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বুধবার, ২০ ফেব্রুয়ারী, ২০১৩
Smart career tips from Millennials ? Business Management Daily ...
The Millennials, also known as Gen Y, take a lot of criticism, but they are also savvy about several aspects of the working world today, says Ali Velshi, CNN?s chief business correspondent, who outlines what they know and you should, too.
- Jobs and careers aren?t forever. You need to be prepared to change both if needed.
- Continue to train. It helps you stay relevant and prepare for new roles.
- Focus on the experience. You may not have your dream job in your dream field, but while you?re there you can gain valuable experience.
- Keep a positive attitude. Times may be tough, but keep working and believing you?ll eventually find the job you really want.
- Remember your elders have valuable insights. Spend time with your parents, older colleagues and retirees to glean their knowledge and wisdom.
? Adapted from ?Career lessons from Gen Y,? Ali Velshi, CNN Money.
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No. 1 West Virginia breaks NCAA air rifle record
It was another record-setting performance for the No. 1 West Virginia rifle team this weekend at NCAA Qualifiers as it shot a 2381 in the air rifle, which broke the NCAA record the Mountaineers set earlier this season against Ole Miss.
The 2381, plus the Mountaineers? 2335 in smallbore, combined for a total score of 4761.
"Our focus is still on finishing out the season, rather than getting too carried away. But the team obviously performed really well," said West Virginia head coach Jon Hammond. "I knew that we were capable of shooting that type of air rifle score, so I was just really pleased for the team members to do that."
NCAA Qualifiers was the first of three matches the Mountaineers will participate in over the next month, and with the post season in full swing, Hammond wants his team to focus on each match one at a time.
"Every match is different. It?s not just a case of getting on a hot streak and rolling with it," Hammond said. "Every match is a new match and a new day. You can?t afford to get complacent or overconfident. We?ve just got keep working."
Sophomores Maren Prediger and Meelis Kiisk shot personal bests at qualifiers, while Olympian Petra Zublasling led the entire Mountaineer team with a score of 1191, so Hammond is not worried about West Virginia?s skill level.
"They all have the talent," Hammond said. "For the remaining two matches, they?ve got to keep working really hard and keep their focus."
Prediger was arguably the most impressive Mountaineer Sunday. Her air rifle personal best of 598 combined with her smallbore personal best of 593 to give the Germany native a personal best 1191 aggregate score.
"She?s definitely got plenty of courage and determination," Hammond said. "A month or so ago, for her, a little bit of the struggle was finishing the last 20 shots. She?s worked hard on that, and the last two matches she?s performed really well."
While Prediger has come on late, Zublasing has led West Virginia all season.
"She continues to work very hard, and she?s very good at analyzing the match and herself and what she?s doing within that match," Hammond said. "Whenever she might struggle with a few shots, she?s really good at catching it and finding the problem.
Zublasing, Prediger and the rest of the Mountaineers now have a quick turnaround, with the Great American Rifle Conference championship this weekend.
"Business as usual. We have to refocus again and get a bit of practice in this week," Hammond said. "It?s a great pre-match before NCAAs, with the competition that?s there, the number of people, the set up.
"We just have to stay focused and go down there and do the best we can."
Source: http://www.thedaonline.com/sports/no-1-west-virginia-breaks-ncaa-air-rifle-record-1.2993915
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মঙ্গলবার, ১৯ ফেব্রুয়ারী, ২০১৩
McCready's death renews questions for Dr. Drew
FILE - This Aug. 4, 2011 file photo shows Dr. Drew Pinsky, host of the CW television series "Dr. Drew's Lifechangers," during a panel discussion on the show at the CW Showtime summer press tour in Beverly Hills, Calif. Criticism of Dr. Drew Pinsky spread on the Internet almost as quickly as news of Mindy McCready's death. The country singer with the tumultuous personal life became the fifth cast member of his "Celebrity Rehab" series to die since appearing on the show and the third from Season 3. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)
FILE - This Aug. 4, 2011 file photo shows Dr. Drew Pinsky, host of the CW television series "Dr. Drew's Lifechangers," during a panel discussion on the show at the CW Showtime summer press tour in Beverly Hills, Calif. Criticism of Dr. Drew Pinsky spread on the Internet almost as quickly as news of Mindy McCready's death. The country singer with the tumultuous personal life became the fifth cast member of his "Celebrity Rehab" series to die since appearing on the show and the third from Season 3. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)
FILE - In this June 5, 2008 file photo, country music artist Mindy McCready performs at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tenn. McCready, who hit the top of the country charts before personal problems sidetracked her career, died Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013. She was 37. (AP Photo/Bill Waugh, File)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ? The criticism of Dr. Drew Pinsky spread on the Internet almost as quickly as news of Mindy McCready's death.
The country singer with the tumultuous personal life became the fifth cast member of his "Celebrity Rehab" series to die since appearing on the show and the third from Season 3. The previous deaths stirred up rumors of a curse and a debate about the show's helpfulness. McCready's apparent suicide upped the pitch of the reaction, however.
Singer Richard Marx on Twitter compared Pinsky to Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the so-called suicide doctor: "Same results."
Marx backed off later Monday, saying the crack went too far. But he restated his thoughts in a way that summed up much of the reaction in the first 24 hours since the 37-year-old McCready's death Sunday afternoon in Heber Springs, Ark.
"It is, however, my opinion that what Dr. D does is exploitation and his TV track record is not good," Marx wrote.
VH1's "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" is not currently on the air. Pinsky switched his focus to non-celebrities in Season 6 last fall and changed the title to "Rehab." The show spawned two spinoffs, "Sober House" and "Sex Rehab."
Season 3, shot in 2009, featured McCready, former NBA star Dennis Rodman, actors Tom Sizemore and Mackenzie Phillips, former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss and a handful of lesser known celebrity types.
McCready was a sympathetic character on the show and appeared to be far less damaged than her fellow cast members, some of whom experienced fairly graphic symptoms of opiate withdrawal in front of the cameras. McCready suffered a seizure while on the show, further endearing her to Pinsky and the others.
She said in a 2010 interview with The Associated Press that she initially turned Pinsky down.
"But Dr. Drew said something to me that just mowed me over literally, just floored me," she said. "He said, 'You've been being treated for the symptoms of what's wrong with you, not the problem. And you're going to have to put your family aside for a moment, put their feelings aside for a moment and worry about you because if you don't get better, it doesn't matter what your family thinks. You're not going to be there anymore.'"
Pinsky diagnosed her with "love addiction" during the series' run and called her an "angel" in the finale. In an interview with The Associated Press several months later, he said McCready had a good shot at recovery if she remained in treatment.
"Like with anybody I treat, it's really up to them," Pinsky said. "I never know. If they do the work they're supposed to do, yes (there can be success). If she does the work it will be great. It's up to her how much of that she does, how much she feels she needs to do. It seems like she's doing rather well right now so I hope she continues to do so."
Three years later, she's dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot to the head. McCready walked away from treatment several days ago after her father asked a judge to intervene. Her body was found on the front porch of a home she shared with David Wilson, the longtime boyfriend and father of her youngest son who appears to have killed himself in the same spot last month.
Pinsky wasn't available for comment, his publicist said, but he issued a statement Sunday night that noted he'd spoken with McCready recently.
"She is a lovely woman who will be missed by many," the statement said. "Although I have not treated her for a few years, I had reached out to her recently upon hearing about the apparent suicide of her boyfriend and father of her younger (child). She was devastated. Although she was fearful of stigma and ridicule she agreed with me that she needed to make her health and safety a priority. Unfortunately it seems that Mindy did not sustain her treatment."
A lack of continued treatment also appears to have led to the deaths of McCready's Season 3 castmates Mike Starr, bassist for Alice in Chains, and Joey Kovar, a "Real World" participant. Los Angeles riots spark Rodney King and actor Jeff Conaway also have passed away. Starr and Kovar overdosed and King was found dead in his pool with alcohol and marijuana in his system. Conaway was initially thought to have overdosed, but died of pneumonia and an infection.
Bob Forrest, a chemical dependency counselor who appeared on Season 3 of "Celebrity Rehab" and continues to work with Pinsky, said a discussion about mental health and substance abuse issues is important. But attacking Pinsky has only distracted from the real issues.
"Regardless of your feelings about how we do it with the TV show, calling Dr. Drew 'Dr. Kevorkian,' what kind of dialogue is that?" he said. "It's a good headline. We're going through a growth spurt in regards to who we are as a country. I really feel there's something going on in America beyond Mindy McCready's death."
The most recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show there were 38,364 suicides in the U.S. in 2010 ? an average of 105 a day. Thirty-three percent of suicides tested positive for alcohol in 2009 and 20 percent for opiates, including heroin and prescription painkillers.
There were no immediate numbers available for suicides or overdoses post-rehab, but a patient with substance abuse problems is a higher risk for an attempt.
Dr. Sharon Hirsch, an associate professor in the University of Chicago's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, says patients can get trapped in the yin and yang of addiction. She was not familiar with McCready's case, but noted people abusing alcohol or drugs have a lower impulse control. And their lows when they're off drugs become more difficult to overcome, also lowering their resolve.
Dealing with loss, as McCready was, also increases risk, especially around anniversaries.
Hirsch said mental health and addiction issues have to be taken as seriously as a heart attack.
"Depression and substance dependence are all very malignant disorders and I think people forget that," Hirsch said. "They think of cancer, strokes and heart attacks killing people, but depression, substance abuse and eating disorders, too, all kill people. There are very, very high rates of deaths in those illnesses."
Pinsky's shows drew attention to the struggle. But did they help patients? Pinsky has taken an interest in cast members after the shows end and referred them to continuing treatment. But ultimately Hirsch wonders who was on call the last time McCready pondered killing herself.
"One of the key components of any treatment is to talk confidentially with your treatment provider about every aspect of what is going on with you, to be able to get the best care you can," she said. "I just don't know how that could occur in the context of an internationally televised show. And so it would be difficult for me to envision it as a complete treatment program. ... It just really strikes me as entertainment and not as treatment."
___
Follow AP Music Writer Chris Talbott: http://twitter.com/Chris_Talbott.
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সোমবার, ১৮ ফেব্রুয়ারী, ২০১৩
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Presidents' Day sales: Look for new deals throughout the weekend
Presidents' Day sales have already begun on a wide array of items, including mattresses, home goods, and clothing. But keep an eye out for more Presidents' Day sales to be announced throughout the weekend.?
A salesman waits for customers at a mattress store in Boston. Mattress sales are a staple for Presidents' Day weekend, and this year is no exception.
John Nordell/Staff/FIle
EnlargeAh, Presidents' Day. A national holiday commemorating George Washington's birthday, the first President of the United States. Federal and local governments get the day off, schools, post offices, and banks are closed, and we shop for mattresses and appliances.
Skip to next paragraph Dealnews.comis devoted to finding the best deals on consumer goods, whether or not they're from an advertiser. For more great offers visit dealnews.com, which works with advertisers to craft offers for readers.
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That's right, on Monday, February 18, we honor our founding father by partaking in fantastic sales on everything from mattresses to dishwashers, TVs, and apparel.
Mattress Sales Have Already Begun
The origins of mattresses being particular to Presidents' Day are difficult to verify. No one really knows how it got started. "George Washington slept here" may be one inspiration for big mattress sales, but the best explanation is a simple one. "It takes two people to make the decision of buying a mattress," says Sarah DuBois, spokeswoman for Sleep Number. "Since many have President's Day off of work, it's a great opportunity for two people to shop together."
Nothing needs the approval of both parties more than a mattress purchase.
For President's Day, all beds are on sale at Sleep Number, including up to 50% off the Sleep Number iLE bed plus a free comforter and 18-month financing. Sears' Mattress Closeout Event offers 50% to 60% off mattresses, with free delivery and haul away on many mattresses. Macy's has $100 off some Tempur-Pedic mattresses and up to half off some closeout models, making it possible to nab a Sertapedic Queen Mattress Set for just $247 (a low by $228). Overstock has 10% off already discounted memory foam models.?
Shadow Morton, 1960s songwriter, dies at age 71
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Shadow Morton, a 1960s pop-song writer and producer whose biggest credits include "Leader of the Pack" and "Remember (Walking in the Sand)," has died. He was 71.
Family friend Amy Krakow confirmed with The Associated Press on Sunday that Morton, born George Francis Morton, died Thursday in Laguna Beach, Calif.
Shangri-Las, the girls group from Queens, N.Y., gained fame after recording both "Remember" in 1964, and then "Leader of the Pack," which Morton co-wrote with Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. Shangri-Las became famous starting in 1964 with Morton's hits.
Morton was born in Brooklyn and moved to Long Island as a teenager.
Krakow said he is survived by three daughters, a sister and three grandchildren.
His death was reported Friday by The New York Times.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/shadow-morton-1960s-songwriter-dies-age-71-164235336.html
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রবিবার, ১৭ ফেব্রুয়ারী, ২০১৩
Artist Titus Kaphar Talks Memory And Madness In His Latest Installation, 'The Vesper Project' (INTERVIEW, PHOTOS)
Titus Kaphar's newest installation, "The Vesper Project," revolves around confabulation, a fantasy masquerading as a memory or factual account.
Kaphar experienced the sensation of mistaking myth for memory when recalling a time with his aunt that never occurred. The bizarre experience inspired the artist, who often works with the disruptive forces of history, embarked on a five year art project exploring the overlap between true and fabricated narratives. The story revolves around the Vesper family, which Kaphar describes as "a 19th century family who are able to 'pass' as a white family in New England although their mixed heritage makes them 'Negro' in the eyes of the law."
After years of crafting a narrative of living memories that were not his own, Kaphar discovered an abandoned 19th century house that was saturated with the presence of his characters. For his exhibition at Friedman Benda, Kaphar brings the fragmented house inside the gallery space, building a lying time capsule filled with old photographs, uprooted floorboards and inexplicable presences.
We spoke to Kaphar to learn more about his incredibly ambitious undertaking. To learn about the specifics of the tale, watch video footage of the house and read documentation from the Vesper family, visit The Vesper Project's website.
HP: How did "The Vesper Project" begin?
TK: I was in the studio making a portrait of my aunt, as if she was in a completely other time period. As I was making a portrait of her I got this weird feeling. As I was combing through my memories of her I realized my memories of her weren't real. They were fiction. I didn't believe it at first, so i called my family to find out and they confirmed that she was not, in fact, where i remembered her. It occurred to me that, for some reason, my brain had decided to insert her into periods in my life when I needed extra support. That left me reeling; it left me frightened. It made me feel as if I couldn't trust my own memory. I felt like i was losing my mind.
When I'm working on a portrait of someone, there is often an internal monologue, a narrative I hear. Usually, the better the portrait is, the more I hear that monologue. Because I just had that experience with the portrait of my aunt, it made me frightened to tell people about it. I honestly felt like I was losing my mind. I talked to someone at a mental health facility and he says tell me your story. I didn't know this, but he was writing down what I was saying. A couple of weeks later, he came back to me and he showed what he had written based on my words. It was so much more elaborate than I had remembered, and became even more real.
Interview continues after the slideshow.
HP: So the story is not made of your memories, it's more of a narrative about your work?
TK: It wasn't really either. Writers speak about hearing voices that drive a narrative a lot, but visual artists not so much. Ben and I went back and forth, telling stories, over the course of four or five years. It became very real for me. I had been nervous about telling people where I felt like these stories were coming from. I began to talk about them as though they were real -- I was living with these characters. The more that I did that, the more I felt like I wanted to see every aspect of their lives. I began to search for where I thought they might live. I found a house and ended up installing it as sculpture in the gallery.
The house is not really a space, per se. It is a psychological space -- a man slipping from his lineage, his family, into a schizophrenic break. You are able to experience his mental slippage.
HP: Does the narrative come to an end?
The more the paintings emerge, the more the narrative evolves? as I continue to paint from that well, I think the story will continue to produce more. I don't see these characters going away for me.
HP: What challenges arose in using a 19th century house as part of your medium?
TK: There are many challenges-- it is an undertaking that I've never done before. There were the obvious challenges that occur with any sort of architectural feat and, for those, I got a lot of help. Yet the challenges were compelling. The challenges, in some ways, directed the construction. For example, you take the floor out of a hundred-year-old house and you try to reinstall it into a different setting, and you going to realize those boards are not going to lay flat. As a result you get this floor that creeps and moves and has a presence -- that was something i was not willing to fight with. It was something I felt like added to the project.
HP: The Vesper Project has been referred to as a "haunted house." Would you use that term?
TK: No, I think its terrible. I think it's awful. Once you put something out in the world, you no longer have control over reactions, descriptions or anything like that. That being said, i think it's a hard thing to describe, the difference between something that is "haunted" and something that has a presence about it. One is a way we talk about movies and fear that is supposed to frighten you. This is not about that at all. But i do feel that there is a presence and that is the result of using materials that people lived with. Loved. And taking those as raw materials to rebuild the sculpture. That living, that love, is somehow still in those materials. When someone says "haunted" -- no, I would lean toward having a presence.
HP: Did you look into the history of the previous house owners?
I attempted to, but it had changed owners so many times. It was hard to find any sort of clear narrative. For me, what made the house the right house was that I felt like I could feel my characters presence in that house. Once the house, which in fact, as I said, is the head space of one particular character, was constructed, I began to play. I had someone read the text that I had previously constructed and it felt like the voices would have inhabited that space. On my website there is a little film where you can feel the voices.
HP: How much did this project consume other aspects of your life? Were you ever worried it had gone too far?
TK: When I went to talk to the friend at the mental health facility, he assured me that I was not sick. That's what encouraged me to keep pursuing this and not freak out. Honestly, as an artist, I was producing work and didn't want argue too much because I was really excited about the work I was making. I became fascinated with the human brain, what it chooses to do with or without our permission. I started reading way too much Oliver Sachs. I started to get really interested in this idea of confabulation, which seems so similar to the creative process itself. For me this particular situation wasn't so hard.
Titus Kaphar's "The Vesper Project" will show at Freidman Benda Gallery in New York from February 28 until April 6, 2013.
See more work from Kaphar in the slideshow below:
Also on HuffPost:
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3 Big State of The Union Takeaways for Businesses
3 Big State of The Union Takeaways for Businesses
Image courtesy of BigThink
In his State of the Union address last night, President Obama laid out an agenda remarkable among 2nd term presidents for its breadth and ambition. Among the array of policies he talked about, three passages stuck out for their relevance to urban communities and the people and businesses that call them home.
1) Raising the Minimum Wage
?Tonight, let?s declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty, and raise the federal minimum wage to $9.00 an hour. This single step would raise the incomes of millions of working families. It could mean the difference between groceries or the food bank; rent or eviction; scraping by or finally getting ahead.?? ? Barack Obama
The room let out an audible gasp when President Obama announced the rebirth of this policy. During the heyday of Obama?s post-election euphoria in 2009, he had previously shown support for raising the federal minimum wage to a gaudy $9.50. The political realities of an entrenched congressional divide however have made even a call up to $9.00 an audacious bid. Conventional economic wisdom suggests that raising the minimum wage actually leads to less jobs as costs for businesses rise. But recent research has suggested that the increase in costs is offset by lower turnover costs and higher productivity from workers. While it?s not exactly breaking news that higher paid people perform better, disagreement on the economics and the worries of an economy still laboring under 7.8% unemployment make the policy?s fate an open question. If proponents are right, this could be a boon for inner city residents and additionally provide a lever for businesses to hire them. If they?re wrong, this could be a potentially large setback for small businesses with already tight payrolls.
2) Is the Climate Ripe for Climate Change Policy?
?We can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen, were all just a freak coincidence. Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science ? and act before it?s too late.? ? Barack Obama
What does global warming have to do with urban businesses? Like the argument over the minimum wage, proponents would argue that creating a cap-and-trade market for carbon could unleash huge innovation on the part of American companies to comply and exceed the policy requirements. And, unlike other sectors of the economy, we at ICIC have some reason to believe that inner cities may provide the kind of narrow space requirements and access to urban centers that these kinds of companies might require. Past Inner City 100 winners Watermark from Lowell, Massachusetts and Research in Motion from Portland, Oregon are cases in point of this thesis. If the climate is indeed ripe for climate change policy, let?s hope the critics are wrong about the effect it would have on jobs.
3) Taxes, Spending, and the Sequester
?I realize that tax reform and entitlement reform won?t be easy. The politics will be hard for both sides. None of us will get 100 percent of what we want. But the alternative will cost us jobs, hurt our economy, and visit hardship on millions of hardworking Americans.? ? Barack Obama
Like the bulk of the media, ICIC has written extensively here, here, and elsewhere on the deleterious effects of these issues hanging over a fragile economic recovery. For a nation that once set its sights on beating the Soviet Union to the moon, self-congratulation over deciding to honor the spending commitments we?ve already racked up may seem like small potatoes. But recent decisions by Congress to postpone a fight on the debt ceiling are promising augurs of a future in which we may yet again set our sights on the impossible. While cuts on the $1.2 trillion ?sequester? may yet derail recovery, it seems like the worst has past. Let?s hope that Congress continues its good behavior and takes the advice of one of our most revered presidents, Abraham Lincoln: ?Devotion to the Union rightfully inclined men to yield somewhat, in points where nothing could have so inclined them.?
The State of our Union
Resolving disagreements over the minimum wage, climate change, and taxes and spending are daunting challenges that could have large implications for businesses and urban communities alike. But, in some senses, the return of battles over policy, instead of potentially destructive fights over things like the debt ceiling, represent a return to political normalcy and an indication that the state of our union is cautiously optimistic.
BY Sathya Vijayakumar on February 13th, 2013
TAGS: small business | business | jobs | cities | urban revitalization | politics | policy | minimum wage | sotu
Source: http://www.icic.org//connection/blog-entry/blog-3-big-state-of-the-union-takeaways-for-businesses
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'Massive' fraud: Europe's horse meat scandal widens
Bernd Thissen / AFP - Getty Images
A laboratory assistant prepares a sample of lasagna for a DNA test at a veterinary research facility in Germany Thursay.
By Ian Johnston, Staff Writer, NBC News
LONDON -- When officials in Ireland made a routine check on a few hamburgers, what they found made them nervous: One burger was actually nearly one-third horse.
It was a discovery that has sent shock waves reverberating across Europe.
Since the disturbing DNA test results were disclosed last month, horse meat has been found masquerading as beef in countries including the U.K., France, Germany, Sweden and Norway.?
A small amount of horse meat was also found by British officials to contain a banned drug that, in high enough doses, could be fatal, although U.K. Chief Medical Officer Sally Davies has stressed there is a "very low risk indeed" that eating contaminated meat would be harmful.
As supermarket shelves were cleared, meat suppliers in Ireland, the U.K., France, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Romania and elsewhere have come under scrutiny.
Jean-Philippe Arles / Reuters
A dump truck is filled up with blocks of meat at French meat processor Spanghero's factory in Castelnaudary near Toulouse, France, Friday.
Some in Western Europe have pointed the finger particularly at Romania, where a ban on horses in cities and the tough economic climate have been cited as reasons for a rise in exports of horse meat. The Romanians have insisted the meat was properly labeled as horse when it left the country, Reuters reported.?
According to French investigators, one French firm alone made a profit of?$733,800 over six months by selling cheaper horse meat as beef in a supply chain involving 28 companies in 13 countries, Reuters reported. The company, Spanghero, protested its innocence Friday.
Intelligence agency Europol -- normally tasked with combating the trafficking of guns, drugs and humans --?was brought in to investigate what one British lawmaker has described as an ?international criminal conspiracy.??Three arrests -- the first over the scandal -- were made in the U.K. on Thursday.?
Expert: Watch what you eat
Some officials believe only the ?tip of the iceberg? has been revealed, and on Friday the European Union endorsed a major DNA-testing program to establish just how much unlabeled horse meat is being sold as beef or other foods.
For ManMohan Sodhi, a professor specializing in supply chains at London?s City University, the news has been a revelation.
?If you had talked to me a month ago, I would have said: ?No, it would never happen; I completely believe in the [food supply] system,?? he said.
Now his message is ?Watch out for what you eat.?
The U.K. has ordered thousands of beef products be tested - as companies recall ready-to-eat meals bought by millions after finding horsemeat in lasagna. ITV'S Chris Choy reports.
Sodhi compared the current situation to the first signs of the gross mismanagement of subprime mortgages that led to the banking crisis. ?People began to uncover risks and suddenly there were too many problems,? he said.
He said large supermarkets like to deal with large suppliers who are in turn supplied by other firms and so on down to farmers and other actual food producers. At any point in the chain, someone could decide to cut costs by replacing a high-cost food with a cheap substitute.
Sodhi explained it was not in the interest of supermarkets to check their suppliers. This, he said, would be an added expense and would also make them legally liable if something went wrong.
Taking goods on trust meant they instead had ?plausible deniability,? he said. ?Then if something bad happens, all I do is put out an advertisement and say, ?We really care about our customers, we?re doing everything we can ? too bad somebody did something horrible.?
In a video message, Tim Smith, group technical director of supermarket giant Tesco, spoke of the firm's "unreserved apology" over the discovery of horse DNA in its frozen hamburgers and said it had dropped a supplier in Ireland.
But he also stressed the company was taking steps to ensure this never happened again.
Smith said Tesco planned to "launch a new program of activity which will test on a DNA fingerprinting basis all the meat and meat products that we source from our suppliers ... adding another layer of surveillance to help protect our customers."
On Thursday, a Tesco spokesman was unable to clarify exactly how extensive the DNA tests would be.
'Cynically and systematically duped'
Sodhi?s opinion that things could be far worse than they currently appear might be dismissed by some.
But a committee of British lawmakers that investigated the situation published a report Thursday?that?concluded the discoveries so far were ?likely to be the tip of the iceberg? amid ?suggestion of fraud on a massive scale.?
The committee concluded that it appeared consumers had been ?cynically and systematically duped in pursuit of profit by elements within the food industry.?
?This scandal has also raised broader food policy questions about cheap food production, transparency, consumer confidence and pressures within the supply chain,? it added.
There are suggestions that traditional butcher?s stores have benefited from the furor.
Toby Melville / Reuters
Danny Lidgate hangs meat in the cold store area of Lidgates butchers in London Wednesday, as traditional butchers report a surge in demand from consumers.
Roger Kelsey, of the National Federation of Meat & Food Traders, estimated his members had seen an increase of up to 50 percent in demand for sausages, ground beef and burgers, according to the BBC. The British Retail Consortium, which represents supermarkets, has insisted their sales have not suffered.
Family-run store Aubrey Allen, of Leamington Spa, was named the U.K.?s Butcher?s Shop of the Year 2012 and was recently given a royal warrant to supply meat, poultry and game to Britain?s Queen Elizabeth II.
Russell Allen, who was born into the business, said supermarkets would ?push and squeeze? and ?bully their suppliers? to cut costs.
But he also said ordinary people shared some of the blame for the horse meat scandal by providing the demand for very cheap food.
?If you are buying five burgers for a pound ($1.55), I kind of think you get what you deserve," he said. "It suggests you don?t care, so why would you suddenly care??
Allen said he thought people should eat better quality meat and have it less often.
He lamented the loss of a culture of cooking. Now, he said, people don't know what to do with cheaper cuts of meat and view him as strange for having homemade soup for lunch.
?Generally people say, ?I don?t have time to cook? and I say, ?Well, you?ve got time to watch people cooking [on television],?? he said.
Allen said butcher?s shops were making something of a comeback after many were put out of business by supermarkets in the 1970s and 1980s.
But he admitted mass-produced food was probably here to stay. ?I think it?s possibly a necessary evil on some levels. Not everyone can afford to, not everyone has the luxury of eating quality products all the time,? he said.
'Going on for years'
Frenchman Michel Roux Jr., whose restaurant Le Gavroche is one of Britain?s best, also criticized supermarkets for putting pressure on their suppliers and suggested the horse meat scandal was not a recent occurrence.
?I?m sure that it?s been going on for years, absolutely years,? he said. ?It?s being done on a nod and a wink.?
Roux said he remembered as a child eating roast horse and horse burgers. And he suggested a legitimate market for horse meat might be a positive step.
Related: Horse slaughtering legal in US, but public won't bite
?Horse meat is a good meat ? maybe in Britain we should embrace it, we should be eating more,? Roux said.
He said the flavor was ?not too dissimilar to beef, slightly sweeter and richer,? admitting it wasn?t his favorite.
However, asked if he would put horse meat on his menu, he replied, ?Not as yet.?
In Ireland, the officials who uncovered that first horse meat burger and several others with trace amounts can scarcely believe what has transpired since they went public on Jan. 15.?
Ray Ellard, director of The Food Safety Authority of Ireland, said they had been ?not expecting to find too much? when they carried out a small survey of beef products.
?We were kind of ? I wouldn?t say taken aback, but that?s kind of the truth,? Ellard said. ?We were wondering, ?What?s going on here?? and wanted to be absolutely sure of the science of what we were doing.?
?We set out to do something fairly simple. We didn?t know it was going to end up where it is,? Ellard added. ?It?s been painful for a lot of the food industry, some people have had reputational damage.?
?We?re glad in one way. Systems will all improve and the potential for defrauding people will be a lot less. We?re glad that that?s happened, but we had a nervous few days, I can tell you.?
Reuters contributed to this report.
Related:
European horse meat scandal spreads amid fears harmful drug entered human food chain
'Criminal conspiracy' blamed for European horse-in-burger scandal
Hamburgers pulled from UK supermarket shelves after tests reveal horsemeat
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Why cells stick: Phenomenon extends longevity of bonds between cells
Friday, February 15, 2013
Research carried out by scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology and The University of Manchester has revealed new insights into how cells stick to each other and to other bodily structures, an essential function in the formation of tissue structures and organs. It's thought that abnormalities in their ability to do so play an important role in a broad range of disorders, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.
The study's findings are outlined in the journal Molecular Cell and describe a surprising new aspect of cell adhesion involving the family of cell adhesion molecules known as integrins, which are found on the surfaces of most cells. The research uncovered a phenomenon termed "cyclic mechanical reinforcement," in which the length of time during which bonds exist is extended with repeated pulling and release between the integrins and ligands that are part of the extracellular matrix to which the cells attach.
Professor Martin Humphries, dean of the faculty of life sciences at the University of Manchester and one of the paper's co-authors, says the study suggests some new capabilities for cells: "This paper identifies a new kind of bond that is strengthened by cyclical applications of force, and which appears to be mediated by complex shape changes in integrin receptors. The findings also shed light on a possible mechanism used by cells to sense extracellular topography and to aggregate information through 'remembering' multiple interaction events."
The cyclic mechanical reinforcement allows force to prolong the lifetimes of bonds, demonstrating a mechanical regulation of receptor-ligand interactions and identifying a molecular mechanism for strengthening cell adhesion through cyclical forces.
"Many cell functions such as differentiation, growth and the expression of particular genes depend on cell interaction with the ligands of the intracellular matrix," said Cheng Zhu, a professor in the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University and the study's corresponding author. "The cells respond to their environment, which includes many mechanical aspects. This study has extended our understanding of how connections are made and how mechanical forces regulate interactions."
The research was published online by the journal on February 14th. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Wellcome Trust.
Cells of the body regulate adhesion in response to both internally- and externally-applied forces. This is particularly important to adhesion mediated by proteins such as integrins that connect the extracellular matrix to the cytoskeleton ? and provide cells with both mechanical anchorages and the means to initiate signaling.
Using delicate force measuring equipment, researchers in Zhu's lab and the laboratory of Andres Garcia ? a professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech ? collaborated to study adhesion between integrin and fibronectin, a protein component of the extracellular matrix. What they found was that cyclic forces applied to the bond switch it from a short lived state ? with lifetimes of about one second ? to a long-lived state that can exist for more than a hundred seconds.
"Force can be very important in biology," said Zhu. "Force has direction, magnitude and duration, so in describing its effects on biological systems, you have to use a more complete language."
Zhu, Garcia and Georgia Tech graduate students Fang Kong, William Parks and David Dumbauld ? along with postdoctoral fellow Zenhai Li ? used two different mechanical techniques to study the strength of bonds between integrin and fibronectin. One technique measured the bond strengths in purified molecules, while the other studied the effects of them in their native cellular environment.
"We have very precise force transducers that allow us to measure force on the scale of pico-newtons," said Zhu. "We prepare the samples in such a way that we engage only one bond, then we control the application of force and observe what happens."
The researchers first used an atomic force microscope to bring the integrin molecule together with the fibronectin, then separate the two. Instruments measured the pico-newton forces required to separate the molecules, and found that the duration of the bonds increased with the repetition of the contacts.
The second technique, known as BFP, involved the use of a fibronectin-bearing glass bead attached to a red blood cell aspirated by a micropipette. Integrin expressed on the micropipette-aspirated cell was pressed into the bead, then pulled away over repeated cycles. Lifetime measurement confirmed that repeated pulling increased the longevity of the bonds.
The researchers studied two integrins, part of a family of 24 related molecules that operate in humans. In future work, they hope to determine whether or not the cyclic mechanical reinforcement they observed is a universal property of many cellular adhesion molecules.
The researchers also hope to explore how cells use this cyclic mechanical reinforcement. Because many disease processes result from abnormal cellular adhesion mechanisms, a better understanding could provide insights into how cardiovascular disease, cancer and immune system disorders operate.
"The findings of the paper have deep implications for our understanding of force-regulated signaling," added Humphries. "There is abundant biological evidence for profound effects of extracellular tensility and elasticity in controlling processes such as cancer cell proliferation and stem cell differentiation, but the mechanisms whereby this information is transduced across the outer cell membrane are unclear."
###
Georgia Institute of Technology: http://www.gatech.edu
Thanks to Georgia Institute of Technology for this article.
This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.
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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126851/Why_cells_stick__Phenomenon_extends_longevity_of_bonds_between_cells
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Rani Channamma University?s first convocation
?
The Rani Channamma University (RCU-Belgaum) held its first convocation on February 16 at the ?Jnana Sangam? campus of the VTU. Students were awarded medals and also Honorary doctrates were awarded.
Honorary doctorate degrees awarded are : Supreme Court (retired) judge Justice M N Venkatachalaiah (Indian law and legal Science), Krishnaswami Kasturirangan (space research) and M I Savadatti (higher education and research in physics), Isher Ahluwalia (socio-economic researsh), S Bislaiah (agriculture science), Prabhakar Kore (education and community health services), Siddarama Swami (publicizing Indian culture), G Venkatasubbaiah (Kannada literature and lexicography), Veeranna Mattikatti (social service and Parliamentary achievement), Siddanagouda Patil (Publicizing Indian culture) B M Patil (education and social harmony) and Sarjoo Katkar (journalism and literature).
?Rank Holders awarded: Preeti Honnamane, KLS Institute of Management Education, Belgaum(MBA 82.63%); Nikhatsultana Mujawar, KLS Gogte College of Commerce, Belgaum (M.Com 76.38%); Swati Murkute, RCU PG BGM (MA economics 76.33%); Vijaylaxmi Mirji, RCU PG BGM (MA Kannada 80.85%), Suma Desai, Basaveshwar Arts College, Bagalkot (MA English 71.20%); Mandatai Gawade, RCU PG BGM (MA Marathi 73.75%), Satish Revayyanavar, RCU PG BGM (M.Sc geography 69.54%); Amit Patil, Govindram Sekseria Science College, BGM (M.Sc chemistry 72%); Sahana Shetageri, RL Science College, BGM (M.Sc physics 80.40%); Vichare Ashwini, SSSS Mahaveer College of Commerce, BGM (PG diploma in computer science 77.71%); Asmita Lima, BeynonSmith College?of Science, BGM (Bachelor of physical education 89%);?
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Morocco ambitions solar energy output of 2,000 Megawatts by 2020 ...
Marrakesh, February 15, 2013 (MAP)
?Morocco ambitions to reach a production of 2,000 Megawatts of solar energy by 2020,? said the chairman of the Moroccan solar energy agency (MASEN), Mustapha Bakkoury.
Under an ambitious plan adopted in this regard, Morocco wants to reduce its energy dependence and stimulate national and foreign investments in solar and wind energies, said Bakkoury in Marrakesh during a conference held by the private university of Marrakech on ?renewable energies and their impact on regional development?.
He explained that the strategic plan for the development and use of solar energy is induced by Morocco?s enormous potentials in the sector, the socio-economic dynamism in the kingdom, the increasing energy needs and the hike in conventional energy prices, particularly oil.
Bakkoury added that promoting solar energy will help meet Morocco?s electricity needs, insisting that this ?integrated project? will produce annually 4,500 gigawatts of electricity per hour, covering 18 pc of the present production.
The programs also includes other components linked to training, research and development and upgrading a robust and integrated solar industry, he said before calling for promoting investments in the sector.
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Apple releases build 12D68 of OS X 10.8.3 beta
Apple on Thursday released the latest beta build of OS X 10.8.3, dubbed 12D68, to developers as the forthcoming update moves closer to public release.
The most recent seed comes one week after the previous build 12D65 was rolled out with a fix for the "F:///" detection bug that would crash a number of OS X apps.
The most recent seed comes one week after the previous build 12D65 was rolled out with a fix for the "F:///" detection bug that would crash a number of OS X apps.
With no known issues, the latest seed is the eleventh such beta pushed out to developers, though Apple has yet to issue a Golden Master that would signal an imminent public release.
As with the past few builds, the latest 12D68 focuses on testing AirPlay, AirPort, Game Center, Graphics Drivers, and Safari.
Since a seed in December, developers have been able to receive update notifications through Software Update and download beta builds directly from the Mac App Store by using the new "OS X Software Update Seed Configuration Utility."
Source: http://feeds.appleinsider.com/click.phdo?i=22e0ea9bf0f4ab3380a4b452d9ca78be
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Takedown Wrestling Sat.: Coaches J Robinson, Chris Bono, USA Wrestling president
From collegiate mat programs in the upper Midwest, to USA Wrestling addressing the Internatonal Olympic Committee's decision to eliminate wrestling from the 2020 Olympics, Takedown Wrestling takes on various topics on its two-hour live broadcast this Saturday, Feb. 16, the show announced Thursday.
Wrestling fans can tune in to listen to a winning lineup of guests along with Scott Casber, Steve Foster, Jeff Murphy, Brad Johnson and Terry Cook this Saturday 9:00-11:00 a.m. Central and 10 a.m.-noon Eastern.
This week's guests include:
- 9:03: Justin Sell, Athletic Director at South Dakota State
- 9:15: Chris Bono, head coach, South Dakota State
- 9:35: J Robinson, University of Minnesota head coach
- 9:50: Tyler Barkley, Max Muscle Sports Nutrition Update
- 10:00: James Ravannack, president of USA Wrestling
- 10:15: Various SDSU wrestlers
- 10:35: Jeff Murphy with the Kemin Report
- 10:50: Peggi Johnson, Wildrose Casino and Resort
Fans, athletes, coaches: This is your sport. Join in the conversation LIVE, ask questions. Call 866-333-5966 or 515-204-5966.
Takedown Wrestling is available on radio on AM 1460 KXNO, on your computer, your Blackberry or I Phone with the I Heart Radio App. KXNO.com, Takedownradio.com, I Heart Radio App.
The college wrestling season is here! Keep up with all the developments in the sport year round... by clicking the "sign up" button at the top of the page -- or click on the Twitter link below -- to make sure you don't miss a single article from College Wrestling Examiner, winner of Amateur Wrestling News' Dellinger Award as wrestling writer of 2011. It's absolutely FREE!
Resources
College Wrestling 101: Links to College Wrestling Examiner articles answering basic questions about wrestling, including rules, scoring, uniforms, more
Follow College Wrestling Examiner Mark Palmer on Twitter
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Wyatt Smith makes a deal with his students: Learn Chinese. Go to China.
Birmingham to Beijing sends inner-city high school students in Birmingham, Ala., on a study abroad in Beijing ? if they first learn Chinese.
Wyatt Smith, who teaches at George Washington Carver High School in Birmingham, Ala., wants to show his students the world.
Claire Gibson
EnlargeIt's 7 p.m. on a Wednesday evening, and Wyatt Smith is still in his classroom. The day started 12 hours ago, back when his green tie was firmly in place and his khakis were neatly pressed ? before the classes, parent phone calls, and the three-hour Mandarin lesson for 13 inner-city students at George Washington Carver High School in Birmingham, Ala.
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For this teacher, long hours are just part of the job description.
"The students I teach haven't had a lot of cards fall their way," says Mr. Smith while grading a stack of papers in his third-floor classroom. "Through no fault of their own, they're in situations in which the margin for error is zero. For many of them, the prospects of going to college, getting through college, and becoming part of the workforce as a professional are incredibly slim."
For the past two years, Smith has been working tirelessly to increase those odds. He came to Carver High School as part of the Teach For America program, a nonprofit effort to place highly ambitious recent college graduates in the nation's most underprivileged schools.
Though he also serves as Carver High School's ACT Test coach, student government adviser, and debate team supervisor, Smith's efforts have focused on a project he calls Birmingham to Beijing, a program geared to fully immerse his inner-city students in Chinese language and culture.
Last year, Smith's program raised $45,000 in just six weeks and sent seven Carver students on a one-month immersion trip to Beijing's Jiayu School. An experience like that, he says, will help his students stand out when they apply for college.
This year, Smith is at it again, but he's raised the stakes: In order to earn a spot on the coveted 17-hour flight, students must pass a college-level exam proving their proficiency in the most common Chinese dialect, Mandarin. To prepare them for the test, Smith raised funds to pay for a Mandarin professor from The University of Alabama at Birmingham to lead two after-school seminars a week. (Smith's 13 Mandarin language students are the only students in Birmingham City Schools studying Chinese.)
Smith first approached Carver principal Darnell Hudson with the proposal to create a Chinese language program, complete with a fully funded trip abroad last spring.
"I had my doubts at first," Mr. Hudson says. His desk is stacked high with papers, and he's ignoring a phone ringing behind him. "I wondered, 'How am I going to explain this to the parents?' It's not every day that someone comes over and says they want to take kids all the way across the world."
In fact, in Hudson's 13 years as principal, no teacher had ever made such a request. Public high schools such as Carver struggle just to meet the basic academic needs of students. Financing international travel seemed to be a pipe dream.
Carver draws its 900 students from Birmingham's lowest-income neighborhoods, where single-parent households, crime, and violence are the norm, Hudson says.
How to set a high bar in a place where life expectations are low is a challenge.
"There are a lot of obstacles when you're trying to change the culture," Hudson says. "But Wyatt is passionate, committed, and he rides the students hard. He won't let them fail."
That determination is something Smith has cultivated since childhood. He grew up a few hundred miles from here on a farm in rural Alabama, where during his high school summers he'd run from football practice to tend cattle on his father's understaffed farm and back to football practice again. "The experience definitely taught me how to work more than typical hours," he says with a laugh. "My dad taught me to never stop working until the goal is met."
A public service scholarship helped Smith finance his way through Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. Upon graduation in 2010, he was awarded Vanderbilt's Keegan Traveling Fellowship, which supplied him with a one-year grant of $15,000 to travel the world.
While on his month-long leg in China, Smith befriended the Jiayu School in Beijing and the nonprofit Global China Connection, and he began thinking about how he might use those contacts to benefit students in America.
"These [Carver] students are hardworking, and naturally intelligent and naturally curious, and all the characteristics that make for a good student in most school environments. But despite those things, they still have a long shot," Smith says with a hint of regret. "And it's not right. I believe they deserve opportunity, and I began to believe I had the skill set and connections to be able to facilitate it."
Thus began a partnership that has significantly changed the lives of Smith's students. Last February, after a few phone calls to friends in Beijing to plan for his students' participation in a Global China Connection conference, Smith launched an online campaign at Indiegogo.com, an Internet-based fundraising site, that generated $45,000 in a matter of six weeks.
His seven students vigorously wrote thank-you notes, recorded videos to send to sponsors, and began planning the itinerary for their trip, which included a stop at the Great Wall.
"I got on a plane, and my world changed," says DeAnquinetta Gill, a 17-year-old senior who traveled with Smith to Beijing last year. She lives with her mother and seven siblings, and stays at school until 6:30 p.m. twice a week to study Mandarin. She hopes to become a pediatrician ? a revelation she had while working with orphans in China.
"Mr. Smith has been such a big help in my life," she says. "He came in and has been like a father to me, and showed me that he trusts me, and believes in me. He's really made me a stronger individual."
Parents also have seen the changes that Smith's commitment to his students has made.
"Mr. Smith is phenomenal," says Jameka Serrano, mother of one of Smith's current Mandarin students. "He has the heart, and from what I see, he's doing what's best for these kids.
"I prayed, and I asked God to put certain people in our life for my daughter. I wanted her to be surrounded by someone like Mr. Smith."
Now, more students might have the opportunity to learn from passionate, determined teachers who think outside the walls of Carver High School. Birmingham City Schools Superintendent Craig Witherspoon says that Smith's model is "replicable," and principal Hudson adds that Smith's example has "sparked other teachers to do a little bit more than just what's required of them."
Following the trail blazed by Smith, more Carver faculty have begun to approach Hudson with ideas for how to raise funds and plan opportunities for their students to see the world outside Birmingham. Trips by Carver students to France and Spain may be coming in the near future.
As for a second trip to Beijing, it's contingent on the students' commitment to studying for the Chinese proficiency test, Smith says.
"The commitment I made for the kids is that if they achieved basic proficiency [in Chinese], then we would figure out a way for them to have an opportunity to study abroad," Smith says. "Every one of these students is very driven. There are some who need to build better study skills, but there's no one there against their will."
If all 13 students achieve proficiency, Smith says he'll need to raise nearly $50,000.
This year, Smith plans to focus on garnering corporate support rather than relying solely on individual donations. Like all the other obstacles he's faced as a teacher, the financial hurdle doesn't scare him.
"I'm cognitively aware that it's a lot of money to raise," Smith says, finally packing the last of his ungraded papers in a leather satchel. "But it's worth all the effort to make this work for these students, because every child who works hard and is disciplined deserves a shot."
?Birmingham to Beijing is seeking funds from sponsors. Contact Wyatt Smith at (205) 523-5285 or by e-mail at wyatt.h.smith@gmail.com.
Helping in China
UniversalGiving helps people give to and volunteer for top-performing charitable organizations worldwide. Projects are vetted by Universal Giving; 100 percent of each donation goes directly to the listed cause.
Here are three groups selected by UniversalGiving that work in China:
? WorldTeach sends volunteers to teach English in developing countries. Project: Volunteer to teach in China.
? Globe Aware promotes cultural awareness and sustainability. Project: Volunteer to work at the only nonprofit middle school for migrant children in China.
? Global Volunteers works to advance peace, racial reconciliation, and mutual international understanding. Project: Volunteer to teach English or provide care for disabled and vulnerable orphans in Xian, China.
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Middle East on track for business travel boom in 2013 | News ...
New survey reveals a rebound in market confidence while GIBTM exhibitors report strong 12-month prospects for key regional meetings destinations
Corporate and meetings business in the Middle East has bounced back from the global economic crisis and looks set to achieve strong growth in 2013, new market data has revealed.
Business travel budgets are once again on the rise and more business people in the region are travelling, according to statistics from research firm YouGov in its latest ?Travel Oracle? report gauging UAE and KSA traveller attitudes and habits.
Report results are supported by the positive 2013 prospects reported by key exhibitors at this year?s Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM), which takes place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from March 25-27.
Abu Dhabi, Oman and Turkey are all anticipating robust growth in meetings business from 2013 onwards with key enhancements to the infrastructure of each destination, particularly new venues, airports, hotels and convention centres, proving a key growth driver.
YouGov?s oracle found that in 2012, more than two in five travellers reported an increase in business travel budget (42% compared to 35% in 2010 and 41% in 2011). Nearly half of respondents (47%) expected to increase their business travel in the next 12 months.
?These positive market indicators reflect the sentiments of GIBTM exhibitors, who are all anticipating a boost in corporate and meetings business in 2013, both from the region and international markets,? said GIBTM Exhibition Manager Lois Hall.
According to a statement the Oman Ministry of Tourism says Muscat and Salalah have both witnessed a lift in business, meetings and incentives enquiries over the last year, with the thriving local economy driving growth from SMEs.
Improved air connections, the opening of new properties and enhancements to facilities of existing ones, not only in the cities, but in regional locations such as Musandam and Al Jabal Al Akhdar, are set to attract more business in 2013.
In 2016 the OR330 million Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre will open featuring an auditorium seating 3,200 and more than 22,000 square metres of exhibition space.
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi, the home of GIBTM, is focusing on congress business and in 2012, tourism body TCA Abu Dhabi and its stakeholders won bids for a number of future events. They include 2013 congresses such as the International Conference on Neurology and Epidemiology and the Institute of Travel & Tourism conference and in 2015, the 16th World Congress on Tobacco or Health which attracts 2,500 delegates.
Another show exhibitor, Turkey, is also banking on congresses, with Istanbul, which boasts seven purpose-built convention centres, set to stage the World Dental Congress FDI this year with 15,000 delegates; the World Federation of Energy Regulators WFER in 2015 (1,000 delegates); and WFNS World Congress of Neurosurgery in 2017 (10,000) delegates.
Looking ahead, statistics from research house Euromonitor International reveal steady growth increases in business arrivals across four key MENA markets (the UAE, KSA, Egypt and Morocco) between now and 2016. The UAE reported 2.55 million business arrivals in 2012, rising to 2.756 million in 2013 and 3.55 million, while KSA?s figures are 3.17, 3.5 and 4.91 respectively.
?The future for the region?s corporate travel and meetings landscape is bright and we anticipate GIBTM growing in size and stature in line with this vibrant industry,? said Hall.
Now in its seventh year, GIBTM attracts in excess of 2,400 industry professionals annually.
Also confirmed this year is a series of interactive sessions about Business Travel Management hosted by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE).
Sessions will include discussions with Chris Pouney regarding his recently released white paper on ?Optimising Business Travel in the Middle East?. An interactive panel discussion on ?How to Maximise your Middle East Travel Management Programme?. Also an in depth presentation on how business travel and meetings managers can collaborate to leverage consolidated spend in order to create significant time/process efficiencies and cost savings.
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1006 stellar blast, brightest ever, gives up secrets
X-ray: NASA / CXC / Rutgers ; Radio: NRAO / AUI / NSF / GBT / VLA / Dyer, Maddalena & Cornwell;
A composite image of the SN 1006 supernova remnant, which is located about 7,100 light-years from Earth.
By Charles Q. Choi
Space.com
The shock wave from the brightest stellar explosion ever seen with the naked eye in recorded history is revealing secrets about the origins of mysterious cosmic rays.
That explosion was seen all over Earth in the spring of 1006. At its peak, supernova SN 1006, which occurred some 7,100 light-years away, was about one-quarter the brightness of the moon, bright enough to cast shadows during the day and for people to read by its light at midnight.?It was seen above the southern horizon of the night sky, in the constellation Lupus, the Wolf.
Two new studies find that the shock waves from such supernovas are responsible for cosmic rays.
Cosmic rays strike Earth with giant amounts of energy dwarfing anything humans currently are capable of, and they are of growing concern as humans plan manned space missions far from the protection of Earth's atmosphere. Such radiation could, for instance, harm the brains of astronauts in deep space by accelerating the development of Alzheimer's disease. [Photos: Cosmic Rays and Supernovas]
Sladjana Nikolic, an astrophysicist at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany, and fellow researchers used the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile to examine the remnant of SN 1006 in detail in 133 locations in the sky. They employed a technique called integral-field unit spectroscopy that allowed them to see both what kind of radiation the shock waves there emitted, as well as where they came from, in high-resolution. Their observations yielded a "data cube."
"The idea (of) working on something new and something you never know what to expect from is already exciting and interesting, even without any further results," Nikolic told Space.com. "The instrument we used has a high spatial resolution, an order-of-magnitude level higher than the instruments used in all previous studies of optical shock emission. Such a precision gives a more detailed look at the processes happening in the shock."
The scientists focused on the northwestern rim of the remnant, which had the brightest visible shock wave radiation. Their data suggest the presence there of protons that may be potential seeds for high-energy cosmic rays. These protons are called "suprathermal," as they are moving much quicker than expected simply from the temperature of the material.
The shells of gas from these outbursts, known as supernova remnants, travel at speeds of about 2.2 million mph (3.6 million km/h), producing shock waves that make interstellar gas glow.
"Supernova remnants are thought to be laboratories for producing cosmic rays," said Nikolic, lead author of the study unveiled Thursday.
In a separate study also unveiled Thursday, a different team of scientists announced conclusive proof that cosmic ray protons were created in supernova shock waves.
The scientists detailed their findings online in the journal Science.
Follow Space.com on Twitter?@Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook?and Google+.?
Copyright 2013 Space.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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