A little cajoling from a clever developer got Siri talking to the iPhone 4 and the iPad, but Apple's tight-lipped servers kept the conversation effectively one-sided. The last-gen port was still missing something, and developer Steven Troughton-Smith knew where to find it: a jailbroken iPhone 4S. In an interview with 9to5mac, Troughton-Smith said that getting Siri to talk to Cupertino's data servers only took ten minutes after he had all of the pieces in place. Ready for your personal assistant port? Hold the phone, the process is a bit dodgy -- our hacking hero said that getting Siri on the older device is a 20-step process, and it requires files from the iPhone 4S that he says aren't his to distribute. When asked about distributing the hack over Cydia, Troughton-Smith said it was something he couldn't be a part of. On Twitter he suggested that a release would "anger the hive," but promised to post detailed notes on the hack after a iPhone 4S jailbreak drops.
Nicole Scherzinger and Lewis Hamilton recently parted ways, with insiders revealing their split was caused by? the Formula 1 driver’s reluctance to settle down. Scherzinger, [...]
NEW YORK ? A federal judge cast doubt Thursday on the fairness of a $285 million settlement that Citigroup reached with the Securities and Exchange Commission, saying lawyers need to explain how the deal is sufficient to make such serious securities fraud allegations go away.
U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan scheduled a Nov. 9 hearing on the deal announced earlier this month, questioning why he should approve the deal when Citigroup Inc. neither admits nor denies wrongdoing.
"Given the SEC's statutory mandate to ensure transparency in the financial market place, is there an overriding public interest in determining whether the SEC's charges are true?" the judge asked lawyers in a written order. "Is the interest even stronger when there is no parallel criminal case?"
Citigroup spokeswoman Danielle Romero-Apsilos declined to comment Thursday.
The SEC brought civil fraud charges against Citigroup earlier this month, saying that it misled buyers of a complex mortgage investment just as the housing market was starting to collapse. The SEC said the Wall Street bank bet against the investment in 2007 and made $160 million in fees and profits while investors lost millions.
The $285 million settlement was to include the fees and profit Citigroup earned, plus $30 million in interest and a $95 million penalty. The SEC said the money would be returned to investors.
Rakoff asked why the penalty would be paid in large part by Citigroup and its shareholders rather than culpable individual offenders.
"How can a securities fraud of this nature and magnitude be the result simply of negligence?" he asked.
The judge also questioned how the $95 million penalty was determined and why it was less than one-fifth the amount imposed last year in a case against Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
"What reason is there to believe this proposed penalty will have a meaningful deterrent effect?" he asked.
Citigroup received $45 billion as part of the $700 billion government bailout at the height of the financial crisis in 2008. Regulators at the time worried that Citigroup was on the brink of failure.
The judge also questioned how the SEC would ensure compliance with the terms of the deal. He asked lawyers to describe how many contempt proceedings against large financial entities the SEC has brought in the last decade related to prior consent judgments.
FRIDAY, Oct. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Headaches are a leading reason for medical evacuation of U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and for the falling number of active-duty troops in those countries, a new study says.
Neurological illness is one of the top three causes of non-combat-related loss of unit strength among U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and headaches are the most common neurological problem, according to the Johns Hopkins-led team of researchers.
Post-concussion headaches and migraines are the most common forms of headache requiring evacuation, and physical trauma was the cause of nearly half of the debilitating headaches.
Only one-third of troops who are sent home because of headaches return to duty in either place, the researchers found.
They reviewed the medical records of all 985 military personnel who were medically evacuated from Iraq and Afghanistan between 2004 and 2009 with a primary diagnosis of headache (about one in 1,000 of the soldiers deployed in the regions).
The study did not include those who were medically evacuated primarily for other reasons (such as trauma) that caused headaches.
About 67 percent of troops who were evacuated because of headaches never returned to the war zone. Those most likely to return were officers, whose jobs are less physically strenuous, and women, who are much less likely to have combat roles.
Nearly half of those with tension headaches returned to the war zone, compared with 20 percent of those whose headaches were associated with physical trauma, such as post-concussion headaches.
The lowest rates of return were among headache sufferers who also had a diagnosis of a psychiatric illness or traumatic brain injury and those whose headaches were treated with narcotic pain relievers.
Many of the headaches suffered by troops were the result of damage to, or pressure on, the occipital nerve located at the back of the head. This can be caused by the heavy Kevlar helmets soldiers often have to wear for long periods of time.
"Everyone who goes on patrol wears a Kevlar helmet. They are heavy. They are hard to wear. But if you get a headache from your helmet, you still must wear it. If you can't tolerate your helmet, you can't do your job. It would be too dangerous. So these folks end up being evacuated and not returning to duty," study leader Dr. Steven P. Cohen, an associate professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, said in a Hopkins news release.
The study was published online Oct. 12 in the journal Cephalalgia.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more about headache.
If the Patriots are the NFL's team of the last decade, the Steelers are a close runner-up.
Indeed, Pittsburgh has won two Super Bowls since the Patriots last grabbed the title. Since 2005, the Steel Curtain owns three AFC crowns to one for New England.
But the Patriots (5-1) have won three of the last four meetings and Tom Brady nearly always outplays Ben Roethlisberger when they face off. New England is 6-1 against Pittsburgh when Brady starts, and he is averaging 286 yards passing a game with 14 touchdowns against three interceptions versus the Steelers.
Even when the Steelers have been strong on the turnover charts, it hasn't helped much against Brady and Co. Now, Pittsburgh (5-2) is at the bottom of the conference with a minus-9 differential and has a measly three takeaways. That must change Sunday at Heinz Field when the 3-point favorite Patriots visit.
"I've been here for most of those losses, (Brady) has had our number," linebacker Larry Foote said. "We have to try and correct that this Sunday."
It is no easy chore, particularly with AFC East leader New England coming off a bye. Still, the Patriots are struggling on defense, Brady has been sacked 11 times and thrown eight picks. Pittsburgh has 17 sacks and has won three straight to take the AFC North lead.
"They don't dance around. They're not finesse whatsoever," Patriots defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth said. "Everybody runs hard. They don't mind hitting. They like to hit. It's a very physical team. More physical than we have seen this year."
And New England is more potent offensively than anyone the Steelers have seen, ranked first in yards passing and overall offense and averaging just under 31 points a game.
"They are doing what they usually do," Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said.
Which means beating the Steelers.
PATRIOTS, 30-23
Miami (plus 10) at New York Giants
We get the feeling last week's collapse will carry over for woeful Dolphins. Giants getting healthy after bye.
BEST BET: GIANTS, 28-10
Cincinnati (minus 3) at Seattle
Tough week to find an underdog we project to win outright.
UPSET SPECIAL: SEAHAWKS, 17-16
Dallas (plus 3 1/2) at Philadelphia
Huge NFC East matchup that could determine future of division.
EAGLES, 24-23
San Diego (plus 3 1/2) at Kansas City, Monday night
Have to like the way Chiefs turned it around despite major injuries.
CHIEFS, 21-20
Buffalo (minus 6) vs. Washington at Toronto
Things are falling apart in DC. A trip to the Great White North won't help.
BILLS, 27-17
Cleveland (plus 9 1/2) at San Francisco
Niners have kind of schedule that could earn them a bye if they stay on track.
49ERS, 20-6
Arizona (plus 13) at Baltimore
Angry and embarrassed Ravens are more fierce than these Cardinals.
RAVENS, 22-7
Indianapolis (plus 9) at Tennessee
Both teams come off humiliations. Titans more likely to bounce back.
TITANS, 24-13
Jacksonville (plus 9 1/2) at Houston
Banged-up Texans got possible season-defining win last week. Jags impressed against Ravens.
TEXANS, 26-13
Minnesota (plus 3 1/2) at Carolina
Newton vs. Ponder. Go with the more-veteran rookie.
PANTHERS, 27-16
New Orleans (OFF) at St. Louis
Too bad this is off the board (Sam Bradford's injury); would've been Best Bet.
SAINTS, 38-13
Detroit (OFF) at Denver
No line because of Matthew Stafford's right ankle injury. Shaun Hill is a decent backup.
LIONS, 23-20
___
RECORD:
Against spread: 8-4-1 (overall 59-38-3); straight up 9-4 (overall 71-32).
Best Bet: 2-5 against spread, 4-3 straight up.
Upset Special: 6-1 against spread, 4-3 straight up.
KABUL (Reuters) ? Gunmen attacked a foreign military base in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar on Thursday, coalition forces and the Afghan interior ministry said.
Two attackers fired shots at the base from a nearby building before being killed by security forces, interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi said.
Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.
Soldiers then found a car suspected to contain explosives. They have sealed off the area while inspecting the vehicle for bombs, Sediqi said.
"There are no ISAF fatalities," a spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul said.
Also Thursday, a suicide attacker targeted a coalition base in Panjwai district, also in Kandahar province, detonating a vehicle containing an improvised explosive device outside the perimeter of the base.
There were no ISAF casualties and the perimeter was not breached, ISAF said.
Kandahar, 482 km (300 miles) south of the capital Kabul, is the birthplace of the Taliban, and their current stronghold in the country.
Despite the presence of more than 130,000 foreign troops, violence in Afghanistan is at its worst since the start of the war 10 years ago, according to the United Nations.
ISAF says there has recently been a fall in attacks initiated by insurgents, but this data excludes attacks that kill only civilians, and attacks on Afghan security forces operating without international troops.
As well as day to day attacks by insurgents, there has been a series of high-profile assassinations over the last year.
In August, Taliban suicide bombers killed at least 22 people in an attack on the Parwan provincial governor's compound, and in September insurgents launched a 20-hour assault on the U.S. embassy in Kabul, killing more than a dozen people.
(Reporting by Mirwais Harooni and Daniel Magnowski; Editing by Sugita Katyal)
Duo return to MTV with new episodes tonight. By Kevin P. Sullivan
Beavis and Butt-Head Photo: MTV
It's been almost 14 years since the slackest slackers of a generation, Beavis and Butt-head, filled the airwaves with their shenanigans, but when the duo return to television with new episodes Thursday (October 27), the MTV they return to is quite a different one.
Creator Mike Judge had to address the changes to the channel when deciding which direction to take the show in. Without music videos playing as regularly on MTV, there is less of an opportunity for Beavis and Butt-head to sit around and comment on them as they did during the show's original run. Reality shows like "Jersey Shore" and "16 and Pregnant" have replaced what were formerly blocks of music videos, and Judge said he wanted the new "Beavis and Butt-head" episodes to reflect that shift.
According to Judge, MTV reality shows comprise 60 percent of the content Beavis and Butt-head sit and watch now. The transition from music videos to reality programming has been an easy one for Judge. "I think it is easier taking shots at the reality shows than music videos," Judge said.
But Beavis and Butt-head didn't just make fun of the videos they watched. "In the beginning of the first run, I did a lot of what I would call taking shots at the videos," Judge said. "But then a lot of times I would just have them talk about whatever, and it didn't necessarily have that much to do about saying anything one way or another about the video."
Reality TV, on the other hand, is a different story. Judge has found that with the new crop of shows, the material is too ripe for ridicule to ignore. "With the reality shows, it just feels like pay dirt to me," Judge said. "Those shows have just been really fun to have Beavis and Butt-head watch."
Dear Drama, Your friend in HR must have studied at the Borgia School of Management. So two of your disgruntled co-workers have concocted a scheme to make false accusations and thus destroy the CEO. You?re right that this is wrong and dangerous. Unfortunately, once you get involved in this intrigue?even to try to expose it?there is not necessarily a safe path for you. I spoke to employment attorney Philip Gordon, and he laid out some of the minefields ahead. Let's say you come forward and tell your boss what's up, then he takes action against the conspirators. That could result in two women in the company, one in HR, saying they've been slandered by you. On the other hand, if you don?t say anything and wait for the truth to vindicate your boss, he could end up hustled out the door and the reason for his ouster kept quiet. Gordon said he always advises clients weighing such quandaries to assess their own moral compass and capacity for risk. Maybe you have financial and personal obligations that mean you cannot put your job in jeopardy, and you just have to find comfort in the fact that you?ve done what you could by warning your friend to back off. Maybe you can?t live with knowing an injustice might be done, and you have to act. If you fall into the latter camp, this is a case in which the anonymous letter may be the best way to go. You could write to the boss (or the board, if there is one) and let him know, without even naming names, that there is a plan afoot to smear him. This could give him some protection. And since an investigation would likely ensue, word of it might quash the plans of the conspirators. So the boss may be saved. But if you're the only confidante of your pal in HR, she could still know you were the tipster. Gordon said that besides the tawdriness of trying to influence company policy through character assassination, if your colleagues go ahead, they could end up destroying what they think they?re saving. He said that if the CEO is ousted, then it comes out that HR was behind a plan to tar an innocent man, he?d love to have your boss as a client because your firm would be facing some colossal liability.
What happens when you're the de facto distribution platform for something like Occupy Wall St and other events that run afoul of the police? Well, you end up getting an email through semi-official channels saying "Would you please remove the video of Officer Pounder allegedly overstepping his authority" — and there's not much of a choice. As much as Google would like to avoid antagonizing local police forces, the backlash that would occur if they forcibly took down, say, Officer Bologna (Tony Bologna no less) pepper spraying those girls, would be lethal to the YouTube brand. Up it stays. On the other hand, there are plenty of legitimate takedown requests that come from governments when a video or other Google-hosted item is in fact illegal, so down they must come, whether they like it or not. It's a fine line to walk, and Google has hoped to make their position clear with their Transparency Report. The report corresponding to the first half of 2011 has an interesting little extra tidbit: "We received a request from a local law enforcement agency to remove YouTube videos of police brutality, which we did not remove." Why so specific?
ERCIS, Turkey?? A fiance's love saved 25-year-old teacher Gul Karacoban from being left to die under the rubble of a restaurant she was eating at when a deadly earthquake struck eastern Turkey.
Brought out alive on Monday along with two colleagues, after 18 hours pinned under a mound of concrete and masonry, she was stretchered into an ambulance while paramedics assured her desperate fiance she would be all right.
"All I want is for her to live, I don't care if she injured or not. It doesn't matter, I just want her alive," air force Lieutenant Onur Eryasar told a Reuters photographer before climbing into the ambulance.
When the quake struck, Eryasar rushed from his base in Van to the town of Ercis some 60 miles away to find Karacoban, and by talking with her friends and colleagues he learnt where she had gone to lunch.
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Finding the restaurant in the dark, he shouted out her name. Hearing the voices of other people trapped in the collapsed building he persuaded one of the rescue teams to begin digging.
By late Monday morning his perseverance was rewarded as the young woman was carried out, alive and conscious.
At least 264 people died in Sunday's 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck the cities of Van and Ercis, but hundreds more were feared dead and trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
Story: Frantic hunt for survivors after Turkey quake kills hundreds
Elsewhere in Ercis, a town of 100,000, a rescue worker stepped carefully down the heap of dust and rubble that had once been an internet cafe, cradling a tiny boy of maybe three years old.
His neck protected by a brace, the boy was crying as he was carried in his rescuer's arms to a waiting ambulance.
Another man emerged stunned, looking round in disbelief as he sat on the debris that he'd been buried under overnight in the bitter cold. Assisted down to the road, he stumbled away into the crowd.
A Reuters photographer saw a woman and her daughter being freed from beneath a concrete slab in the wreckage of a building that had once been six stories tall.
PhotoBlog: Rescue workers find survivors in collapsed buildings
"I'm here, I'm here," the woman, named Fidan, called out in a hoarse voice. Talking to her regularly while working for more than two hours to find a way through, the rescuers cut through the slab, first sighting the daughter's foot, before finally freeing them.
They were alive, but their bodies were badly swollen. Four dead bodies were pulled from the same building.
Distraught relatives continued their vigil in quake-stricken towns and villages.
'Our grief is huge' In Van, the provincial capital of 1 million people on the shores of Turkey's largest lake, fewer buildings collapsed.
But the quake destroyed a seven-story apartment block, home to around 40 families.
"Our grief is huge. My uncle's wife and her children are under the rubble," said one woman watching heavy lifting machinery trying to remove the slabs of fallen concrete.
"All our houses are damaged. We are staying in the youth sports center," she said, before breaking down in tears.
Another woman told Reuters her aunt and little cousin were buried somewhere in a concertina of concrete slabs. At another site a mother said her 24-year-old son, a veterinarian student, was also missing under the rubble.
Emergency workers from half a dozen rescue teams worked frantically to clear debris from a collapsed four-story building that had housed eight apartments, fearful rising smoke meant there was a fire burning somewhere down below.
Nobody, either dead or alive, had been brought out of the wrecked building so far, though one woman told a rescue worker she had spoken to a friend, Hatice Hasimoglu, on her mobile phone six hours after the quake and she was trapped inside.
The 24-year-old pre-school teacher had been living on the first floor of the building.
"She called me to say that she's alive and she's stuck in the rubble near the stairs of the building," said her friend, a fellow teacher. "She told me she was wearing red pajamas," she said, standing with relatives begging the rescue workers to hurry.
Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
Specialist Christopher Culhane, left, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday, Oct. 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Specialist Christopher Culhane, left, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday, Oct. 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Trader Dudley Devine, center, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday, Oct. 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Trader Walter Lundon, second from right, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday, Oct. 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
John Liotti, center, works with fellow traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday, Oct. 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Trader Gordon Charlop, center, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday, Oct. 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
NEW YORK (AP) ? Stocks gained steadily Monday on a round of corporate takeovers and reports that Europe's bailout fund will be larger than anticipated. The Dow Jones industrial average gained nearly 100 points at midday. The Nasdaq composite index turned positive for the year.
Mattel and J.M. Smucker were among companies that rose after announcing acquisitions. The takeovers helped push the Russell 2000 index of small companies up 2.8 percent as investors moved money into higher-risk assets and looked for companies that might become takeover targets.
Investors are still waiting for a resolution to Europe's debt problems. European leaders said they made progress at a weekend summit and plan to unveil concrete plans for containing the crisis by Wednesday. The Dow was up about 40 points in the first hour of trading but moved steadily higher through midday following reports that Europe's takeover fund will be greatly expanded.
Even with concerns about Europe, U.S. companies are still reporting bigger profits. "Although there is a good deal of economic and political uncertainty in the world, we are not seeing it much in our business at this point," Caterpillar Chief Executive Doug Oberhelman said.
The maker of construction equipment reported a 44 percent surge in income, more than Wall Street analysts were expecting, thanks to strong growth in exports. The company said it expected the global economy to continue recovering, albeit slowly.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 99, or 0.8 percent, to 11,907 at noon Eastern. Caterpillar jumped 6.1 percent, the most of the 30 companies in the Dow.
The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 14 points, or 1.1 percent, to 1,252. The Nasdaq composite rose 56, or 2.1 percent, to 2,693. The gains turned the Nasdaq positive for the year. The S&P 500 is the only major market index that remains lower than where it started the year.
Strong earnings reports from McDonald's Corp. and other big U.S. companies last week drove the Dow Jones industrial average to its third straight weekly gain. The S&P 500 finished the week at its highest level since Aug. 3, just before Standard & Poor's downgraded the U.S. government's credit rating.
Other major U.S. companies due to report earnings this week include UPS Inc., Ford Motor Co. and Procter & Gamble.
Analysts expect companies in the S&P 500 to report earnings growth of 14 percent for the third quarter, according to data provider FactSet. They expect a 10 percent gain in revenue.
Expenses are also expected to climb. Higher costs for raw materials helped drag down income 8 percent at Kimberly-Clark Corp., which reported results Monday. The stock fell 5 percent. The company is a major consumer products maker whose brands include Huggies and Kleenex.
Higher costs also hurt cigarette maker Lorillard, which reported a 3 percent drop in income. Lorillard's stock fell 1.5 percent.
A series of corporate deals helped lift the market.
? HealthSpring Inc. jumped 33 percent after Cigna Corp. said it will buy the health insurer for about $3.8 billion in cash. Cigna fell 0.4 percent.
? RightNow Technologies Inc. gained 19 percent after Oracle Corp. said it will buy the tech service company for about $1.5 billion. Oracle rose 0.8 percent.
? Mattel Inc. rose 2 percent after it agreed to buy Hit Entertainment, the owner of the Thomas & Friends and Barney brands, for $680 million in cash.
? The J.M. Smucker Co. added 1 percent after it bought most of Sara Lee Corp.'s North American foodservice coffee operations for about $350 million.
Asian and European markets rose earlier Monday after Japan said its exports grew for a second straight month in September and a report showed China's industrial production returned to growth in October. Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 1.9 percent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 4.1 percent and South Korea's Kospi index rose 3.3 percent.
[unable to retrieve full-text content]Many members of the middle class have to look after their disabled relatives themselves, or pay someone to do it.
Washington (The Weekly Standard) Vol. 017, Issue 07 - 10/31/2011 ? About 24 hours after he recited the oath of office, Barack Obama addressed senior executive branch officials and cabinet secretaries at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The new president promised that his administration would bring a new openness to Washington, with strict ethics requirements and a presumption in favor of public disclosure of, well, almost everything. ?For a long time now, there?s been too much secrecy in this city,? he declared. ?The old rules said that if there was a defensible argument for not disclosing something to the American people, then it should not be disclosed. That era is now over. Starting today, .??.??. this administration stands on the side not of those who seek to withhold information but those who seek to make it known.?
Think about that promise as you consider the Obama administration?s response to the congressional investigation of a $535 million loan guarantee to the bankrupt solar panel manufacturer Solyndra.
After the Department of Energy complied with an initial Solyndra document request from the House Energy and Commerce Committee in February 2011, the Obama administration became largely uncooperative. When there has been a defensible argument for not disclosing something, the administration has used it. Officials have withheld thousands of pages of documents. They have ignored requests for information as a matter of routine. In late June, the deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget did not show up at a congressional hearing for which he was the only witness. In late July, OMB failed to meet a deadline to provide documents that had been subpoenaed by the Energy and Commerce Committee. In October, after the head of the Department of Energy?s loan program resigned, the administration finally provided some of the requested documents???but did so late on a Friday of a three-day weekend and only after briefing select reporters in advance to spin the damaging materials.
These are the ?old rules.? As questions surrounding the Solyndra loan grow more serious, the Obama administration is digging in. It?s not hard to see why.
Late last week, for instance, the administration muzzled a key figure in the developing controversy. The Department of Energy denied a request from the House Energy and Commerce Committee for a transcribed interview, under oath, with Susan Richardson, chief counsel to the Department of Energy program that granted the risky loan to Solyndra. Richardson is the author of two memos from earlier this year about the restructuring of that loan???changes which ensured that private investors, including several prominent Obama supporters, would be paid back before taxpayers in the event of a default.
The two memos are nearly identical except for their dates and, perhaps significantly, the addressees. The first, labeled ?draft? and dated January 19, 2011, is a ?Memorandum for the Secretary????Energy Secretary Steven Chu???to be delivered ?through Scott Blake Harris,? the department?s general counsel. A second version, dated February 15, 2011, is addressed directly to Harris, with no mention of Chu.
Why the difference? Perhaps Richardson, or someone in her employ, didn?t want to burden a busy Secretary Chu with more paperwork. Or maybe Richardson thought it was up to Harris to decide if the issue was important enough to be brought to Chu?s attention.
Those are the charitable explanations. Here?s another possibility: Richardson may have sought to protect Chu from the political fallout if an increasingly flimsy Solyndra collapsed. No one, after all, had been a bigger advocate for the Solyndra loan than Steven Chu. From the beginning, Chu sought to expedite the loan guarantee, even if that required changing the rules meant to protect taxpayers. In February 2009, for example, Chu complained to the Wall Street Journal that paperwork requirements were burdensome. ?It might be too much,? he said.
A month later, Chu had apparently made some progress. The Solyndra loan application had been denied by the Bush administration in mid-January 2009. But the new rules yielded different results. ?We?ve accelerated and streamlined the process and the loans are coming out,? he said. ?We?re trying to streamline it so that the period of time will be reduced from a scale of four years to several months.?
Two years later, as Richardson was preparing her memo justifying the loan restructuring, the political implications of a Solyndra collapse were on the minds of top Obama administration figures. Officials at the Office of Management and Budget thought Solyndra so important, in fact, that they recommended having a top OMB representative raise the issue directly with Chu.
An email between OMB officials dated January 31, 2011, notes that an upcoming meeting about the loan program ?might present an opportunity to flag to DOE [Department of Energy] at the highest level the stakes involved, for the Secretary to do as he sees fit (and be fully informed and accountable for the decision).?
The email further suggests that the OMB director ?privately? point out the risks of restructuring and the potential political implications to Chu:
While the company may avoid default with a restructuring, there is also a good chance it will not. If Solyndra defaults down the road, the optics will arguably be worse than they would be today. .??.??. [Q]uestions will be asked as to why the administration made a bad investment not just once (which could hopefully be explained as part of the challenge of supporting innovative technologies), but twice (which could easily be portrayed as bad judgment, or worse). In addition, the timing will likely coincide with the 2012 campaign season heating up, whereas a default today could be put in the context of (and perhaps even get some credit for) fiscal discipline/good government because the administration would be limiting further taxpayer exposure .??.??. ).
Prescient words. The important question, however, is this: Did Richardson leave Chu off the February 15 memo to protect him? And if so, did someone tell her to do so?
We don?t know. Testifying under oath, however, would allow Richardson to answer those questions and others that might help shed light on the whole sorry mess. That the Obama administration is blocking her???and refusing to cooperate fully with congressional investigators???makes clear the president and his lieutenants are less interested in sharing the facts of the case than in hiding them. As President Obama put it in January 2009: ?The way to make government responsible is to hold it accountable. And the way to make government accountable is make it transparent so that the American people can know exactly what decisions are being made, how they?re being made, and whether their interests are being well served.? He was right.
Is this a contrarian view? I can't even tell any more. On one hand, Google Plus now has 40 million users, it's the fastest-growing social-networking site in history, and its users have uploaded 3.4 billion photos. On the other, Google is mum about how many of those users are actually active; some say that its traffic has declined significantly from its peak; Google's own management didn't much use it, until recently; and many agreed with Google engineer Steve Yegge's lengthy and viral rant about how they have screwed up Plus. Not me. I think Google+ is a hit in the making. I hardly use it myself any more -- indeed, my last post there, more than a month ago, was "Sadly, it seems G+ has degenerated in my mind into little more than the place I go to complain that Twitter seems to be down" -- but I'm no representative sample. Heck, I don't really use Facebook either, except to mindlessly echo my Twitter stream. (We pause here briefly so that bloggers everywhere can recover from their exposure to the mindblowing notion that perhaps one should not treat one's own anecdotal experiences as universal truths.) When Sean Parker pointed out that all your friends are already on Facebook, Vic Gundotra retorted, "Your mom and friends, guess what, they are already on Google." As MG said some time ago, that little black bar on top of their home page and search results is their secret weapon. It gives Google an unparalleled ability to lead horses to their water. But can they make them drink? I think they can.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? The Obama administration and the regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are expected to unveil new steps to help distressed homeowners in the next week or two, a senior congressional aide said on Thursday.
The aide commented on the plan after Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein said the Federal Reserve planned to send Congress "legislative recommendations" on housing.
The aide said Feinstein "misspoke for a second" and meant the administration and the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
After Senate Democrats met with Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, Feinstein told reporters the central bank chief had stressed that more needed to be done to help the housing sector.
"They are going to submit a list of recommendations next week," Feinstein told reporters. She said the pending proposals are "legislative recommendations we can look at."
Senator Mark Warner, who also attended the meeting, said Bernanke spoke about what can be done to get mortgage refinance moved "down the field."
"There might be some ideas we are going to have shortly on that," he told reporters after the meeting.
It is unclear what Congress might do given deep political divisions in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
A handful of Senators are trying to advance a proposal that would make it easier for middle-class Americans to buy homes in expensive real estate markets.
Separately, the administration is pushing the regulator for Fannie Mae (FNMA.OB) and Freddie Mac (FMCC.OB), the two biggest U.S. housing finance providers, to allow more homeowners who owe more than their homes are worth to refinance their loans at lower rates.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Tuesday he hoped a proposal could be laid out "in the coming days." A source familiar with the plans told Reuters they could be unveiled as early as Monday.
The Fed has been exploring what steps it might be able to take to spur a more vigorous economic recovery and pull down an unemployment rate that has been stuck above 9 percent for five straight months.
On Thursday, Fed Governor Daniel Tarullo said the central bank should consider purchasing more mortgage-backed securities.
He said an MBS purchase program could be made more effective if further steps were taken to help so-called underwater borrowers refinance. He said such an effort need not focus only on loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but that legislation might be needed if policymakers wanted to reach other homeowners.
The U.S. central bank has kept overnight interest rates near zero since December 2009 and has already bought $2.3 trillion in government and mortgage-related bonds.
In September, it decided to shift its holding of bonds to try to put more downward pressure on longer-term rates. It also said it would begin reinvesting principal payments from its holdings of mortgage-related debt to help housing.
(Additional reporting by Pedro Nicolaci da Costa and Tim Ahmann; Editing by Sandra Maler, Vicki Allen, Leslie Adler and Andrew Hay)
SEOUL (Reuters) ? POSCO (005490.KS), the world's third-biggest steelmaker and backed by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, cut its 2011 investment plan and painted a dim outlook after posting a 6 percent rise in quarterly profit that met market expectations.
The outlook from POSCO, which kicks off the earnings reporting season for major Asian steelmakers such as Baosteel (600019.SS) and Nippon Steel (5401.T), bodes ill for the sector.
Although prices of raw materials such as iron ore and coking coal are softening, weakness in developed economies and tight credit conditions in China are expected to weigh on steel prices.
"Unless the global economy gets better and sparks demand, POSCO's steel business will stagger for at least two to three years, pressured by low-end Chinese products, global oversupply and its domestic rival Hyundai Steel growing fast," said Kim Se-hoon, a fund manager at Assetplus Investment Management, which owns POSCO shares.
The company, which trails ArcelorMittal (ISPA.AS) and Baosteel (600019.SS), said on Friday its July-September operating profit was 1.09 trillion won ($951.8 million), versus an average 1.15 trillion won forecast from analysts, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
The profit edged up from 1.03 trillion won a year ago, thanks to higher sales volume and prices, but fell from 1.5 trillion won in the previous quarter because of higher raw material costs, POSCO said.
BLEAK Q4 EARNINGS
POSCO Chief Financial Officer Choi Jong-tae said the steelmaker's fourth-quarter operating profit may decrease to below 1 trillion won and that steel prices are expected to fall until the first half of next year.
"I expect our fourth-quarter earnings to be the worst among this year," Choi told analysts after its earnings announcement.
He also said the firm's capital expenditure is unlikely to rise next year, after it slashed this year's investment plan by 18 percent to 6 trillion won.
POSCO said it expected global steel prices to remain weak because of an oversupply, while demand growth is seen slowing due to sluggish economies in advanced countries and China tightening.
"At home market, Korea turned into a net steel exporter because volume growth outpaced steel consumption growth...Demand decline is expected to continue in the second half because of sluggishness in major industries," POSCO said in a statement.
The weak won is also set to increase costs of imported raw materials for South Korean steelmakers in the fourth quarter.
The won, one of the region's most vulnerable currencies to global turmoil, lost more than 9 percent against the dollar in the third quarter and is widely expected to remain under pressure over the coming months as global economic jitters dampen investor appetite for riskier assets.
POSCO raised its cost-cutting target to 1.4 trillion won for this year, from the previous 1 trillion won.
Shares of POSCO, in which Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa.N) (BRKb.N) owns around 5 percent stake, have fallen 26 percent this year, compared with a 10 percent drop in the broader market (.KS11).
POSCO shares ended up 0.3 percent prior to the result on Friday, versus a 1.8 percent gain in the wider market.
($1 = 1145.200 Korean Won)
(Additional reporting by Ju-min Park, Tae-yi Kim and Yoo Choon-sik; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
Occupy London Stock Exchange protesters listen as they have a meeting to discuss what to do after being urged to leave now that they have made their point with their protest outside St Paul's Cathedral, near the London Stock Exchange in London, Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. The protesters who have camped outside the building in central London for six days have forced the venerable cathedral to close to visitors for the first time since World War II, church officials said Friday. The Dean of St. Paul's, Rev. Graeme Knowles, said the decision to shut the doors of the iconic London church to visitors and tourists following the afternoon service was made with "heavy hearts" because of health and safety concerns. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Occupy London Stock Exchange protesters listen as they have a meeting to discuss what to do after being urged to leave now that they have made their point with their protest outside St Paul's Cathedral, near the London Stock Exchange in London, Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. The protesters who have camped outside the building in central London for six days have forced the venerable cathedral to close to visitors for the first time since World War II, church officials said Friday. The Dean of St. Paul's, Rev. Graeme Knowles, said the decision to shut the doors of the iconic London church to visitors and tourists following the afternoon service was made with "heavy hearts" because of health and safety concerns. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Occupy London Stock Exchange protesters have a meeting to discuss what to do after being urged to leave now that they have made their point with their protest outside St Paul's Cathedral, near the London Stock Exchange in London, Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. The protesters who have camped outside the building in central London for six days have forced the venerable cathedral to close to visitors for the first time since World War II, church officials said Friday. The Dean of St. Paul's, Rev. Graeme Knowles, said the decision to shut the doors of the iconic London church to visitors and tourists following the afternoon service was made with "heavy hearts" because of health and safety concerns. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
People leave a side door after attending a service at St Paul's Cathedral, near the London Stock Exchange in London, Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. The protesters who have camped outside the building in central London for six days have forced the venerable cathedral to close to visitors for the first time since World War II, church officials said Friday. The Dean of St. Paul's, Rev. Graeme Knowles, said the decision to shut the doors of the iconic London church to visitors and tourists following the afternoon service was made with "heavy hearts" because of health and safety concerns. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
An Occupy London Stock Exchange protester looks over a police officer's shoulder as protesters hold a meeting to discuss what to do after being urged to leave now that they have made their point with their protest outside St Paul's Cathedral, near the London Stock Exchange in London, Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. The protesters who have camped outside the building in central London for six days have forced the venerable cathedral to close to visitors for the first time since World War II, church officials said Friday. The Dean of St. Paul's, Rev. Graeme Knowles, said the decision to shut the doors of the iconic London church to visitors and tourists following the afternoon service was made with "heavy hearts" because of health and safety concerns. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
An Occupy London Stock Exchange protester looks over a police officer's shoulder as protesters hold a meeting to discuss what to do after being urged to leave now that they have made their point with their protest outside St Paul's Cathedral, near the London Stock Exchange in London, Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. The protesters who have camped outside the building in central London for six days have forced the venerable cathedral to close to visitors for the first time since World War II, church officials said Friday. The Dean of St. Paul's, Rev. Graeme Knowles, said the decision to shut the doors of the iconic London church to visitors and tourists following the afternoon service was made with "heavy hearts" because of health and safety concerns. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
LONDON (AP) ? Protesters who have camped outside St. Paul's Cathedral in central London for six days have forced the venerable cathedral to close to visitors for the first time since World War II, church officials said Friday.
The Dean of St. Paul's, Rev. Graeme Knowles, said the decision to shut the doors of the iconic London church to visitors and tourists following the afternoon service was made with "a heavy heart" because of health and safety concerns.
He urged the protesters ? numbering roughly 500, according to organizers, allied with the "Occupy Wall Street" demonstrations ? to leave now that they have made their point.
"I'm asking the protesters to recognize the huge issues facing us at this time, and asking them to leave the vicinity of the building so that the cathedral can reopen as soon as possible," he told reporters.
Knowles stressed that he recognizes the group's right to protest but wants them to recognize that the church also has "a right to open for our visitors."
There was no set date for the reopening of the cathedral, which was designed by Christopher Wren and has hosted numerous royal ceremonies. The cathedral is where Prince Charles married his first wife, the late Princess Diana, in a ceremony televised worldwide in 1981.
The protesters, who have set up about 100 tents around the church, arrived last Saturday as part of a series of protests in many cities across the world in solidarity with the "Occupy Wall Street" activists in New York. The group decamped to the cathedral's grounds after police blocked them from entering the London Stock Exchange building near it.
Protesters said they had done all they could to address the cathedral's concerns, and showed no intention to leave.
"It's about deciding when it's no longer effective to be here," said Ian Chamberlain, 27, a self-employed researcher. "Many of us are determined to stay here as long as possible."
Protester Diane Richards, 36, said the cathedral closure was unnecessary because the impromptu camp has been safe and well organized.
"I'm really disappointed, because there has been no violence here," she said of the decision, which church officials had hinted at in recent days.
Knowles said potential health and fire problems ? notably smoking in tented areas and the presence of flammable liquids and stoves set up by protesters ? were at the heart of the issue because the church has an obligation to keep visitors safe.
Earlier this week, the church said the "increased scale and nature" of the temporary camp could make it more difficult for the cathedral to stay open for worshippers and tourists.
The protesters have drawn a mixed response from Londoners, especially the many well-heeled bankers who work in the nearby financial district known as the City.
The movement has received many donated food items and blankets from the public and some City workers were seen deep in discussion with the activists, but others were more skeptical of their cause.
"I have a sneaking suspicion they don't know what their message is," lawyer Tom Day said after reading some of the protesters' messages posted at the tent city.
Fallen autumn leaves lie in the foreground as a protest banner put up by the Occupy London Stock Exchange group hangs besides tents pitched outside St Paul's Cathedral, as protesters continue their demonstration that started on Saturday near the London Stock Exchange in London, Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. Hundreds of anti-capitalist protesters mingled with bemused bank workers outside London's St. Paul's Cathedral Monday, as welcoming but wary cathedral staff urged demonstrators not to deter tourists wanting to visit the historic building. Thousands of people demonstrated against corporate greed in cities across Europe on Saturday, along with much smaller protests in cities across the U.S. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Fallen autumn leaves lie in the foreground as a protest banner put up by the Occupy London Stock Exchange group hangs besides tents pitched outside St Paul's Cathedral, as protesters continue their demonstration that started on Saturday near the London Stock Exchange in London, Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. Hundreds of anti-capitalist protesters mingled with bemused bank workers outside London's St. Paul's Cathedral Monday, as welcoming but wary cathedral staff urged demonstrators not to deter tourists wanting to visit the historic building. Thousands of people demonstrated against corporate greed in cities across Europe on Saturday, along with much smaller protests in cities across the U.S. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
LONDON (AP) ? St. Paul's Cathedral says it may be time for the Occupy London Stock Exchange protesters gathered outside the iconic church to leave.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the London landmark over the weekend as part of the global Occupy Wall Street protests.
Many have since hunkered down outside the cathedral, pitching tents and setting up a makeshift kitchen, toilets and an information center.
Until now, church staff have allowed the protesters to remain. But in a statement released late Wednesday, St. Paul's said that the "increased scale and nature" of the camp could make it more difficult for the cathedral to stay open for worshippers and tourists.
The statement asked: "Is it now time for the protest camp to leave?"
What does a Russian satellite system have to do with the iPhone 4S' GPS capabilities? Allow us to explain. Russian site iPhones.ru recently noticed that the 4S' spec page lists support for both assisted GPS and GLONASS -- the Kremlin's global navigation satellite system and acronym for GLObalnaya NAvigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema. The country launched GLONASS 35 years ago in the hopes that it would eventually provide an alternative to GPS and the EU's forthcoming Galileo, thereby reducing Russia's dependence upon US- or Europe-operated systems. The global system has since been beset by delays and budgetary setbacks, but last week, a Russian rocket successfully launched the 24th and final GLONASS satellite, completing the constellation and inching the infrastructure closer to full activation.
News of the iPhone 4S' support has already elicited a delightfully surprised response from the Russian media, with daily Vedomosti writing: "If the iPhone 4S really does have Glonass navigation, this would be the first time the Russian system reached the world market." (Nokia, it's worth noting, announced in August that it would manufacture GLONASS-compliant handsets, while Samsung's High Fidelity Position app offers similar compatibility.) In light of Russia's economic and regulatory climate, however, the move may not seem so shocking. The Kremlin already imposes import taxes on handsets that don't support GLONASS and, as Russia's iGuides.ru points out, has even threatened non-compliant devices with an outright ban. Apple, meanwhile, has made no secret of its interest in expanding its influence within the country, with CEO Tim Cook recently referring to the Russian market as "more promising." It remains to be seen whether this added support results in sharper navigation capabilities, or if it enhances Apple's presence within Russia, but it's certainly a compelling development, nonetheless.
Yesterday morning over five hundred investors, mentors, reporters, and entrepreneurs packed the halls of New York City's Cedar Lake Theatre for TechStars Demo Day. The event showcased the dozen startups that were part of TechStars' second New York-based session (the first one ended this past April). And it didn't disappoint. At times the event felt like an awards show: each company was introduced by one of their mentors, who include Buzzfeed President Jon Steinberg and Groupme founders Steve Martocci and Jared Hecht. The mentors often enthusiastically recounted how they'd first met the young startups ? and, in some cases, how they'd immediately decided to invest (hint, hint). Click through for a rundown on each company.
Laser makes sure food is freshPublic release date: 20-Oct-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mrta Lewander ml@gasporox.se 46-702-951-113 Lund University
"It will be the first non-destructive method. This means that measurements can be taken in closed packaging and the gas composition over time can be checked. This will make it possible to check a much higher number of products than at present", says Mrta Lewander, Doctor of Atomic Physics at Lund University in Sweden.
Dr Lewander developed the technique in her thesis and now works as chief technical officer for the company Gasporox, which is commercialising the technology.
Today, spot checks are performed on individual samples, with the risk that damaged products could slip through.
"We hope that, in the long term, this type of equipment could also help to stop people throwing so much food away, because they would know that it is packaged as it should be", she says.
The product that will be launched in the autumn could be used to check and improve how airtight packaging is.
Gasporox estimates that within two years the method could also be used as a means of quality control in production when products are packaged. In the future, shops could also use it to check the shelf life of their goods.
No plastic packaging is 100% airtight. How easily oxygen can enter depends on both the material and how well sealed the packaging is.
"It has been shown that part-baked bread, for example, doesn't always meet the mark", says Annika Olsson, Professor of Packaging Logistics at Lund University.
The technology can measure through almost all packaging materials.
"As long as light can pass through then we can measure. Almost all materials allow at least some light to pass. Even packaging that contains aluminium foil, for example some fruit juice cartons, often has some part that is not covered by the foil", says Mrta Lewander.
At Lund University, research in the field is continuing. Patrik Lundin, a doctoral student in Atomic Physics, is now focusing on measuring carbon dioxide in packaging.
"It is important to measure both oxygen and carbon dioxide. Oxygen is most important, but there is also interest in carbon dioxide from the industry", says Mrta Lewander.
The development work has been financed by several research grants from bodies including Vinnova and by private entrepreneurs and investors. The product that is being developed by Gasporox is manufactured by a part-owner of the company, the Norwegian company Norsk Elektro Optikk.
How the technology works:
The protective atmosphere that surrounds the food product in the packaging usually comprises carbon dioxide or nitrogen and contains little or no oxygen. Oxygen leads to oxidisation, bacteria growth and decay.
By shining a laser beam into the packaging and studying the light that comes back, it is possible to see if the composition of the gas is correct. The laser beam measures the amount of oxygen.
The laser is connected to a handheld unit which is held against the sample. A handheld detector measures the light that comes out of the packaging and sends a signal to a computer.
The technology is based on a technique for measuring the gas composition of samples containing cavities. An early application was to diagnose sinusitis, by enabling doctors at a primary health centre to find out whether the sinuses were full of gas as they should be. Clinical studies have confirmed that the technique works, and this application is expected to be on the market within a year or two.
Background:
The idea of using lasers to measure food packaging came about by chance, when Sune Svanberg, Professor of Atomic Physics at Lund University and the father of this laser technology, met Annika Olsson, then a Reader in Packaging Logistics, on a management course at Lund University a few years ago. When they told one another what they worked with, they began to brainstorm possible areas of collaboration. At the time, there was a fierce debate going on in Sweden on the repackaging of minced meat by a major supermarket chain.
###
For more information, see www.gasporox.com or contact CTO Mrta Lewander, +46 702 951113, ml@gasporox.se, or CEO Maria Gth mg@gasporox.se, +46 702 954596. High resolution photographs of Mrta Lewander, Patrik Lundin and Annika Olsson are available in the Lund University image bank, http://bildweb.srv.lu.se/.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Laser makes sure food is freshPublic release date: 20-Oct-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mrta Lewander ml@gasporox.se 46-702-951-113 Lund University
"It will be the first non-destructive method. This means that measurements can be taken in closed packaging and the gas composition over time can be checked. This will make it possible to check a much higher number of products than at present", says Mrta Lewander, Doctor of Atomic Physics at Lund University in Sweden.
Dr Lewander developed the technique in her thesis and now works as chief technical officer for the company Gasporox, which is commercialising the technology.
Today, spot checks are performed on individual samples, with the risk that damaged products could slip through.
"We hope that, in the long term, this type of equipment could also help to stop people throwing so much food away, because they would know that it is packaged as it should be", she says.
The product that will be launched in the autumn could be used to check and improve how airtight packaging is.
Gasporox estimates that within two years the method could also be used as a means of quality control in production when products are packaged. In the future, shops could also use it to check the shelf life of their goods.
No plastic packaging is 100% airtight. How easily oxygen can enter depends on both the material and how well sealed the packaging is.
"It has been shown that part-baked bread, for example, doesn't always meet the mark", says Annika Olsson, Professor of Packaging Logistics at Lund University.
The technology can measure through almost all packaging materials.
"As long as light can pass through then we can measure. Almost all materials allow at least some light to pass. Even packaging that contains aluminium foil, for example some fruit juice cartons, often has some part that is not covered by the foil", says Mrta Lewander.
At Lund University, research in the field is continuing. Patrik Lundin, a doctoral student in Atomic Physics, is now focusing on measuring carbon dioxide in packaging.
"It is important to measure both oxygen and carbon dioxide. Oxygen is most important, but there is also interest in carbon dioxide from the industry", says Mrta Lewander.
The development work has been financed by several research grants from bodies including Vinnova and by private entrepreneurs and investors. The product that is being developed by Gasporox is manufactured by a part-owner of the company, the Norwegian company Norsk Elektro Optikk.
How the technology works:
The protective atmosphere that surrounds the food product in the packaging usually comprises carbon dioxide or nitrogen and contains little or no oxygen. Oxygen leads to oxidisation, bacteria growth and decay.
By shining a laser beam into the packaging and studying the light that comes back, it is possible to see if the composition of the gas is correct. The laser beam measures the amount of oxygen.
The laser is connected to a handheld unit which is held against the sample. A handheld detector measures the light that comes out of the packaging and sends a signal to a computer.
The technology is based on a technique for measuring the gas composition of samples containing cavities. An early application was to diagnose sinusitis, by enabling doctors at a primary health centre to find out whether the sinuses were full of gas as they should be. Clinical studies have confirmed that the technique works, and this application is expected to be on the market within a year or two.
Background:
The idea of using lasers to measure food packaging came about by chance, when Sune Svanberg, Professor of Atomic Physics at Lund University and the father of this laser technology, met Annika Olsson, then a Reader in Packaging Logistics, on a management course at Lund University a few years ago. When they told one another what they worked with, they began to brainstorm possible areas of collaboration. At the time, there was a fierce debate going on in Sweden on the repackaging of minced meat by a major supermarket chain.
###
For more information, see www.gasporox.com or contact CTO Mrta Lewander, +46 702 951113, ml@gasporox.se, or CEO Maria Gth mg@gasporox.se, +46 702 954596. High resolution photographs of Mrta Lewander, Patrik Lundin and Annika Olsson are available in the Lund University image bank, http://bildweb.srv.lu.se/.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
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What happens when you're the de facto distribution platform for something like Occupy Wall St and other events that run afoul of the police? Well, you end up getting an email through semi-official channels saying "Would you please remove the video of Officer Pounder allegedly overstepping his authority" — and there's not much of a choice. As much as Google would like to avoid antagonizing local police forces, the backlash that would occur if they forcibly took down, say, Officer Bologna (Tony Bologna no less) pepper spraying those girls, would be lethal to the YouTube brand. Up it stays. On the other hand, there are plenty of legitimate takedown requests that come from governments when a video or other Google-hosted item is in fact illegal, so down they must come, whether they like it or not. It's a fine line to walk, and Google has hoped to make their position clear with their 
Yesterday morning over five hundred investors, mentors, reporters, and entrepreneurs packed the halls of New York City's Cedar Lake Theatre for ![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 20-Oct-2011
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