Gold Coins Found In French Attic Worth Nearly $1 million

Money doesn't grow on trees, but apparently it does sometimes fall from the ceiling.
According to the Guardian, builders working to renovate a building at a former French winery were suddenly showered with hundreds of gold coins as they broke through old layers of plaster.
The discovery was made in an old grape-drying facility that had been converted to housing for seasonal workers.
According to the report, builders found 497 coins, likely produced between 1851 and 1928.
The building's current owner told the paper the coins might have been stored in the attic at some point in the 1930s, during which time the winery may have traded with Prohibition-era smugglers.
Altogether, the recovered coins are said to be worth around $980,000, according to the Agence France-Presse.
Half of the money will go to the workers, while the building's owner will keep the other half, AFP reported.

Serious Facebook Hack Lands UK Student in Prison

A British student who hacked into Facebook’s computers has been sentenced to eight months in prison. A prosecutor said 26-year-old Glenn Mangham hacked into the social networking company’s computers from his bedroom last year and stole “invaluable” intellectual property.

Prosecutor Sandip Patel told a London court the attack “represents the most extensive and grave incident of social media hacking to be brought before the British courts.” Mangham had argued that he was merely trying to show the Palo Alto, California-based company how to improve its security.

But Judge Alistair McCreath said Friday the software development student’s actions had “very serious potential consequences.”

Record Foreigners expelled from France

The figures released by France’s Interior Minister Claude Guéant reveal that a record 32,912 foreigners were expelled from France last year.
2011 saw a 3.6 per cent drop in residence permits issued and a 26 per cent reduction in the number of salaried foreigners such as those working for big companies, settling in France.
14 per cent fewer people immigrated to France to be with their families, than in 2010.
Despite the 14 per cent drop, this is still by far the largest category of immigrants, with 45 per cent of the total and the 6 laws passed in the last 10 years have had little effect on that number.
There has been a 30 per cent drop in the number of naturalisations compared with 2010 – a record fall.
Guéant pointed to the “effectiveness” of a recent law which cut the amount of funding made available to foreigners to pay for legal expertise, while awaiting examination of their demands to stay in France.
Guéant also declared that he would toughen his stance on marriages of convenience and pursue annulments of bogus marriages, and also tighten up the rules on immigration to re unite families, all in a bid to return to 1990s levels of immigration to France.
Analysts point out, however, that immigration figures have dropped in many European countries whose economies are now less attractive to incomers.

Colour me disillusioned: Algerian artist paints his generation

The way young Algerian artist Aghiles Issiakhem sees it, the future for many of his 20-something generation is as bleak as his charcoal portraits of them.
"For a young person here, there's nothing -- you can escape abroad or flee into drugs and alcohol," says the 22-year-old.
Anger and disillusionment are rife among Algeria's young. Those aged under 35 now make up two thirds of the unemployed among the 36-million people of the oil-rich but impoverished North African country.
The self-taught artist shows off a series of his portraits of friends, members of a disaffected generation who walk the streets of Algiers without training, degrees, jobs or much hope for the future.
"I put myself in the place of these young people because I feel concerned," says Issiakhem, pointing at a huge charcoal portrait of a hittiste -- Algerian street slang for a jobless young man who bides his time leaning against a wall.
"I feel their emotion," said the artist, who roams the streets for inspiration and spends long nights listening to his friends, about how they can't find work and can't study, about their lack of money and a place to live.

An Open Mind

A mounted human head strikes a brain-teasing pose—just one of eight forgotten but stunningly preserved 19th-century Italian mummies whose secrets of preservation have only recently been unraveled.
Working in the town of Salò, anatomist Giovan Battista Rini (1795-1856) "petrified" the corpses and body parts by bathing them in a cocktail of mercury and other heavy metals, according to new chemical analyses and CT scans, to be described in a future issue of the journal Clinical Anatomy.
The study marks the first time a collection of Italian mummies made for anatomy studies has been analyzed in detail, according to study team member Dario Piombino-Mascali, a forensic anthropologist at the Institute for Mummies and the Iceman in Bolzano, Italy.

Disrupted Body Clock Weakens Immunity

A new study published this week in the journal Immunity suggests that when our body clock is disrupted, it weakens the immune system. We already know that the circadian clock is a finely tuned genetic mechanism that regulates body functions that follow a 24-hour cycle, such as sleep patterns and metabolism. Now, researchers at Yale School of Medicine in the US show it may also influence our vulnerability to disease through its effect on the immune system.
This could have important implications for how we prevent and treat disease: for instance it could lead to new therapies designed to optimize the immune response to protect patients when they are most vulnerable.


Taken from MNT

Apple Will Unshackle Its Mountain Lion This Summer

What a day to kickstart the proceedings with Apple’s Mountain Lion which is a new version of company’s rival Mac OS X to Windows OS.
Mac OS X Mountain Lion is sweet update with the features that can be synchronized from iOS, that is already generating heavy revenue for Apple on its iPhones and iPads due to its simplicity and versatility.
Features that come to Mountain Lion from iOS are said to be Notes, Reminders, Game Center, Notification Center, Twitter integration and AirPlay Mirroring.
The iChat has also been replaced by Cupertino with a new Messages app. Mac OS X Mountain Lion has been released for developers and it will be made public this summer.
“The Mac is on a roll, growing faster than the PC for 23 straight quarters, and with Mountain Lion things get even better,” Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior VP of worldwide marketing said in a statement.

Skype And Viber Are Identical But Different

Back in 1948 when Shannon and Weaver presented the “Mathematical Theory of Communication” none of them knew how technology and communication will evolve over the next 60 years. Neither Claude Shannon nor Warren Weaver had foreseen the age of Skype and Viber.
Skype
Skype is cross platform VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) software application that today doesn’t require any formal introduction among the users of internet.
It started to emerge in 2003 which was created by Sweden’s leading tech entrepreneur Niklas Zennstrom. But Microsoft owned Skype in 2011 with a promise to bring it Windows.
Skype has various updated version for Mac, Linux, and Windows. Not only that it is available for desktop PCs but also for very popular among smart phones’ and tablet PCs’ users.
Instant Messaging, Voice Calling, and Video Calling are made easy by Skype. You have to have another person the same application installed on his PC to call via Skype. The software also facilitates for calling on landlines but that is a paid feature.

You can also call on Skype through conventional phones once you have obtained a number through its Online Number service. The service is available in Australia, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The voice and picture quality of Skype has made it an industry standard tool for video conferencing. For instance, lots of online video interviews are conducted from students in Pakistan in order to test their English language proficiency by faculty members of certain colleges and universities in United Kingdom.
Viber
Viber is another VoIP application that is available on iOS and Android. Developed by Viber Media Inc the app has gained great reviews since its release in 2010.
It’s totally free to call from Viber, and send messages. Photo sharing like Skype is another super feature of Viber but the later software transfers a photo more quickly than Skype.
Viber’s layout is somehow inspired by the design of iPhone. Five options appear at the bottom once you click Viber icon on your smart phone; Messages, Recent, Contacts, Keypad, More.
Once you load your contact list into Viber it automatically detects the person(s) already using this service. By clicking on each Viber contact you will four options to choose from, Call Viber, Send Message, Call Mobile, Send Message. First two options are free whereas later two are dealt through your carrier (you will be charged).
Verdict
Skype is ID dependent which is at times headache when you’re on the move and want to make a call, Viber here plays a significant role by performing just like a regular smart phone dial pad. Photo sharing is fast with Viber, but no option for video conferencing and Skype makes a good mark at this point.

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

Can we save ourselves, or do we rely on others to do it? Is what we believe always the truth?

One moment June Nealon was happily looking forward to years full of laughter and adventure with her family, and the next, she was staring into a future that was as empty as her heart. Now her life is a waiting game. Waiting for time to heal her wounds, waiting for justice. In short, waiting for a miracle to happen.

For Shay Bourne, life holds no more surprises. The world has given him nothing, and he has nothing to offer the world. In a heartbeat, though, something happens that changes everything for him. Now, he has one last chance for salvation, and it lies with June's eleven-year-old daughter, Claire. But between Shay and Claire stretches an ocean of bitter regrets, past crimes, and the rage of a mother who has lost her child.

Would you give up your vengeance against someone you hate if it meant saving someone you love? Would you want your dreams to come true if it meant granting your enemy's dying wish?

Once again, Jodi Picoult mesmerizes and enthralls readers with this story of redemption, justice, and love.

Titanic Museum Attractions: Tribute to Titanic Crew and Passengers

Titanic Museum Attractions is hosting “A Night to Remember: An Original Musical Tribute to Titanic,” on Saturday, April 14, the 100th anniversary of the night the ship struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage.

Musical performances, historic ceremonies and appearances by actual descendants of Titanic’s passengers and crew will highlight the production honoring the 2,208 people aboard the ship. The musical tribute will begin at noon (Central) on April 14 at the Titanic Museum Attraction in Branson, Missouri, and at 8:30 p.m. (Eastern) the same day at the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Tickets for the unique historical tribute are available beginning Monday, February 20.

“There will be ceremonies across the globe to commemorate the Titanic centennial on April 14, but the only place in the United States where guests can attend a formal tribute is at one of the Titanic Museum Attractions,” said John Joslyn, co-owner of Titanic Museum Attractions and co-leader of the first private expedition to visit the ship’s final resting place on the ocean floor.

“A Night to Remember” will use choirs, orchestras and musical theater performances to bring the stories and drama of that fateful night to life for those attending the one-time only tribute.

“From folk ballads to modern pop, people have always used music as a way to commemorate historic events,” said Joslyn. “Titanic was memorialized in song before and after her sinking, so a tribute centered on music seemed an appropriate way to pay our respects.”

(Source: BTN)

The Assassination of Jesse James

"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" (often shortened to The Assassination of Jesse James or simply as Jesse James) is a 2007 Western drama film. The film is directed by Andrew Dominik, with Brad Pitt portraying Jesse James and Casey Affleck as his killer, Robert Ford.

The film was adapted from Ron Hansen's 1983 novel of the same name. It tells the story of the events that led to the assassination of one of Americas most famous outlaws Jesse jackson, by his follow and admirer Robert Ford.

Filming took place in rural Alberta and Winnipeg, Manitoba. Initially intended for a 2006 release, it was postponed and re-edited for a September 21, 2007 release. An adaptation of Ron Hansen's 1983 novel of the same name, the film dramatizes the relationship between James and Ford. This is Pitt's and Affleck's first collaboration outside of the Ocean's trilogy.

Christopher Bailey Preps Burberry Q&A at London Fashion Week

Burberry creative director Christopher Bailey has personally invited fans of the brand to watch its Fall 2012 ready-to-wear collection live on Facebook February 20, after which he will reply to questions via the social networking site.

Scheduled to take place at 16:00 Monday during London Fashion Week, Bailey appealed in a video for fans to send in their style queries ahead of the Q&A session to follow the show. For more details see http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=291773007556513.

Bailey isn't the only designer ready to interact with fans during this edition of the British capital's fashion week -- which kicked off February 17.

A number of 30-minute Q&A sessions have been scheduled to take place over the six-day event, with tweeters able to talk to guests including Fashion 2012 Menswear chair Dylan Jones and designers Anya Hindmarch and Alice Temperley.

For more details see http://www.londonfashionweek.com/news_details.aspx?ID=403.

Robin Thicke Arrested for Possession of Marijuana in NYC

Robin Thicke was arrested for marijuana possession in New York City on Friday, February 17, according to reports.

The 34-year-old "Lost Without You" singer was apprehended near Manhattan's Madison Square Park after he was pulled over for throwing something out of the window of his Cadillac Escalade, a source told Access Hollywood. Police reportedly opened the cigarette box in the vehicle and found an unknown amount of marijuana. Thicke was taken to a police station and issued a summons before being dismissed. He was reportedly held for 15 minutes and signed autographs for the staff while in the station.

No official statement has been made from Thicke or his reps on the charges.

Thicke released his fifth studio album, Love After War, in December. His single "Pretty Lil' Heart" featuring Lil Wayne was released in November. The duo had previously collaborated on "Shooter" and "Shoot Me Down," from Wayne's Tha Carter II and Tha Carter III albums, respectively. Thicke and his wife, actress Paula Patton, had their first child, Julian Fuego, in April 2010.

(Source: Mtv)

Light Shed On How Body Fends Off Bacteria

To invade organisms such as humans, bacteria make use of a protein called flagellin, part of a tail-like appendage that helps the bacteria move about. Now, for the first time, a team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute has determined the 3D structure of the interaction between this critical bacterial protein and an immune molecule called TLR5, shedding light on how the body protects itself from such foreign invaders.
The study, published February 17 in Science, not only helps decipher the molecular mechanism underlying TLR5 recognition and function, but it also advances knowledge that’s key to the design of new therapeutics.

Read On

Headline Feb 18th, 2012 / "God's Rainbow For Your Health!"

"GOD'S RAINBOW FOR YOUR HEALTH"

Respectful Dedication President Charles DeGaulle of France.

A Great Leader!

Most cancers are not inherited. They result from breakdown in DNA. Some cases of Cancers can be definitely by simply shifting your plate. Our DNA code was set down fifty thousand years ago, so Scientists can only assume that there was a lot of abstraction by the Lord. Here's a unique color lift off to help and delight you while developing your thinking!

• GREEN: Brocolli, brussel sprouts , cabbage and kale. Benefit:helps your liver destroy chemicals that cause cancer.

• ORANGE:Carrots, mangoes, apricots, cantaloupe, pumpkin, accorn squash and sweet potatoes.Benefit:strengthen the immune system.

• Yellow/Green/: Spinach, collard greens, corn green peas, avocado and honeydew melon.Benefit:Can halt macular degeneration in your eyes.

• RED:  Tomatoes, pink, grapefruit and watermelon.  Benefit: lycopene, which fights prostate cancer.

• WHITE/ GREEN:  Garlic, onions, celery, pears, endive and chives. Benefit:improves Blood Pressure

• RED/PURPLE: Grapes, Prunes, cranberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and red apples.Benefit:antioxidants that protect the heart.

I sincerely hope and pray that Students the world over save this post and both discover and invent new ways to eat. Everybody on this planet loves to eat. But never ever jeopardize your health. So Student Angel Mother has set off your quests to create foods based on science ! Once again many thanks to! WOW! for splendid work. Best Wishes and Good Night.

SAM Daily Times - Voice of the Voiceless

Electric Cars a Health Hazard in China

Buying an electric car to be green? If you live in China, think twice: The electricity used to power that car comes primarily from coal in China, making the negative impact on health greater for e-cars than traditional, gasoline-powered vehicles, a new study says.
With e-car sales rising in China, researchers analyzed the environmental health impacts of five different vehicles in 34 cities in China. Previous studies have focused on emission factors and greenhouse gas emissions, but the authors believe this is the first study that analyzes the proportion of emissions actually inhaled by individuals.
“We had an idea that the emissions are farther away from people in China, and we thought it was appropriate to look at the health effects,” said Julian Marshall, Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering at the University of Minnesota.

Read More on Discovery

Google bypassed iPhone Privacy

Google tracked the web-browsing habits of millions of iPhone users without their consent, it has been revealed.

The search giant wrote programming code that circumvented the Apple iPhone’s default privacy settings and allowed it to monitor iPhone behaviour just as it would on the mainstream internet.Google has now modified its practices, which never involved any personal data, after it was confronted with the news by the Wall Street Journal.

Apple's privacy settings for its iPhone prevent companies from using the ‘cookies’ that routinely track user behaviour and enable web services across the internet on desktop sites. Google and other advertisers used a well-known 'workaround' to make Apple's Safari web browser behave differently, however.

Although an Apple official said: "We are working to put a stop" to the circumvention of Safari privacy settings, Google claims its practices have been “mischaracterised”.

Rachel Whetstone, Google’s head of communications and public policy, said that “The Journal mischaracterizes what happened and why. We used known Safari functionality to provide features that signed-in Google users had enabled. It’s important to stress that these advertising cookies do not collect personal information.”

Italy enters technical recession

Italy fell into a technical recession with its gross domestic product (GDP) declining for two consecutive quarters in the third and fourth quarter of 2011, figures from the national statistics agency Istat showed on Wednesday.
In the fourth quarter of last year, the Italian economy registered a negative growth of 0.7 percent compared with the prior three months, after contracting by 0.2 percent in the third quarter, according to data issued by Istat.
Istat also estimated Italy's growth for the whole of 2011 was at 0.4 percent, 1 percentage point lower than the figure of 2010, the lowest growth level for the world's top economies.
"As it had been predicted, we have entered a deep recession," Industry Minister Corrado Passera was quoted by ANSA news agency as saying.
"It rarely happens to have such a long period of great economic difficulty," he said, adding that Italy needs to introduce fundamental structural reforms to boost growth.

Source

Mars to set calorie limit on chocolate

Fans of king-sized Snickers and Twix bars may want to stock up. According to Reuters, the candy maker Mars Inc. plans to impose a 250-calorie limit on its chocolate products by the end of next year.
Mars spokeswoman Marlene Machut told Reuters the company plans to stop shipping any chocolate product that exceeds 250 calories by the end of 2013 as part of the company's "broad-based commitment to health and nutrition."
Reuters said the news means that the 540-calorie king-size Snickers bar will be on it's way out.
But what about the normal-sized ones you'd find in a convenience store or vending machine? According to Mars, a normal Snickers bar contains 280 calories, along with 14 grams of fat.
NPR reports those bars will also undergo a makeover and will lose about 11 percent in size to meet the 250-calorie limit. Mars told NPR that there's no decision on whether the bars will be shorter or slimmer.
A Twix bar, meanwhile, contains 250 calories, 12 grams of fat, and meets the new criteria.

Click to Read Further

Arsenic found in infant formula, cereal bars

Is arsenic in your breakfast? A new study suggests that might just be what you - or your children - are having each morning.

Researchers at Dartmouth College already knew that rice can be a major source of inorganic arsenic. This includes rice products, such as organic brown rice syrup, an alternative sweetener to high fructose corn syrup. Exposure to high levels of inorganic arsenic over time has been tied to increased risk for cancer.
For the study - published in the Feb. 16 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives - the researchers investigated levels of arsenic in commercially available brown rice syrups, and in products containing the syrups, including infant formula, cereal and energy bars, and high energy foods used by endurance athletes.
What did they find? Surprising levels of arsenic in these products containing organic brown rice syrup.

Read More

'Half Head Man' From Famous Mugshot Explains Why He Has Half A Head

It's been nearly a year since Miami was introduced to the instantly, universally viral mugshot of "Half Head Man,"
The Miami New Times, who first spotted the cheerful alleged prostitute-solicitor in its "Mugshots Friday" series, ran across a YouTube account called "HalfHeadMan" in which the gentleman himself explains the traumatic injury.
Answering to the name "Halfy" and smoking what looks an awful lot like a blunt, he suggests it's best to stay off drugs.
"[I was] on drugs, I was driving, and I hit a pole, and I flew out the front window and landed on my head," he says, turning side to side to show off a flattened skull. "That's why it's no good, drinking and driving or drug -- drugness and driving. No good, kids. No good."
"Halfy," who has been identified variously as Carlos Sosa or Carlos Rodriguez, then alleges the president of the United States uses drugs, affirms his love of large women, and makes several sexually explicit remarks. In a second video, he again smokes what appears to be a blunt as the narrator laughingly says, "Hello, world, I want y'all to meet Halfy...he's kind of famous already."
Indeed. But "Halfy" isn't the only man to have survived such a severe head injury. A British man named Steve Gator lost a large portion of his skull after being attacked walking home from work, leaving him, he says, with a nervous condition and an altered personality.

'Stars Can Die Twice'

It has traditionally been thought that a star dies either by exploding as a supernova to become a neutron star, or by becoming a white dwarf. A supernova refers to a phenomenon in which an old star emits a large amount of energy upon explosion, while a white dwarf is a celestial body that is formed as sun-scale stars gradually die.

However, it has recently been discovered that a star can die by exploding twice. An international group of researchers including Professor IM Myungshin of SNU's Department of Physics and Astronomy has analyzed the gamma ray burst which was observed on December 25 last year, to reach this conclusion.

A gamma ray burst is a phenomenon in which a star explodes with a huge amount of gamma light, and it usually occurs when a star dies. Such a burst has been observed many times, but the duration of light emission was usually only several seconds or minutes. A gamma ray is a type of light invisible to the naked eye, like an X-ray. The gamma ray burst that this group of researchers observed happened 4.3 billion light years away from the earth.
Last year on Christmas, the US's satellite 'Swift' observed the burst first. Subsequently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) named it 'GRB 101225A'.

Soon after the news of this explosion, astronomers around the world started to capture and analyze X-rays and infrared rays coming from the explosion site.Korean researchers used an astronomical camera called CQUEAN installed at the McDonald Observatory located in Texas in the US. Their research results were published in the December 1 issue of the renowned academic journal Nature.

Read article at the original source here.

'World Hunger Summit' Called For As Food Prices Hit Poorest Families

The world's poorest families are cutting back on food and sending children out to work in order to survive, according to a survey by Save the Children.
The survey, conducted by the charity in India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru and Bangladesh, provides a snapshot of the hardship that families are facing in countries already experiencing high rates of malnutrition.
Soaring prices for food have left a third of parents saying that their children did not have enough to eat.
One in six said their children were skipping school to work for food.
The children's charity is calling on the UK to help lead a push to reduce hunger and protect children from food price spikes.

Read More on Huffington

China accomplishes first space docking

Two Chinese spacecraft accomplished the country's first space docking procedure early Thursday, silently coupling in space more than 343 km above Earth's surface.
Nearly two days after it was launched, the unmanned spacecraft Shenzhou-8 docked with space lab module Tiangong-1 at 1:36 a.m., marking another great leap for China's space program.
The success of the docking procedure makes China the third country in the world, after the United States and Russia, to master the technique, moving the country one step closer to establishing its own space station.

Read More

Doctors "fire" patients who refuse vaccines for their children: Ethical?

Won't get your kid vaccinated? You're fired.
That's the extreme step some pediatricians are taking when it comes to dealing with parents who won't get their children vaccinated over concerns the injections cause autism or other side effects. The Wall Street Journal reports that these doctors are fed up and would rather rid the family from their practice than have unvaccinated children risk infecting other infants or sick children in the waiting room.
Dr. Scott Goldstein, a pediatrician at Northwestern Children's Practice in Chicago, is one such doctor. He told CBS This Morning, "If you don't believe in the fundamental thing we believe in, then you need to go somewhere else."
nd he's not alone. A survey by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found 25 percent of pediatricians have fired patients for refusing vaccines, according to CBS This Morning.
"Most people my age have never seen a case of polio or measles but when we ask our parents or grandparents they remember it very well," Goldstein said. "This is the best way to protect our kids."
But don't doctors take an oath to help all patients? The American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines even state, "Pediatricians should avoid discharging patients from their practices solely because a parent refuses to immunize his or her child. However... the pediatrician may encourage the family to find another physician or practice."

Mummified Mermaid To Be Reunited With Her Merman

Researchers at Lincoln University have been working to establish the origins of the Buxton Mermaid, a fake mummified mermaid, thought to date back to the mid-19th century.
Anita Hollinshead, 43, a conservation and restoration Masters student studying with the university, came across the object while working at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery and decided to dig deeper into the history of the object.
Tests carried out at the university have established that no human bones were used to make the object, despite the head's skull-like appearance.

But the hair on the object, which is 14.5in (37cm) high and 6.7in (17cm) wide, is human and researchers have discovered the tail is from a real fish.
Fishermen from Japan and the Far East sold the objects as mummified mermaids to supplement their income.
They were usually bought by sailors as good luck charms or by collectors who would display them in cabinets of curiosities or at side-shows.
"It really does look like a mummified mermaid," Ms Hollinshead said.
"A lot of skill has gone into making it and whoever put it together really thought about what materials to use to make it look real.
"It's made from wood and wire and a protein coating has been used to made it look like skin and fish like."
Further tests have discovered the teeth were carved from bone while the eyes are thought to be made from mollusc shell.

Teachers 'need help to fight youth extremism'

Though all German children discuss the Third Reich as part of their school curriculum, not enough is being taught about modern ideas of human rights and discrimination – and teachers are often poorly equipped to counteract the extreme right wing’s aggressive recruiting of young people, the experts said.

“Short term projects which are time-limited from year to year are not enough,” said Eva-Maria Stange, a member of Saxony’s state legislature. “We need a stable structure.”

The November revelation of a neo-Nazi terror cell – three people are suspected of killing a policewoman and at least 9 people with a migration background between 2000 and 2007 – has heightened calls for authorities to do more to prevent young people from being lured into a life of extremism.

Read Further

Significant Flaw in Public Key Cryptography

A group of American and European researchers have found a cryptographic keys flaw in the Public key cryptography. A system that is meant to secure online traffic.It requires the sender and the receiver of a message to each have a digital key to encrypt and decrypt it, respectively. One of these keys is kept private.
For this to work securely, the keys have to be generated totally at random.

However, the researchers found that some of the keys they found had duplicates. 4 percent of 6.6 million distinct X.509 certificates and PGP keys had duplicate RSA modules. It can allow the owner of one of the duplicates to hack into the messages of the other.Except in cases where people had the same key re-signed by a different certification authority.

Paul Kocher, president and chief scientist of Cryptography Research said:

"The problems observed represent security problems, and there really isn't any acceptable norm for security defects."

Event:: 'Green Campus: Think Global - Act Local'

Trinity College Dublin.

Senator David Norris with the support of the College’s Day Nursery Play Group class will launch Green Week 2012 Green Campus: Think Global - Act Local on Monday 20th February at 1.15pm on the steps of the Examinations Hall on Front Square.

An exciting programme of events is planned for the 10th Annual Green Week, 20 – 24 February, including a variety of talks, displays, walks, and a number of competitions. Events include the Green Fair in the Arts Building on Tuesday 21st February showcasing ethically produced goods, services and products to ensure sustainable living, a talk arranged by the Trinity Centre for Biodiversity Research titled Urban Biodiversity: What does Dublin’s wildlife do for us? by well-known environmental commentator, Éanna Ní Lamhna and a debate on nuclear energy hosted by the College Environmental Society. Wednesday 22nd February will be ‘Alternative Transport Day’ encouraging staff and students to use more environmentally friendly transport.

The 10th Simon Perry Memorial Forum focussing on the theme Think Global – Act Local, in association with Engineers Ireland & Young Engineers Society, will be chaired by comedian Abie Philbin-Bowman and include speakers such as Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan TD, Managing Director of Kingspan, Gerard Whelan and Joe Borza of EnergyElephant.com. Other events include an environmental photography and art competition, an energy competition and a pub quiz with all prizes sponsored by Kingspan as well as guided walks highlighting Trinity College’s trees, bird life and buildings, workshops on growing your own vegetables and advice on ‘Bee-keeping’.

The theme of Green Week 2012 Green Campus: Think Global - Act Local is aimed at highlighting to the College Community the importance of how individual actions impact on our environment. The collective impact of small individual actions can be very significant in terms of the local environment. Individuals do make a real difference and Green Week 2012 will be challenging every member of the College Community to make a contribution to achieving the aim of creating a ‘Green Campus’ where sustainability will be a part of every aspect of College life.

Green Week 2012 will see Trinity College continue the work required for the College’s Green Campus Flag campaign to which the College signed up to in 2011. The Green Campus programme, run by the Environmental Education Unit at An Tasice, is a seven step programme for fostering environmental awareness in third level institutions which links to everyday activities and study, and ties in with the operational requirements of complex multi-use facilities. The College aims to have secured the Green Campus Flag by Green Week 2013.

TCD Green Week is a unique opportunity for the entire College Community as well as visitors to the College to celebrate nature and it provides a forum to encourage the exchange of experience and tips on best practice for reducing carbon output and other ways to protect the environment both within and outside College.

Attend the launch and be in with a chance to win a top of the range city bike - make sure you get your ticket for the raffle at the event to win on the day! Also there will be spot prizes for the best dressed 'Green' male and female at the launch.

NTU Team Invented the Virus Sensor for Children’s Medical Care

Professor Lin Shi-Ming of NTU Institute of Applied Mechanics presents the virus sensor for children’s medical care

National Taiwan University.

There have been 36 deaths in Taiwan caused by the B flu epidemic ever since the eve of the Chinese New Year. Also, the stomach flu epidemic has been attacking Taiwan by causing severe symptoms and even deaths all over the island. It will definitely relieve the severe condition a lot by adopting this effective treatment within sufficient medical care and the innovative virus sensor invented by NTU medical team. The NTU cross-boundary medical team led by Professor Lin Shi-Ming of NTU Medical School and Professor Chang Luan-Yih from the pediatrics department of NTU Hospital announced that they’ve successfully invented the virus sensor for children’s medical care at home, which features virus detection, data calculation and long-distance transportation. This innovative invention makes it possible that parents will be able to detect the stomach virus and the A/B flu epidemic for their children at home within only 12 minutes. Also, it enables parents to report the detection results back to their doctors via smart phones immediately. Thus, it is more effective and efficient than the conventional treatment.

NTU President Lee Si-Chen highly recommended and recognized the innovative breakthrough of this virus sensor invented by the NTU cross-boundary medical team led by Professor Lin Shi-Ming and the following doctors: Yang Pan-Chyr, Chang Luan-Yih, Sheu Bor-Ching. They’ve been devoting to the area of children’s medical care to improve the conventional virus detection by experimenting sample of each patient and developing the optical technique combined with nanotechnology. Recently the NTU medical team has just successfully presented the portable gadget, sViroSensor (the virus sensor for children’s medical care at home), detecting the stomach flu and the flu epidemic for young children. It is more effective and efficient than the conventional treatment. Meanwhile, the home sensor avoids the risk of public infection in hospitals, which is great to be seen for improving children’s medical care.

Professor Lin Shi-Ming has also pointed out that it’s crucial to improve the conventional virus detection for the stomach flu epidemic because it usually took one to five days to receive the detection results, which meant a great deal of suffering and medical expenses before. Consequently, lots of patients suffered from the delay of treatment and. The virus sensor for children’s’ medical care at home features virus detection, calculation and long-distance transportation. As well, this innovative invention is combined with the nanotechnology, optical technique and the features of smart phones. The newly invented detector captures the results of the virus as the following: the B flu influenza, the A flu, the EV 71 stomach flu, the Adeno virus. The detection results can be received immediately by using nanotechnology and the optical technique via an innovative chip using nano-technology, which makes the accuracy up to 90 percent.

Something great to be expected is that this innovative invention makes it possible that parents will be able to detect the stomach virus and the A/B flu influenza for their children at home within only 12 minutes. Also, it enables parents to report the detection results back to their doctors via smart phones immediately, which makes the long-distance consult possible in time. Also, doctors will be able to diagnose the patients with the most appropriate description according to the detection results from the parents via smart phones. Thus, it is more effective and efficient than the conventional treatment. Meanwhile, the home sensor avoids the risk of public infection in hospitals, which is great to be seen for improving children’s medical care.

“It is highly expected that the EV 71 stomach flu epidemic will be spreading on the island this spring because it hasn’t been peaking over the past three years” according to the disease control bureau, said the superintendent of NTU Medical School. Thus the virus detection at home will definitely be a great help for its innovative breakthrough of Professor Lin’s invention. With this innovative detector, parents will be able to get the sample from young kids’ throats along with the immediate diagnosis via smart phones within only 12 minutes. Hence, parents can report the detection results back to the doctor through long-distance consult. This will be a great benefit for children’s medical care and avoid the delay of the conventional treatment and the huge medical expenses.

With the great support from the National Research Program for Biopharmaceuticals held by the National Science Council and the financial aid from National Taiwan University, this research plan has been successfully promoted and is thus viewed as the spotlight recently. NTU President, Lee Si-Chen pointed out that National Taiwan University has been focusing on health care over the years and thus founded the cross-boundary research team for a better medical environment with significant achievements and contributions recently. What they have done is absolutely a great feedback showing their contribution to the society.

Read article at the original source here.

[Exhibition] Dutch Magic Realism: Past toward Contemporary

Event : Seoul National University, Korea.

This exhibition features 71 representative works from IG Bank's collection in the Netherlands. It is the first time that the works of Dutch Realism, one of the most interesting European art movements of the twentieth century, are shown in Korea.

Title: Dutch Magic Realism: Past toward Contemporary

Venue: SNU Museum of Art (MoA: building #151), Galleries 1 & 3

Dates: Feb.10 ~ April 12, 2012

Opening Reception: Thursday 9, February, 2012, 5 pm.

High Ranking Of Nanyang Business School MBA

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore


NBS graduates enjoy highest average salaries among Singapore MBA programmes

Nanyang Business School (NBS) has been ranked by the Financial Times as one of the world’s Top 35 and Asia’s Top 10 MBA programmes for the fourth straight year. In the latest Financial Times’ 2012 Top 100 Global MBA Ranking released today, the business college at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) was placed at 34th position, on the back of high salaries earned by alumni who also made good progress in their careers.

NBS’ MBA graduates charted the highest salary level compared to other Singapore MBA graduates, with an average pay of US$102,350 a year, three years after graduation. NBS’ MBA programme also ranks first in Singapore for the career progression opportunities and successful job placements offered to its graduates.

The strong endorsement by the Financial Times’ latest MBA ranking underscores Nanyang Business School’s stature as Singapore’s premier business school. In a separate annual ranking by The Economist, the school’s MBA programme, which kept its 69th place last October, has been assessed as Singapore’s best for eight consecutive years since 2004.

Professor Gillian Yeo, Interim Dean of Nanyang Business School said, “Our consistently strong showing in these well recognised, independent MBA rankings affirms NBS’ membership in the league of elite international business schools. The Nanyang MBA programme has been counted among the world’s top 100 since 2004 by The Economist, and since 2007, by the Financial Times.”

“We are most gratified that those who pass through our doors are reaping the benefits, enjoying good salaries, and taking up more senior positions in bigger companies. This attests to the high quality of our MBA curriculum that is closely tied to professional practice and a high degree of industry relevance,” Professor Yeo added.

For Mr Tomoyuki Suzuki, 35, who graduated with a Nanyang MBA in 2008, the degree has enabled him to successfully switch careers from business development to management consulting, while also enabling him to expand his responsibilities and earn comparatively more – an increase of about 70 per cent in his remuneration now compared to before obtaining his MBA from Nanyang Business School.

A senior consultant at Hitachi Consulting based in Tokyo, Japan, Mr Suzuki said, "The Nanyang MBA has totally helped to achieve my career goal. For the management consulting industry, having a well-known MBA degree is a vital starting point for one's career. Without the Nanyang MBA, I would not have been able to gain a foothold in my current job, which requires broad knowledge of business, marketing, organisation management and finance. From this perspective, for those who want to change careers into consulting, getting an MBA is the right choice."

Another Nanyang MBA graduate, Mr Matthias Scheller, 36, successfully took the opportunity to build up and expand the Customer & Shopper Marketing at the Johnson & Johnson Consumer division in Austria, which he heads. Mr Scheller said, "The MBA was an excellent opportunity to meet a new group of professionals my age and for me to develop personally. The network provided by the programme was also an essential part of my overall experience. The technical and professional skills which I was able to improve upon are as well a part of my everyday life at J&J." Commensurate with his higher expertise and responsibilities, Mr Scheller’s annual salary has more than doubled today three years after getting his Nanyang MBA compared to his pre-MBA days.

The Financial Times Global MBA Ranking is based upon data from business schools and their alumni. Three main areas are analysed: alumni career progress, diversity of students and faculty, and ideas generation. Rankings are heavily weighted on salary and salary increase three years after graduation. Both measures each account for 20 per cent of a school’s rank, and are considerably sensitive to the countries the school’s alumni were working in before and after the MBA programme.


Original source here.

Paris ranked world’s best city for students

In a world ranking of university cities, using criteria from results, employability, fees and the price of a hamburger, a UK research group has ranked Paris the best city in the world in which to study. 

Paris has been ranked the best city in the world for students, according to a UK study, although some French undergraduates felt the results were wide of the mark.

Researchers at QS Best Student Cities looked at quality of life and affordability in terms of fees and living costs, as well as the number of institutions and their overall reputations among employers.

QS has been ranking individual universities since 2004, although this is the first time their researchers took the cities into account.

Cambridge in the UK and Harvard in the US (Boston) have consistently come out first, but the 2012 city survey placed Paris top, with London ranking second and Boston third.

QS Head of Research Ben Sowter said: “Paris has always been one of the world’s most important centres of higher education, but its [individual] universities have under-performed in international rankings.”