Thursday, February 28, 2013

US may decide on direct military aid to Syrian opposition: Voice of ...

The US may start sending bullet-proof vests and armoured vehicles, humanitarian aid and military instructors to train militants directly to the Syrian opposition forces.

But no firearms or offensive weapon systems have thus far been mulled, since Washington is apprehensive that these might land in the hands of terrorists.

According to the Washington Post, the US Secretary of State is going to meet America?s European and Middle East allies this week to discuss the proposed policy.

However, officials say it is far from being decided on. Until now, all aid provided to the Syrian opposition has been indirect and limited to communications equipment delivered by intermediaries.

Last year, the then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, then-CIA Director David Petraeus and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta put forth the direct aid plan only to have it shot down in Congress.

Syrian opposition falls under extremist control ? Lavrov?

The Syrian opposition has been increasingly becoming more extremist, a tendency that leaves an even slimmer chance for immediate nationwide talks than was the case only a few days ago, Russia?s foreign chief Sergei Lavrov has said at a meeting with his Dutch counterpart.

Speaking in Moscow, Mr. Lavrov said that the situation had deteriorated in a matter of days. He stressed the conditions for talks between the regime and the opposition seemed to be more favorable, with more and more activists calling to discuss Syria?s future.

Russia?s top foreign official pointed out the opposition then went back on their words, adding the reason for such a dramatic change of heart was probably linked with extremists getting the upper hand in the Syrian Opposition Coalition, who are intent on blocking peace initiatives to go ahead with a military campaign.

Syrian opposition rejects dialogue with Damascus under extremists' influence - Lavrov

Extremists have evidently prevailed in the Syrian opposition, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

"It seemed to us just a few days ago that conditions for all sides to sit down at the negotiating table and start to discuss their country's future took shape, and calls appeared in favor of such a dialogue without preconditions. But these approaches were subsequently denied," he said at a press conference after talks with Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans in Moscow on Tuesday.

Syrian opposition members reiterated earlier that they were prepared for talks with the Syrian government only if President Bashar al-Assad agreed to step down.

"Apparently, extremists who are placing their bets on a military solution to the Syrian problem and blocking any initiatives leading to this dialogue have prevailed in the opposition, including the so-called National Coalition, at the current stage," Lavrov said.

Voice of Russia, Interfax, RIA, TASS

Source: http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_02_27/US-Administration-may-decide-on-sending-military-aid-to-Syrian-opposition/

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Groupon CFO says shared more revenue with merchants in fourth quarter

Feb 27 (Reuters) - Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki suffered one of her worst career defeats when she bowed out of the Malaysia Open to 186th-ranked Chinese qualifier Qiang Wang on Wednesday. The Dane, top seed at the event in Kuala Lumpur, cruised through the opening set of her first round clash and had a match point in the second before going down 2-6 7-6 6-1. Qualifier Wang, 21, allowed Wozniacki only one point in the second set tiebreak as she levelled the match and rolled through the decider to claim her biggest careeer win. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/groupon-cfo-says-shared-more-revenue-merchants-fourth-220044225--sector.html

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The sequester in 60 seconds (Reuters)

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Rapid, point-of-care tests for syphilis: The future of diagnosis

Feb. 27, 2013 ? Syphilis is on the rise worldwide and there is an urgent need for reliable and rapid screening, particularly for people who live in areas where access to healthcare is limited. An international research team, led by scientists at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) in Montreal, has demonstrated that rapid and point-of-care tests (POC) for syphilis are as accurate as conventional laboratory tests. The findings, which were published in PLoS ONE, call for a major change in approach to syphilis testing and recommend replacing first line laboratory tests with POC tests globally, especially in resource-limited settings.

"There is a need to embrace rapid and POC tests for syphilis in global settings," argues Dr. Nitika Pant Pai, the study's senior and corresponding author, clinical researcher at the RI-MUHC and assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at McGill University. "This meta-analysis generates global evidence across all populations for POC tests for syphilis and is the first to use sophisticated analyses to explore the accuracy of POC tests compared to the best reference standards."

Currently, syphilis is screened using conventional laboratory-based tests that can take up to three weeks to deliver results. These tests require chemical agents, trained staff and a continuous supply of electricity, which are not readily available in some parts of the world. Rapid and POC tests can be performed on a simple finger stick sample one patient at a time, and the results communicated to the patient within 20 minutes, saving time and helping doctors order confirmatory tests and rapidly flagging patients who need treatment.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the rod-like bacterium Treponema pallidum. It is transmitted between sexual partners through direct contact with a Syphilis sore. It may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis. "As well timely screening and treatment in first trimester is extremely important for pregnant women to prevent still births, pre-term births and mother-to-child transmission of syphilis," adds Yalda Jafari, the study's first author and a former master's student of Dr. Pant Pai.

As many as 50 million people worldwide are being treated for syphilis and about 12 million new cases are diagnosed every year. However, approximately 90% of those infected do not know it, and this is the driving force behind the worldwide epidemic. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) often refers to syphilis as the "great imitator," because many of its symptoms are similar to other diseases.

"Our study has major worldwide implications for populations living in rural areas with limited access to healthcare," says Dr. Pant Pai. "These tests offer the potential to expedite first line screening in settings where people have no access to a primary care physician or where laboratories take more than a week to deliver results."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by McGill University Health Centre, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Yalda Jafari, Rosanna W. Peeling, Sushmita Shivkumar, Christiane Claessens, Lawrence Joseph, Nitika Pant Pai. Are Treponema pallidum Specific Rapid and Point-of-Care Tests for Syphilis Accurate Enough for Screening in Resource Limited Settings? Evidence from a Meta-Analysis. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (2): e54695 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054695

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/eI-lJXTBzv8/130227183534.htm

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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Music revenues increase for first time since Napster's rise ...

LONDON -- More than a decade after online file swapping tipped the music industry into turmoil, record executives may finally be getting a sliver of good news.

Industry revenue is up. A measly 0.3 percent, but it's still up.

"We're on the path to recovery," said Frances Moore, whose International Federation of the Phonographic Industry put together the figures released in a report Tuesday. "There's a palpable buzz in the air."

In her forward to the IFPI report, Moore said the return to growth was a tribute to the transformation of the music industry, saying it had "adapted to the Internet world."

That change has been a long time coming. Online song sharing popularized by services such as Napster at the turn of the millennium seriously destabilized the industry, which reacted with a barrage of lawsuits and lobbying. But the war on piracy failed to stem the tide of free music, and by the time executives finally began making legal music available through download services such as Apple's (AAPL) iTunes, the industry was in a free fall.

Since its 1999 peak, the global music industry's revenues have crashed more than 40 percent. Tuesday's figures, which show a rise in global revenue from $16.4 billion in 2011 to $16.5 billion in 2012, are the first hint of growth in more than a

decade.

Mark Mulligan, of U.K.-based MIDiA consulting, warned that Tuesday's figures did not mean the industry had put its misery years behind it.

"We're probably near the bottom," he said, "but it's so marginal we could easily have another year or two where it could get worse."

The physical music market -- everything from vinyl records to DVDs -- continues to contract, losing another $500 million in revenue between 2011 and 2012, according to Tuesday's IFPI figures. The industry group has placed its bets on downloads, streaming, and subscription services to make up for lost ground, but there's still a long way to go.

Downloads and streaming audio now account for most of the music sold in the United States and Scandinavia, but physical music still accounts for the majority of industry revenue worldwide.

Illegal music downloads remain a problem worldwide, particularly in potentially huge markets such as Russia, India, and China. Moore urged governments to follow the example of the international enforcement action against Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom, accused by American prosecutors of facilitating millions of illegal downloads. Dotcom, who is fighting an attempt to extradite him from New Zealand to the United States, denies the allegations.

The report hailed the action against Megaupload and sites like The Pirate Bay -- which has been blocked by several European countries -- but it estimated that 32 percent of all Internet users still regularly downloaded pirated music.

"What other industry has to cope with a third of its customers being able to get copies of its products from illegal services?" Moore said.

With growth uneven across various countries and piracy still a stubborn problem, it could take years for the industry to return to its previous health. If it ever does.

Mulligan said he believes some of the lost revenue may never be recovered, with many casual users who used to buy the odd CD turning to free services such as YouTube, television music channels, or Internet radio instead.

"This is a case of managed decline," he said, predicting "a sustainable but smaller market built around more engaged music fans."

------

Online:

The IFPI's report: http://www.ifpi.org/content/section--resources/dmr2013.html

Source: http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_22670996/music-revenues-increase-first-time-since-napsters-rise

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Jumbo home loans are back, but far below 2007 levels

WASHINGTON - Home sales and prices are rising briskly in those neighborhoods where the well-heeled like to plant their mailboxes: along Chicago's north shore, in the San Francisco Bay area and in the haute Hamptons.

Sales of properties worth between $750,000 and $1 million are up 38.7 percent over a year ago; $1 million-plus property sales are up 25.7 percent, according to the National Association of Realtors.

The luxury real estate revival is being fueled, in part, by another resurgence: so-called jumbo mortgages - those loans, typically over $417,000, that are too big to qualify for purchase by federal agencies, namely Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Jumbo loans are returning to the mortgage market after almost disappearing entirely in the wake of the credit crisis of 2008 and the real estate meltdown. Most lenders stopped making new jumbo loans when the private secondary market dried up in the credit crunch.

Now the credit markets are comparatively stable. Lenders, who are only making these big loans to the most highly qualified borrowers, now see jumbos as a safe and profitable way to make money on their low-cost deposits. And secondary market investors are starting to regain their taste for these comparatively high-yielding loans. Moreover, once-pricey jumbo loans are being offered at interest rates that are barely higher than conventional mortgages.

"The jumbo market may fare better than the overall mortgage market in 2013," Guy Cecala, publisher of Inside Mortgage Finance said.

But he and other observers question whether the jumbo loan market can return to its past size without a full recovery in the secondary market, which is a fraction of its former self. And new mortgage regulations could limit lenders starting in 2014.

"We are definitely enthusiastic," says Tom Wind, executive vice president of residential and consumer lending at EverBank Financial Corp. in Jacksonville, Fla. He sees growing investor demand for these loans allowing the market to grow. At current rates - roughly 0.23 percentage points above conventional mortgages - they provide nice yields for banks who want to keep the loans in their portfolios, too.

For the four weeks ending Feb. 22, new jumbo activity was up 60 percent from the same period a year ago, according to Mortgage Daily, a trade publication that has been consistently reporting year-over-year increases in jumbo activity.

Even though loan volume is increasing, it is nowhere near 2007 levels, when the industry made $348 billion in jumbo loans. Last year, roughly $200 billion of jumbo mortgages were made, and Cecala says that he expects total 2013 volume to approach $220 billion.

In some expensive markets, loans don't start being classified as jumbo until they exceed $625,500; that limit was even higher for part of 2007, meaning that the 2007 figure represents a smaller potential jumbo market and isn't directly comparable.

Mortgage market leader Wells Fargo has increased its jumbo loan volume for three years straight, said Greg Gwizdz, an executive vice-president. In 2010, Wells Fargo issued a total of $10 billion in jumbo loans. That rose to $27 billion in 2011 and to $41 billion in 2012, with the average loan at $1 million, Gwizdz said.

Less than half of jumbos tend to go to refinancings, while almost three quarters of conventional mortgages were for refinancings last year, Cecala said. That, too, should boost jumbo activity in 2013 as refis taper off and the housing market picks up.

Better deals, narrower spreads
Interest rates on jumbos have been approaching those of the so-called conforming loans, even though they don't have agency backing. In mid-February, for example, the average rate on 30-year fixed-rate jumbo loans was 3.98 percent while the average rate for 30-year conventional loans was 3.75 percent, making the spread between them just 0.23 percentage points, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

Pre-crisis, rates on jumbo loans were typically around 0.25 percentage points higher than those on conventional loans, says Keith Gumbinger of HSH Associates, a mortgage research firm in Pompton Plains, N.J. At the height of the financial crisis in December 2008, it hit 1.8 percentage points.

"I just locked in a $900,000 loan at 3.5 percent," said Amy Slotnick, vice president of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp., in Needham, Mass. "I can't even get a conforming loan at that rate."

Jumbos loans are priced well now because only the most qualified borrowers can get them. Lending standards, which were notoriously lax pre-crisis, have intensified as the loans have returned to market.

"At one point all you needed was a pulse" says Matt Silver, director of the Chicago Association of Realtors, and a real estate agent who specializes in high end Chicago properties. "Now you have to have all of your ducks in a row."

Those standards will get even more restrictive in 2014, when Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rules take effect. The CFPB rules are likely to kill the market for interest-only mortgages that had made up roughly 10 percent of the jumbo market, according to the Mortgage Bankers of America.

The rules also offer lawsuit protection for lenders who require that borrowers keep their debt payments at 43 percent or less of monthly income. Rick Sharga, of Carrington Mortgage Holdings in Greenwich, Conn., said that could be problematic for the jumbo market, because many high-income and high net worth borrowers don't fit that guideline but still have plenty of money on hand to repay their loans.

Today a borrower typically needs to put up 30 percent of equity, show a FICO credit score topping 760, provide years of tax records and prove that he or she has a year of mortgage payments in the bank. After meeting that stringent criteria, the typical jumbo borrower is probably a reasonable bet for a lender.

"Not just a good risk," says Slotnick. "A great risk."

Secondary market pickup
Like many jumbo lenders, Wells has been keeping the loans it makes in its own portfolio instead of selling them off.

"Holding a jumbo loan is an attractive investment for banks sitting on lots of low rate deposits," says Mike Fratantoni, vice president of research and economics at the Mortgage Bankers Association. But eventually, lenders will need to sell off those loans to raise more money to make loans.

There has been some activity in the secondary market for these big loans - Redwood Trust Inc. led the way when it started packaging jumbos in 2010. Credit Suisse and Shellpoint Partners, a private mortgage-focused firm, have followed or made plans to do so, and JP Morgan Chase & Co. is reportedly preparing its own jumbo-backed offering. But other investment firms, burned in the credit crisis, remain cautious.

Indeed, back in 2007, 61.3 percent of jumbo loans were securitized, Cecala said. In the first 9 months of 2012, just 1.7 percent of jumbo loans were securitized, up from 0.4 percent in 2011 and 0.2 percent in 2010.

Secondary market players and investors may come around as they see how the jumbo bet has paid off for Redwood - the real estate investment trust's share price is up roughly 96 percent since Dec. 31, 2011. Redwood itself plans to buy and package $7 billion in jumbo loans in 2013, more than triple the $2 billion it securitized in 2012.

Without more Redwood-like deals, lenders - and particularly smaller banks like Everbank - will run out of cash to lend to jumbo borrowers. If rates rise, they will have other places to find yield.

Says HSH's Gumbinger: "There's no doubt (jumbos) are profitable today. But when you're sitting on $100 million in mortgages yielding 4 percent and you can use that capital to earn 6 or 7 or 8 percent? You're going to have to liquefy them somehow."

Additional reporting by Leah Schnurr and Tim Reid.

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/jumbo-home-loans-are-back-far-below-2007-levels-1C8573250

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With mobile apps, the more things change

Change. It seems like the last year has brought more change to mobile apps and the digital publishing space than the previous ten years combined. At the company where I work,?Zinio, we have watched our entire world change as we grew to 5,500 magazines and moved from desktop into PCs, iPads, smartphones and eBooks.

If you?re reading this, it?s a safe bet to say that your reading habits have changed significantly over the past year. Pew Research claims digital media is now the second most popular way to get news. More people reported getting news from online and mobile sites than from radio or print newspapers. This year, for the first time, 100% of publishers will format content for mobile, according to an?Alliance for Audited Media survey of 210 media companies in North America. The development points to the importance of digital publishing as well as the overwhelming change that readers have demanded.

Digital content is truly available anytime and anywhere and app users know it. Publishers get it at varying degrees. Hearst (Elle,?House Beautiful,?O) now reports that smaller tablet sizes have finally moved to digital subscriptions on their biggest titles. In fact 40 percent of its traffic is mobile. But maybe the most high-profile change has come from the oldest magazine in America:?The Atlantic.

The Atlantic has long-embraced mobile apps. In fact it has adapted its content packages extremely well for online, print, and then mobile. It?s 155 years old. But its latest redesign announced on Feb. 21, shows a great willingness to change.

In a Feb. 21 editorial, Editor James Bennett says, ?The Atlantic has also thrived, in part, by changing. To promote the competition of ideas,?The Atlantic now has three Web sites and conducts dozens of live events a year. Our ?printed? words are also conveyed digitally, on the Web and on tablets and phones. We are reaching a far larger audience than we ever have. Optimism about change?impatience for it?was part of the radical founding ethos of?The Atlantic, and this has turned out to be a good thing, today as in 1957, given all the forms and means of expression that are clamoring for your attention (though still not drowning out the poor LP, let alone radio, television, or the picture book?maybe because, in testament to the suppleness of human intelligence, technologies have a way of supplementing, rather than simply replacing, one another.)?

Although at Zinio we think wide selection and discovering new content will change the way you read, we don?t expect it to completely replace your old habits. In fact we see that 15% of our readers use all three platforms to reach their magazines each month. All of which goes back to James Bennett?s point that technology definitely supplements rather than replaces consumer behavior and the same holds true with digital publishing. We?re with James Bennett and kudos to?The Atlantic.

Zinio is a promotional partner of Appolicious.

Source: http://www.androidapps.com/tech/articles/13254-with-mobile-apps-the-more-things-change

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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

South Africa: Pistorius reports to authorities

In this photo taken Friday, Feb. 22, 2013, Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius appears in court during his bail hearing in Pretoria, South Africa, for the shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. A spokeswoman for Oscar Pistorius says he has reported to authorities under the bail terms in the murder case against him in Preoria, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

In this photo taken Friday, Feb. 22, 2013, Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius appears in court during his bail hearing in Pretoria, South Africa, for the shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. A spokeswoman for Oscar Pistorius says he has reported to authorities under the bail terms in the murder case against him in Preoria, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Olympic athlete, Oscar Pistorius , in court Friday Feb. 22, 2013 in Pretoria, South Africa, for his bail hearing charged with the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. The defense and prosecution both completed their arguments with the magistrate soon to rule if the double-amputee athlete can be freed before trial or if he must stay behind bars pending trial. (AP Photo)

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? Oscar Pistorius reported to South African authorities on Monday under bail terms in the murder case against him, said a spokeswoman for the Olympic athlete.

The double-amputee runner visited correctional officers in the capital, Pretoria, said Lunice Johnston.

"Oscar did present himself to the necessary authorities this morning," Johnston told The Associated Press.

Pistorius, who was released on bail Friday, is staying at the home of his uncle, Arnold, in the affluent suburb of Waterkloof in Pretoria.

Pistorius is accused of murder in the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in the early hours of Feb. 14. Prosecutors say the pair had an argument before Steenkamp was killed; Pistorius says he mistook her for an intruder and shot her accidentally.

Chief Magistrate Desmond Nair had set bail at 1 million rand ($113,000). The 26-year-old track star was also ordered to hand over his passports, turn in any guns he owns and keep away from his upscale home in a gated community in Pretoria, which is now a crime scene.

He cannot leave the district of Pretoria without his probation officer's permission and is not allowed to consume drugs or alcohol, the magistrate said.

Pistorius' longtime coach, Ampie Louw, had said when the runner was in detention that he wanted to put him back into training in the event that he was granted bail.

Johnston, however, said she knew of no immediate plans for him to return to the track.

Pistorius' next court appearance is on June 4. Pistorius faces life imprisonment if convicted.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-02-25-OLY-Pistorius-Shooting/id-216a1eb1efea4aa0aed0740a9661bda1

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Wi-Fi in your car? Coming to GM in 2014.

General Motors has announced a deal with AT&T that will bring mobile internet service to millions of GM vehicles next year, if not sooner, Read writes.

By Richard Read,?Guest blogger / February 26, 2013

The General Motors logo is seen outside its headquarters at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Mich. GM has said that wi-fi features be available on all four of its product lines starting in 2014, Read writes.

Jeff Kowalsky/Reuters/File

Enlarge

If you work with Ray LaHood, you might want to stay out of his way this morning -- not because he lost any Oscar bets (though he might've, we don't know), but because General Motors has announced a deal with AT&T that will bring mobile internet service to millions of GM?vehicles?next year, if not sooner.?

Skip to next paragraph The Car Connection

High Gear Media?s flagship website offers news, reviews, and the latest shopping tools for the cars that matter to US consumers. For more expert insights from Car Connection editors and opinions from around the Web,?click here.

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Why would LaHood have a problem with that? While the deal should result in improved safety features on GM cars, trucks, and?SUVs, it could also spawn more distractions for drivers -- exactly the sort of thing?against which LaHood has crusaded?since the day he was installed as U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

GM's agreement with AT&T does two things:

1.?It provides 4G LTE access for GM vehicles. 4G LTE is the zippiest version of wireless broadband to date, and what AT&T plans to do is a little like installing a mini cell phone receiver in every GM car.

2.?AT&T will also power in-car wi-fi hotspots -- the kind GM has been?providing as an option since 2009. ?

Marriage group will 'take out' GOPers who support same-sex unions (Star Tribune)

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Monday, February 25, 2013

Huckabee: If GOP veers on abortion, 'we will run from this party'

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://dmreg.co/YmDu1O

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Galaxy Note 8.0 Hands On: The 8-Inch Tablet That's an 8-Inch... Phone

Samsung's Galaxy Note just grew to 8 inches. It's actually really nice. It combines a bunch of the stuff that Samsung's been building in the Galaxy S and Note series and puts them into a nearly perfectly sized tablet. Two things, though. One, we don't know how much it costs, and price is a huge deal for 7- and 8-inch tablets. Two, the international version is a freaking 8-inch phone. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/assUg3Z_rSY/galaxy-note-80-hands-on-the-8+inch-tablet-as-an-8+inch-phone

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Sunday, February 24, 2013

Sequestration: What will happen to national parks?

Automatic cuts to the National Parks Service budget could have drastic impacts across the country, from Yosemite National Park in California, to the Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts.?

By Tracie Cone,?Associated Press / February 23, 2013

Hikers walk on the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall in Yosemite, Calif. Visitors to America's national parks will encounter fewer rangers, find locked restrooms and visitors centers, and see trash cans emptied less often if five percent across-the-board cuts are enacted by sequestration.

Gosia Wozniacka/AP

Enlarge

The towering giant sequoias at Yosemite?National?Park?would go unprotected from visitors who might trample their shallow roots. At Cape Cod?National?Seashore, large sections of the Great Beach would close to keep eggs from being destroyed if natural resource managers are cut.

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Gettysburg would decrease by one-fifth the numbers of school children who learn about the historic Pennsylvania battle that was a turning point in the Civil War.

As America's financial clock ticks toward forced spending cuts to countless government agencies, The Associated Press has obtained a?National?Park?Service?memo that compiles a list of potential effects at the?nation's?most beautiful and historic places just as spring vacation season begins.

"We're planning for this to happen and hoping that it doesn't," said?Park?Service?spokesman Jeffrey Olson, who confirmed that the list is authentic and represents cuts the department is considering.

Park?Service?Director Jon Jarvis last month asked superintendents to show by Feb. 11 how they would absorb the 5 percent funding cuts. The memo includes some of those decisions.

While not all 398?parks?had submitted plans by the time the memo was written, a pattern of deep slashes that could harm resources and provide fewer protections for visitors has emerged.

In Yosemite?National?Park?in California, for example,?park?administrators fear that less frequent trash pickup would potentially attract bears into campgrounds.

The cuts will be challenging considering they would be implemented over the next seven months ? peak season for?national?parks. That's especially true in Yellowstone, where the summertime crush of millions of visitors in cars and RVs dwarfs those who venture into the?park?on snowmobiles during the winter.

More than 3 million people typically visit Yellowstone between May and September, 10 times as many as the?park?gets the rest of the year.

"This is a big, complex?park, and we provide a lot of?services?that people don't realize," Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash said. "They don't realize we're also the water and wastewater treatment operators and that it's our job to patch potholes, for heaven's sake."

The memo says that in anticipation of the cuts, a hiring freeze is in place and the furloughing of permanent staff is on the table.

"Clear patterns are starting to emerge," the memo said. "In general,?parks?have very limited financial flexibility to respond to a 5 percent cut in operations."

Most of the?Park?Service's?$2.9 billion budget is for permanent spending such as staff salaries, fuel, utilities and rent payments. Superintendents can use about 10 percent of their budgets on discretionary spending for things ranging from interpretive programs to historic-artifact maintenance to trail repair, and they would lose half of that to the 5 percent cuts.

"There's no fat left to trim in the?Park?Service?budget," said John Garder of the nonprofit?parks?advocacy group the?National?Park?Conservation Association. "In the scope of a year of federal spending, these cuts would be permanently damaging and save 15 minutes of spending."

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/qnHDwy1Q1v0/Sequestration-What-will-happen-to-national-parks

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Martin Lewis: Enjoy the Oscars With Some Chinese... (About 1.3 Billion of 'em)

Here's a dirty little secret that no one in Hollywood likes people in the Real World to know. With the exception of being at the actual Oscar ceremony -- or at one of the handful of hot viewing parties in TinselTown -- there's nowhere better to be on Academy Awards night than at home -- enjoying the Oscars with some good Chinese.

You could order some General Tso's chicken, Kung Pao beef, Moo Shu pork, Peking duck and egg foo yung. (Don't forget a 14, a 7, a 9 and lychees). For added pleasure be sure to ask for extra MSG on everything.

But this year there's a more literal way to enjoy the Oscars with some Chinese.

I'm talking not just of the cuisine -- fine though that is.

I'm talking of the actual nation of China. You know... the country that owns us. Or at least finances us.

That is because this year -- for the very first time -- the entire nation of China will be getting a live web-stream from one of L.A.'s hottest Oscar viewing parties -- the 23rd annual Night Of 100 Stars.

What's the big deal you ask? Surely the nation that funds America gets the Oscars live on TV? Well you would think so if you read the press release from the Motion Picture Academy. Their press handout listing of nations carrying the Oscars on TV lists two outlets that will be broadcasting the Oscars in China. CCTV-6 -- one of the channels of the official Chinese state broadcaster. And Star Asia -- one of Rupert Murdoch's many pan-Asian satellite TV tentacles.

2013-02-23-Oscarpressrelease.png
Extract from official information sheet issued by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences


But on closer examination one discovers that the Great Wall of Chinese eyes will not be seeing the Oscars live on TV. CCTV-6 is not airing the Oscars live. To air live it would be on between 9:30am -1.00pm on Monday -- which might distract workers from the current Five-Year Plan. (Believed to be the utter decimation of the American economy.) So as not to interfere with child labor and other important industrial endeavors, the Oscars will be tape-delayed to air in a more convenient night-time slot. Somewhere between hot cocoa and infomercials for tractors. This will also give translators time to decipher all of Oscar host Seth MacFarlane's devastatingly witty quips about Harvey Weinstein and other Jews.

Meanwhile Star Asia, as befits a Murdoch-owned operation, will be broadcasting the show live. But with a few caveats based on geography and geo-political constraints. In Hong Kong the show will be seen live on the Fox Movies Premium channel. In Taiwan it will air on three channels - Star Movies, Star Movies HD and Star World.

2013-02-23-Screenshot20130223at2.13.14PM.png

But in Mainland China, it will only air on a network called Star Movies -- a channel that Star Asia openly declares is "only available in select hotels and compounds". Loosely translated that means that Westerners living in or visiting China can see it. It's the TV equivalent of USA Today. Freely available at all Best Western, Motel 6 and Travelodge properties. But not in yer actual Chinese homes. If "compound" conjures up images of the Sino equivalent of Hyannis Port and Kennebunkport -- that's appropriate. In Chinese-speak a "compound" is where US government officials congregate while waiting to be rescued by Ben Affleck. In other words Western embassies, consulates, legations and other segregated locales where foreign diplomats and spies commune.

So what of the estimated 1,354,601,134 (that's one billion, three hundred and fifty four million, six hundred and one thousand, one hundred and thirty four people -- though actually another 237,000 Chinese were born while I was typing those words) on Mainland China? How are they going to get their live Oscar fix?

Step forward Mr. Robert King of NewMediaTV Networks. An American media entrepreneur whose extensive work with China includes having been Executive Producer of the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

2013-02-23-Screenshot20130223at1.58.14PM.png

For the past eight years he has been live-streaming a US domestic webcast from one of the most coveted of all the Oscar viewing parties - the annual Night of 100 Stars shindig -- hosted at the swanky Beverly Hills Hotel by agent Norby Walters. Each year a slew of stars -- actually well over one hundred -- flock to attend this party. And it reliably features many previous Oscar winners and nominees who don't have a dog in this year's Oscar race (so aren't invited to the Main Event held at the This Year's Sponsor's Name Theatre in Hollywood.)

We're talking serious Hollywood players -- many of whom are recurring attendees -- such as Richard Dreyfuss, Martin Landau, James Cromwell, Garry Marshall, Ryan O'Neil, Laura Dern, Lou Gossett Jr., Robert Carradine, Keith Carradine, Robert Forster, Ed Asner, Jason Alexander, Jamie Foxx, Peter Fonda, Danny Aiello, Gary Busey, Elliott Gould, David Paymer, Lesley Ann Warren, Maximilian Schell et al.

2013-02-23-Screenshot20130223at2.03.50PM.png
The Night Of 100 Stars Academy Awards Viewing Party held annually at the Beverly Hills Hotel

So this party is not Chopped Liver. It's up there with the Elton John bash, the Weinstein Company extravaganza and the Vanity Fair (sic) party as one of the town's hotly pursued tickets.

Anyway -- Robert King appears to have pulled off something of a coup for his webcast from Night of 100 Stars party his year. He has partnered with Fashion TV to carry a live stream of his webcast on the Fashion TV website - FTV.com

And FTV.com will be live-streaming the show worldwide -- including to the People's Republic of China. Accessible to all 1,354,601,134 of them. (Plus the few hundred million born in the time I've clacked out the last few paragraphs.)

So -- if you want to enjoy the Oscars with some good Chinese -- you know where to go...

?

Follow Martin Lewis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheMartinLewis

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martin-lewis/enjoy-the-oscars-with-som_b_2750714.html

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Microsoft Victimized by Cyber Attack


Software giant Microsoft has become the latest victim of a shameless and malicious computer hacking, according to a CNN report.

The report claim that Microsoft general manager Matt Thomlinson has admitted to such an attack to the software company by saying, "As reported by Facebook and Apple, Microsoft can confirm that we also recently experienced a similar security intrusion."

Thomlinson went on further to say "During our investigation, we found a small number of computers, including some in our Mac business unit, that were infected by malicious software using techniques similar to those documented by other organizations."

Microsoft gave few other details about the hacking incident, but the company said it had "found no evidence that any customer data has been stolen in the cyber attack."

In addition, Thomlinson said Microsoft was being targeted by "determined and persistent adversaries," though he didn't specify who those were, but there's also an NBC news report linking the recent attacks on the Internet on the U.S. government and American private companies to hackers working for the military based in China.

Meanwhile, a Business Insider report has shared an article on how the people can protect themselves against the "alleged" Chinese hackers. You may also want to read that site's report here.

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Source: http://feeds09.technorati.com/~r/trarticles/~3/Ubk1ehaFIR8/

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Saturday, February 23, 2013

Local roundup: Ledyard names former Husky as girls soccer coach

LEDYARD ? Ledyard High School named a former four-year starter with the UConn women?s soccer team, Jen Sullivan, as its head girls soccer coach on Thursday.

Sullivan played on two Big East championship teams (2002, 2004) and the national championship runner-up squad (2003).

After her playing career ended, Sullivan spent five years (2006-11) as an assistant with the Providence College women?s soccer team. She is currently a guidance counselor at Stonington High School.

?We are very excited to welcome Jen Sullivan to Ledyard High School,? Ledyard athletic director Jim Buonocore wrote in a release. ?She will be an excellent role model for our student-athletes and she understands the importance of education and the role athletics plays in our educational mission at Ledyard High School. Her extensive background in the sport of soccer as a player and a coach will be extremely beneficial for our girls. She is highly regarded in the soccer community as an outstanding teacher of the game. I am excited to watch our soccer program grow under the leadership of Coach Sullivan.?

BOYS HOOPS
O?Brien Tech 76
Parish Hill 56

CHAPLIN ? The Pirates were outscored, 26-12, in the third quarter to drop their season finale.
Billy Lehoux scored a team-high 18 points and Ryan Finnigan had 17 points for Parish Hill (1-19).

LATE WEDNESDAY
BOYS HOCKEY
Branford 3
NFA-SB-Bacon 0

NEW LONDON ??Evan Callahan stopped 24 shots for the Saints (8-10), who fell behind, 2-0, after the first period and couldn?t recover.

GIRLS HOOPS
SENE quarterfinals
(3) Hyde-Woodstock 39
(6) Falmouth 20

WOODSTOCK ? Janicha Diaz scored 15 and Cashmir Fulcher added 13 to lead the Wolfpack to the win and a berth in the Southeast New England Prep School Council semifinals today.

Hyde will play at second-seeded Lincoln School at 5 p.m. today.
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Source: http://www.norwichbulletin.com/sports/x2082698151/Local-roundup-Ledyard-names-former-Husky-as-girls-soccer-coach?rssfeed=true

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Genomic detectives crack the case of the missing heritability

Feb. 22, 2013 ? Despite years of research, the genetic factors behind many human diseases and characteristics remain unknown. The inability to find the complete genetic causes of family traits such as height or the risk of type 2 diabetes has been called the "missing heritability" problem.

A new study by Princeton University researchers, however, suggests that missing heritability may not be missing after all -- at least not in yeast cells, which the researchers used as a model for studying the problem. Published in the journal Nature, the results suggest that heritability in humans may be hidden due only to the limitations of modern research tools, but could be discovered if scientists know where (and how) to look.

"The message of our study is that if you look hard enough you will find the missing heritability," said the senior researcher, Leonid Kruglyak, Princeton's William R. Harman '63 and Mary-Love Harman Professor in Genomics and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Kruglyak worked with first author Joshua Bloom, a Princeton graduate student; Wesley Loo, a 2010 Princeton graduate now a graduate student at Harvard University; Thuy-Lan Lite, Class of 2012, who is working at the National Institutes of Health for a year before starting graduate school; and Ian Ehrenreich, a past Princeton postdoctoral researcher now at the University of Southern California.

"We don't think there is some fundamental limitation -- such as that there are things we don't understand about how genes behave -- that is holding us back," Kruglyak said. "Instead, we should be able to detect the heritability in humans if we use the right tools."

Passed down from parent to child, genes determine not only eye color and other physical characteristics but also the risk of diseases. Some inherited diseases are caused by a mutation in a single gene. These single-gene disorders have well-defined patterns of inheritance that can be used to predict the chances that an individual will inherit the disease.

However, many diseases and physical traits arise due to multiple genes, multiple locations within genes, and even the regions of DNA between genes. Across the genome -- which is an individual's total genetic content -- small variations in DNA code can, when added together, increase or decrease the likelihood that a person will develop a disease or characteristic.

Height, for example, results from variations in DNA at multiple locations on the genome. Researchers have detected about 180 locations in the human genome where small alterations in the DNA code can have an influence on how tall or short a person is. Nonetheless, these locations account for only 13 percent of the expected contribution genetic code has on a person's height.

Type 2 diabetes also has missing heritability: About 40 identified genome locations are associated with the risk of developing the condition, but those account for only 10 percent of the estimated genetic influence. Finding the missing heritability for diseases like type 2 diabetes, Crohn's disease and schizophrenia could help inform prevention and treatment strategies.

In the present study, the researchers scanned the genomes of yeast cells for DNA variations -- which can be thought of as spelling errors in the four-letter DNA code -- and then matched those variations with qualities or characteristics inherited from the cells' parents. The researchers detected numerous DNA variations that, when added together, accounted for almost all of the offsprings' inherited characteristics, indicating that there was very little missing heritability in yeast.

Although the search for heritability was successful in yeast, finding missing heritability in humans is far more complicated, Kruglyak said. For example, interactions between genes can contribute to heritable traits, but such interactions are difficult to detect with genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which are the primary means by which geneticists look for DNA variations associated with diseases or traits. In addition, environmental factors such as nutrition also can influence gene activity, and these influences can be elusive to the genome-wide study. GWAS also may be inadequate at detecting common DNA spelling errors that have only small effects, or it may fail to find DNA variations that have a large effect but are rare.

The study sheds light on the role of nature (genetic factors) versus nurture (environmental factors) in determining traits and disease risk, according to Bert Vogelstein, director of the Ludwig Center at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.

"The nature versus nurture argument has been brewing for decades, both among scientists and the lay public, and 'missing heritability' has been problematic for the 'nature' component," said Vogelstein, who was not involved in the Princeton study.

"This beautiful study demonstrates that the genetic basis for heritability (nature) can be precisely defined if extensive, well-controlled experiments can be performed," Vogelstein said. "Though the results were obtained in a model organism, I would be surprised if they didn't apply, at least in part, to higher organisms, including humans."

Kruglyak said that one approach to finding the missing heritability in humans might be to apply genome-wide scans to large families, rather than focusing on large populations as is currently done. Family studies take advantage of the fact that the same genetic variations will be more common in families -- and thus easier to detect. However, the disadvantage of family studies is that the detected genetic variations may not be widespread in the population.

For the study in yeast, the team examined the offspring of two yeast cells, one that is commonly used in laboratory studies and the other in wine making. Although yeast usually reproduce asexually, under certain conditions, such as lack of food, two yeast cells will mate and produce offspring that, like human children, receive roughly half their genetic material from each parent. "Our study involves thousands of 'kids' from a single set of parents," Kruglyak said.

The team first sequenced the genomes of the two parent cells and then conducted scans for DNA variations in the genomes of 1,008 offspring. Yeast do not inherit height or disease risk from their parents, but they can inherit the ability to survive in adverse conditions. The researchers tested the parents and their offspring for the ability to grow under various conditions, including different temperatures, acidity levels, food sources, antibiotics, metal compounds, and in drugs such as caffeine.

The researchers then looked for associations between the DNA variations inherited from the parents and growth ability, and determined that the DNA variations accounted for nearly all of the resilience noted in the offspring.

The paper, "Finding the sources of missing heritability in a yeast cross," was published in Nature on Feb. 3, 2013. This work was supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants R37 MH59520 and R01 GM102308; a James S. McDonnell Centennial Fellowship (L.K.); the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (L.K.); a National Science Foundation (NSF) fellowship (J.S.B.); an NIH postdoctoral fellowship F32 HG51762 (I.M.E.); and NIH grant P50 GM071508 to the Center for Quantitative Biology at the Lewis-Sigler Institute of Princeton University.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Princeton University. The original article was written by Catherine Zandonella.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Joshua S. Bloom, Ian M. Ehrenreich, Wesley T. Loo, Th?y-Lan V? Lite, Leonid Kruglyak. Finding the sources of missing heritability in a yeast cross. Nature, 2013; 494 (7436): 234 DOI: 10.1038/nature11867

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/bcvfBHxI58A/130222121047.htm

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Sony brings dual SIM Xperia E to America, offered unlocked for $199

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Source: http://www.the-best-android.com/news/sony-brings-dual-sim-xperia-e-to-america-offered-unlocked-for-199-270531.html

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Friday, February 22, 2013

iOS Official Google Maps API v3 documentation

Does anyone know of a link to some official documentation on the new Google Maps iOS SDK? I can only find whats here: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/ios/ and it is very minimal at best. I was looking for more information, for example a list of all the class/instance methods, properties, tasks etc. Thanks.

Source: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15030981/ios-official-google-maps-api-v3-documentation

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California school district sued over yoga program

SAN DIEGO (AP) ? An attorney representing a family bent out of shape over a public school yoga program in the beach city of Encinitas filed a lawsuit Wednesday to stop the district-wide classes.

In the lawsuit filed in San Diego Superior Court, attorney Dean Broyles argued that the twice weekly, 30-minute classes are inherently religious, in violation of the separation between church and state.

The plaintiffs are Stephen and Jennifer Sedlock and their children, who are students in the Encinitas Union School District.

"EUSD's Ashtanga yoga program represents a serious breach of the public trust," Broyles said. "Compliance with the clear requirements of law is not optional or discretionary. This is frankly the clearest case of the state trampling on the religious freedom rights of citizens that I have personally witnessed in my 18 years of practice as a constitutional attorney."

Superintendent Timothy B. Baird said he had not seen the lawsuit and could not directly comment on it, but he defended the district's decision to integrate yoga into its curriculum this year.

The district is believed to be the first in the country to have full-time yoga teachers at every one of its schools. The lessons are funded by a $533,000, three-year grant from the Jois Foundation, a nonprofit group that promotes Asthanga yoga. Since the district started the classes at its nine schools in January, Baird said teachers and parents have noticed students are calmer, using the breathing practices to release stress before tests.

"We're not teaching religion," he said. "We teach a very mainstream physical fitness program that happens to incorporate yoga into it. It's part of our overall wellness program. The vast majority of students and parents support it."

Baird said the lawsuit would not deter the district from offering the classes.

Broyles said his clients took legal action after the district refused to take their complaints into account. He said the Sedlocks are not seeking monetary damages but are asking the court to intervene and suspend the program.

The lawsuit notes Harvard-educated religious studies professor Candy Gunther Brown found the district's program is pervasively religious, having its roots in Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist and metaphysical beliefs and practices.

While the lawsuit names only one family, dozens of parents feel the same way and oppose the program, Broyles said.

Children who have opted out of the program have been harassed and bullied, the plaintiffs allege. The children who opt out also are missing out on 60 of the 100 weekly minutes of physical activity required by the state, since they usually sit and read during the yoga lessons, the plaintiffs say.

Yoga is now taught at public schools from the rural mountains of West Virginia to the bustling streets of Brooklyn as a way to ease stress in today's pressure-packed world where even kindergartners say they feel tense about keeping up with their busy schedules. But most classes are part of an after-school program, or are offered only at a few schools or by some teachers in a district.

The Jois Foundation says it believes the program will become a national model to help schools teach students life skills.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/california-school-district-sued-over-yoga-program-003236235.html

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Microsoft OneNote 2010 - Complete Product - 1 PC

Microsoft OneNote 2010 gives you the ultimate place to store and share your information in a single, easy-to-access location. Capture text, images, video and audio notes with OneNote 2010 to keep your thoughts, ideas, and important information readily available. By sharing your notebooks, you can simultaneously take and edit notes with other people on your network, or just keep everyone easily in sync and up-to-date.

Source: http://www.nextdaypc.com/main/products/details.aspx?PID=A372257&rsmainid=ND0224534

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Facebook Co-Founder Sees Opportunities in Asia

Article Excerpt

SINGAPORE?Facebook Inc. co-founder Eduardo Saverin doesn't expect to repeat the scale of success he had with the popular social network, but he says Asia's rapidly expanding consumer market offers fertile ground for fresh innovation and investment.

"Asia, when you look at the Internet growth and mobile growth, is the center in terms of where the consumer base will be in the future," Mr. Saverin said at The Wall Street Journal's Unleashing Innovation conference in Singapore.

"The exponential growth in mobile technology" in the region is creating investment opportunities, he said.

China is attractive for its sheer size, while Japan and ...

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Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323549204578317381880707820.html?mod=asia_home

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Greeks strike, march in protest against austerity

Members of pro-communist union PAME gather during a protest in Athens, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013. Thousands of anti-austerity demonstrators took to the streets of Athens on Wednesday as unions staged a general strike to protest the government's spending cuts and tax hikes, which some predict will push unemployment to a stunning 30 percent this year. (AP Photo/Kostas Tsironis)

Members of pro-communist union PAME gather during a protest in Athens, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013. Thousands of anti-austerity demonstrators took to the streets of Athens on Wednesday as unions staged a general strike to protest the government's spending cuts and tax hikes, which some predict will push unemployment to a stunning 30 percent this year. (AP Photo/Kostas Tsironis)

Pedestrians pass under the sign of Greece's railways at the closed central train station during a 24-hour strike in Athens, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013. Unions have launched another general strike against austerity measures in Greece, amid predictions unemployment in the crisis-hit country will reach 30 percent this year. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Members of pro-communist union PAME gather during a protest in Athens, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013. Thousands of anti-austerity demonstrators took to the streets of Athens on Wednesday as unions staged a general strike to protest the government's spending cuts and tax hikes, which some predict will push unemployment to a stunning 30 percent this year. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

An elderly member of pro-communist union PAME shouts slogans during a protest in Athens, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013. Thousands of anti-austerity demonstrators took to the streets of Athens on Wednesday as unions staged a general strike to protest the government's spending cuts and tax hikes, which some predict will push unemployment to a stunning 30 percent this year. (AP Photo/Kostas Tsironis)

A police officer helps an elderly woman to cross the street during a protest by the pro-communist union PAME in Athens, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013. Thousands of anti-austerity demonstrators took to the streets of Athens on Wednesday as unions staged a general strike to protest the government's spending cuts and tax hikes, which some predict will push unemployment to a stunning 30 percent this year. (AP Photo/Kostas Tsironis)

(AP) ? Tens of thousands of anti-austerity demonstrators took to the streets of Athens on Wednesday as unions staged a general strike to protest government spending cuts and tax hikes, which some predict will push unemployment to an alarming 30 percent.

Police said up to 40,000 people were participating in two separate marches in central Athens. Limited clashes broke out when hooded youths threw fire bombs and stones at riot police, who responded with tear gas. No arrests or injuries were immediately reported.

"We are protesting about (reduced) pensions, emergency taxes, the high cost of life," said retired factory worker Kyriakos Anastassiadis.

Unions are pressing for the renewal of binding collective labor contracts, instead of individual deals that allow employers greater leverage in defining salary levels. They are also asking the government to support the crumbling labor market, where roughly 1,000 jobs have been lost daily since 2010.

"The government wants to further lower our salaries and destroy unions," said unionist Vassilis Epicarithis, an aircraft engineer.

The 24-hour nationwide walkout disrupted domestic flights, kept ferries and long-distance trains idle and crippled public services. It was the first general strike of the year, renewing confrontation between labor groups and the conservative-led government that has pursued punishing austerity policies to cut debt ? a key condition imposed by international bailout creditors.

State schools and tax offices closed down, public hospitals functioned on emergency staff, court cases were stalled as lawyers walked off the job, and even neighborhood street fruit and vegetable markets were cancelled. Private doctors and dentists also joined the strike.

In Athens, police said about 25,000 people were marching toward Parliament with banners such as "We won't become slaves in the 21st century," in a demonstration organized by the main public and private sector unions. Earlier, some 15,000 members of a Communist Party-affiliated labor union protested peacefully along the same route.

Previous protests have been marred by clashes between riot police and anarchists. Up to 3,000 police officers were on duty for the Athens street rallies.

In the northern city of Thessaloniki, some 17,000 protested peacefully.

Conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has won praise from bailout lenders for pushing through major cost-cutting measures after forming a three party coalition last June.

But a new round of tax increases this year and a surge in unemployment to 27 percent have angered unions, as Greeks battle a rapid increase in poverty during a sixth year of recession.

In recent weeks, the Samaras government has twice used rare emergency powers to force an end to strikes by workers on ferry services and the Athens subway.

"The Greek people have no tolerance left," Ilias Iliopoulos, general secretary of the civil servants union ADEDY, told the AP in an interview ahead of the strike. "For us, the time has come for a major confrontation with the government ... and policies that are taking our country from bad to worse and leading people to poverty and desperation."

Unions are also angry at a government decision to scrap collective wage agreements across the public sector as part of an overhaul of state pay scales that will usher in further salary cuts.

Unemployment is expected to reach 30 percent this year, while national output will contract a further 4.1 percent, according to a study by a government funded research agency published last week. By the end of the year, the Greek economy is forecast to have shrunk 25 percent since 2008, a year before the crisis started.

___

Derek Gatopoulos, Rafael Komminis and Annita Mordachai contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-20-Greece-Financial%20Crisis/id-93e851a694f5419db92a5506f80dcf44

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