimes we see and regret the closed door for too long so as not to see another door has opened. Never stop trying and never give up because of failure, and brave step.

Source : Apa Kabar Dunia

Research, Bodies Unraveling Longer A Smoker

2011-07-31T19:15:00.002+07:00

Inside the tomb, the bodies of smokers take longer to converge to the ground than the bodies of people who do not smoke. That's the conclusion of forensic experts from the University of Wolverhampton, England, who held a series of studies to determine the exact time of death in suspicious cases.
Calculate the post-mortem interval (PMI) - the time that has elapsed since the person has died - is one of the most important part of the information that will set the scene, and this is one of the most difficult to figure out. Because the longer the bodies were found, the method has been used increasingly inaccurate.
Moreover, when the body was buried in secret graves, the method for determining PMI can become unreliable for various reasons: a sign of insect activity which led to less than expected, or would be difficult to say whether the body was moved from another location.
Christopher Rogers of the University of Wolverhampton, England, who led the study said every part of the body appeared to have "destroyed the" diverse. He exemplifies the cartilage, because it does not get the blood supply, it will be broken more slowly than other networks.
To test this theory, Rogers and his colleagues buried the pig's foot in the ground to simulate a human burial in a shallow grave. They left foot to decipher the various lengths of time up to 13 weeks.
Research results presented in the Conference on Forensic Research and Teaching in Coventry, England, showed that the cartilage breaks down in several different stages. Importantly, the mineral crystals formed in the cartilage after three weeks and disappeared after six weeks, giving the stamp of "clear time".
Rogers believes that the crystals would make cartilage a useful analytical tool in determining the PMI, but stressed that similar studies need to be done in different conditions, such as different temperatures and soil types, to examine whether the results are consistent.
In a separate study at Nottingham Trent University, UK, Andrew Chick investigate whether smoking affects the calculation of PMI. Forensic scientists often see insects eat the corpse, but the nicotine in the smoker's body can affect insect behavior "and disrupt the estimated time of death".
To find out more, Chick and his colleagues have put three pigs died in the forest. Two of the pigs were injected with nicotine in his throat, to mimic the area where the largest containing nicotine in the human body and one without an injection of nicotine.
Research will be conducted for five years, but the team has found some interesting preliminary results. Apparently, the flies avoid the nicotine, and when they lay their eggs there, the eggs were not clustered as in other parts.
When the maggots hatch, they also avoid eating in regions rich in nicotine. 'Even the beetle went away, "he said, adding that this result means that the smoker's body might decompose more slowly than non-smokers.
"If the experiment again support these findings, forensic scientists will need to distinguish between the bodies of people who smoke and those who do not," said Chick.
He added, other chemicals can lead to the same thing. "There is evidence in the literature of illegal drugs that have an influence on the way the body rot: cocaine, for example, enlarging the size of the maggots."

Source : Apa Kabar Dunia

Researchers Successfully Create Artificial Brain In Micro Size

2011-07-31T19:12:00.002+07:00

The team of researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, capable of creating an artificial brain that works well. This micro-sized artificial brain can record a memory within 12 seconds.

Artificial brain is composed of 40 to 60 nerve cells taken from rat brain hippocampus. Researchers develop these organs by attaching the protein layer and the silicon discs, then added brain cells from embryonic mice.
Layers of proteins into the medium for the growth of brain cells that intertwine with each other produces a ring-shaped brain nerve tissue.

After connecting nerve cells, researchers examined the response of organs by passing an electric current. The result, electric shock could be around the nerve tissue and survive for 12 seconds. This figure far exceeded expectations since the original estimate shows an electric pulse only lasted for a quarter second.

Memory is short on nerve cells work almost like a long memory in humans and animals. The principle of working memory is long enough to save the stimulation of neural tissue even though the stimulus is gone.

"Unlike other cells, nerve cells connected to each other and rely on these networks. The function of a single nerve cell can be different if they form a network," says Head of Research Team of the Department of Biological Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Henry Zeringue, on the campus page.

Zeringue research has not been completed. He and his colleagues will continue to develop artificial brain is larger and more complex so that it can reveal how the human brain to send signals and store information effectively. "We can trace the process of remembering in humans."

Source : Apa Kabar Dunia