Satellite Spies Severe Weather Brewing

After an Arctic blast left much of the United States out in the cold, a new system is bringing the threat of severe weather to the central portions of the country this evening and through the night. A satellite snapped an image of the system earlier this morning (Jan. 29).

The National Weather Service's (NWS) Storm Prediction Center, located in Norman, Okla., has forecast severe thunderstorms, with damaging winds and hail ? and possibly even tornadoes ? for the lower Ohio Valley, the mid-South and the lower Mississippi Valley. The SPC says the threat will increase through the night, with squall lines (or long lines of thunderstorms) and individual storms rolling through along with a cold front.

Nighttime storms and tornadoes can be particularly deadly, as people tend to be in bed and unaware of warnings and the storms are harder to see as they bear down. A 2008 study in the American Meteorological Society's journal Weather and Forecasting found that nighttime tornadoes were 2.5 times as likely to cause a death as those that occurred in the daytime. The threat of deadly nighttime tornadoes is exacerbated in the winter with the season's shorter daylight hours. [5 Deadliest Tornado Years in U.S. History]

Tennessee leads the nation in the proportion of nighttime tornadoes it sees, with nearly half of the twisters in its borders striking after dark. Western Tennessee is one of the places that could see severe weather in this latest bout, along with most of Arkansas, and parts of Louisiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Illinois, Indiana and Oklahoma.

The National Weather Service has issued several tornado watches and severe storm warnings and alerted residents to the possibility of large hail and high winds, as well as lightning strikes. The Weather Channel reported on its Twitter account that as of 2 p.m. ET, 24 severe weather reports, 10 severe wind reports, 14 hail reports and no tornado reports had been made. It also reported unconfirmed reports of a funnel cloud to the west of Jefferson City, Mo.

The GOES East satellite (run by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the parent organization of the NWS), snapped an image of the cold front and accompanying stormy conditions at 10:15 a.m. ET.

The cold front will sweep eastward on Wednesday and could bring severe weather to parts of the East Coast, from the Gulf Coast northward. By Wednesday evening, it could impact Washington, D.C., and New York City.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/satellite-spies-severe-weather-brewing-201724588.html

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Scientists unveil a superbug's secret to antibiotic resistance

Jan. 30, 2013 ? Worldwide, many strains of the bacterium Staphyloccocus aureus are already resistant to all antibiotics except vancomycin. But as bacteria are becoming resistant to this once powerful antidote, S. aureus has moved one step closer to becoming an unstoppable killer. Now, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have not only identified the mechanism by which vancomycin resistance spreads from one bacterium to the next, but also have suggested ways to potentially stop the transfer.

The work, led by Matthew Redinbo, professor of chemistry at UNC's College of Arts and Sciences, addresses the looming threat of incurable staph infections -- a global public health problem that has mobilized scientists across disciplines to work together to identify the Achilles heel of these antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

"We used to live in a world where antibiotics could readily cure bacterial disease," said Redinbo. "But this is clearly no longer the case. We need to understand how bacteria obtain resistance to drugs like vancomycin, which served for decades as the 'antibiotic of last resort.'"

In his work, Redinbo and his team targeted a bacterial enzyme known as Nicking Enzyme in Staphyloccoccus, or NES. The enzyme has long been known to interact with plasmids, circular pieces of double-stranded DNA within bacteria that are physically separate from the bacterial chromosome. Plasmids commonly contain antibiotic-resistance genes, and can make the machinery necessary to transfer these genes from an infected bacterium to an uninfected one.

By revealing the crystal structure of NES, the researchers found that this enzyme nicks one strand of the plasmid at a very specific site -- and in a very specific way. It turns out that NES forms two loops that work together to pinch one strand of the plasmid at a particular groove in the DNA to cut it. This strand is now free to leave its host and transfer to a nearby bacterium, making them resistant to vancomycin.

Moreover, Redinbo was able to capture a snapshot of the enzyme bound to the plasmid. "As a structural biologist, it's all about the pictures for me," said Redinbo. "And it was this picture that confirmed the precise location on which NES works."

With this information, Redinbo knew the groove on the DNA that the enzyme recognize and could design a small synthetic molecule that would sit on this groove and block NES. Teaming up with colleagues at the California Institute of Technology, Redinbo did just that. The molecule prevented NES from nicking the DNA, which could prevent the resistance genes from spreading.

According to Redinbo and colleagues, this small synthetic molecule could help guide future research aimed at developing effective therapies for strains of antibiotic-resistant S. aureus.

"This is really exciting for us," said Redinbo, who is also a professor at UNC's School of Medicine and a member of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. "It opens the door for potentially stopping the spread of antibiotic resistance -- and that's exactly what we need in this post-antibiotic era."

The work was published this week in the online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/genes/~3/vCC_p0gHKnE/130130184326.htm

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Weight Loss Tip: Prioritize Your Goals - Shape Magazine

At the beginning of my weight-loss journey, my life coach, Kate Larsen, asked me to fill out a life balance wheel with eight different sections: career, money, health, family and friends, significant other/romance, personal growth, fun and recreation, and spirituality, ranking each section from one to seven. The premise of this exercise? If the sections of the wheel weren?t in balance, I could expect a bumpy ride.

And, frankly, my wheel was out of balance. During my first session with Kate I had several ?ah-ha!? moments. It was no wonder I?ve struggled with my weight over the years?I?ve been putting everyone else?s needs before mine, especially my health and fitness goals. As a mother, of course, the children?s needs come first. But in the big picture, if parents aren?t taking care of themselves, then the children?s health and wellness can be jeopardized.

I want to be the healthiest, happiest, most energetic, and most fun mom possible. However, if my health is being challenged, I can?t be at my best. Since I?ve started this weight-loss journey I?ve been making an effort to ensure that my life is set up for my success and I?m still able to be a dedicated mother and wife. Now I:

1. Go to sleep at a decent time. Quality sleep is important for weight loss since a lack of zzzs can mess with our metabolism and make us hungry the next day. Before I went to sleep around 11. Now my goal is to be in bed by 10?sometimes I?m under the covers as early as 9.

RELATED: Have trouble falling asleep? Snacking on one of the best foods for deep sleep may help.

2. Include my workouts in my schedule. This is still a challenge for me, but it has helped me ensure that I make time for exercise every day. I used to never schedule my workouts; now it?s just part of my day.

3. Plan my meals. I told my dietitian, Lauren, that when my husband is out of town I don?t plan meals out. She said that I was doing myself a disservice. Now I try and figure my meals out the day before?whether he?s in town or not?to ensure I?m not scrounging for food in a hungry state, tempted to eat anything.

4. Buy foods that will contribute to a healthy body. Purchasing healthy food certainly isn?t always the cheapest route, but it pays in the long run by supporting good health. Before I rarely bought organic foods; now it?s the majority of what?s in my shopping cart. Both my husband and I are having fun trying new things, and my children are warming to the idea of new foods. I tell then that they don?t have to like it but they have to try it.

5. Take time on the weekends to work out. Weekends can be totally crazy in our household, so it?s always easy for me to fall into the habit of skipping exercise. My goal is to get to the gym at least once on the weekend.?

RELATED: Yes, you do have time to exercise on your days off. Try this killer 5-minute abs workout.

Kate warned me that when people begin re-prioritizing, there is sometimes backlash from others. I was worried that putting myself first was going to cause some rift in the family, but luckily my clan has been supportive.

Stepping back and looking at my life, I now realize I was living day to day without much intention as far as my health and fitness was concerned. Making myself a priority is a challenge, but being aware and writing down my goals is helping me follow through and I know that will lead to eventually reaching my goals.

Source: http://www.shape.com/blogs/weight-loss-diary/prioritize-your-life-weight-loss-success

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A Special Tribute to the Unsung Athletics Directors of College Sports ...

by Diverse Staff

Kevin Anderson, Sean Frazier, Peter Roby, Gene Smith, Warde Manuel and McKinley Boston have left indelible marks on college athletics.

In the second installment of a four-part series, the Diverse editors sought to recognize those current and former athletics directors across the country who have blazed the trails and opened doors for minorities in sports.

Often, these behind-the-scenes icons are not seeking applause and accolades. Any who stand witness to the positive changes, including unprecedented new opportunities on the diversity front, sincerely appreciate their invaluable contributions to collegiate athletics. Their stellar examples serve as inspiration for the tenacity and fortitude that will be needed in the battles that lie ahead.

We appreciate their advocacy and leadership in the collegiate sports community. Join us as we salute these impactful sports figures who have advocated for and led the charge toward diversity and who have left positive and indelible marks on the world of college sports.

Kevin Anderson

Director of Athletics

University of Maryland, College Park

Nationally recognized as a leader in intercollegiate athletics, Kevin Anderson has more than two decades of leadership experience. During his first year, he achieved a school record with a 17th place finish in the Learfield Sports Directors? Cup standings.

Each of his first two seasons was highlighted by NCAA national championships in field hockey and national runner-up finishes in men?s and women?s lacrosse. The Terps followed with a strong campaign in 2011-12, when they finished 27th in the standings.

Anderson has instituted an inclusive management style that combines a passion for providing a quality experience for Maryland student-athletes with a thoughtful business acumen that has him managing the Terrapins? $59 million budget and more than 180 employees.

He was elected president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics in 2012.

?

Dr. McKinley Boston

Director of Athletics

New Mexico State University

Dr. McKinley Boston is the man behind New Mexico State University athletic department?s ?Journey to Excellence??a five-year strategic plan that serves as the administration?s road map to becoming one of the best mid-major athletic programs in the country.

Boston was named director of athletics in 2004 and serves on the NCAA Management Council Leadership cabinet?the highest level of oversight addressing the legislative process of the NCAA. He is also a member of the NCAA Certification Committee and served for five years as a member of the Division I Men?s Basketball Committee.

A former professional football player with the New York Giants, Boston was a special teams captain and played with the Vancouver British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League.

He attended the University of Minnesota as an undergraduate and competed in football and was a first All-Big Ten Football player and Academic All-Big Ten.

?

Sean T. Frazier

Deputy Athletic Director

University of Wisconsin

Promoted to deputy athletic director in 2011, Sean T. Frazier also served as senior associate athletic director for operations at the University of Wisconsin. Frazier came to Wisconsin in 2007 after serving as director of athletics at Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass.

He is the department?s chief of staff for day-to-day operations with oversight of football and men?s and women?s hockey, athletic development, ticket office, badger sports properties, strategic planning, diversity plan coordination; as well as liaison for boosters, the Big Ten Conference and WCHA, the chancellor?s office and the dean?s leadership council.

In addition to Wisconsin, he has worked as director of athletics at Clarkson University with oversight of 20 NCAA sports. Before Clarkson, he was the athletic director at Manhattanville College, where he was instrumental in increasing overall team win percentage and team GPA.

A former student-athlete himself, Frazier played football for Alabama from 1987-91 and was part of a Southeastern Conference Championship team in 1989.

?

Warde J. Manuel

Director of Athletics

University of Connecticut

With a distinguished career in intercollegiate athletics, Warde J. Manuel was named director of athletics at the University of Connecticut in 2012. He is a 1990 graduate of the University of Michigan, where he played football and competed in track and field.

Manuel previously led a 20-sport program at the University of Buffalo. When he arrived at UB, there were four programs?football, men?s basketball, wrestling, and baseball?that fell far below the NCAA Academic Progress Rate cut score of 925. With a focused academic plan, all four teams posted a four-year APR rate above the cut score, and, at the end of 2009-10, 10 of UB?s 20 sports had scores of 975 or above.

Buffalo enjoyed great on-field success during Manuel?s time, as the football team participated in the 2009 International Bowl and the men?s basketball team made postseason appearances in three of the past seven years. Olympic sports also thrived with three-straight Dad Vail Regatta titles by the rowing team, six wrestlers earning spots at the 2011 NCCA Championship and the women?s tennis team making an appearance in the 2008 NCAA tournament.

?

Gene Smith

Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics

Ohio State University

Named ?one of the most powerful people in collegiate sport,? Gene Smith serves as associate vice president and director of athletics at Ohio State University.

He is the first African-American and eight overall Buckeyes athletic director. Smith previously served as director of athletics at Arizona State, Iowa State and Eastern Michigan universities.

At Ohio State, Smith oversees the nation?s most comprehensive and one of its most successful collegiate athletic programs. The department sponsors 36 fully funded varsity sports with more than 1,000 student-athletes regularly competing for Big Ten Conference and NCAA Championships.

The athletics department is completely self-supporting, and in fiscal year 2010-11, it transferred nearly $30 million in assessments to the university, including more than $15 million in grant-in-aid reimbursement.

A former college athlete and coach, Smith is passionate about developing the total student-athlete?academically, athletically and socially.

?

Peter Roby

Athletic Director

Northeastern University

A former men?s basketball head coach at Harvard University, marketing vice president at Reebok and director of Northeastern?s Center for Sport in Society, Peter Roby was named Northeastern?s ninth athletic director in 2007.

Roby oversees Northeastern?s 18-sport, NCAA Division I athletic department, which competes in the highly-competitive Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), Hockey East Association and Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges (EARC). In addition, Roby oversees Northeastern Campus Recreation, which offers more than 40 club and 30 intramural sports teams, as well as a wealth of physical education opportunities for Northeastern students.

In September 2012, Roby was appointed to the NCAA Division I Men?s Basketball Committee. The 10-member committee is responsible for selecting and seeding the NCAA tournament field every year.

Roby has been referenced extensively in the media, and his opinion pieces have been published on the editorial pages of many well-known publications. He has previously been named one of the ?100 Most Influential Sports Educators in America? by the Institute of International Sport.

Roby served six seasons as men?s basketball head coach at Harvard University and three years as an assistant coach. Before joining Harvard, Roby was the assistant coach at Stanford University, Dartmouth College and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Roby is a 1979 graduate of Dartmouth College, where he was co-captain of the basketball team.

Related articles

Veteran Out-of-State Tuition Row Intensifies

A Special Tribute to the Unsung Heroes and Heroines of College Sports

Sports Are a Civil Right for Disabled, US Says

Ivy League sports budgets cut ?to the core?

Source: http://diverseeducation.com/article/51006/

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Lane-swapping helps autonomous vehicles avoid collisions

Jan. 28, 2013 ? Autonomous, driverless vehicles look set to hit the streets in the near future and become increasingly common, so UK researchers have investigated algorithms that could help developers include escape manoeuvres to allow such vehicles to quickly and safely switch lanes to avoid collisions with other road users.

Writing in the aptly named International Journal of Vehicle Autonomous Systems, Matthew Best of the Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering at Loughborough University, in Leicestershire, discusses the optimisation of a vehicle's standard brake, acceleration and steering control inputs in the context of avoiding collisions. He has devised a computer simulation that allows all those parameters to be optimised concurrently during a safety manoeuvre and to show how speed reduction and swapping lanes might be carried out by an autonomous vehicle.

The optimal rapid lane-change would inevitably be an aggressive, high "g" manoeuvre that would destabilise the vehicle, and additional computing power would be needed to act quickly to correct under steer and other issues that arise during and after such a vehicle movement. The high-speed lane switch would likely be rarely used in a real-world autonomous drive, but could, in exceptional circumstances, allow driverless or robot vehicles to be safer on roads that which they share with other such vehicles and vehicles with human drivers.

Best points out that simulations at 70 mph (the UK national speed limit on motorways) reveal that braking alone would not lead to a safe outcome in many situations, so a lane swap would almost certainly be needed, assuming there were an empty lane for a vehicle to move into. A lane-change would in the best circumstances move the vehicle to safety in half the distance as braking at that speed.

The researchers concede that at present the limitations of on-board computing power in autonomous vehicles and the need for high-speed data streams measuring real tyre friction coefficients and more means that his algorithm is limited to the simulation at present. However, it paves the way for developing more powerful, safety aware driving systems for such vehicles.

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Journal Reference:

1. Matthew C. Best. Optimisation of high-speed crash avoidance in autonomous vehicles. International Journal of Vehicle Autonomous Systems, 2012; 10 (4): 337 DOI: 10.1504/IJVAS.2012.051269

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_technology/~3/WcIhqlRCPKE/130128081530.htm

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Hackers Infect Government Websites with 'Asteroids' Game

Hackers angry over the suicide of Internet activist Aaron Swartz took over the website of the United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) twice over the weekend, finally infecting the homepage with a playable version of the classic arcade game "Asteroids."

The hackers, claiming affiliation with the online movement Anonymous, also claimed to release a list of people in the federal Witness Security Program, also known as the Witness Protection Program, but that was quickly discovered to be a hoax.

Blood of the martyr

The attack began late Friday (Jan. 25), when the homepage of the USSC, which sets sentencing guidelines for federal courts, was defaced with a video regarding the prosecution of Swartz.

"We have seen the erosion of due process, the dilution of constitutional rights, the usurpation of the rightful authority of courts by the discretion of prosecutors," said a voiceover on the video. "We have seen how the law is wielded less and less to uphold justice, and more and more to exercise control."

Swartz, who hanged himself in his Brooklyn apartment earlier this month at the age of 26, was facing decades in federal prison for allegedly downloading millions of academic documents from an online archive to a laptop hidden on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

According to a report released last week, local authorities in Boston had not intended to seek any jail time for Swartz.

Federal prosecutors then took over the case, first indicting Swartz on four charges that carried a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison, then adding nine more charges in a second indictment that increased the possible prison time to 50 years.

Two weeks ago, Anonymous defaced the websites of MIT and the U.S. Department of Justice in Swartz's memory.

[Are You Looking at This Website? You Might Be Breaking the Law]

Fire away

The USSC site was fixed Saturday (Jan. 26), but late Sunday the Twitter feed @OpLastResort issued a cryptic message.

"ussc.gov --> enter Konami code (with cursor keys) ???????? B A ---> CAEK (repeat for NyanCat powers...)"

The Konami cheat code was a well-known method of gaining extra points on the Nintendo Entertainment System in the 1980s. On a computer, it would be up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right on the keyboard arrow keys, then "B," "A" and "Enter."

On Sunday evening, the USSC site appeared normal until the cheat code was entered, at which point a silhouette of the popular Internet meme "NyanCat" appeared.

The arrow keys maneuvered NyanCat and fired his thruster engine; pressing the spacebar fired his laser cannon, blowing away elements of the page until a background image of the Anonymous logo appeared.

On Monday morning (Jan. 28), the USSC's site was unreachable, but the game had been ported to the website of the Eastern Michigan branch of the U.S. Probation Office at http://www.miep.uscourts.gov/.

This story was provided by TechNewsDaily, sister site to LiveScience.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hackers-infect-government-websites-asteroids-game-155358847.html

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History, culture, humor on new UK citizenship test

FILE - In this June 5, 2012 file photo revelers on the Mall in London watch Britain Queen Elizabeth II appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony as part of a four-day Diamond Jubilee celebration to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II accession to the throne. The British government is revising the "Life in the U.K." handbook and test taken by those seeking to settle in Britain. While the previous version contained some practical questions about daily life, the emphasis is now on British history and culture. There are questions on sports, music and historical figures from William Shakespeare to Winston Churchill. The government says the new handbook, published Monday Jan. 28, 2012, also features "an exploration of Britons' unique sense of humor and satire." (AP Photo/Sang Tan, File)

FILE - In this June 5, 2012 file photo revelers on the Mall in London watch Britain Queen Elizabeth II appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony as part of a four-day Diamond Jubilee celebration to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II accession to the throne. The British government is revising the "Life in the U.K." handbook and test taken by those seeking to settle in Britain. While the previous version contained some practical questions about daily life, the emphasis is now on British history and culture. There are questions on sports, music and historical figures from William Shakespeare to Winston Churchill. The government says the new handbook, published Monday Jan. 28, 2012, also features "an exploration of Britons' unique sense of humor and satire." (AP Photo/Sang Tan, File)

LONDON (AP) ? What does it mean to be British? Monarchs, Margaret Thatcher and Monty Python are all important parts of the nation's heritage, according to a new guide for immigrants introduced Monday.

The government is revising the "Life in the U.K." handbook and test taken by those seeking to become British citizens or settle here permanently.

While the previous version ? created under the former Labour government ? included some practical questions about daily life, the emphasis is now firmly on British history and culture. There are questions on sports, music and historical figures from William Shakespeare to Winston Churchill.

The Conservative-led government says the new handbook also features "an exploration of Britons' unique sense of humor and satire," alongside an explanation of aspects of cultural life including the national love of gardening, the novels of Jane Austen and the musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Immigration Minister Mark Harper said the book "focuses on values and principles at the heart of being British." But Don Flynn, director of the Migrants' Rights Network, likened it to a private school entry exam, "which requires complete identification with elite views of British history and culture."

The handbook asks migrants to learn a potted history of Britain from the Stone Age to the present day. Among its facts:

?Britain has been an island nation for some 10,000 years, since the last ice age ended and left a watery English Channel between England and the European mainland.

?Despite its name, the Hundred Years War against France lasted 116 years.

?King Henry VIII "was most famous for breaking away from the Church of Rome and marrying six times."

?No monarch has set foot in the House of Commons since 1642, when Charles I tried unsuccessfully to arrest five lawmakers. After a civil war, he was beheaded.

?Britain's first coffee house was the Hindoostane Coffee House in London, opened by Bengal-born Sake Dean Mahomet in 1810.

?The greatest Briton of all time, according to a 2002 public vote, was Churchill, the prime minister who led the country to victory in World War II.

?"Two well-known pop music groups" of the 1960s were The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

?British inventions of the 20th century include television, radar, the cash-dispensing bank machine and the World Wide Web.

___

Sample questions from the U.K. citizenship test: http://bit.ly/SMjbfb

Jill Lawless can be reached at http://Twitter.com/JillLawless

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-28-Britain-Citizenship%20Test/id-b80fe422d5a14821a11fee59dad68b2b

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Computer Dependency

Don?t forget to visit the original author?s post here and leave a comment.

?

Can we be addicted to a computer? No, I don?t think we can. Addict is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as ?One who is addicted to the habitual and excessive use of a drug.? A computer is not a drug, so in fact I would tend to say that we can be dependent on what the computer offers us. Shotton (1989) spoke at great lengths about the misuse of the word addict or addiction in the context of computers. She concluded that the most appropriate word to use was dependency or its other forms. Dependency was explained to mean that there was a strong, compelling desire to do something. As the world grows and the influence technology has increases, we can expect to see more children becoming dependent on their computers. There is nothing wrong with using a computer or technology in fact it makes our lives a lot easier in many ways. However it is when someone becomes obsessed with something a computer can offer them that problems occur.

The use of technology in our everyday lives has increased dramatically, according to the Office for National Statistics, 77 per cent of UK households have a home computer. This means that over three quarters of the population have the potential to become dependent on the computers found in their homes. over the last few days it was stated on Sky News (2013) that the average cost of raising a child has rocketed to ?222,000, with one of the main reasons for this being children?s desire for technology such as laptops and tablets. The big question is why do people become dependent on computers or what they offer? There are many reasons to why people become dependent on computers, allowing them to become a major part of their lives. One reason may be a problematic family or social life. Many people find computers as a form of escapism. They are able to forget the real world for a while and immerse themselves in the fictional world portrayed in a game or website. Research conducted by Shotton (1989) showed that the majority of the people considered to be dependent on their computers had in fact family troubles. They had experienced negative relationships with either one or both parents. In addition to this she found that although not all of these people came from cold environments in terms of their household they did often have neglecting parents. Considering the social life of those dependent on computers, it was found that they were object based people. Dependents spoke about how they felt ?alien? from their peers and it could in fact be this feeling of isolation that has driven people to seek comfort or acceptance from their computer.

There are several different types of computer dependents, defined by why they are dependent on their computers. There are those that are networkers, people who use their computer to be social. Website such as Facebook and Twitter have dominated the internet in recent years and in some cases the lives of children. Although it is technically illegal for anyone under the age of thirteen to have a Facebook account, research shows that in fact a consumer reports survey showed that as many as 7.5 million Facebook users are under 13, and two-thirds of those children are under 10. This sparks another debate regarding the safety of children on the internet. However those children dependent on social networking find themselves glued to their computer screen waiting on the next notification or message from one of their friends. Friends which they may not even know personally. Another group would be those that work on their computers. These people who often show themselves to be ambitious careerists who would struggle to differentiate between work and play. For these types of people work and play are one as they get enthralled in their activities, indulging their need to develop their passion into a viable financial solution. Finally I want to consider the gamers, the people that are dependent upon the virtual worlds that many platforms such as PC, Xbox and PlayStation offer. Gaming worlds offer people a chance to leave the world they are in and embrace a new one. These worlds are at their mercy and this can provide these dependents with a feeling of control, a feeling that they may be unable to experience outside of their video game.

There are many negative effects and health concerns that accompany computer dependency; these can be divided into three categories; mental, physical and social. If we first consider a few of the mental effects a dependency on computers can have beginning with stress. Many dependents can get frustrated when a system isn?t working leading to stress, which in turn can cause someone to act out their feelings sometimes violently. Grif?ths (1991) felt that an addiction or dependency on computers especially violent video games does in fact affect children negatively and they tend to show increased levels of aggression. Research has found children to exhibit addictive behaviour towards their participation in computer game playing (Phillips et al, 1995), which can be a catalyst for many problems. On such problem that I experienced first-hand whilst on a teaching placement was sleep deprivation. Children can get so enthralled in their computers especially video games that they lose all track of time or will sit into the late hours of the night. This of course has a great impact the following day as children show signs of drowsiness and a difficulty concentrating whilst in school. This was ratified by research conducted by (Meijar et al, 2000) who concluded that quality of sleep has a ?substantial impact? on school functioning for children. Secondly there are also physical repercussions for having a dependency on games. Long extended periods sitting at a computer or hunched over a video games can lead to the development of a sore back, neck and even eye problems. Personal hygiene can also suffer as looking after your own body becomes less of a priority and spending more time on the computer increases. In addition to this there is also a link between computer dependency and obesity, researchers from The Children?s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University Hospital of Zurich published a study in the journal of Obesity Research in 2004 that establishes the link between computer dependency and childhood obesity.
Finally another factor which suffers because of a person?s dependency on their computer is their social life. The user can gradually withdraw into a virtual world where by the dependent becomes more focused on the computer and places emotional value on what happens in an artificial world rather than in real life. Brod (1984) suggested that children?s ability to learn would become distorted and that they might develop and intolerance for human interaction. He believed the computer was used as a refuge for stress, preventing the development of a well-rounded personality by cutting the child off from other activities.

We are very quick to jump to the conclusion that computers and video games are bad; only hampering the development of our children, but it is important to understand the opinions of the involved parties. The main concern of parents is that computers will affect their children in a negative way; this was proven in the Byron Review (2008) when 79 per cent of parents thought computers may affect the behaviour of children. Researching various debates recorded online I found many parents commented saying things such as, ?It?s a waste of time? or ?They could be out playing football or working on their homework.? Other parents believed that there is no problem with children using computers as long as it is in moderation and does not affect other aspects of their lives.
As a trainee teacher I found that computer dependency was not a big problem on my placements. There were children in my class who were obsessed with video games and games on their computer. In fact it would often be the topic of conversation during their lunch breaks and free time. However I found that this obsession never got in the way of their learning. A study conducted by (Gentile et al, 2004) with teachers found that computer dependency in children often led to more children confronting members of staff and they often witnessed a decline in their school achievements. On the 28th January 2011 BBC Radio Five live spoke to a young boy and his mother regarding his addiction to his computer and video games. The young boy described himself as feeling happy in his own world and stated ?I?d just get proper angry over nothing.? this interview highlighted some of the effects computer dependency has on children. The boy blamed the amount of time he spent on his computer as one of the reasons he become so dependent. In one study by Walsh (2000), a majority of teens admitted that their parents do not impose a time limit on the number of hours they are allowed to spend on their computers. Perhaps responsibility falls to the parents to regulate how much time children are allowed to spend on their computers, perhaps the blame for computer dependent children lies with them.

Children use their computers for a number of reasons, many use them for social networking, gaming and educational purposes. It is important that computers are not seen as detrimental to our children or their development. In fact if used correctly they can be one of the greatest tools at a child?s disposal, furthering their education. I feel that it is essential that parent regulate how long children are allowed on their computers but also guide their children. Show them new ways to exploit the capabilities of a computer.

Sources, References and Further Reading

• Brod, C. (1984) Technostress: The Human Cost of the Computer Revolution. Michigan: Addison-Wesley.
• Byron, T. (2008) The Byron Review: Safer Children in a Digital World.
• Gentile, D. A., Lynch, P., Linder, J. & Walsh, D. (2004). The effects of violent video game habits on adolescent hostility, aggressive behaviors, and school performance. Journal of Adolescence, 27, 5-22.
• Griffiths, M.D. (1991) ?Amusement machine playing in childhood and adolescence: A comparative analysis of video games and fruit machines?, Journal of Adolescence, 14, pp. 53?73
• Griffiths, M.D. (1993) ??Are computer games bad for children?? The Psychologist: Bulletin of the British Psychological Society, 6, pp. 401?7
• Mark Griffiths. CyberPsychology & Behavior. April 2000, 3(2): 211-218.
• Meijer, A., Habekothea, H. & Vandenwittenboer, G. (2000) Time in bed, quality of sleep and school functioning of children. Journal of Sleep Research. 9(2): 145-153.
• Office for National Statistics. (2010) http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/family-spending/family-spending/family-spending-2011-edition/sum-consumer-durables-nugget.html
• Phillips, C.A., Rolls, S., Rouse, A. and Grif?ths, M.D. (1995) ?Home video game playing in school children: a study of incidence and patterns of play?, Journal of Adolescence, 18, pp. 687?691
• Shotton, M. (1989) Computer Addiction: A study of Computer Dependency. London: Taylor & Francis.
• Sky News (2013) Cost Of Raising A Child Soars To ?222,000. [Online] Available at: http://news.sky.com/story/1042120/cost-of-raising-a-child-soars-to-222000 (Accessed: 25th January 2013)
• Walsh, D. (2000). Interactive violence and children: Testimony submitted to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate. (March 21, 2000.) Available:http://commerce.senate.gov/ hearings/0321wal1.pdf (Accessed: 26th January 2013)

Don?t forget to visit the original author?s post here and leave a comment.

Source: http://blogs.plymuniprimary.com/2013/01/27/computer-dependency/

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NYC's Bloomberg gives $350 million to alma mater

Frank Franklin Ii / AP

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is giving $350 million to his alma mater Johns Hopkins University, making him the school's largest-ever philanthropic benefactor.

By Reuters

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is giving $350 million of his multibillion-dollar fortune to his alma mater, Johns Hopkins University, in a gift that will bring his total lifetime donations to the institution to over $1 billion, the school said on Saturday.

Bloomberg's giving to the university over the years makes him its largest-ever philanthropic benefactor, the school said in a statement.

Of the new gift, $250 million will go toward the university's work to tackle global challenges such as the preservation of water resources, while the other $100 million will provide financial aid to undergraduate students, according to the school.

When he was an undergraduate at the Baltimore university, Bloomberg paid for his tuition by taking loans and working as a parking lot attendant. His first Johns Hopkins gift was $5 in 1965, a year after he received his bachelor's degree in engineering.

"Johns Hopkins University has been an important part of my life since I first set foot on campus more than five decades ago," Bloomberg said in a statement. "Each dollar I have given has been well-spent improving the institution and, just as importantly, making its education available to students who might otherwise not be able to afford it."

Bloomberg, now 70, went on to found financial news and information company Bloomberg LP and amassed a fortune estimated by Forbes magazine at $25 billion.

Bloomberg, who was elected mayor of New York in 2001, has said he will give away his fortune before he dies and has set up Bloomberg Philanthropies to distribute gifts. Besides education, his donations have targeted public health initiatives, the environment and the arts.

Bloomberg, chairman of the university's board of trustees from 1996 to 2002, has given the school a total of $1.118 billion, it said.

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NYC Mayor Bloomberg launches campaign against gun violence

Bloomberg endorses Obama, citing Sandy and climate change

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/27/16721478-nyc-mayor-bloomberg-giving-another-350-million-to-alma-mater-johns-hopkins?lite

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Israelis offer a 'Yom Huledet Sameach' to Ben Yehuda, resurrector of Hebrew language

Eliezer Ben Yehuda, who transformed Hebrew from the rusty language of ancient Israel and the Bible into the dynamic, dominant language of modern-day Israel, would be 155 years old today.

By Christa Case Bryant,?Staff Writer / January 8, 2013

This December, 2012 photo shows visitors at the Mahane Yehuda market, one of Jerusalem's free tourist attractions. Beyond its earthly past, Jerusalem has an impossible beauty with broad appeal. For residents and tourists, secular and religious souls, city slickers or nature lovers, there is always an unexplored alleyway, street corner or vista that will show you the city as you?ve never seen it before.

Ariel Schalit/AP

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If it weren?t for Eliezer Ben Yehuda, I wouldn?t be able to order ice cream, ask directions to the local furniture store, or discuss Gaza bombings in Hebrew.

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Since I?m a new journalist in Israel who happens to love ice cream and arrived here with only one piece of furniture to my name, that would be grave indeed.

So I for one am grateful for Mr. Ben Yehuda, who was born 155 years ago today in the Russian empire.

Legend has it that the man was not only brilliant, but a little crazy. And you would have to be, if you were planning to try to resurrect an ancient language after roughly 2,000 years and expect it to become the primary spoken language of a country that didn't even exist yet.

But the Sorbonne-educated Ben Yehuda did just that ??well before the state of Israel was founded in 1948, and even before Lord Balfour of Britain made his famous promise to the Zionists in 1917 to help establish a Jewish homeland.

Of course, Hebrew was the language of the Torah ? the biblical books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy ? as well as other religious writings. So many Jews were familiar with it. But they didn?t use it to talk about things like grocery shopping or even politics.

Where to start? With your family, of course. When Ben Yehuda arrived in Israel with his family, he banned his wife and children from speaking any other language. According to tradition, his family was the first to speak exclusively Hebrew in the home.

He also helped start schools and Hebrew-language newspapers, and published the first dictionary of modern Hebrew, often drawing on biblical words to coin modern terms. Ultra-Orthodox Jews pushed back hard, arguing that Hebrew is a holy language and not to be used to discuss the mundane. Many of them still prefer to speak in Yiddish when discussing daily affairs.

But Hebrew is nevertheless the dominant language in Israel today, although Arabic is an official language as well.

But I digress.

You were wondering about how to order ice cream, right?

G'lida. That?s your ticket.

Todah (thank you), Ben Yehuda.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/8b6aRSWoayI/Israelis-offer-a-Yom-Huledet-Sameach-to-Ben-Yehuda-resurrector-of-Hebrew-language

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Renewed clashes in Egypt's Port Said kill 3 more

PORT SAID, Egypt (AP) ? Egyptian health officials say three people have been killed and more than 400 injured in renewed clashes between protesters and police in the Mediterranean city of Port Said.

They said Sunday's casualties occurred during a funeral procession for most of 37 people killed in clashes in the previous day and when gunmen exchanged gunfire with police at two police stations and the city's main prison.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The Port Said violence broke out after a court on Saturday sentenced 21 defendants to death for their roles in a mass soccer riot in the city's stadium nearly a year ago. The Feb. 1, 2012 riot left 74 people dead. Most of those sentenced were local soccer fans.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/renewed-clashes-egypts-port-said-kill-3-more-172656671--spt.html

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The Nuts And Bolts Of Seo Service Business Advertising ? What You ...

All SEO service business owners always want to achieve success in their SEO service businesses. They try to implement ways to improve their craft and make it on top of the line. Here are great tips you can learn behind every popular SEO service business.

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Write articles describing your SEO service business and then submit them to various directories. You should also post articles to your SEO service business website. Typically submission is free and should yield positive exposure for your SEO service business. For ideas, try searching online for tips and strategies in developing good articles about your SEO service business.

Clear your head by taking a relaxing yoga class or practicing meditation. Being able to stay focused and react properly under pressure is essential to growing your SEO service business. Think without limits or bounds.

Creating loyalty in the heart of your clients and making them feel important is necessary for the continuous expansion of a SEO service business. If your costumer is loyal, they will only prefer your search engine optimization company product even in cases when it is unavailable in the market.

Resist the urge to micromanage your team. Over-managing your employees can stifle their innovation and energy, and it can lead to dissatisfaction in their role. Micromanaging employees can cause them to feel like you lack trust in them or their abilities.

Searching for ways to enhance your knowledge about the information discussed above? Just submit seo free when searching online. You can find some great helpful suggestions about free trial seo services in nottingham.

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• Internet Advertising Helping You To Accelerate Your Company Growth There are several benefits to a company that makes efforts to utilize internet advertising and invest in its many aspects of opportunity. Whilst maintaining low costs are normally the goal of several companies in order to improve profits, cutting costs relating to internet advertising could decrease your opportunity to achieve greater revenues, thus increasing your profit....
• 3 Tips For Choosing A Great Pro SEO Service ? This Is Vital For Each Business Thinking about letting a professional search engine optimization service handle your website optimization? Using a professional search engine optimization service can change your website from a small business to a productive and profitable business. This is just one of the many reasons that you want to make sure that you choose only the best professional SEO service....
• How To Build Links Easily With Articles Directories And Improve Traffic Every website owner is interested in building traffic to their website. Obviously, there are many ways to build traffic. But article marketing is among the most effective methods. Article marketing is also easy to implement. By writing articles, you can build links easily with articles directories. Once your articles are published online, these writings will draw visitors to your website, without further action from you....
• Keyword Demand: The Nuts and Bolts You may possibly acquire half of the overall web traffic for the keyword "sanddobbing," but that indicates only about 10 visitors per month. If you are lacking a presentable keyword demand, it would be an Impractical expectation to get a sufficient amount of traffic. At any rate, the total demand is merely one aspect to Ponder. Read on to know about a few others....

Source: http://blog.onewaylinksite.com/the-nuts-and-bolts-of-seo-service-business-advertising-what-you-have-to-know/

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Woods atop the leaderboard at Torrey Pines

SAN DIEGO (AP) ? Tiger Woods made one last birdie as the rain picked up strength Friday, and what he left behind was a gloomy forecast for everyone else at Torrey Pines.

He had a two-shot lead at the tournament he already has won six times.

He is driving the ball long and straight, just what he needs to handle the par 5s ? he has played them in 9 under so far.

And when it comes to experience, he has a 74-0 advantage in PGA Tour wins against the next seven guys on the leaderboard.

Woods knows better than to chalk up another win in the Farmers Insurance Open, so when asked about his name atop the leaderboard after a 7-under 65 on the North Course, he was quick to point out, "We have a long way to go."

Even so, this had all the trappings of another Tiger show at Torrey Pines.

Woods didn't miss a shot during a four-hole stretch around the turn on the North Course that included a 5-iron to 5 feet for eagle and a wedge that one-hopped off the pin to set up birdie. It carried him to a two-shot lead over Billy Horschel going into the weekend.

Asked whether he played better when everything was going well in his life, Woods waited out the long question with a short answer.

"I feel good right now," said Woods, who was at 11-under 133. "I'm leading the tournament."

Horschel, who had to go back to Q-school to get his card last year, had a 69 on the South Course to get into the final group.

"It's a good day and I'm excited about tomorrow ? I get to play with Tiger," Horschel said. "I found out when I tapped in for par. I realized he was leading and I was in second place. So yeah, looking forward to that."

For Woods, it was his first outright lead going into the weekend against a full field since the Australian Open in 2011 (he finished third at The Lakes), and his first time atop the leaderboard at Torrey Pines since 2008. Then again, he has only played one time at this event since then when he was just starting to change his swing.

And while this looks ominous for everyone else, Woods with a 36-hole lead ? even at Torrey Pines ? doesn't mean this is over. He had a 34-10 record when he has at least a share of the 36-hole lead, though he has failed to win four of the last six times from that spot.

"Vintage (at)TigerWoods today," Dustin Johnson said on Twitter after finishing eight shots behind.

Woods caught a break in the draw by playing the easier North ? it's about 600 yards shorter ? on a day of light rain, a late breeze and soft conditions. But he kept the ball in play off the tee, and he only got in trouble once. That was on the par-4 eighth hole when he drove into a tough lie in the bunker, and it led to his only bogey.

There's a simple formula for playing the North ? make birdie on the par 5s and pick up a few more on the short par 4s. And that's just what he did.

Woods missed birdie putts inside 8 feet on the opening two holes and was taking baby steps until he took off. It started with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 17th. He followed with the 5-iron that landed just left of the pin on the 18th, a two-putt birdie on the par-5 first hole, and his wedge that took one hop, struck the flag and settled 4 feet away.

"Drive the ball well here and you're going to probably have four iron shots into the par 5s," Woods said. "You sprinkle that in with probably four or five wedge shots in there, a round of 6- or 7-under par is definitely conceivable."

Brad Fritsch, a rookie from Canada, had a 67 on the South Course to lead the group of six players at 8-under 136. The others were Casey Wittenberg, Steve Marino, Jimmy Walker, Josh Teater and Erik Compton, whom Woods referred to as "remarkable" for being a two-time heart transplant recipient and being on the PGA Tour.

Defending champion Brandt Snedeker didn't fare so well. After opening with a 65 on the North, he made only one birdie and twice took bogey on the par 5s on his way to a 75 that left him seven shots behind. K.J. Choi, who had a 65 on the South Course, couldn't break par on the easier North and had a 73 to fall five behind.

Phil Mickelson struggled to keep his hands dry in the wet weather and finished bogey-bogey on the South for a 71 to make the cut on the number, though his work isn't over. There were 87 players who made the cut at 1-under 143, meaning there will be another cut to top 70 and ties Saturday.

Mike Weir, meanwhile, made the cut for the first time since July 2011 despite a sloppy finish for a 75 on the South. He was tied for 41st at 3-under 141.

Woods is coming off a missed cut in Abu Dhabi last week to start his year.

"I've had beautiful practice sessions at home," he said. "If I can do it there, I can do it out here. Even though last week I played only two days, I felt like I hit the ball well enough to shoot a better score than I did. I had a couple of days to work on it, and I came out here and felt pretty good about it."

The final two rounds move to the South Course, which played about 1? shots harder Friday in the rain. The greens are more receptive, sure, but the course figures to play at full length in wet conditions and at sea level.

"It was amazing how different it played from Wednesday," Walker said. "I played the pro-am here on Wednesday on the South, and you could hardly stop a ball. And today, it didn't matter if you hit a 3-iron in there, it would just stop immediately. You could spin wedges. So it was a lot different, and it played a lot longer too."

Not only have the seven players behind Woods not won on tour, four of them had to get cards this year through either Q-school or the Web.com Tour.

But with 36 holes left, more than just those seven are still in the mix. Nick Watney played the first two rounds with Woods was only four shots behind, along with Ross Fisher of England. Charles Howell III, who has tied for third and lost in a playoff in his two starts this year, had a 72 on the South and was five shots behind.

Horschel wades into a big world Saturday, but he believes he has the experience from when he played the Walker Cup in 2007 at Royal County Down.

There was a guy I competed against three times called Rory McIlroy," Horschel said. "So there may have been 10, 12,000 people following us, and only a couple thousand following the rest of the groups. So I've dealt with crowds. I guess it's a little bit easier playing with Tiger because I guess the group ahead, they move a lot or something. Just hearing what media says. It's going to be exciting."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/woods-atop-leaderboard-torrey-pines-224833875--spt.html

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Europe's emigrants face red tape in Latin America

Maria Moreira, who immigrated to Chile from Spain, poses for a portrait in Santiago, Chile, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. Migration from European Union countries to Latin America and the Caribbean has grown since 2010, when economic indicators in several Latin American nations began to improve. Most come from Spain and Portugal, mainly because of the language, and their main destinations are Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Chile. (AP Photo/Luis Hidalgo)

Maria Moreira, who immigrated to Chile from Spain, poses for a portrait in Santiago, Chile, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. Migration from European Union countries to Latin America and the Caribbean has grown since 2010, when economic indicators in several Latin American nations began to improve. Most come from Spain and Portugal, mainly because of the language, and their main destinations are Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Chile. (AP Photo/Luis Hidalgo)

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) ? Geologist David Rodriguez and actress Cristina Pascual, two of the nearly six million Spaniards left jobless in the European recession, fled to Latin America last year, figuring their futures would be brighter in the booming economies on this side of the Atlantic.

Instead, they found themselves stuck, facing so many bureaucratic hurdles that their only option was to work illegally, for much lower wages. Without a work visa, they couldn't get a formal job. Without a job offer, no visa. And without a job and a visa, they had no way of securing an all-important tax-identification number, freezing them out of Chile's booming formal economy. Trying to bend the rules can result in deportation for the worker, and fines for the company.

Rodriguez and Pascual are among the many migrants watching this weekend as leaders from the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean seek ways of eliminating the red tape that has made it so difficult for foreigners to bring their skills across borders.

The vast majority of migrants between the continents used to travel to Europe, but the trends flipped after 2010, when economic indicators began to improve in Spain and Portugal's former colonies. Now Spanish and Portuguese workers are arriving by the thousands each year, entering on tourist visas and job-hunting in Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Argentina. Spanish migrants with skills needed in the mining industry are particularly sought after in Chile.

But the bureaucracy is getting in the way.

Rodriguez, 32, graduated from college in Spain in 2010, and spent the next 28 months in a frustrating search for work in his field while he lived with his parents. Then a friend, architect Maria Moreira, posted a Facebook message saying she was migrating to Chile. He jumped at the chance to come along, but soon found himself stuck without authorization to work. Despite high demand for exactly the skills he could offer, it took four months of rejections before he found a low-paid internship that eventually led to a company's sponsorship for his paperwork.

Spain's national statistics service said more than 40,000 Spaniards abandoned the country in search of work during the first six months of last year, up sharply from the 28,000 during the same period in 2011. The same agency said this week that unemployment has reached a record 26 percent in Spain.

Reducing roadblocks is urgent for the leaders at this summit. The IMF forecasts the Latin American and Caribbean economies to grow 3.6 percent this year even as Europe retreats 0.2 percent. The continents' economies are inexorably tied to each other, with EU countries representing 43 percent of Latin America's international trade. Making it easier for workers to move to where the jobs are can help all these countries, in part by increasing the remittances people send home to their families.

Chile isn't unique in the demands it places on foreign workers. Brazil and Argentina are famous for their red tape, and lacking EU citizenship, many Latin Americans haven't been welcomed into Europe's job market, either.

The summit agenda includes fostering "best practices" for lowering barriers to work. One example: representatives of 400 universities on both sides of the Atlantic met in Santiago this week to create a "common space for higher education," with the goal of standardizing the degrees and certifications awarded throughout both regions.

The agenda also advocates equal treatment for citizens of all nations, a sore point in the former colonies of Europe. While EU citizens can enter any country in the region on tourist visas, Latin Americans have been humiliated in Europe's airports, interrogated and sent home even though they said they complied with the entry rules.

"Welcome to a better world," is how Chile's President Sebastian Pinera greeted his Spanish counterpart Mariano Rajoy, a tongue-in-cheek phrase that resonates on all sorts of levels for travelers between both regions.

Rodriguez and Pascual can testify that their welcome was difficult at best during their first months in Chile.

Without formal work and a visa, they couldn't get the Chilean identity numbers known as RUTs, which are vital for all aspects of life. Without a RUT, you can't get a telephone line, buy a cellphone, obtain a credit card, open a bank account, or make hundreds of other transactions in Chile.

Pascual, a 38-year-old actress, spent five months in low-paid, under-the-table jobs before she got help from the Spanish embassy, where she now works as a cultural representative.

"The bureaucracy here is terrible," Pascual says. But now she sounds contented, and spends much of her time supporting other Spaniards who keep arriving in Chile. "Many people are coming, so we help them a little, because it's very bureaucratic here, very complicated, and they get desperate."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-26-Chile-Summit-Migrants/id-917888a1e592492eb24df5646499c0c1

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Panetta: Women integral to the success of U.S. military

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, in lifting a ban on women serving in combat, said women have become integral to the military's success and have shown they are willing to fight and die alongside their male counterparts.

"The time has come for our policies to recognize that reality," Panetta said Thursday at a Pentagon news conference with Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Panetta said that not all women will be able to meet the qualifications to be a combat soldier.

"But everyone is entitled to a chance," he said.

He said the qualifications will not be lowered, and with women playing a broader role, the military will be strengthened.

Panetta said that his visits to Afghanistan and Iraq to see U.S. forces in action demonstrated to him that women should have a chance to perform combat duties if they wish, and if they can meet the qualifications.

"Our military is more capable, and our force is more powerful, when we use all of the great diverse strengths of the American people," Panetta said earlier Thursday at a Pentagon ceremony in remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr.

Panetta is expected to step down as Pentagon chief sometime in February. Republican Former Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska has been nominated as his successor, and his Senate confirmation hearing is scheduled for Jan. 31.

"Every person in today's military has made a solemn commitment to fight, and if necessary to die, for our nation's defense," he said. "We owe it to them to allow them to pursue every avenue of military service for which they are fully prepared and qualified. Their career success and their specific opportunities should be based solely on their ability to successfully carry out an assigned mission. Everyone deserves that chance."

The decision to lift the ban on women serving in combat presents a daunting challenge to top military leaders who now will have to decide which, if any, jobs they believe should be open only to men.

Panetta planned to announce at a Pentagon news conference that more than 230,000 battlefront posts ? many in Army and Marine infantry units and in potentially elite commando jobs ? are now open to women. It will be up to the military service chiefs to recommend and defend whether women should be excluded from any of those more demanding and deadly positions, such as Navy SEALs or the Army's Delta Force.

The historic change, which was recommended by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, overturns a 1994 rule prohibiting women from being assigned to smaller ground combat units.

The change won't take place overnight: Service chiefs will have to develop plans for allowing women to seek the combat positions, a senior military official said. Some jobs may open as soon as this year, while assessments for others, such as special operations forces, may take longer. The services will have until January 2016 to make a case to that some positions should remain closed to women.

Officials briefed The Associated Press on the changes Wednesday on condition of anonymity so they could speak ahead of the official announcement.

There long has been opposition to putting women in combat, based on questions of whether they have the necessary strength and stamina for certain jobs, or whether their presence might hurt unit cohesion.

But as news of Panetta's expected order got out, many members of Congress, including the Senate Armed Services Committee chairman, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., announced their support.

"It reflects the reality of 21st century military operations," Levin said.

Objections were few. Jerry Boykin, executive vice president of the Family Research Council, called the move "another social experiment" that will place unnecessary burdens on military commanders.

"While their focus must remain on winning the battles and protecting their troops, they will now have the distraction of having to provide some separation of the genders during fast-moving and deadly situations," said Boykin, a retired Army lieutenant general. He noted that small units often are in sustained combat for extended periods of time under primal living conditions with no privacy.

Panetta's move comes in his final weeks as Pentagon chief and just days after President Barack Obama's inaugural speech in which he spoke passionately about equal rights for all. The new order expands the department's action of nearly a year ago to open about 14,500 combat positions to women, nearly all of them in the Army.

In addition to questions of strength and performance, there also have been suggestions that the American public would not tolerate large numbers of women being killed in war.

Under the 1994 Pentagon policy, women were prohibited from being assigned to ground combat units below the brigade level. A brigade is roughly 3,500 troops split into several battalions of about 800 soldiers each. Historically, brigades were based farther from the front lines, and they often included top command and support staff.

The necessities of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, however, propelled women into jobs as medics, military police and intelligence officers that were sometimes attached ? but not formally assigned ? to battalions. So while a woman couldn't be assigned as an infantryman in a battalion going out on patrol, she could fly the helicopter supporting the unit, or move in to provide medical aid if troops were injured.

And these conflicts, where battlefield lines are blurred and insurgents can lurk around every corner, have made it almost impossible to keep women clear of combat.

Still, as recent surveys and experiences have shown, it will not be an easy transition. When the Marine Corps sought women to go through its tough infantry course last year, two volunteered, and both failed to complete the course. And there may not be a wide clamoring from women for the more intense, dangerous and difficult jobs, including some infantry and commando positions.

Two lawsuits were filed last year challenging the Pentagon's ban on women serving in combat, adding pressure on officials to overturn the policy. And the military services have been studying the issue and surveying their forces to determine how it may affect performance and morale.

The Joint Chiefs have been meeting regularly on the matter, and they unanimously agreed to send the recommendation to Panetta earlier this month.

A senior military official familiar with the discussions said the chiefs laid out three main principles to guide them as they move through the process. Those were to maintain America's effective fighting force, preserve military readiness and develop a process that would give all service members the best chance to succeed.

Women comprise about 14 percent of the 1.4 million active military personnel. More than 280,000 women have been sent to Iraq, Afghanistan or to jobs in neighboring nations in support of the wars. Of the more than 6,600 U.S. service members who have been killed, 152 have been women.

The senior military official said the military chiefs must report back to Panetta with their initial implementation plans by May 15.

___

AP National Security Writer Robert Burns and AP Broadcast reporter Sagar Meghani contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/panetta-women-integral-militarys-success-185305670--politics.html

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