UNC sexual assault victim faces expulsion for talking

(UNC.edu/Flickr)

A University of North Carolina sexual assault victim has been charged with violating the school's honor code and creating a hostile environment for her attacker by speaking out about her ordeal.

Landen Gambill?a sophomore who last spring reported being raped by a student she says is still on the school's Chapel Hill campus?was notified of the charge last week in an email from the school's graduate attorney general. The email, published by Jezebel.com, reads in part:

You are being charged with the following Honor Code violation(s):

I.C.1.c. - Disruptive or intimidating behavior that willfully abuses, disparages, or otherwise interferes with another (other than on the basis of protected classifications identified and addressed in the University's Policy on Prohibited Harassment and Discrimination) so as to adversely affect their academic pursuits, opportunities for University employment, participation in University-sponsored extracurricular activities, or opportunities to benefit from other aspects of University Life.

The matter has been turned over to UNC's Honor Court. If found guilty, Gambill could be subject to a range of sanctions, including probation, suspension or even expulsion.

The charge came approximately a month after a group of current and former UNC students including Gambill and Melinda Manning?the school's former assistant dean of students?filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights alleging that school officials had pressured Manning into underreporting sex offense cases.

An avatar used by Gambill's supporters (Twitter)

Gambill says that when she reported the assault to the Honor Court, she was met with resistance. Via the Daily Tarheel:

?The woman student said to me, ?Landen, as a woman, I know that if that had happened to me, I would?ve broken up with him the first time it happened. Will you explain to me why you didn?t??? she said.

Gambill said the court used her history of clinical depression and her suicide attempt?which she said was a result of her abusive relationship?against her.

?They implied that I was emotionally unstable and couldn?t be telling the truth because I had attempted suicide,? she said.

"This type of gross injustice is unacceptable," Gambill wrote on her Facebook page. "It's important to me that we continue to advocate for the rights of survivors?not just because it affects me personally but because I desperately hope no one has to go [through] anything like this again."

Some of Gambill's supporters have also taken to Facebook and Twitter, changing their avatars to say "I Stand With Landen" and tweeting messages with the hashtag #standwithlanden.

Colby Bruno, managing attorney for the national Victim Rights Law Center, told InsideHigherEd.com the code violation is "outrageous.? For the university "to entertain this as a viable claim is a problem, because it's not,? Bruno said.

The university would not comment on Gambill's case, citing federal privacy laws. But at a board meeting last month, Leslie Strohm, UNC's vice chancellor and general counsel, told trustees "the allegations with respect to the underreporting of sexual assault are false, they are untrue, and they are just plain wrong."

[Related: Fox News co-host apologizes for campus rape remark]

"UNC has the potential at this point to stand up for sexual assault survivors," Carey Hanlin, editor-in-chief of UNC's Campus Blueprint, wrote in an editorial. "By telling Landen Gambill that she could face expulsion for saying that she was raped, by denying the allegations that administrators ignored the best interests of sexual assault survivors, and by implying that it is not acceptable to challenge the school system on its inability to help survivors of sexual assault, UNC fails to be a beacon."

Rape on campus is a problem--and not just at UNC.

In 2010, the Department of Justice estimated that 25 percent of college women "will be victims of rape or attempted rape before they graduate within a four-year college period," and that schools with more than 6,000 students "average one rape per day during the school year.?

According to New York University's "National Statistics about Sexual Violence on College Campuses," fewer than 5 percent of such cases are reported to law enforcement.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/unc-sexual-assault-rape-victim-honor-code-142933849.html

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Life extension enthusiasts rejoice: Your brain cells can outlive your body

Brain cells can live at least twice as long as the organisms in which they reside, according to new research.

The study, published today (Feb. 25) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that mouse neurons, or brain cells, implanted into rats can survive with the rats into old age, twice as long as the life span of the original mice.

The findings are good news for life extension enthusiasts.

"We are slowly but continuously prolonging the life of humans," said study co-author Dr. Lorenzo Magrassi, a neurosurgeon at the University of Pavia in Italy.

So if the human life span could be stretched to 160 years, "then you are not going to lose your neurons, because your neurons do not have a fixed lifetime."

Long-lived cells

While most of the cells in the human body are being constantly replaced, humans are born with almost all the neurons they will ever have. [10 Odd Facts About the Brain]

Magrassi and his colleagues wanted to know whether neurons could outlive the organisms in which they live (barring degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's).

To do so, the researchers took neurons from mice and implanted them into the brains of about 60 rat fetuses.

The team then let the rats live their entire lives, euthanizing them when they were moribund and unlikely to survive for more than two days, and then inspected their brains. The life span of the mice was only about 18 months, while the rats typically lived twice as long.

The rats were found to be completely normal (though not any smarter), without any signs of neurological problems at the end of their lives.

And the neurons that had been transplanted from mice were still alive when the rats died. That means it's possible the cells could have survived even longer if they were transplanted into a longer-lived species.

Life extension

The findings suggest that our brain cells won't fail before our bodies do.

"Think what a terrible thing it could be if you survive your own brain," Magrassi told LiveScience.

While the findings were done in rats, not humans, they could also have implications for neuronal transplants that could be used for degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease, Magrassi said.

But just because brain cells may be able to live indefinitely doesn't mean humans could live forever.

Aging is dependent on more than the life span of all the individual parts in the body, and scientists still don't understand exactly what causes people to age, Magrassi said.

Follow LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on Facebook?& Google+.?

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

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/brain-cells-outlive-body-200523739.html

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Qualcomm's AllJoyn P2P software framework adds audio streaming and notifications, we go eyes-on

Qualcomm revealed that it was expanding its AllJoyn software platform today with some new services designed to help create a network of connected devices. Essentially, these services take the AllJoyn P2P software framework and package it in a way that makes it easier for hardware makers to implement. Qualcomm sees these new services enabling a kind of hub and spoke organization where myriad devices -- from coffee makers to stereos -- connect to a single internet gateway. With such a framework in place, users can control those devices and receive notifications from them on a smartphone or tablet.

To get an idea of what AllJoyn can do, imagine a world where your washing machine sends you a text when the laundry's done and you can tell your coffee maker to start brewing using your smartphone. In addition to an appliance and gadget connectivity network, AllJoyn's also rolling out a open source, wireless audio streaming protocol. Like AirPlay or Sonos' wireless technology, it allows users to stream music from mobile devices to any set of AllJoyn-enabled speakers. But, unlike those closed competitors, AllJoyn's solution is open source and freely available to speaker and stereo manufacturers. Intrigued? You can see an AllJoyn-enabled coffee maker and the AllJoyn-compatible DoubleTwist app do some music streaming in our video after the break.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile

Comments

Source: Qualcomm

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/qualcomm-alljoyn-p2p-software-framework-audio-streaming-eyes-on/

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Maine man can whistle, but he must keep moving

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) ? A Maine man charged with disorderly conduct for his loud whistling in downtown Portland has reached a deal with the city ? he can whistle, but he can't linger in one spot.

Robert Smith, of Westbrook, has been cited by police twice in the past year after businesses complained. He pleaded guilty last summer and reached a deal with the city in which he can keep whistling as long as he's moving.

Smith tells The Portland Press Herald (http://bit.ly/15e6AEN ) his whistling ? audible a block away ? is protected free speech and usually brings smiles.

City officials dispute the free speech argument.

Janis Beitzer, of the Portland Downtown District, understands why some business owners are upset with the whistling. She calls it "irritating," like playing a radio too loud.

___

Information from: Portland Press Herald, http://www.pressherald.com

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2013-02-25-US-ODD-Walking-Whistler/id-a179a38b59ac40f5b8c1fa6731eed6ae

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Pa. gov's filing defends antitrust suit vs. NCAA

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) ? Gov. Tom Corbett argued in a court document filed late Monday that the NCAA has been trying to use his antitrust lawsuit against it over the Penn State penalties in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal to combat what he describes as a groundswell of public criticism.

Corbett said the judge should not grant the NCAA's request to dismiss the case, saying college sports' governing body made a factual error when it said the penalties were voted on by the university's trustees.

Corbett, who as governor is a trustee, said the NCAA's motion to dismiss the lawsuit he filed in early January "appears to have been written more to advance the NCAA's broader agenda, and to combat the recent groundswell of public criticism against the embattled organization, than to raise legal issues appropriate to a motion to dismiss."

NCAA spokeswoman Emily Potter offered no immediate comment on the latest filing.

The Republican governor's lawsuit asks the judge to throw out all the penalties, including a $60 million fine, a four-year bowl ban and the loss of football scholarships. He claims the consent agreement has harmed students, business owners and others.

"The NCAA wrongly claims that its arbitrary decimation of the PSU football program is no different than its enforcement of rules regulating player eligibility or uniforms ? which do enhance collegiate competition ? although PSU was not found to have violated a single NCAA rule and the NCAA's own president insisted that the consent decree was not an enforcement action," Corbett's lawyers wrote.

The NCAA has said the penalties are unrelated to regulation of economic activity so antitrust law doesn't apply.

Sandusky, a former defensive coordinator at the college football powerhouse, was convicted last summer of sexually abusing several boys, some on campus. He is serving a 30- to 60-year state prison sentence. He is appealing and maintains his innocence.

The consent agreement between the NCAA and Penn State was signed a few weeks after Sandusky was found guilty of 45 criminal counts. Penn State is not a party to Corbett's antitrust lawsuit or to the NCAA's lawsuit filed last week against Corbett and three state officials over a newly enacted state law that is designed to keep the $60 million within the state.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-02-25-Penn%20State-Abuse/id-98e4dfb619024b219238431eabb4c552

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LG aims to raise smartphone sales by 52 percent

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) ? LG Electronics Inc. is aiming to raise its smartphone sales by more than half this year as it makes a shift from basic phones to high-end devices after lagging competitors for several years.

The South Korean company aims to sell more than 40 million smartphones in 2013, it said in a statement on Monday. LG shipped 26.3 million smartphones in 2012, fewer than HTC Corp. and Research In Motion Ltd. which each shipped more than 32 million smartphones.

To meet the sales goal, LG will release handsets in all price ranges from high-tier to affordable models and go all out in both developed and emerging markets.

"We aim to improve profitability and also to become a top-tier smartphone brand," Park Jong-seok, head of LG's mobile phone business, told reporters at a mobile industry fair in Barcelona, according to the statement.

LG faces similar challenges to other second-tier smartphone vendors. They are squeezed by the two smartphone giants ? Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple Inc. ? that are dominating most of the profit in the smartphone industry and also by Chinese makers that are expanding in the smartphone markets of fast-growing emerging countries.

But LG hopes to make its Optimus brand stand out by drawing on technologies from other parts of the LG empire. The company is the largest shareholder in LG Display Co. and has collaborated with other LG affiliates on batteries and cameras.

LG was the world's third-largest maker of cellphones in 2009 but was caught off guard by the popularity of smartphones. In the fourth quarter of 2012, LG sold fewer phones than Chinese rivals Huawei Technologies Ltd. and ZTE Corp., which are expanding shipments of their cheaper smartphones.

Its mobile communications division was profitable for the first time in three years last year as it moved its focus from basic phones to lucrative smartphones.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-02-25-LG%20Electronics-Smartphone%20Sales/id-401703c2c3824c388c2a0e0eaf125559

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USFS proposes new trails, comments requested

COTA has submitted the letter below to our local Forest Service to comment on their proposal for new trail connections around the future site of the Visitor Center on Cascade Lakes Highway near the junction with Deschutes River road, USFS Road 41.

COTA would like to encourage anyone with an interest in this project to submit their own comments. You can copy parts of the official COTA letter below, use the bullet points to write your own letter, or just send in your own thoughts about it. Note that COTA has designed and planned most of the proposed single-track trails. Comments are due by March 4.

Please visit the USFS website for the project here:

<http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=41207>

Click on the link for ?Welcome Station Trail Connections Scoping Letter Signed? for instructions on how to send in your comments. The email address to submit written comments to the USFS is:

<comments-pacificnorthwest-deschutes-bend-ftrock@fs.fed.us>

?

Central Oregon Trail Alliance

P.O. Box 555

Bend, OR

97701

http://cotamtb.com/

re: Comments for Welcome Station Trail Connections Project

February 24, 2013

Dear Ranger Larkin,

Please accept these official comments regarding the Scoping of the Welcome Station Trail Connections Project.

Bend has become a world-class destination for mountain biking, thanks to forward-thinking Forest Service leaders, recreation planners and COTA, and our mutual willingness to cooperate. This Trail Connections project presents an opportunity to address a few very important missing ingredients to this already outstanding trail system. With decades of combined trail management experience in this region and a shared long-term vision for preserving and enhancing this resource, COTA and the Forest Service can see clearly what is needed. COTA fully supports the stated Purpose and Need for this project, however with a couple minor adjustments we can address some very critical future trends and protect current conditions right now.

Specifically we would like to address the following points in the proposed action:

1. We want to emphasize the new trail connection (2a) along Road 41 as an alternative to the Deschutes River Trail is extremely important.
2. The mileage of proposed beginner trails is insufficient to meet anticipated future needs.
3. Reduction of existing roads or implementing Road-to-Trail conversion is not planned and should be considered.
4. There should be no new trail junctions, all new trails can be logically connected to existing trails at existing trail junctions.
5. Access to ?most difficult? trails (specifically COD) should be minimized and clearly marked, as these types of trails need to be both preserved and enhanced.

Below is our rationale for the above points.

1. New Trail Segment (2a) ?Catch & Release Trail? is a top priority

COTA applauds the Forest Service for proposing the N-S connector trail (segment 2a ? unofficially named ?Catch & Release trail?) because COTA feels this is a very important trail to provide for the public. This trail will accomplish several very important goals at the same time, namely, 1. It provides a safe alternative to cycling on Road 41, 2. It is an important alternative to the Deschutes River trail, and 3. This trail will allow links for intermediate and beginner level mountain bikers to the rest of the Wanoga & Phil?s Trail Systems from the city of Bend, the community of Sunriver and the Seventh Mountain Resort.

It is important to note that this trail is intentionally planned in the current proposed location in order to mitigate several potential problems. It is planned within 150 feet of Rd. 41 for the majority of the distance to reduce impacts to wildlife, and for planning simplicity and it is on the West side of Rd 41 in order to avoid the Deschutes River Wild & Scenic Corridor. With only anecdotal data to support the opinion that trails negatively impact wildlife migration, COTA wishes to point out that a trail in close proximity to a major Forest highway that sees significant high speed vehicular traffic cannot possibly impact wildlife any further. Certainly the trail itself is a far lower cause for concern than the road itself, while construction of the trail will have a lower impact on wildlife than the proposed West Bend Vegetation management activities.

Also, COTA would like to ask that you please consider whether the issue of wildlife impact is of greater importance than providing an important trail connection. COTA is of the opinion that non-motorized trails typically have low to zero impact upon wildlife. In a 2010 study in Arizona (see link here: http://www.heberrvresort.com/images/stories/pdf/2010-Arizona-off-road-and-hiking-trail-guides-and-maps.pdf ) on page 121 the writers confirm this opinion, and further state:

• ?In many cases, scientific knowledge alone can?t determine whether wildlife impacts are great enough to preclude a trail. The decision also should be based on community values, including the benefits the trail will offer the public.?

Trail Segment 2a ?Catch & Release Trail? should be constructed as described in the Proposed action.

Trail use in the Wanoga Area is only going to increase due to the strong demand for progressive style trails that this area does provide. This use is primarily shuttling up to Wanoga, and riding downhill. Without a trail to connect directly to the lower end of Wanoga trails (specifically Storm King and Tyler?s Traverse which is due for completion this Spring) mountain bikers have but a few options to continue to town or other trailheads to the East. One of these options is the Deschutes River Trail. By providing a new trail to effectively ?catch? all this new downhill bike use we feel potential conflicts can be avoided on the Deschutes River Trail and the increased mountain bike use of Wanoga trails will be channeled back to the Welcome Station or other primary mountain bike trail heads.

COTA wishes to commend USFS Recreation staff for planning construction of this trail after certain West Bend Vegetation Management activities have been implemented in Summer 2013, however the need for this trail is urgent. Once Vegetation management activities have been completed COTA volunteers would like to begin trail construction as quickly as possible. This trail is also a key volunteer match to the proposed RTP grant application for the paved trail (Segments 1a & 1b) for which COTA has already committed support. It is with the above considerations that we stress the importance of this trail.

2. Insufficient Proposed Beginner trails

Since the COTA Board of Directors first learned of the plans to create a new Welcome Station at the junction of FS Road 41 and Cascade Lakes Highway, we have argued strenuously for additional beginner-level trails in the vicinity. This opinion is based on the need to provide ?easiest? trail opportunities for the general public that will use the new Welcome Station as a day-use trail head or enter the trail systems from Resort areas nearby. A popular ?most difficult? trail called COD is very close to the planned Welcome Station and COTA has concerns for the public safety and the long-term viability of this trail if all trail users have easy access to it. For trail management purposes, COD should be considered ?expert only?. COTA Members prize this ?most difficult? trail opportunity and we feel we need to reserve COD as a true black diamond trail.

Since the Forest Service wishes to provide trail access from the Visitor Center to the rest of the trail system it is extremely important that this access be made available for the greatest number of potential trail users, so a beginner-level trail is absolutely necessary to connect to existing beginner-level trails. Also, since everyone prefers a mountain bike loop ride, the need to create complete, beginner-friendly loops from the Welcome station should be a top priority.

With this in mind COTA had assisted the Forest Service over the past year in planning and designing appropriate beginner trail opportunities in this area. Several objectives were considered when planning these beginner trails (Segments 3a, 3b, 3c & 3d), however some late changes have been proposed which may look OK on a proposed map, but will not function well on the ground. As a beginner mountain biker progresses in skill and fitness they will typically seek both longer and more difficult opportunities, but not necessarily at the same time. Options need to exist for beginners to have both longer beginner loops and incrementally more challenging trails. For the most part the West Bend trail system does meet these objectives therefore the proposed day-use trail activity originating at the Welcome Station needs more ?ground-truthing? to accomplish this objective.

A particular issue is with the proposed beginner trail Segment 3d as it meets existing trail ELV (?Elvin Magic?). ELV is rated ?intermediate? and the only other trail option at that particular junction is COD, rated ?most difficult?. COTA proposes retaining the section 5c to connect to proposed section 3b heading further West, and providing continuity on COD (section 4) heading South. This also eliminates the need for two additional junctions. (See #4 below for further rationale on this point)

Mountain bikers seek a trail opportunity primarily based upon its difficulty rating, while scenic or other values are secondary. It is not only important to provide ample opportunities for those seeking beginner type of experiences, but also to ensure they don?t get ?stuck? in an area where the only options are to turn and go back or proceed on a trail that is beyond their ability. Most cyclists are unlikely to ?go back?, preferring instead to keep going. It is for this reason beginner options are ideally designed in a ?stacked loop?, enabling riders to complete an entire loop within one difficulty level. Put another way, beginners have no business trying to ride an advanced trail such as COD. Effective planning and design must address this issue, and it is COTA?s opinion the scope of the current proposal is insufficient to meet this need.

COTA has proposed beginner trails connecting from the Welcome Station all the way to Ben?s trail to the North and to ELV to the East. Proposed Segment 3b following road 4604 within 150 feet is an adequate solution but it will necessitate a new junction, and it remains to be seen whether a complete ?beginner loop? can be achieved under this proposal.

Not only does COTA feel that the new Welcome Station will increase the number of beginner riders, but we also feel that the new tunnel under Cascade Lakes Highway immediately East of FS Road 41 is going to draw more trail users to this location. Event promoters especially will regard this as one less obstacle for planning a route since the tunnel allows crossing the highway without county mandated crossing guards during permitted events. The Forest Service has invested in this new tunnel, now is an opportunity to plan appropriate trails to accommodate this new facility. More use necessitates more trails, especially during events so that the general public is not displaced.

3. Consider Road to Trail conversion

COTA feels that there is opportunity to convert some existing closed and / or open roads to trails to satisfy the need for more beginner trail inventory. Also, some sections of existing ?most difficult? rated trail are actually ?easiest? compliant. Several sections of proposed trail 3c meet this criterion, and this will necessitate re-routing corresponding sections of COD to segregate these two trails. Again, COTA will work closely with FS Recreation staff to determine the best, most logical options on the ground, but we simply want to point out that there is a potential for road to trail conversion, and to include this in any Proposed Actions and future funding requests.

Reducing road inventory can have multiple benefits to wildlife, it aids in the prevention of the spread of invasive species and it reduces illegal (out of season) motorized use. Removing roads has benefits, but so too does creating trails. Healthful economic, social and volunteer stewardship benefits are very well documented.

4. Reducing the need for new trail Junctions

The trail systems West of Bend already have a plethora of trail junctions and the numbering system for these is working well although there are junctions numbering up to 60?s.? Damaged or inadequate junction post signage is becoming a maintenance issue, which COTA is challenged to address. On the Scoping letter map Inset page, the proposed new trails seem to indicate the need for two additional trail junctions (trails 3b & 4, and 3c & 3d). We have found that too many junctions, too close to each other can lead to confusion. Again we see the solution is with further ground-truthing and with changes to proposed trails designed, as described above in #2.

Whenever possible, future trails should tie in to existing trail junctions to reduce construction effort and expense. Changing the small placard signs on existing junction posts is a project COTA is already engaged in. This has the added benefit of ?more efficiency? and fewer signs in the forest. COTA prefers the aesthetic of less signage whenever possible.

5. Retain and improve the ?Most Difficult? trail options

A majority of COTA?s constituency and membership have requested more options for advanced riding opportunities. Since this proposal only creates new beginner trail opportunities it does nothing to address this need. It is important to COTA, our 500 members and thousands of constituents that ?advanced? riding options be preserved or enhanced. COD is one such opportunity. This is why we expressed alarm when the Welcome Station (and expected day-use from there) was proposed in April 2010. Retention of ?most difficult? riding is one of COTA?s top priorities.

This is a concern because, as we?ve seen over and over again, difficult obstacles are very often removed or skirted by trail users that cannot meet the challenge. This is extremely frustrating to those who have worked on these trails and are able to ride them. It?s best if clear alternative trails are provided and difficulty ratings are clearly marked so that these challenging trails are preserved. COTA is committed to preserving these ?most difficult? trail opportunities.

Fortunately, within this project proposal there are several ways to enhance advanced riding opportunities: 1. Reduce the possibility for beginner riders to enter advanced trails, 2. Enhance the COD trail itself for advanced riding and 3. Create re-routes to COD to provide a more consistently difficult trail. Of these options, number 1 is achievable with proper planning. COTA has identified several key areas on the existing COD trail both to the North East and West of the Welcome Station where we can increase the difficulty rating so that we can achieve a consistent ?most difficult? rating along the trail, meeting an indentified need. In implementing this project COTA cautions the Forest Service to consider the unintended consequences of linking beginner to advanced trails without beginner loop options.

Thank you for your consideration of these comments.

Woody Starr, Chairman for

Central Oregon Trail Alliance

P.O. Box 555

Bend, OR

97709

http://cotamtb.com/

Source: http://cotamtb.com/2013/usfs-proposes-new-trails-comments-requested/

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Fidel Castro surprises with parliament appearance amid leadership speculation

HAVANA (Reuters) - Retired Cuban leader Fidel Castro made a rare public appearance Sunday by joining the opening session of the National Assembly, state media reported amid speculation the gathering could give clues on planning for a future leadership succession.

Since falling ill in 2006 and ceding the presidency to his brother, Fidel Castro has given up all official positions except as a deputy in the National Assembly. At Sunday's session, he took his seat beside brother President Raul Castro, only the second time he has graced the assembly chambers since his illness and the first since 2010.

Fidel Castro's surprise appearance added to expectations, fueled by his brother, that the usually routine session might shed light on future leadership of the communist-run nation.

In a back and forth with reporters on Friday, Raul Castro joked about his eventual retirement and urged them to pay attention to Sunday's conclave, which is closed to foreign journalists.

"I'm going to turn 82; I have a right to retire already," he said. "You don't believe me? Why are you so incredulous?" he said.

The 612 deputies, who were elected in an uncontested vote February 3, are expected to name a new 31-member Council of State with Raul Castro as president, despite his quip.

The National Assembly meets for just a few weeks each year and delegates its legislative powers between sessions to the Council of State, which also functions as the nation's executive through the Council of Ministers it appoints.

Governments, Cuba watchers and Cubans will be watching to see if there are any new, and younger, faces among the Council of State members, in particular its first vice president and five vice presidents, with an average age over 70.

The new government is almost certain to be the last headed up by the Castro brothers and the generation that has ruled Cuba since they swept down from the mountains in the 1959 revolution that led to a long-running feud with Washington.

Raul Castro, 81, would begin his second term on Sunday, theoretically leaving him free to retire in 2018, aged 86.

Eighty percent of the parliament's 612 members, with an average age under 50, were born after the Revolution.

EFFORT TO PROMOTE YOUNGER GENERATION

Raul Castro, who officially replaced his ailing brother as president in 2008, has repeatedly called for senior leaders to hold office for no more than two, five-year terms.

"Although we kept on trying to promote young people to senior positions, life proved that we did not always make the best choice," Castro said at a Party Congress in 2011.

"Today, we are faced with the consequences of not having a reserve of well-trained replacements....It's really embarrassing that we have not solved this problem in more than half a century," he said.

The 2011 party summit adopted a more than 300-point plan to "update" Cuba's Soviet-style economic system, designed to transform it from one based on collective production and consumption to one where individual effort and reward play a far more important role.

Across-the-board subsidies are being replaced by the country's first comprehensive tax code and targeted welfare.

Fidel Castro, these days referred to as the "historic leader of the revolution," is no longer seen as wielding real power, but he has maintained a public presence through his writings, meetings with important visitors and rare appearances.

Esteban Lazo, member of the political bureau of the Community Party and vice president of the Council of State, 68, was named parliament president Sunday to replace a retiring Ricardo Alarcon, who served for 20 years.

(Reporting By Marc Frank; Editing by David Adams and Cynthia Osterman)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fidel-castro-makes-rare-appearance-parliament-161318515.html

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Video: Kansas City could be bull?s-eye for incoming storm

>>> we do begin with the wintry weather which is hitting from coast to coast . dylan is tracking the storm, keeping very busy on a saturday morning. good morning.

>> good morning for sure. we have a lot of wet weather to talk about. right now it's mostly across the southeast. moisture streaming in from the gulf of mexico . so that's part one to the storm with heavy rain coming down across alabama and down into georgia. moving into the carolinas. but we are focusing on the northeast. especially new england which has been getting hit by storm after storm. we do is winter weather advisories in effect across especially interior new england, back into central pennsylvania, and also into portions of western virginia , as well. we could even see a little bit of freezing rain in northwestern new jersey. but it looks like we'll end up with about three to six inches. again, we have to overcome some of the rain that's out there right now. at least on the leading edge of the storm. that's going to eat away at some of the snowfall totals. highe efest elevations, sikd to 12 inches . boston, over a few inches. then we're focusing on the northwest through idaho, nevada now. we do have snow coming down. and this is going to turn into another big storm for the midwest as we go into early next week. here you see the time frame on this particular computer model . notably the european model which has been very good at forecasting these snowstorms well in advance. so far this season. saturday to tuesday, in that time frame , you could see snow is going to overspread the midwest once again. kansas city could be the bull's eye just like it was last week, and the midwest could end up with 6 to 12 inches of snow . that's something we'll watch heading into early next week. erica?

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50918078/

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Monmouth College women's basketball team's record-setting season came to a close...

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Source: http://www.facebook.com/registermail/posts/10152564928255694

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Moms go topless to save kids' school bus

Mom topics

By Lisa A. Flam, TODAY contributor

23 hours ago

When it comes to raising money to help overcome educational budget cuts, there are the old, reliable methods, like the silent auction or a fancy gala, and then there?s the racy route.

In Montserrat, Spain, 10 mothers are showing some serious skin in a sexy calendar being sold to raise money in the face of Spain's austerity measures. The proceeds are being used to restore a reduction in bus service for 600 elementary school students.

Some of the women are topless, some almost bottomless in the calendar that so far, has raised enough money to cover the $4,100 monthly tab for the bus, the driver and a monitor through the end of the school year in June, according to an Associated Press report.

The moms hope to sell all 3,000 of the calendars by the end of the month, and then start anew for next year.

What would you do (or take off) to raise money for your child?s school?

Source: http://www.today.com/moms/moms-go-topless-save-kids-school-bus-1C8505059

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Early election for Bulgaria after government quits

SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria's president will appoint a caretaker government ahead of a parliamentary election by mid-May after protests toppled austerity-minded Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, the president said on Friday.

Wednesday's resignation by Borisov's rightist government has failed to quell anger in the European Union's poorest country over high utility bills and protesters gathered on Friday evening in the capital Sofia and other cities.

President Rosen Plevneliev said major political parties - including Borisov's GERB and their rivals the Socialists - declined the chance to form a new government and polls will be brought forward from the previously planned date in July.

"We are heading towards an interim government. We have agreed that the possible timeline for next elections will be the end of April until the middle of May," Plevneliev told reporters after consultation with political parties.

Frustration at low living standards led to bloody protests this month. Many in the Black Sea state of 7.3 million are angry Borisov failed to honor 2009 election pledges to cut corruption and reform inefficient healthcare and education systems.

The prime minister, a former bodyguard of late Soviet-era dictator Todor Zhivkov, ceded to pressure and his administration became the latest to fall in Europe's four-year-old debt crisis.

The president said he will appoint a technocratic caretaker government to focus on financial stability and free elections.

The outgoing parliament should work to change the energy law to cut electricity prices and defuse public anger, he said.

"This is the only possible and reasonable move," said Kantcho Stoychev, from pollster Gallup International. "If the president appoints a politically-linked cabinet, the people's anger will fall on him and may endanger the civil peace."

GERB is running neck-and-neck with the Socialists in opinion polls. With both at around 22 to 23 percent support, neither is expected to win a majority in the upcoming vote.

A hung parliament could lead to the type of policy stalemate that has stalled reforms in neighboring Romania and Greece.

Since a sharp contraction in 2009, Bulgaria has failed to resume the rapid growth needed to catch up with EU partners. Living standards are about 45 percent of the bloc average.

On Friday, dozens of people protested against Czech power distributor CEZ in the northeastern city of Vratsa. Borisov promised an 8 percent electricity bill cut from March and said the regulator would begin to revoke CEZ's license.

The energy regulator said a price cut is possible from April at the earliest and indicated room for compromise with CEZ.

(Additional reporting by Angel Krasimirov; Editing by Jason Webb)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bulgaria-begins-talks-cabinet-election-134903734--finance.html

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Fishermen follow instincts to rescue 2 girls

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) ? As their mother lay dead in the middle of the night, a 4-year-old Oregon girl dragged her seriously injured younger sister from a crashed car and the two huddled under a blanket ? and waited.

With the mangled car stuck deep in the woods, and no skid marks on the highway, the crash site was nearly impossible to detect.

In fact, authorities estimate the sisters were alone in the frigid woods for several hours early Wednesday as many motorists passed it by.

The children finally got help after two commercial fishermen spotted what appeared from a distance to be a basketball-sized gash in an alder tree along State Highway 401 between Astoria, Ore., and Naselle, Wash. Kraai McClure and Scott Beutler travel the two-lane road frequently, and had a gut feeling something was wrong.

The men slowed down, discussed the situation and decided to turn around and go take a look. McClure said he called 911 to see if there had been any reports of a wreck during the night. There weren't.

Beutler, who was a first responder when he lived in Mississippi, went into the brush and signaled McClure to alert authorities.

"I don't know exactly what told us to turn around, but I'm just really thankful we did," McClure said Thursday.

The men spotted the wrecked car a few hundred feet from the road. Nearby were the two young girls, scared and confused. "They could say their names but were totally in shock," McClure said.

The Washington State Patrol said the girls' mother, 26-year-old Jessica Rath of Astoria, probably was asleep when she veered off the road and struck the tree shortly after midnight. She died at the scene.

McClure and Beutler discovered the crash site around 8:30 a.m.

The 2-year-old, who had serious leg injuries, was flown to a Portland hospital. The 4-year-old was treated at an Astoria hospital and released.

An Oregon Health & Science University spokeswoman confirmed that the younger sister, Lylah Huff, was at Doernbecher Children's Hospital. The girls' father, Keaton Huff, declined interview requests Thursday and asked the hospital not to release his daughter's condition.

Trooper Russ Winger said investigators believe the 4-year-old, Aryanna Huff, pulled her sister from the vehicle and helped her to a spot about 20 feet away, where the fishermen found them. Winger said keeping warm with the blanket was vital with temperatures in the low 40s.

"Hypothermia sets in very quickly with something like that," Winger said. "They could have very well not been found and died of exposure."

Winger described the fishermen as heroes for acting on their hunch. McClure, however, gave the credit to Aryanna for helping Lylah out of the car and keeping her warm.

"She saved her sister," McClure said. "She was sharp enough. I don't know how she did it or anything else, but something was watching over those little girls."

"It was amazing that the little 4-year-old ? I have a little 4-year-old, too, she's almost 5 ? was able to get her little sister out and do that," he added. "It just blows my mind that she could do that in that situation. I don't know if she waited until morning, when they could see, but, you know, it just makes me want to cry."

Winger said investigators have yet to determine how fast Rath was driving, or whether there were any other factors in the crash. The crime blotter in the Jan. 26 edition of The Longview Daily News indicates Rath was sentenced to 10 days in jail for heroin possession and third-degree theft.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fishermen-acting-gut-crash-2-girls-220529931.html

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Arianna Huffington: Millennials lead stress parade

First came the baby boomers, then Generation X. Branding of the subsequent generation, the one that came of age during the 2000s, was less definitive, ping-ponging between Generation Y and millennials. I'd like to add a third name: Generation Stress.

According to "Stress in America," a study commissioned by the American Psychological Association, millennials are the most stressed demographic. And from what came out of Washington last week, the conditions creating it aren't going away soon. But there's still cause for hope.

The study asked participants to rank their stress level on a scale of 1 ("little or no stress") to 10 ("a great deal of stress"). Millennials led with a 5.4 average. Boomers registered 4.7, and the group the study labeled "matures" gave themselves a 3.7. These levels of stress are taking their toll. Irritability and anger from stress were reported by 44 percent of millennials, 36 percent of boomers and 15 percent of matures. And 19 percent of milliennials have been told they're suffering from depression, compared to 12 percent of boomers and 11 percent of matures.

It's reasonable to assume that higher levels of stress put the millennials at higher risk for all sorts of destructive downstream consequences of stress.

Not surprisingly, work is one of the biggest causes of stress, with 76 percent of millennials reporting it as a significant stressor. The job numbers are grim. According to Generation Opportunity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, the unemployment rate for millennials rose to 13.1 percent in January, up nearly 2 points from December. Among young African-Americans, it's a whopping 22.1 percent. And if you count those 18- to 29-year-olds who have given up and dropped out of the labor force, the overall youth unemployment rate stands at 16.2 percent.

Those numbers add context to President Barack Obama's push for colleges and universities to increase enrollment and the number of degrees they grant. That's a great goal, but it highlights the fact that we tend to talk about jobs without mentioning what kind. Nearly all the conversation when the previous month's jobs numbers come out is about whether the number went up or down. But when there's an uptick, nobody talks about the conditions that have more impact on people's lives, such as the fact that putting heavily indebted young adults to work at half the salary they had four years ago isn't a way to win the future.

And millennials listening to Obama's State of the Union address would not have gotten much stress relief. He did acknowledge the increasingly untenable cost of higher education and declared that he would "ask Congress to change the Higher Education Act so that affordability and value are included in determining which colleges receive certain types of federal aid." That sounds promising, if it happens. But it's hard to imagine Washington wielding that stick strongly enough to make quality higher education affordable. Even if college tuition stopped increasing now and stayed exactly where it is for the next decade, it's still a huge problem.

A more promising approach would be to take strong action on student debt, which last year hit a record $1 trillion. The disastrous 2005 bankruptcy "reform" bill, which excluded student debt from being discharged in a bankruptcy, has created a new form of indentured servitude, in which tens of thousands of college grads live their entire lives with a crushing debt burden.

As for the perspective from the other side of the aisle? "Today, many graduates face massive student debt," acknowledged Sen. Marco Rubio in his response to the State of the Union. So what's Rubio's solution to this massive student debt? "We must give students more information on the costs and benefits of the student loans they're taking out." Ah, yes, more information. Not exactly problem solved. All the more reason to include student debt in the president's "Things I Will Take Executive Action On" folder.

Amidst all this gloom, there is a sliver of sunshine: a recent Gallup poll found that, even given the battered economy they're entering, 80 percent of millennials were optimistic about their standard of living getting better.

---

Arianna Huffington is founder of The Huffington Post; arianna@huffingtonpost.com.

Source: http://host.madison.com/news/opinion/column/guest/arianna-huffington-millennials-lead-stress-parade/article_a5800d1e-7d5c-11e2-a3fe-0019bb2963f4.html

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Micah Richards' live tweeting during Manchester City's FA Cup game with Leeds sparks a viral wave on his Facebook page says Digital Sports Group

(PRWEB UK) 23 February 2013

Digital Sports Group head of operations Matthew Tait believes that the Manchester City stars tweeting against Leeds saw Micah Richards' Facebook page increase dramatically with the total weekly reach increasing by over 20%.

The Facebook page has become a thriving hub for the Manchester City defender since its launch and is becoming more and more popular with each week that passes, with a rapidly growing community of fans keen to hear all the latest news on their favourite player.

The official PFA Facebook page along with Micah Richards player profile on football.co.uk provide the only online location of the official PFA biography, lifetime stats, news and high resolution gallery.

Manchester City cruised through to the last eight of the FA Cup with a classy display as they registered a comfortable 4-0 victory over Leeds United at the Etihad Stadium. With goals from Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez, City bounced back from dissapointing Premier League displays to book themselves a place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

Head of Operations at DSG, Matthew Tait had this to say ?Micah Richards really has no shortage of fans after his performances for Manchester City this season and we can see that by the success of his PFA Facebook page.?

?All of us here at Digital Sports Group are proud we've had the opportunity to work with The PFA to give the fans a fantastic and unique fan resource for Micah.?

DSG became the official digital partner of the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) earlier this year and have since launched a number of Player profile fan pages on social media site Facebook as well as providing official player pages on their football news site football.co.uk.

Source: http://uk.prweb.com/releases/2013/2/prweb10454976.htm

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[News] NBA Spokesperson Refutes Claim That Lil Wayne Is Banned

A spokesperson from the NBA says that Lil Wayne's claim that he is banned from league events is false.

It appears that Lil Wayne may have exaggerated reports that he has been barred from attending live NBA events.

In a recent report from TMZ,?Mark?Broussard,?the Senior Director of Basketball Communications for the NBA,?said that there is "no truth at all" to the New Orleans rapper's claims that he has been banned from attending any further NBA games. Broussard even went on to say that the rapper?voluntarily?left the Miami Heat game from which he was allegedly ejected.

Last week, Lil Wayne made headlines when he claimed that the Miami Heat basketball organization forcibly ejected him from a game for rooting for the Los Angeles Lakers. Wayne took his feud further at a concert this past weekend in Houston, claiming that he had an affair with the wife of Heat power-forward/center Chris Bosh.

This isn't the first time Lil Wayne has sparked a beef with the National Basketball Association. Last year, he said he was barred entry to an?Oklahoma City Thunder play-off game, a claim the team organization later denied.

DX will keep you updated as more information comes to light.

RELATED: Lil Wayne Claims To Be The "New 'Pac," Says He Slept With Chris Bosh's Wife

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/hiphopdx/news/~3/rhbq2110QXk/title.nba-spokesperson-refutes-claim-that-lil-wayne-is-banned

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The Tablet War: Sony Xperia Tablet vs Microsoft Surface Pro vs Apple iPad 2

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Source: www.ibtimes.com --- Tuesday, February 19, 2013
In a CBS news programme, Microsoft founder Bill Gates has admitted that Microsoft had messed up its mobile tech standing in the market. He also shared his opinion on the Windows Phone and Windows 8 standing vis-a;-vis the competition. ...

Source: http://www.ibtimes.comhttp:0//www.ibtimes.co.in/articles/437089/20130220/tablet-war-sony-xperia-vs-microsoft-surface.htm

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Wiping out top predators messes up the climate

Wiping out top predators like lions, wolves and sharks is tragic, bad for ecosystems ? and can make climate change worse. Mass extinctions of the big beasts of the jungles, grasslands and oceans could already be adding to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Trisha Atwood of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, studied the effect of removing predator fish from ponds and rivers in Canada and Costa Rica. Across a range of ecosystems, climates and predators, she found a consistent pattern: carbon dioxide emissions typically increased more than tenfold after the predators were removed.

"It looks like predators in many types of ecosystems ? marine and terrestrial as well as freshwater ? can play a very big role in global climate change," she told New Scientist.

The widespread and dramatic ecological impacts of the loss of top predators are well known. In the ensuing "trophic cascade", the vanished top predator's prey proliferate, which in turn puts pressure on the species that the prey eats, and so on down the food chain. In this way, changes at the top of a food chain destabilise the balance of populations right the way down.

But the geochemical impacts of trophic cascades, including any impact on emissions from ecosystems, are much less well known. Atwood's study of freshwater ecosystems showed how changes to species at the bottom of the food chain, such as photosynthesising algae, following the removal of a top predator dramatically increased the flow of CO₂ from the ecosystem to the atmosphere.

The effect will not always be to increase CO₂ emissions, however ? sometimes the loss of top predators could decrease emissions, she says. "But we show that something so seemingly unrelated, like fishing all the trout from a pond or removing sharks from the ocean, could have big consequences for greenhouse-gas dynamics."

Help from kelp

Other recent studies have hinted at similar effects. Last October, Christopher Wilmers of the University of California, Santa Cruz, reported how the disappearance of sea otters is linked with increased CO₂ emissions from North American coastlines (Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, doi.org/khz). With no otters eating them, sea urchins thrive and eat out kelp forests ? often known as the "rainforests of the oceans" ? resulting in major CO₂ releases.

Global climate models do not take such impacts into account yet. Atwood says they could be major, as freshwater emissions may be on a par with the influence of deforestation, which is thought responsible for around 15 per cent of human-caused CO₂ emissions.

Environmentalists will herald the findings as further evidence that it is vital to protect pristine habitats and the charismatic species at the top of their food chains. But there is a dark side. A recent study found that some island ecosystems around New Zealand store 40 per cent more carbon than others because of their top predators ? invading rats that are wiping out seabird colonies. Rats, it seems, are good for the climate (Biology Letters, doi.org/bbmtw9).

Journal reference: Nature Geoscience, DOI: 10.1038/NGEO1734

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Belkin's $299 Thunderbolt Express dock now up for pre-order, shipping next week

Unless there's any more last-minute tweaks, those fussy perfectionists at Belkin are ready to lift the cloche on the Thunderbolt Express dock. We'd originally seen the unit at last year's CES, but the company postponed the launch after adding a trio of USB 3.0 ports and eSATA to the hardware. If you didn't give up and shell out for the Matrox DS1 in the meantime, you can pre-order the Thunderbolt Express today for shipping next week.

Update: eSATA, which was added to the roster last summer, was ultimately dropped from the final production version.

Filed under: Peripherals, Acer

Comments

Via: Pocket-lint

Source: Belkin

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/15/belkin-thunderbolt-express-dock-pre-order/

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Tornado warning canceled for Palm Beach County

Rain is in the forecast today and Friday. (John L. White, SunSentinel)

By Ken Kaye Sun Sentinel

4:55 p.m. EST, February 14, 2013

The earlier tornado warning issued for east central Palm Beach County, including Delray Beach and Boynton Beach, has been canceled.

The National Weather Service said unstable conditions still could spawn strong isolated thunderstorms through tonight across the entire county.

The tornado warning was issued after a severe thunderstorm was spotted on radar near the Village of Golf.

South Florida's forecast otherwise calls for afternoon highs in the low 80s and evening readings in the mid 60s. Officially, there is a 70 percent chance of rain.

The rainy conditions should continue into Friday, when temperatures should be about 5 degrees cooler, thanks to a cold front.

Then expect a cool to cold weekend, with temperatures dropping into the 40s on Saturday and Sunday nights.

Central Florida's Thursday forecast: Mostly cloudy with highs in the low 70s, lows in the mid 50s and a 50 percent chance of rain.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/sun-sentinel/news/weather/hurricane/blog/~3/2pi0NVzUCXU/story01.htm

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Allworx Reach Wins Best of Show Award at ITEXPO East 2013 ...

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Feb. 12, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allworx, a Windstream company, has announced that its new mobile phone client, Allworx Reach, was awarded Best of Show for SMB Solutions during ITEXPO East 2013 in Miami, Fla.

Allworx Reach, a virtualized Allworx handset designed to run on mobile devices, was introduced during the communications conference, held Jan. 30 to Feb. 1. Allworx developed the mobile application as a way for customers to manage their multiple communication systems through a single Apple or Android device.

The Reach application fundamentally changes the way customers use their Allworx systems by making accessible on mobile devices nearly all functions and features of Allworx phones, including the ability to simultaneously make and receive multiple calls, as well as managed voicemail, tracking calls, seamless conferencing, transferring, parking, and holding calls. Allworx Reach integrates seamlessly with new or existing Allworx products, requiring no additional Allworx hardware.

Products and services recognized for the ITEXPO Best of Show Award program demonstrate raw creativity and technological innovation. Evaluated by the editors of Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC) throughout the conference, nominated products must excel in the following areas: the product's feature set, its innovative qualities, ability to work with existing standards and products, and contribution to the development of future communication product and services.

"We have seen the concept of the 'mobile enterprise' grow exponentially as employees are required to do more work away from their desks or offices," said Chris Hasenauer, vice president and general manager of Allworx. "Allworx Reach is designed to help employees on the go to continue working easily and effectively. We are honored to be recognized by TMC as an innovator in this arena."

For additional information on Allworx, please visit allworx.com. For more information on Windstream, visit windstream.com.

About Allworx

Headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., Allworx is an award-winning provider of communications solutions for all but the largest size business. Allworx delivers VoIP (Voice over IP) unified communications systems to a wide range of industries including not-for-profit and government locations through a network of authorized dealers. Allworx is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Windstream Corporation. For more information, please visit www.allworx.com.

About Windstream

Windstream Corp. (Nasdaq:WIN) is a leading provider of advanced network communications, including cloud computing and managed services, to businesses nationwide. The company also offers broadband, phone and digital TV services to consumers primarily in rural areas. Windstream has more than $6 billion in annual revenues and is listed on the S&P 500 index. For more information, visit www.windstream.com.

The Windstream Corporation logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8314

CONTACT: Alice Hartnett          704-887-0327          alice.hartnett@windstream.com

(C) Copyright 2013 GlobeNewswire, Inc. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2013/02/12/allworx-reach-wins-best-show-award-itexpo-east-2013

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Vatican history of 'disarray' will challenge new pope

Although the Pope's announcement that he would abdicate his position seemed sudden, Benedict reportedly made his decision in 2012 after a trip to Cuba and Mexico. NBC's Anne Thompson reports.

By Alastair Jamieson, Staff writer, NBC News

VATICAN CITY ? Pope Benedict XVI cited failing health for his historic decision to step aside, but it is increasingly clear that the rich seam of scandal and strife running through the Vatican weighed heavily on his mind.

Allegations of corruption at the very heart of the Roman Catholic Church were "great challenges" for the pontiff, according to his brother who on Tuesday referred to them coyly as "irregularities."

---

Experts said only the appointment of a strong replacement willing to exert a tighter grip on its divided hierarchy would succeed in giving the church a clean break from its troubles.

"They are going to need a reformer who can bring management skills," said the Rev. Thomas Reese, S.J., author of "Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church." "After all, it is often said that a good bishop needs to be like Jesus with an MBA."

The biggest headache for Pope Benedict XVI was the issue of alleged child sex abuse and the extent to which it had been ignored in some quarters of the church.

But it was the Vatileaks affair that fostered "perceptions of in-fighting, cover-ups and disarray," according to John Allen, Rome-based senior correspondent at the National Catholic Reporter.

Division between rival camps within the church hierarchy ? on one side, the pope?s ally and Secretary of State, Tarcisio Bertone, and on the other, state figures from previous papal regimes ? motivated the illegal leaking of thousands of documents that portrayed Bertone in a poor light.

In October, the pope?s former butler Paolo Gabriele?was given an 18-month prison sentence?after being found guilty of stealing of the documents, which included some of Benedict?s private papers and letters alleging corruption within the church.

Letters and memos show that a senior Vatican figure, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, was removed from his post not long after blowing the whistle on nepotism and overpayments for goods and services that he said had wasted millions of dollars, including more than $500,000 on Christmas nativity figures.

Bertone was also accused of ousting the reformist head of the Institute for Works of Religion ? the so-called ?Vatican Bank? ? and, bizarrely, of being involved in a plot to smear the editor of a Catholic newspaper as a homosexual.

The litany of scandals that surfaced during Benedict?s papacy is a ?long and not especially edifying list,? Allen said, although he added that some revelations had been exaggerated. ?You shouldn?t believe everything you read about the Vatican in Italian newspapers.?

Vatican historians do not have to look far for evidence of similar problems. The 1984 payout of more than $200 million to creditors of Banco Ambrosiano was an acknowledgement of the role church funds had played in the collapsed bank?s dealings. The bank?s chairman, Robert Calvi, was a financial adviser to the Vatican. He was found hanging from London?s Blackfriars Bridge in 1982.

?Like any other workplace, the Vatican needs to have in place a system that ensures there are no personal interests in awarding financial contracts and so on,? said Reese. ?The problem is that the church has been its own auditor and policeman.?

?The last two popes have been academic characters, and academics are not the best at reforming organizations.?

Allen said: "The Vatican is going to need somebody who can act as a strong rudder, to bang heads together if necessary and to be seen as above the various factions. It's a very tough job."

Javier Barbancho / AFP - Getty Images

Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. Look back at his life from childhood through his papacy.

Related:

Pope's hometown in disbelief over resignation

Surprise, excitement in St. Peter's Square after pope's announcement

Pope's brother: Pontiff was troubled by butler's revelations

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/12/16938688-vatican-history-of-cover-ups-and-disarray-will-challenge-new-pope?lite

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Gun violence victims will attend Obama's speech to Congress (reuters)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

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