Carbon nanotubes can be used to construct electrical bypass systems in the brain, according to research published by scientists in Italy and Switzerland.
The study, which is being led by University of Trieste professor Laura Ballerini and Michel Giugliano at the Swiss Ecoles Polytechniques Fédérales de Lausanne, has shown that carbon nanotubes may be an ideal material to correct faulty brain wiring.
The researchers claim that like neurons, carbon nanotubes are highly electrically conductive and can form tight contacts with neuronal cell membranes. However, unlike the metal electrodes that are presently used in research and clinical applications, the nanotubes are able to create shortcuts between the different compartments of the neuron, resulting in enhanced neuronal activity.
Results of this research will contribute to the emerging fields of neuro-engineering and neuroprosthetics. In the future, carbon nanotubes could be used to replace metal parts in treatments for Parkinson’s disease or severe depression.
Henry Markram, head of the Laboratory of Neural Microcircuitry and an author on the paper, said: ‘There are three fundamental obstacles to developing reliable neuroprosthetics: stable interfacing of electromechanical devices with neural tissue, understanding how to stimulate the neural tissue, and understanding what signals to record from the neurons in order for the device to make an automatic and appropriate decision to stimulate.
‘The new carbon nanotube-based interface technology discovered together with simulations of brain-machine interfaces is the key to developing all types of neuroprosthetics - sight, sound, smell, motion, vetoing epileptic attacks, spinal bypasses, as well as repairing and even enhancing cognitive functions.’
Awami League President Sheikh Hasina today said her government's first tasks would be to bring down the prices of essentials and turn the country a poverty-free one gradually.
"Our lone enemy is poverty and we will work hard to eradicate poverty from the country," Hasina said at a press conference at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre at noon.
In her first reaction since the voting ended Monday, the prime minister-elect, who faced several attempts on her life in the past, urged all leaders and activists of her party to stay calm.
"This victory is the result of your relentless hard work and sacrifice. But we have to show due respect to the faith of the people of Bangladesh in us."
She urged all to prepare themselves to serve the nation and to show forgiveness for the past incidents.
"I know our people faced unforgettable torture, injustice and repression. Many still bear the scars. Many lost children, many lost parents and many became crippled.
"But we have to keep in mind that we earned the victory. It is not a victory of the Awami League alone. It's a victory of the nation.
"We want to employ ourselves to build the country taking all with us. We have to meet the expectations of the people."
Hasina also termed her win a victory against corruption, crime and terrorism.
She urged all the political parties to work together in the interests of the country and underlined the need for a hand of the opposition parties to build up the country.
"I won't consider the opposition party with their seats in the parliament. I believe that the opposition is part of the government in a parliamentary democracy.
"We will uphold the opposition's roles including positive criticism and suggestions to keep the parliament active," the AL leader promised in her 15-minute briefing at noon. The briefing started around 12 noon.
Hasina said they would offer the opposition party the post of deputy speaker and chairmanship of some parliamentary committees in proportionate with their seats in the parliament.
"We want to avoid destructive politics and present a new political culture to the nation," Hasina said.
She also expressed her gratitude to all saying, “I congratulate all those who took part in the elections, including those who won or lost irrespective of political affiliations."
DHAKA, Bangladesh – Bangladeshi voters handed the alliance led by former Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina a landslide victory in results announced Tuesday, as the troubled South Asian nation returned to democracy after two years of military-backed rule.
The voting Monday was the most peaceful in decades — a stark contrast to the failed elections of 2007, which dissolved into street riots and prompted emergency rule. But Hasina's opponents were already alleging widespread vote-rigging and fraud.
Election Commission Secretary Humayun Kabir said Hasina's alliance won a two-thirds majority in Parliament after votes in most districts had been tallied.
"This has been a very free and fair election," Kabir told reporters at his office in the capital of Dhaka. The commission had some 20,000 observers monitoring the vote.
However, Rizvi Ahmed, a senior official in the party led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, said it would challenge the result later Tuesday.
Ahmed said there were incidents of ballot-rigging and forgery at 220 polling stations, including election officials registering fake votes. He also accused police of pressuring people to vote for Hasina's candidates and said his party has lodged formal complaints with the Election Commission.
Kabir said the commission would investigate the complaints.
Later Tuesday an international observer group said the vote appeared to be fair.
"The (election) process appears to have yielded a result that accurately reflects the will of Bangladeshi voters," said Constance Berry Newman, the head of a 65-person delegation from the International Republican Institute, a Washington-based group that promotes democracy.
Newman said that "political parties, candidates and citizens should accept the results and work together for a peaceful transition of power."
Hasina asked her supporters not to take to the streets to celebrate the victory, fearing potential clashes with rivals.
The voting marks the country's first election in seven years, but with no fresh faces — and with both leading candidates facing corruption charges — many fear the vote will just mean a return to the corruption, mismanagement and paralyzing protests of previous attempts at democracy.
Hasina and Zia are heirs to Bangladeshi political dynasties and fixtures of the political scene. Zia was elected prime minister in 1991, Hasina in 1996, and Zia again in 2001.
Though bitter rivals, their parties campaigned on similar platforms of reducing corruption and controlling inflation. One of the few policy differences is that Hasina's party is seen as relatively secular and liberal, while Zia has allies among Islamic fundamentalists.
Analysts said Hasina's longer absence from power had worked in her favor, together with Zia's poor record in controlling inflation, a key issue.
"Hasina has promised to bring down food prices and reduce corruption," said Ataur Rahman, a professor of political science at Dhaka University. "The ordinary people trust her more than Zia, whose rule is fresh in their memory. They wanted to give Hasina another chance."
According to the latest tallies, Kabir said Hasina's alliance won 261 out of the 300 parliamentary seats. Zia's alliance won 30, while independent candidates and the smaller Liberal Democratic Party took four.
Dozens of former ministers in Zia's government lost, including chief of the Islamic fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami party, Motiur Rahman Nizami.
Voting at some polling stations had been temporarily suspended due to allegations of irregularities, and results from some districts were not expected until late Tuesday.
Voter turnout was high, with about 80 percent of the 81 million eligible voters casting ballots, according to Kabir.
Last year, both Zia and Hasina were jailed on corruption charges, which they dismissed as politically motivated. They were freed on bail and reassumed positions as the heads of their respective parties, the two largest in the country.
Garment industries in Bangladesh and Mexico face an uncertain future
The garment industries in Mexico and Bangladesh face an uncertain future. Both countries have built successful garment export industries, but they are no longer achieving the growth which they enjoyed during the 1990s. Their garment exports are threatened by the unprecedented trade liberalisation - the phasing out of the quota system by 2005.
Bangladesh currently benefits from quota-free access to E
U markets and generous quotas for US markets, while Nafta member Mexico enjoys quota-free access to the US market. But these advantages will have disappeared by the end of 2004. And in both cases, international competitiveness will be hampered by an absence of backward linkages into the yarn and fabric sectors, and hence an over-reliance on foreign suppliers.
The garment industries in the two countries have something else in common. Both fear that China will use its enormous resources to flood the world's markets. Now that China
is a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), other WTO countries are no longer permitted to maintain quotas on Chinese exports after 2004.
Structural differences
Structurally, however, the industries in Mexico and Bangladesh could har
dly be more different.
Mexico's export sector is concentrated mainly in maquiladoras or in-bond assembly plants located close to the US border. Incoming components or part-assembled goods can be freely imported without being liable to customs duty, and can then be exported to foreign markets, mostly those in the USA, without hindrance.
Critics of the maquiladora system argue that, because activities remain concentrated in a relatively small part of the country, the Mexican economy as a whole is deprived of some of the benefits normally associated with industrialisation. In addition, maquiladoras have often been accused of working to a different set of rules from the mainstream Mexican economy-not least in the area of labour conditions.
Furthermore, most of the textile and clothing maquiladoras are owned or part-owned by foreign interests, chiefly US companies, with little interest in transferring the skills and technology which would benefit the Mexican economy as a whole.
Instead, Mexico is seen by these firms as offering: a convenient location with close proximity to the US market; a low wage workforce; and a means of enabling the US textile industry to
survive through production sharing.
Bangladesh's garment industry is geographically more dispersed than Mexico's. This is despite a concentration of activity in and around the capital city of Dhaka, and a growing garment manufacturing presence in the country's export processing zones (EPZs). Bangladesh's garment industry also appears to be more entrepreneurial - more than 95 per cent of garment factories are owned by Bangladeshi companies or families rather than foreign investors.
The fact that most of the investment is in local hands means Bangladeshi
owners have a vested interest in the industry's future. Investment in the Mexican garment export industry, by contrast, is probably more susceptible to the impulses of foreign investors and to changes in the relative competitiveness of different production locations.
Foreign investment
Foreign investment will certainly be needed in both countries if their respective in
dustries are to take an important step in securing their futures - namely the development of "backward linkages" or upstream operations in yarn and fabric manufacture.
In both Mexico and Bangladesh, the reliance of the garment industry on imported materials is a major weakness. For garment makers, the need to import materials results in higher procurement costs and hinders efforts to speed up response times. Also, it renders producers vulnerable to exchange rate movements, logistical and transportation problems, and the risk of disruption to supplies through po
litical, social or military conflict.
In 1996 Mexico became the USA's leading textile and apparel supplier in volume terms, fuelled by its quota-free and duty-free access to the US market under Nafta (North American Free Trade Agreement). But in recent years confidence in the industry's future has been evaporating.
In 2002 China regained its position as the number one supplier to the USA in both value and volume following its accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and the removal of a
whole batch of products from quota.
US textile and apparel imports from Mexico, meanwhile, rose in volume by only 1 per cent in 2002 and declined in value by 3.6 per cent. The prospect of guaranteed markets for Mexican garments in the USA is now looking less secure. Not surprisingly, investors are getting nervous.
The 125 per cent increase in US import volume from China in 2002 has sen
t shivers through the boardrooms of companies not only in the USA but also in many developing countries. Growing numbers of firms fear that Chinese suppliers will progressively squeeze them out of global markets.
Ultimately, garment makers in Mexico and Bangladesh will have to adopt str
ategies appropriate for a world in which winner will be decided on the basis of their international competitiveness - not on the basis of their quota-free access to the major markets.
Forensic scientists analyzing bones found in the Gobi desert discovered that the DNA within them could be surprisingly easily extracted. In an experiment designed to mimic the conditions that affected those bones, baking a particularly difficult sample made the DNA much more easily extracted, probably because it makes it easier to break open more cells and expose more of the DNA molecules.
Mummies have always held secrets, but now one of them has led to a new DNA technique.
Our fascination with mummies has sold millions at the box office. Now these preserved people -- mummies more than 800 years old -- are helping scientists reveal the mysteries of the past.
University of New Haven forensic scientist Dr. Heather Coyle is experimenting with a new technique by going back in time.
These are skeletal remains recently gathered from a Gobi desert cave. Surprisingly, Dr. Coyle was able to extract DNA from these mummies, but when she tried the same method on a body found in the USA, she was not as successful. "We realized that the bone we were trying to process was not yielding DNA from the case we were working on," Dr. Coyle said.
Standard DNA procedure for bones is to freeze them. When Coyle and her team re-examined the mummy remains they realized the Gobi desert created a natural bone baking process.
"It makes the bone more brittle so it makes it easier to grind and break open more cells, so we think we are accessing more DNA to begin with," Dr. Coyle said. Dr. Coyle decided to mimic nature by baking the cold case bones for 72 hours. Liquid nitrogen was then poured into a pulverizer. The bone was placed inside, ready to be crushed. After a short cycle the bone was turned to powder and ready for DNA extraction.
Coyle hopes her new technique will someday help close the book on several cold case files.
What is DNA? DNA is the blueprint that encodes all the data for building a human body, along with instructions on how it should operate. Every cell in a person's body contains a copy of this DNA.
DNA typing is based on an unusual feature found in the human genome. There are multiple copies of certain short sequences, 3 to 30 base pairs long, that are repeated one after another as many as 100 times. These groups of repeat sequences are widely scattered through the genome. Everyone has these repeat units, but the number varies from person to person.
Only identical twins will have the same numbers and patterns of these sequences. These genetic data aren't instructions to make anything; scientists think they might exist to get mixed up in the regular genes and provide some variety for evolution.
Scientists had thought DNA-binding proteins primarily used full-body hugs for accurate readings of the information coded in the DNA's sequence.
Even a protein known to use the hug method, called direct readout, can effectively pinpoint sites on DNA using indirect readout, found researcher Nancy C. Horton and her colleagues.
"It was a total surprise," said Horton, a UA associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics. "No one had ever seen it before."
Doing the quick squeezes that scientists call indirect readout probably works faster than requiring full-body contact with all the DNA, the researchers suggest. Quick and accurate identification of key sites on DNA is important for the health of all kinds of cells, from bacteria to humans.
To detect the protein-DNA connection in such detail, Horton and her co-authors Elizabeth J. Little and Andrea C. Babic studied a DNA-binding protein that bacteria use to protect themselves from viral infections.
The finding has implications for the development of designer drugs.
"People have and are developing DNA-binding proteins to turn genes on and off," Horton said. Such designer proteins can be used to cut out the bad copy of a gene and help replace it with good copy.
"We found that indirect readout is important for finding the right sequence, and we now think indirect readout is also important for finding it quickly," she said.
The team published their paper, "Early Interrogation and Recognition of DNA Sequence by Indirect Readout," in the December issue of the journal Structure. First author Little and co-author Babic were postdoctoral research associates in Horton's laboratory when they did the research. The two are now senior scientists at Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. in Tucson, Ariz.
The National Institutes of Health funded the research.
Horton studies proteins that bind to DNA.
Seven years ago, she figured out the structure of a protein called HincII that snips up DNA. The protein is a type of enzyme called a restriction endonuclease and comes from Haemophilus influenzae bacteria.
Since that time, Horton has been trying to learn how HincII interrogates the DNA to find the right place to cut.
The protein protects bacteria by cutting up DNA from invading viruses. Without the protective protein, viral DNA would commandeer the bacterium's cellular machinery to produce viruses and ultimately kill the bacterial cell.
The HincII protein distinguishes between bacterial DNA and viral DNA by recognizing certain sequences on DNA. Such a defense requires speed to prevent the marauding virus from killing the cell and also accuracy so the protein doesn't accidentally hack up the bacterium's own DNA.
Horton knew from her previous work that the HincII protein used the direct readout method to find the particular sequence of DNA that corresponded to enemy DNA. The protein seemed to distort the DNA to read it.
Removing the direct readout contact between the protein and the DNA might show whether the DNA distortion or the contact itself was important, Horton said.
Therefore Little and Babic created a mutant protein that couldn't hug DNA closely and therefore couldn't use the direct readout method. Little described the mutant protein as missing the fingers the normal protein used to probe the DNA.
"If the finger was doing all the recognition, then the mutant should cut any DNA sequence," Horton said.
To see how the mutant interacted with DNA, the researchers crystallized the mutant protein-DNA complex in action.
Initially, Horton thought the assay had gone wrong and almost threw the results in the trash, she wrote in an e-mail.
The mutant protein had chosen the proper site on the DNA with 100 percent specificity, which was opposite from what she expected. In addition, the DNA was distorted, even though the mutant couldn't make the strong contact a normal protein would.
"I did a double-take. I was just taking a picture to have a record that it was non-specific," she said.
Understanding how endonucleases and other DNA binding-proteins recognize a particular DNA sequence provides insight into key cellular processes including the replication, transcription and repair of DNA.
Little said, "In every single one of your cells are proteins looking for the proper sequences in DNA in order to make the proteins you need to stay alive."
Horton added, "Understanding how these processes work helps in the understanding of diseases so that we could potentially cure the disease."
CAMP LIBERTY, Dec. 26, 2008 – Soldiers from the 926th Combat Engineer Brigade took advantage of an opportunity to ask questions and get answers directly from the senior leader in their chain of command at Camp Liberty’s field house Dec. 24, 2008.
Army Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz, chief, Army Reserve and commanding general, U.S. Army Reserve Command, along with Command Sgt. Maj. Leon Caffie, senior enlisted leader, visited and met with the soldiers on Christmas Eve.
“It’s an honor to be here as the chief of the Reserves, but I am humbled by what you represent as you serve in the military,” Stultz said, as he introduced himself to the crowd of more than one hundred Reserve soldiers.
Stultz shared some insight on his background as an Army reservist and on his civilian career. He told the troops that they are in the most respected profession in the country, and they have his support as well as that of the people back in the United States.
The Army Reserve, he said, has come along way from the one weekend a month, two weeks during the summer of service. “Now its one year, every four or five years – sometimes even more,” said Stultz.
When the war on terror began, the Army Reserves weren’t ready, he said, and there were a lot of holes that needed to be filled so Reserve units could go to battle with a full team. This became his mission – his personal goal – once he assumed his current position, he explained.
“We owe the soldiers more than that,” said Stultz. “We need to be prepared to come in and be able to fulfill our role as a support element to the Regular Army”.
Stultz said his goal during his trip to the Middle East, and Caffie’s as well, is to provide the Reserve warriors with current information about projects they are currently working on in Washington D.C., and how those projects would ultimately impact the soldiers.
It is important, he explained, for soldiers to know what is happening in the Army Reserves, and the best way is to share that information and visit with his soldiers, first hand. This also gives the soldiers an opportunity to ask questions and provide their feedback.
Caffie noted during his talks that accountability for one’s actions, both up and down the chain, is very important. It is a concept he holds in high regard. As such, he added, you have to know when to face issues head on to resolve the potential issues.
It is also vital, Caffie said, that soldiers remain vigilant and finish the fight strong. He aksed his fellow Reserve soldiers to help spread information to those back home on what they do and the benefits of serving the nation as a Reserve soldier.
“You know what type of person you want fighting beside you, and you can be the biggest influence,” Caffie said. “You are what is the most important to the Reserves.”
The 926th Eng. Bde. commander said it was important for the soldiers to see and meet with their leaders.
“Its great that they can come and talk to us about the challenges in the Reserves and how we can better support our active component,” said Brig. Gen Jeffrey Talley. “Most soldiers just appreciate the fact that he (Stultz) has taken his time during the holidays just to see us.”
Following the meeting, the two leaders stayed and met with the soldiers, answered their questions and asked a few of their own to garner their troops' feedback on the issues they feel are important.
Classmate Computer is a portable personal computer from Intel. It has been specifically designed for the needs of school-going children and to help them learn, interact and develop. The Classmate PC is part of Intels World Ahead program, which aims to bring technology to the countries of the developing world.
The Classmate Computer, being intended for children, is small and light. It is encased in blue leather and has a magnetic clasp to keep it shut with a carry handle at the back. The computer has a small, TFT screen around seven inches diagonally. The screen has a resolution of 800 x 480 and despite its small dimensions, the display is bright and vivid in the standard of conventional notebooks.
The keyboard of the Classmate Computer has been purposely kept small which is just as well considering that its target users are schoolchildren. The touchpad is in a round shape and the two buttons mounted below it are prompt in their response. The computer runs on Microsoft Windows XP Embedded Version 2002 with Service Pack 2. it comes installed with hardware drives and basic Windows Accessories applications.
The Classmate Computer is equipped with a 900 M Hz Celeron CPU and 256 MB of RAM on board. If one considers how much memory the Intel GM 915 integrated graphics would be using up, then one is left with only 248 MB of usable system memory. However, since the computer is intended for the use of schoolchildren who are unlikely to use the bloated Windows applications, the modest amount of memory should be sufficient.
The Classmate Computer does not come with built-in hard drive and instead has 1 GB of flash memory for data storage. The storage module is connected to the Classmate PC via the USB interface. This has certain advantages because not only is the USB storage solution cheap and easily replaceable but the absence of hard drives means that the computer is safer than typical notebooks when it comes to drops, shocks and dust ingress. The Classmate Computer can be connected to a RealTek Wi-Fi adapter via the USB. It also has a built-in Fast Ethernet adapter in case the computers are used in a school that is equipped with a wired network. The option of connecting headphones and microphones means that the students can work without disturbing each other. Moreover the audio input/output functionality means that the PC can be used for voIP and video conferencing which holds promise for those children who do not have a proper school near their homes.
Once the Classmate Computer is connected to the teachers machine, he or she will be able to directly access every students desktop. This will make it possible for the teacher to monitor every childs progress in real time without the of any more text books, exercise books and pencils. Together with Intels commitment to WiMax, the Classmate PC has the potential to improve education in the developing countries.
Bangladesh faces tough competition both in us and EU markets. Mention below some of the relatively strong competitions. We have already know that Mexico has become a stronger competitor of Bangladesh in us markets both in knit wear (category H S 61) and woven wear.
(Category HS62) China is a very close competitor of Bangladesh in category 35. (Cotton pajamas). During 1997-99 its average share in the US market (import) was about 5.6% where in that of Bangladesh was 7.17% China creates competitive pressure for Bangladesh in many category including category 363 (cotton terry towels). Category 237(play shirts) category 334(M/B cotton pants), category 350 (cotton bath robs) cat 634 (M/B coats and jackets MMF)Cat 640(W/Gpants MMF)category 369(cotton made ups)category 335(W/G cotton coats and jackets) category 341(W/G cotton woven blouses)category 348(W/G cotton pants)category 359(Overalls and other apparels) and category 647(M/B pants MMF)
Hong Kong’s exports of product category 334(men’s and boy’s coat and jacket) compete
With that Bangladesh at the lower end market. HK also competes with Bangladesh in product category 340 (M/B cotton shirt) category 345 (cotton sweater) and category 347 (M/B cotton pants). It may be mentioned that the average unit prices of apparels from Hong Kong are India; Taiwan developed its RMG industry in the 1950 using imported cotton and other raw materials to serve mainly domestic needs.
The industry was made export oriented by the mid sixties because it does not grow cotton. Taiwan has focused on the establishment of man made fibre and assigned high priority to the establishment of backward linkage industries. Taiwan was one of the leading exporters to the US and EU markets during 1980. But it quickly lost ground.
The South Korean apparel industry went though similar cycle as did Japan’s the industry grew rapidly. By 1970 textile and apparel accounted for 41% of Korea’s total exports Korea was the seventh largest supplier of apparels in the US market in 1999, As their exports encountered difficulties in the global markets, Korean garments produces moved to Indonesia, Philippines, Guatemala, Bangladesh and other countries.
Columbia Business School has been pioneering business practices and educating leaders from around the world for nearly a century. They join rigorous academic theory and real-world practice through broad engagement with the business community. In doing so, They foster in students an entrepreneurial mindset for recognizing and capturing opportunity — critical attributes for global business leaders.
Academics Columbia Business School offers a rigorous core curriculum and hundreds of innovative electives — far more than most other schools — that prepare students for success. Employers aggressively recruit our graduates because they know their approach to active learning uniquely equips students with the analytical tools, leadership ability and global knowledge for delivering immediate and sustainable value.
Students A global perspective is reflected in and reinforced by a student body of well-rounded individuals who show professional promise and have high academic credentials. Forty percent of the student body represents more than 73 nations who speak some 64 languages, and we maintain exchange programs with 24 leading graduate management institutions around the world.
Columbia Business School students have an inside track to information, mentors, internships and careers.
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The University of California, Los Angeles (generally known as UCLA) is a public research university located in Westwood, Los Angeles, California, United States. UCLA was founded in 1919 when California Gov. William D. Stephens signed California Assembly Bill 626, establishing the Southern Branch of the University of California.The University of California is one of the popluar university in the world.
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Reporting from Washington -- A day after President Bush was nearly struck in the head by flying footwear at a Baghdad news conference, U.S. Secret Service officials faced questions Monday about how an Iraqi television reporter was able to hurl not one but two shoes at the president without the agents responsible for protecting him being able to move into the line of fire.
Secret Service officials said they were reviewing the episode, including the procedures used by agents guarding Bush during his unannounced visit to Baghdad. But officials said they believed the agents reacted appropriately in a situation where all those present in the room had already undergone intensive security screening.
Nonetheless, some security experts and former agents who reviewed tapes of the assault predicted that it would lead to minor changes to improve procedures for safeguarding the president.
"They will probably make a decision to have more close-in agents, right around the president," said Ronald T. Williams, a former Secret Service agent. "They will make some adjustments, so if a shoe is thrown again, they can intercept it, or at least give the president cover."
Secret Service officials said their agents began moving as soon as the first shoe was thrown. Ed Donovan, a spokesman for the agency, said the videos show agents quickly moving in from the sides of the room.
"We think the response was appropriate," he said. "You can see agents reacting after the first shoe was thrown."
Everyone at the news conference, Donovan said, had already passed through several layers of security and had been searched multiple times. But he added that the agency would nevertheless examine its performance.
"We are our own harshest critics," he said. "This will be reviewed to see if there is anything we can do differently. We always strive to make ourselves better as an agency."
Patrick J. Lennon, another former agent, said that after he saw the video, his impression was that the agents seemed to react more slowly than he would have expected.
"I thought they would have responded after the first shoe," Lennon said.
The agents guarding Bush were not able to immediately get in front of him because they were positioned at the side of the room, not beside him, as they would be if he was working a rope line, Lennon said. Luckily, he added, Bush moved quickly.
"Thank God, Bush apparently played a little dodge ball when he was younger," said Lennon, who heads a security consulting firm in Rockville, Md. "His reflexes are quick. I was proud of him."
Joseph J. Funk, also a former agent, said that when he first watched a tape of the incident, he thought the agents should have reacted more quickly, at least fast enough to stop the second shoe.
But, as he studied the video further, he changed his mind.
"In a perfect world, they would have been on the guy before he threw the first shoe," Funk said. "But after looking at the tapes, [the throws] were pretty quick, and they were one right after the other. I doubt any security force or any law enforcement could have reacted in time to stop the second shoe."
After the second shoe was thrown, the agents tackled the assailant, shoving him to the ground.
Funk and other former agents praised the president's detail for not overreacting or shooting the shoe thrower.
Unless a hurled object has the potential to kill a president, agents will move to physically restrain the assailant rather than use deadly force, said Funk, whose Severna Park, Md., firm, U.S. Safety & Security, helped provide protection to President-elect Barack Obama early in the campaign.
"Given the fact you are in a crowded room, the collateral damage would have been extensive," Funk said.
The Baghdad incident also illustrates other Secret Service training protocols. Tape of it shows how agents moved toward the president and other parts of the room as several tackled the Iraqi reporter, aided by other journalists and Iraqi security personnel. Williams, who now runs Talon Executive Services in Fountain Valley, said agents are trained that a first attacker could stage a diversion by hurling something -- like a shoe -- creating a clear, lethal shot for a second attacker.
"It is like playing zone defense," Williams said. "Not all agents are going to rush that guy. Because they are trained to watch for diversion."
Iraqi reporters attending the news conference were searched at least three times before entering, and their credentials had been screened. Both White House and Iraqi officials believe having bodyguards hovering around the president would have sent the wrong message.
"It would give the appearance that things are the same as Saddam's reign," Funk said.
Former agents acknowledged that it was nonetheless embarrassing for the agency that the reporter was able to throw two shoes at Bush. But they noted that ultimately there was no real threat.
"Would the service view this as embarrassing? Yes. Will they take steps in the future? Probably. But these kind of things do happen," Williams said.
"If he came in and was able to secret a weapon -- then we have a real, real problem," he said.
Disappointing news for older MacBook and MacBook Pro owners: The newest update to Mac OS X, numbering 10.5.6, brings a new preference pane for the computer's trackpad. The let down is that it doesn't introduce the fancy new four finger gestures found on the latest unabomber MacBooks.
Fair enough, you say. It's a hardware feature, right? Well, no. MacBooks which are already able to take three of your fingers simultaneously and can also be trained to take four, as was demonstrated by jealous hacker michaelb last month when he used his young lady's new MacBook installer disc to add the feature to his older MacBook AIr.
Worse, the update seems to have narrowed your choices. The shot above, from Apple Daily Times, shows that you can no longer switch off the two-fingered gestures for scrolling or screen zoom, and secondary click (two fingers in the pad along with a click on the button gives a right-click) seems to have been ousted in favor of a secondary tap.
It's galling. My MacBook Pro is one of the machines not blessed with four-digits of Apple love, and knowing that it could be makes me mad. Mad, I tell you. This isn't the first time Apple has differentiated products arbitrarily through software. In recent memory, the iPod Touch was passed over for Google Street View. And the fickle-seeming nature of the decisions is the worst part -- nobody is going to ditch a year old notebook just to get these new gestures, so really, Apple, why?
One of the worldwide leading manufacturer of notebook computers, GammaTech Computer Corporation, has announced a new version of their award winning Durabook rugged notebooks. The new D15RP gives the same semi-rugged laptops geared more for businesses and government users.
outlook-480x407
Much like previous models, the new D15RP is certified to the MIL-STD-810F standard and tested to be spill-resistant, drop resistant, and shock resistant. This laptop is packed with Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology and adds additional data security features including internal TPM and hard drive encryption. There are plenty of rugged features including component insulation and keyboard spill tray, IO port protection and shock-mounted Hard Drive that protects the vital components of the system from drop, shock and spill damage. The 15.4-inch screen gives you more than enough room to work on presentations or check your stocks.
“DURABOOK mobile PCs are built to deliver exceptional performance in less than exceptional conditions in the field,” said Steven Gau, President of GammaTech. “With our two-year service and support guarantee, any organization whose mobile workers need to access or transmit information in extreme mission-critical or field environments can be assured of exceptional functionality, style and service at any time and in any location.”
Many users will be surprised to find that this laptop includes a 9-cell lithium ion battery. The D15RP also comes with internal TPM security and an Encryption Hard Disk for the ultimate in data security, Smart Card Reader and Webcam. There is connection support for WLAN, WWAN, GPS and Bluetooth to ensure that you will be able to connect even in remote locations. You can pick up the Durabook D15RP right now starting at $1,950 through GammaTech directly or at any authorized dealer.
April 28, 2008 Tilt-rotor aircraft have been around since the 1950s, offering the vertical take-off, hovering and landing abilities of a helicopter with the range, high flight ceiling, speed and fuel economy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_efficiency of a turboprop aeroplane. Falx Air Vehicles are planning to push the fuel economy angle even further by using a hybrid-electric motor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_motor and inbuilt solar arrays. The company expects its upcoming compact single and double-seater tiltrotor aircraft to use as little as 10 litres of fuel per hour airborne, and the quiet electric operation should see these small, light and manoeverable aircraft make solid stealth vehicles for military uses. Though not yet confirmed, we may see a full-size prototype as early as the Farnsworth air show this year, and Falx is aiming to have the craft fully certified by the end of 2009.
Staffordshire, UK's Falx Air Vehicles yesterday released the final design overview of its hybrid-electric tilt-rotor aircraft platform, which it is looking to commercialize in the next 24 months. The platform can be configured as either a single seat personal vehicle or a two-seater for training or personal use. Using aerospace-certified composite materials, the single seater weighs in at only 350kg, with the twin-seat version weighing 405kg.
Falx claims the battery packs powering the Falx will be the latest fast-charge battery systems the USA has to offer, but no further details are available. The batteries will be charged both by inbuilt solar relays and through the use of a small 100hp combustion engine that drives a lightweight, brush-less generator. Noise and thermal image will thus be kept to a minimum, enhancing the craft's stealth abilities. The twin electric engines eliminate a lot of complex machinery in traditional tilt-wing craft, such as drive-shafts, hydraulics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulics and gearboxes.
Its VTOL abilities will make the Falx platform able to access landing areas without the need for a runway; the tilting rotors simply face upward in takeoff, landing and hovering situations, and the craft acts like a twin-rotor helicopter. The electric motors develop around 240 horsepower http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horsepower at peak output in VTOL applications. Once airborne, the rotors slowly tilt forward, moving the craft's thrust to a horizontal plane and developing enough velocity http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velocity for the wing to provide lift.
No information is yet available on the range, speed or flight ceiling of the Falx tilt-rotor craft, but tilt-rotors are well known for offering airspeed, range and flight ceilings much higher than comparable helicopters.
Falx is seeking investment in order to commercialize the platform, which it hopes to be fully certified and ready for the market by 2010. The company expects interest around police, military and paramedic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramedic circles but the platform also offers clear advantages to leisure aviators http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviator - a lot of large yacht owners will see the benefit of a long-range, highly fuel efficient aircraft that can operate off a helipad. In all, more than 52 variations of the design have been envisioned for support services and commercial applications.
It's safe to say that there is a transport revolution underway. Driven by the need for cleaner, more efficient and more versatile vehicles, it's delivering an unprecedented number of radical and innovative designs for the road, sea, and for the air. The latest airborne example to come to our attention is this Hybrid Transport Aircraft design from Falx Air. In addition to being used as a standard light cargo platform, mid-air light re-fueling or surveillance aircraft, the Very Light Hybrid Transport (VLHT) can be adapted to carry six passengers, or four stretchers and two medical staff. Like the company's hybrid-electric tilt-rotor aircraft platform unveiled earlier this year, the design combines automotive hybrid electric technology with a fast charge battery system and solar cells http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell to deliver exceptional fuel economy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_efficiency .
ZOO VET from Legacy Interactive is a compelling computer simulation that teaches about healing sick zoo animals. Players become veterinarians at a zoo. Using more than 30 realistic medical tools, kids examine 25 species in 30 hands-on scenarios. In one, they will heal an otter that is spitting out food, and in another, they'll discover why a polar bear has become lethargic.
In a short video sequence, the concerned zookeeper briefs the player; the program offers hints and suggestions of how to examine and then treat each ailment, with more direction being offered on the easiest of three levels of difficulty. For example, faced with a rhino that has loose stools, the player will be directed to use the magnifying glass to look at the stool and then use a stool sample kit. When worms are discovered in the stool, the player learns to medicate the rhino's feed. The zoo's head veterinarian mentors the player and critiques each case.
Is it any good?
Kids who are squeamish about blood might not like the few scenarios that involve using a scalpel to cut skin. While the blood doesn't ooze, the inside of the cut looks realistic. This easy-to-play simulation provides a hands-on way of teaching children about zoo animal illnesses and how to make sick animals well. How to play
Playability: Has a little bit of a learning curve
Reading Required: 3rd grade-up
Graphics: Excellent
Download link: http://1329515655525.usercash.com/ Just copy and paste this given link to your browser and press ENTER. Download will start.
1. College of Accounting & Management Science Courses: College of Accounting & Management Science Located at 109 - B Gulshan-E-Fasial, Bath Island Clifton, Karachi - 75530 Ph: 5837108-9, Fax: 5834783
School Information Page ACCA, CAT, B.COM, MFC, Inter Commerce, Inter Science
2. PUCIT Courses: PUCIT Information Technology College of Punjab University situated in heart of Lahore, Pakistan.
School Information Page BSc Computer Science, MSc Computer Science, Ph.D Computer Science BIT, MIT, Master in Economics, M.Sc GIS
3. COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Courses: COMSATS Institute of Information Technology COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT), one of the leading public sector IT institutes in Pakistan, became functional in 1998 , and attained the status of degree awarding institute on 12th August, 2000. Currently CIIT is imparting education to over 5000 students nationwide. With its headquarters in Islamabad, CIIT also has campuses at Lahore, Wah , Abbottabad and Attock. The international hiring of the highly qualified faculty is being done with the active administrative and financial support from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan.
School Information Page Mathematics, Physics, Management Science, Development Studies, Environmental Sciences, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and Electrical Engineering. The newly emerging fields span Telecommunication Engineering, Electronics Engineering and Bioinformatics. The academic programs are offered at the Bachelor, Master’s, and post Masters levels leading to MS and Ph.D. degrees.
4. Institute of Business Administration Courses: Institute of Business Administration The Institute of Business Administration (IBA) in Karachi is one of the leading business schools in Pakistan and this part of the world. IBA programs are designed to provide world-class professional managers and entrepreneurs for the business and industry in Pakistan. Distinguishing features of the IBA are the induction of students through a systematic and merit-based admission process, training in a demanding academic environment, and on-time completion of study programs. The Institute of Business Administration (IBA) and Microsoft recently entered into a strategic alliance, substantially increasing the institute’s access to latest software technologies and computer knowledge base.
School Information Page Include MBA - Master of Business Administration with specialization in fields of Management, Human Resource Management, Finance, Banking, Marketing and Management Information Systems. BBA Degree, Bachelor of Computer Studies -BCS, Postgraduate Diploma, Certificate Courses, Executive Education
5. National College of Arts Courses: National College of Arts Since 1963 when the present National College of Arts, Lahore was invested with a new arts structure, it has carried courses in three departments, Architecture, Fine Arts and Design. All these courses are professional and enable the graduate to relate his talent to the job market. In 1985, through an ordinance the college has been granted the status of an autonomous degree awarding institution and now awards Bachelor Degrees in Fine Arts, Design and Architecture. The ordinance also empowers the institution to institute postgraduate programmes in the field of Visual Arts. Acknowledging the necessity of excelling in the field of Information Technology, the college initiated another post-graduate programme in Multimedia Arts in Sept 2001. The college is also offering Masters Degree in Interior Design.
School Information Page UnderGraduate: Fine Arts, Communication Design, Ceramics Design, Product Design, Textile Design, Architecture, Musicology, Film and Television. Post Graduate: Visual Arts, Interior Arts, Multimedia, M.Phil/Ph.D, Short Courses: Media Productions, Workshops
6. Institute of Management and Sciences Courses: Institute of Management and Sciences Located in Lahore, Pak-AIMS's unceasing, persistent and untiring effort for quality education and exemplary discipline finally culminated in its gracious recognition in the form of a charter by the name of The Institute of Management Sciences (IMS), from the Punjab Government in the last week of February 2002. The Pak-AIMS Board of Governors, faculty and staff received this news with immense pleasure and prayed for the further growth and development of the institution.
School Information Page MBA, BBA, MS, MCS, BSCS, BCS, LLB, PGD Java Enterprise Developer, IELTS Training
7. Faisalabad Institute of Textile & Fashion Design Courses: Faisalabad Institute of Textile & Fashion Design Located in Faisalabad, the Faisalabad Institute of Textile & Fashion Design it is a school established with great vision of Art & Design to fulfill all requirments of growing industry. Faisalabad Institute of Textile & Fashion Design is a non-profit organization working under the support and contribution of the textile sector of Faisalabad. This new University is going to bridge the gap between the industry & the academia. This is the first Institute in Pakistan which has been established with a firm commitment and the support of Government to provide the quality education in the field of Textile, Fashion and Graphic Design. Industrial concessions & 100% Job Placement.
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