latest network technology: January 2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Call for Papers: ?Information and Communications Technology for ...

Call for Papers: ?Information and Communications Technology for Environmental Regulation: Developing a Research Agenda? Workshop

?Information and Communications Technology for Environmental Regulation: Developing a Research Agenda?

Workshop

Thursday 20 June ? Friday 21 June 2013

Whitaker Institute

Ryan Institute

School of Law

National University of Ireland Galway

Keynote Speaker:?Professor Bradley C. Karkkainen, University of Minnesota School of Law

Papers are invited from scholars and practitioners across all disciplines for a workshop on the application of information and communications technology for environmental regulation.?Abstracts (maximum 500 words) to be submitted?by?Friday 15 March 2013.

Digital computers can, and do, change human behaviour and have changed society in dramatic ways. Examples include online booksellers highlighting interesting items, social networking sites encouraging users to divulge personal information and auction sites using reputation-based systems to reassure consumers when entering into transactions with strangers.

As society considers how to alter individual, social and economic choices in order to better deal with the challenges of climate change, loss of biodiversity and environmental pollution, the continuing refinement of more effective means of environmental regulation requires urgent attention. Information and communications technology (ICT) can play an important role in this process. While there is some research on how ICT can be used for environmental regulation, we have not yet developed a full understanding of the issues.

The aim of this workshop is to build a network of researchers dealing with these issues?in order to prepare joint projects, funding applications and work towards an international conference dealing with this topic. The workshop?will discuss the development of a coherent but multi-disciplinary research agenda for ICT and environment regulation and agree detailed proposals for future work in the area, such as the publication of an edited collection, funding applications or an international conference. It is aimed at those who work on issues related to the use of ICT in environmental regulation, whether as academic researchers, practitioners based in regulatory agencies, or activists in NGOs, such as lawyers, IS/IT/GIS specialists, environmental informatics specialists,??economists, public policy researchers, psychologists, sociologists and other social science researchers.

Topics include: (but are not limited to):

? ? ? ?Data for environmental regulation

? ? ? ?Disclosure as a regulatory tool

? ? ? ?E-government studies of environmental regulation

? ? ? ?Geographical Information Systems and environmental regulation

? ? ? ?Freedom of information law and policy

? ? ? ?ICT and reflexive law

? ? ? ?ICT and transparency

? ? ? ?ICT as a tool for behaviour change

? ? ? ?Information as a tool of regulation or governance

? ? ? ?Remote sensing

? ? ? ?Satellite monitoring

? ? ? ?The automation or digitisation of regulation

? ? ? ?The impact of ICT on regulatory processes

? ? ? ?The role of models in the policy and legal process

? ? ? ? ?The role of non-governmental organisations

? ? ? ? ?The role of science in the policy and legal process

Submission Deadline: Friday 15 March 2013.

Acceptance Notification: Friday 26 April 2013.

Workshop: Thursday 20 & Friday 21 June 2013.

Enquiries to:?ronan.m.kennedy@nuigalway.ie?or to R?n?n Kennedy at +353-91-495626

http://www.conference.ie/Conferences/index.asp?Conference=205

Source: http://www.ryaninstitute.ie/call-for-papers-information-and-communications-technology-for-environmental-regulation-developing-a-research-agenda-workshop/

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BlackBerry Q10 hands-on

Forget the all-touch Z10 for a moment. This here is ~~RIM's~~ BlackBerry's other BB 10 device -- the BlackBerry Q10. As you can tell from its alphanumeric moniker, that single letter is a nod towards the handset's physical leanings. That's right, it's a hybrid touch / physical QWERTY model and one that diehard BlackBerry fans won't only be more familiar with, but potentially more willing to embrace with open palms. With a 720 x 720 Super AMOLED 3.1 inch display, the Q10's screen is slightly larger than its touch hybrid predecessor, the Bold 9930, and sports a much tighter pixel density of 328ppi (BlackBerry claims the display is 360ppi, which doesn't jibe with our math). The screen itself is plenty bright and contrasty with incredible viewing angles. We didn't notice any of the telltale blue-tinge typical of AMOLED implementations, but the overtly blue lighting around us might have helped mask those shortcomings.

The steel band around the middle and "glass weave" backplate actually gave the device a pleasantly premium feel in our hands. It was solid, well shaped and smooth to the touch without being plasticky. The 1.5GHz dual-core CPU and 2GB of RAM keep the device humming along quite smoothly. It reacted almost instantaneously to input with no hiccups. The smaller screen size did make touch input seem a little less natural, but the ability to just start typing and search or perform actions (such as sending an email) more than made up for the slightly cramped confines.

The 10.3mm thick body does feel slightly chunky when compared to it's all touch sibling the Z10, and downright brick-like next to a svelte beauty like the Galaxy S III, but its short stout shape will fit in your pocket and palm with equal ease. At 139g it does pack some heft, but we dont see that as a bad thing. The phone feels like it means business -- something we can't say for some of its plasticky Android competitors. For more, check out the gallery below and the video after the break.

Gallery: BlackBerry Q10 (hands-on)

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, RIM

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/30/blackberry-q10-hands-on/

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Baseball: Bailey's 95-mph fastball attracting a crowd

Broomfield junior pitcher has gotten attention from MLB, college scouts in first full varsity season

BROOMFIELD -- If you throw the baseball hard, you get attention. Brandon Bailey has done just that in his first full year of varsity play.

The Broomfield junior is one of the state's hottest pitching commodities with what seems like everybody in the baseball world knocking on his door. There are a slew of NCAA Division-I colleges courting the right-hander. All-American teams want him on their lists. And even Major League Baseball has come calling.

Squeeze all that between baseball practice and chemistry class, it has been a lot for the 17-year-old to swallow. But the fire-baller is not letting future glory cloud his vision of present tasks. And there is no bigger goal for the undefeated junior than helping the third-ranked

Broomfield junior Brandon Bailey is 8-0 on the season as No. 2 Broomfield heads into district tournament play. (Matt Kelley/For BoCoPreps.com)

Eagles win a Class 4A state title.

"We're confident with what we can do in-state," said Bailey, who boasts an 8-0 record. "Teams know -- between our pitching and defense -- that if it's not an extra-base hit, it's an out."

Bringing home the first title banner since the Eagles' 2006 championship season is the prime directive. But at Broomfield it is hard to miss the hubbub about Bailey.

When the University of Kentucky flies out to watch him pitch a complete-game win against Longmont and the Kansas City Royals invite him to a private tryout, there is definitely something special about the kid. In Bailey's case, it is his fastball.

At a May 6 showcase put on by the recruiting company The Baseball Factory, Bailey dazzled college and pro scouts by topping out at 95 mph. It was the fastest his fastball has clocked, but it is hardly the first time he has sent the horsehide screaming.

Bailey consistently threw above the 90-mph mark in Broomfield's undefeated run through the Northern League. And he is not all velocity. There is plenty of brain behind his brawn. Not to give away any secrets, but right-handed hitters watch out for Bailey's slider. That's his favorite punch-out pitch for you guys. Lefties, it is his change up.

"It works, because it breaks away from them," said Bailey, who has 86 strikeouts on the season.

For the right-hander, the last pitch is far from the most important. Bailey lives for that first toss in an at bat and it speaks volumes about his mentality on the mound.

"I like to get that first-pitch strike," he said. "Once I'm ahead, I believe I can get almost anybody out."

Bailey's baseball acumen and attitude has him on a number of top recruiting events and All-American watch lists, including: The 2012 Under Armour All-American team, 2013 Under Armour Pre-season All-American team and the Area Code Baseball Games. And his encyclopedic knowledge of his craft and himself has impressed Garren Estes to no end.

"He really is a student of the game," the Broomfield coach said. "We knew he would be a strong pitcher entering this season and he has lived up to that every time he's taken the mound."

Broomfield's pitching staff looks to give the team a sizable advantage heading into Saturday's District 5 tournament at home. Broomfield has one of the state's stingiest rotations, with the team ranked fourth in the state in earned run average (1.29) and eighth in strikeouts (180).

Bailey is just one half of the equation that has made the Eagles' pitching so successful. Jackson Lockwood has proven equally as potent.

The University of Portland-bound senior has a 7-1 record on the year and has collected 72 strikeouts. And

Jackson Lockwood is 7-1 on the season and provides a solid 1-2 punch atop Broomfield's pitching rotation along with Brandon Bailey. (Matt Kelley/For BoCoPreps.com)

with similar no-holds-barred mentalities, the pitchers have driven each other to near perfection.

"I've known Jackson since I was 10," Bailey said. "We have a friendly competition going with each other. It pushes us, because he is a strike thrower too."

Bailey and the Eagles are shooting for plenty this season and still have their work cut out for them. But when the junior surveys the landscape, 2012 could just be the start of something special.

"Our goal is to win and to win now," he said. "But at the end of the day, with three starting seniors and 10 juniors, you can't help but get excited about rolling this on to next year."

Follow Woody on Twitter: @ElwoodKShelton

Source: http://www.broomfieldenterprise.com/ci_20586425/baseball-baileys-95-mph-fastball-attracting-crowd?source=rss_viewed

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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Cyprus reprints election ballots in Guinness flap

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) ? Cyprus has been forced to reprint all 575,000 ballot slips for next month's presidential election after Guinness World Records objected to a candidate's use of its logo.

Deputy Chief Returning Officer Demetris Demetriou told state-run Cyprus News Agency on Wednesday that the government will ask Andreas Efstratiou to fork out at least ?15,000 ($20,000) to cover reprinting costs.

Demetriou said Guinness had initially permitted Efstratiou to use the logo in his first presidential run in 2008. Efstratiou, who runs a bridalwear shop, earned a Guinness Book of World Records entry for creating the longest wedding gown train (1,362 meters (4,468 feet) in 2007.

But Guinness told Efstratiou to stop using the logo in 2011 and complained to Cypriot authorities when it recently found out that he had used it again.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2013-01-30-Cyprus-Ballots%20Reprinted/id-94a4f9d760034409901c51392ef10aab

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DailyWorth's Amanda Steinberg Offers Wealth-Building Tips

Amanda Steinberg

Amanda Steinberg has always been good at making money ? she was making upward of $200,000 annually as a web developer while in her 20s ? but she also managed to spend all of it. Aware that she needed to learn about wealth building, she assumed other women also needed to understand money management and build net worth.

The result was DailyWorth, a daily e-mail newsletter and virtual community with advice for women on personal finance. Today, DailyWorth has more than half a million subscribers, and Steinberg is known as an expert on the topic of finance.

We asked Steinberg to offer a few pieces of advice on managing wealth:

What?s the biggest pitfall (or couple of pitfalls) women face when it comes to finance ? and how do we overcome the obstacle(s)?

Our biggest obstacle is seeing ourselves as financial stewards of our own destiny and engaging in our finances in general. Too often we get so overwhelmed by ?expert advice? ? save for retirement! Save six months into an emergency fund!? ? and, due to overwhelm, we run away.? Instead, spend regular time with your money and have patience with yourself. Money management is less about praying for a giant windfall (though that would be nice), and more about setting up systems and habits that distribute your money across savings, debt and spending.

Editor?s note: If you?re looking for a community to support you in setting up these systems and forming new habits, check out Money Clarity. The e-learning program launches on Feb. 4.

We hear over and over again that women undervalue their worth. How can we combat that tendency?

If you?re a woman, there?s a chance you don?t understand what your skills can really generate in the marketplace. Begin understanding your worth by TALKING about money with colleagues. Start a regular power breakfast or power lunch with other women who do what you do. Ask them how much they charge and how they negotiate those fees, and the terms on their contracts. Learn from friends and associates.

We can learn a lot when we talk about money and our businesses ? something too few of us do regularly.

Before you started DailyWorth, you made a good salary, but you spent it instead of saving it. What do you recommend women do to keep their money in hand and have it available for the future, when they?ll need it?

To keep money, the most important thing you can do is move money regularly and automatically out of your checking account into three types of accounts:

Curveball fund: Set up a separate savings account for any ?oops? ? like, oops, I broke my iPhone. Savings for short-term unexpected items can go a long way.
Emergency fund: Move what you can into it ? and DON?T TOUCH IT! There?s nothing like having a pile o? cash there when you need it.
Retirement fund: Don?t want to eat cat food when you?re 80? Neither do we.

FOUNDER NOTE: Like Amanda, we know first hand how easy it is to overspend ? we are trying to pay down a chunk of debt too. But like Amanda advises here ? and my friend Carlo told me 25+ years ago, even if it?s 5 bucks a week, save something religiously. Because no matter how small, your nest egg will grow. And better spending and savings habits will mean you?ll be able to deal with life?s little emergencies AND have a happier retired life too!

Want to share some of your savings tips or how-you-got-out-of-debt stories ? please do, we?d love to hear ?em!

Source: http://www.womencentric.net/dailyworths-amanda-steinberg-offers-wealth-building-tips/

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NFL Officially Licensed Doormats $19.00 Free Shipping (Support the 49ers or the Ravens) at Living Social

Living Social has the NFL Officially Licensed Doormats for $19.00 Free Shipping. Similar mats are at least 20% more at other reputable vendors.

These mats feature Premium ChromoJet-Printed Nylon with Recycled, Non-Skid Rubber Backing, and more. Measures 19" x 30".

Source: http://www.techbargains.com/news_displayItem.cfm/334153

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Video: Sticking With the Sequester?

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50633369/

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Mila Kunis Rep Denies Fifty Shades of Grey Movie Rumors

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/01/mila-kunis-rep-denies-fifty-shades-of-grey-movie-rumors/

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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Asteroid mining: Second company announces plans. Time to stake a claim? (+video)

Deep Space Industries said Tuesday it plans to launch small prospector missions to asteroids beginning in 2015. The goal of asteroid mining is to make space exploration more affordable.

By Peter Spotts,?Staff writer / January 22, 2013

Meteorites sit on a display table at the Museum of Flying in Santa Monica, Calif., Jan. 22, where Deep Space Industries announced plans for the world's first fleet of commercial asteroid-prospecting spacecraft

Jonathan Alcorn / Reuters

Enlarge

Asteroids aren't just for dodging anymore. Less than a year after a company called Planetary Resources announced plans to survey, then mine, asteroids, a second company has set out its plans to turn orbiting piles of cosmic rubble into rocket fuel, solar panels, and trusses for spacecraft hundreds to thousands of miles above Earth.

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Suddenly asteroid mining has the potential of becoming a competitive field.

The ultimate goal is to make space exploration and development more affordable by obtaining fuel and construction material from easy-to-reach sources that flit past Earth all the time, rather than the costlier method of hauling everything up from Earth.

As a start, representatives of Deep Space Industries (DSI) on Tuesday outlined the company's plans to launch small prospector missions to asteroids beginning in 2015. A year later, the firm plans to launch its first sample-return mission, which aims to bring back samples of an asteroid not by the cupful, but in 60- to 150-pound quantities.

Such amounts not only would present a bonanza for the research community. They also would provide pristine test material for mining, refining, and manufacturing techniques the company is developing for use in space.

To company chairman Rick Tumlinson, DSI's ultimate goals represent a logical next step beyond government-sponsored exploration programs. He drew an analogy between NASA's human-spaceflight program and the Lewis and Clark Expedition under Thomas Jefferson, which was followed by a westward flow of settlers.

"We are the settlers and shopkeepers" heading into this latest frontier, he added.

Over the past 32 years, astronomers have discovered about 9,000 near-Earth asteroids, largely with the goal of assessing the risk of a collision with Earth. But among those 9,000, about 1,700 require only about as much energy to reach as a trip to the moon ? an alluring prospect for cosmic prospectors interested in exploiting the asteroids' resource potential.

For all the various elements asteroids may provide ? from platinum to iron and silicon ? perhaps the most immediately valuable resource they carry is water ice, which can be used to make rocket fuel.

Therein lies the early money, according to officials with DSI and with Planetary Resources.

One early market, DSI officials say, could well be communications satellites. These run out of fuel long before their hardware fails. Although in principle these satellites could be refueled, sending that fuel from Earth is prohibitively expensive. So, before their tanks run dry, they must be sent to graveyard orbits where they won't collide with other satellites and become space junk. Fuel manufactured in space from water ice liberated from asteroids, however, could extend the operating life of a satellite.

Each month of additional service is worth another $5 million to $8 million to a communications-satellite operator, notes David Gump, DSI's chief executive officer.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/yrGdeFeQ544/Asteroid-mining-Second-company-announces-plans.-Time-to-stake-a-claim-video

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Cut losses or face new laws, MPs tell football clubs

LONDON (Reuters) - New laws should be introduced to force football clubs to clean up their finances unless they adopt European rules to curb spending, a group of MPs said on Tuesday.

The call adds to pressure on the 20-team Premier League to implement Financial Fair Play (FFP) measures which European football's governing body UEFA has already introduced for leading teams across the continent.

New television contracts are expected to generate more than five billion pounds over the next three years for the Premier League, the world's richest in term of revenue.

However, clubs often struggle to translate cash into profit because as much as 70 percent of their income is paid out in wages.

A report into football governance from Parliament's Culture, Media and Sport Committee did not expect that trend to change.

"We see little evidence that clubs will spend significant amounts of the funding available from the latest broadcasting rights settlement on increasing their sustainability rather than on players' salaries and transfers," it said.

Raising concerns over debt levels in English football, it called on the Premier League to follow the example of the second-tier Championship and adopt FFP rules to rein in losses.

"If they are not enforced, then we consider that legislation will be required to impose some financial discipline on clubs," the report added.

REFORM OF FA SOUGHT

The committee, comprising MPs from the three main political parties, criticised what it called a "disappointing" response to its initial inquiry into how the game is run.

It stepped up its calls for reform of the Football Association (FA), English soccer's governing body, to reduce the influence of the Premier League. Legislation should be introduced to shake up the FA if there was no progress within a year, it added.

Although the report is not binding, sports minister Hugh Robertson welcomed its findings.

"We have been clear that we want the football authorities to carry out the reforms they promised by the start of the 2013-14 season - most notably around improved governance and diverse representation at the FA, the development of a licensing system and greater financial transparency," Robertson said.

"If football does not deliver then we will look at bringing forward legislation," he added.

The FA, Premier League and Football League said they were continuing to work towards final approval and implementation of the reform proposals.

"Significant headway has already been made on many of these proposed reforms, not least on sustainability and transparency," the organisations said in a joint statement.

"The remaining reform proposals are the subject of consultation within the game and we are confident that the necessary progress will be made."

UEFA'S FFP rules pose a challenge for English clubs funded by wealthy benefactors such as Russian Roman Abramovich at Chelsea and Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Premier League champions Manchester City.

Premier League clubs are due to discuss FFP at a meeting early next month, mindful of the need to ensure that the latest television windfall is not squandered.

Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham have all argued for the wholesale adoption of the UEFA model, saying that the top teams in the Premier League have no alternative.

Others are more resistant to a system that they argue would prevent a smaller club from challenging the elite.

A number of British football clubs have failed financially in recent years but have been able to relaunch with new backers.

Rangers, Scottish champions a record 54 times, collapsed under a pile of debt last year. The Glasgow club was salvaged by new owners but has been consigned to restart from the fourth tier of the Scottish game.

(Editing by Clare Fallon)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cut-losses-face-laws-mps-tell-english-clubs-014723086--finance.html

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Transportation secretary to leave administration

In this Jan. 11, 2013 photo, Transportation Secretary Raymond LaHood speaks during a news conference at the Transportation Department in Washington, discussing a comprehensive review of Boeing 787 critical systems, including the design, manufacture and assembly. LaHood, the only Republican member of President Barack Obama's first-term Cabinet, says he plans to leave the Obama administration. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, the only Republican still in President Barack Obama's first-term Cabinet, said Tuesday he plans to leave the Obama administration.

LaHood, a former congressman from Illinois, pushed for greater safety on the highways and in the air. He led the Transportation Department throughout Obama's first term and helped steer a number of safety measures and highway projects, including steps to curb distracted driving, promote high-speed rail and repair roads and bridges. Under his watch, the department demanded tougher fuel efficiency requirements for automakers and took steps to address airline pilot fatigue.

LaHood said in an interview with The Associated Press that he told Obama a week after the November election that he needed to move on but said he was still "conflicted" by his decision because he liked working for Obama and considered it the "best job I've ever had in public service."

He said he plans to remain at the department until his successor is confirmed by the Senate, which he expected in about two months. The only other Republican who was in Obama's first-term Cabinet was Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who stepped aside and was replaced by Democrat Leon Panetta earlier.

LaHood said he would not run for public office in his home state of Illinois and said he did not have any specific plans.

"I have had a good run. I'm one of these people who believe that you should go out while they're applauding," he said. LaHood said he was content to watch from the sidelines as his oldest son, Darin, serves in the Illinois state senate.

Obama is remaking his Cabinet at the beginning of his second term with the departures of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Panetta and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. In addition to LaHood, the heads of the Interior and Labor departments also have announced their resignations in recent weeks.

The Transportation Department has carried a bipartisan imprint in recent years and been the place for a president to ask a member of the opposing party to serve. Former Rep. Norman Mineta, a California Democrat, served as Transportation secretary during the administration of President George W. Bush. Obama has nominated former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, a Republican, to serve as defense secretary to succeed Panetta.

Possible replacements for LaHood include Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who has pushed for increased rail service in Los Angeles and served as chairman of last year's Democratic National Convention, and Debbie Hersman, the chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board. The name of former Rep. Jim Oberstar of Minnesota, who led the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has also been mentioned.

LaHood, 67, served seven terms in Congress representing a central Illinois district that includes his hometown of Peoria, Ill., and overlapped with Obama in the state's delegation during the last four years of his career.

At the department, LaHood provided a bipartisan voice during the first term, helping implement billions of dollars in transportation projects from the 2009 economic stimulus bill and promoting the plan to wary Republicans. The department pushed forward thousands of infrastructure projects to improve roads and bridges and LaHood worked with Congress last year to pass an overhaul of highway and transit programs that gives states more flexibility in how they spend federal money.

He tackled a number of regulations that had been mired in gridlock. LaHood worked with auto makers and environmentalists to develop tougher fuel efficiency standards for new cars, with the goal of providing environmental benefits and reducing fuel consumption.

Guarding against airline pilot fatigue, the Federal Aviation Administration set new rules under LaHood's watch that would limit the maximum time a pilot can be scheduled on duty and place limits on scheduled flying time and hours for pilots flying overnight. The action was prompted by a deadly plane crash near Buffalo, N.Y., that raised concerns about pilot fatigue.

LaHood also has taken on major transportation companies during his tenure, slapping Toyota Motor Co. with record fines for delaying safety recalls and failing to promptly report problems to federal regulators.

He recently ordered United Airlines to ground its Boeing 787 Dreamliner following mishaps with the aircraft's batteries. The FAA is investigating the cause of the problems to the Dreamliner, which uses lithium ion batteries and is the world's first airliner whose structure is made mostly from lightweight composite materials.

Perhaps LaHood's most passionate work has involved distracted driving, which he has called a "national epidemic." He has launched a national media campaign to end texting and cellphone use by drivers, an awareness campaign that has drawn comparisons to efforts to promote seat belt use more than a generation ago.

The grandfather of 10, LaHood has often emphasized the toll that deaths and injuries from distracted driving can inflict on families.

"Safety will be something that people will remember us for in all modes of transportation," LaHood said.

___

Follow Ken Thomas at: http://twitter.com/AP_Ken_Thomas

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-01-29-Obama-Transportation%20Secretary/id-58cbf39f85a34a9ba35604d8c10fae14

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Science & the Public: U.S. team breaks through subglacial lake

U.S. team breaks through subglacial lake

Testing should continue for a day or more, probing for life in the Antarctic depths

Testing should continue for a day or more, probing for life in the Antarctic depths

By Janet Raloff

Web edition: January 28, 2013

Enlarge

Down the hole

Here's a view of what researchers saw looking down the borehole toward the lake.

Credit: WISSARD program/NSF

Research teams from Russia, the United Kingdom and United States have each spearheaded drilling efforts over the past few years to pierce and sample separate subglacial Antarctic lakes. Russian scientists reported last year piercing into Lake Vostok but has so far turned up no identifiable life. Those researchers are now working to analyze a new sample of ice recently retrieved from that drill project. Last month, the British team suspended its efforts for this summer season (which ends next month) to reach Lake Ellsworth.

The just-completed borehole into Lake Whillans ?marks the first successful retrieval of clean whole samples from an Antarctic subglacial lake,? the U.S. team reported today. ?Water and sediment samples returned to the surface are now being processed to answer seminal questions related to the structure and function of subglacial microbial life, climate history, and contemporary ice sheet dynamics.?

A research team led by Frank Rack, of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, recently developed and field-tested the novel hot-water drill used to cut through the roughly half-mile-deep sheet of ice to reach Lake Whillans. ?Over the whole Antarctic continent, there are more than 340 [subglacial] lakes,? he notes. ?We selected this one because we know that it goes up and down, which means that the water underneath the ice sheet is periodically filling up the lake, then draining out again.?

Researchers have monitored this cycle through a rise and fall of the surface of that portion of the ice sheet covering the lake. Each cycle can last up to a decade, Rack says.

A video camera and series of sampling instruments will be periodically lowered down the borehole in the day or two available before this portal begins freezing shut again. ?Lake Whillans has already presented surprises,? according to Doug Fox, a reporter embedded with the drill research team, which is camped out less than 400 miles from the South Pole. ?For one, the lake has turned out to be only five or six feet deep ? shallower than the 20 to 30 feet that people expected based on seismic measurements,? Fox reported in a blog on the Discover website.

When I met with the Lake Whillans research team, last month, they planned to begin analyses of retrieved water and sediment within minutes of it reaching the surface. A series of mobile research labs were recently hauled to the Lake Whillans drill site. At least one lab will be used to study the chemistry of the water. Another will focus on probing for signs of microbial life ? chiefly bacteria and viruses.

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/347896/title/US_team_breaks_through_subglacial_lake

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Gunman shot dead after opening fire in Seattle bar

By John Newland, Staff Writer, NBC News

A gunman shot his ex-girlfriend and an employee at a Seattle bar before being killed by police Sunday night, authorities said.

The shooter walked into The Twilight Exit about 10:15 p.m. local time (1:15 a.m ET Monday) and opened fire, first wounding his 25-year-old ex-girlfriend then a 30-year-old bar worker who tried to intervene, Seattle police said in a statement.

Police said the suspect later raised his gun and fired at them. One officer returned fire, killing the man.

The victims were taken to a hospital and their injuries were not thought to be life-threatening, police said. The gunman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said there were ?"a number of witnesses" inside the bar when the shooting occurred.

The Twilight Exit's?Facebook page has more than 2,800 "likes" and customers were already posting messages of concern early Monday.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/28/16733355-gunman-shoots-2-at-seattle-bar-before-being-killed-by-police?lite

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Bring Me 2 Life

A Vampire Prince who wanted to destroy the one thing that stood in his way of everlasting life, the girl he killed to stay alive is back and she wants his head.

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Can I please reserve FC: Olivia Wilde?

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@LittleMissGeorgia, You got it!

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Can I steal FC: Jennifer Lawrence?

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50 Simple Ways To Improve Your Web Content | Business 2 ...

The web is a competitive place. All it takes is a simple Google search to come to that realization. The important thing in today?s world is to know how to stand out in a crowd. One great way to do that is to get personal with your readers.

Another way is to simply improve your content.

Here?s a list of 50 actionable ways to increase your visibility online with improved content:

Add the appropriate links. If you can create a web of content throughout your blog, and link out to valuable resources when it?s appropriate, it helps turn your blog into a resource.
Organize your navigation. Readers need to know where to go and how to get there. Most won?t use a search feature on your site, even if it is available.
Keep an idea log. Write headlines for potential posts, and go back to them. It?s important to have a place to turn when you are staring at a blank screen.
Comment on everything. This gives you some great visibility, but remember that you want to be remembered as the thoughtful one who actually added something to the conversation.
Blog regularly. As a reader or consumer, there?s nothing more frustrating than going to an otherwise awesome site, and noticing that no blogs have been added in two years. Blog as often as you can come up with something awesome to say. Don?t let your audience forget about you, either.
Update regularly. You don?t need to spend hours a day on your social media. You don?t necessarily need to be on the next new network. You do need to understand what networks make sense for you, the business owner. You do need to provide consistent updates there.
Perfect your calls to action. Don?t assume that your reader knows exactly what you want them to do. You have to tell them.
Eliminate geek speak. We all know you?re smart, and your mother would be proud. Chances are your customers may not know all the specs to your products, or the fancy terms and industry lingo. That?s OK. Learn how to meet them where they?re at, and be a teacher.
Speak to your audience. It should go without saying, but that?s not always the case. Figure out who buys what you sell. Figure out who reads what you write. Learn how to appeal to them, and engage with them.
Guest post. What?s that saying about a leader without a following just taking a walk? In order to succeed in a content marketing world, you?ll need to be giving your best content away. Find the blogs in your industry that draw an audience. Offer them your best material.
Photos with every post. Some people are visual people. The decision to continue reading may be based on the visual layout of the page. When there?s an appropriate and appealing photo, the words aren?t quite so intimidating.
Inject your opinion. Your readers are depending on you as the expert. So don?t just give them the same, standard industry tips. Let them know which ones they need to be following, in your opinion.
Utilize subheads, headers and lists. Like I said, there?s a lot of visual people out there still looking to glean information on the web. Breaking the content into easy, manageable chunks makes your writing more appealing.
Use stronger words. Was, get, and has are boring. In most cases they?re avoidable by rewriting the sentence. Improve your vocabulary, but at the same time don?t drive your audience to the dictionary. They may not come back.
Spend time on your headlines. A headline may be a reader?s first impression of your business (even before the rest of the website). It has to catch their attention and convince them to keep reading. Otherwise the rest of your efforts are lost.
Stay on message. If your blog post is about 50 ways to create visibility with your content, don?t talk about snakes or clowns or cockroaches, unless they can be tied back into your original point. Every word that you write needs to help state your case.
Learn your grammar. Yes, I know it?s a lot like taking the garbage out, but the wrong use of the word it?s, their, or your can really make you look dumb. It can undercut an otherwise flawless effort. I once had a teacher that would fail anyone who incorrectly used any of the aforementioned words. It sucked, but I learned.
Watch your tone. The name of the game is likability. No one wants to be lectured. Also, there is no universal sarcasm font, so that can be really tough to detect. Sometimes readers are left to detect tone by the other nearby words. Be kind.
Don?t game the system. Headlines and copy written to game Google are pretty easy for people to detect. Here?s the thing: The collective public has caught on, and the copy becomes a real snoozer at this point. You can write copy that generates thousands of visits. If they all collectively yawn instead of completing your call to action, you gain nothing.
Write for people. Unless you?re lucky enough to count Google among your clients, it?s people not search engines who buy your stuff.
Be authentic. Your readers should feel like they know you. Your personality should come across both in the tone, and the subjects that you choose to write about.
Ask the question. Don?t be afraid to ask a question in a blog post to try and get a response. It?s a good way to continue the discussion.
Write in active voice. Subject, verb, object. Example: Readers love action. You can?t use it every time but most writers need to use it more often.
Keep your sentences short. Long sentences bore readers. Enough said.
Keep your paragraphs short. Long paragraphs intimidate readers. Enough said.
Simplify your sales funnel. Businesses tend to obsess on traffic. Once that reader lands on your site, it?s up to you to understand the logical steps you want that reader to take. If it can be shortened, do so. Unnecessary hoops will cost you business.
Study your competition. Figure out the strategies that seem to be working, and those that don?t. This should give you a good idea of what you want to implement with your own marketing materials.
Tell good stories. People love a good story. If you can entertain them while teaching them a little something about your business, you?ve kept a reader. Don?t hog the credit, though.
Edit your work with a critical eye. There?s no one standing between you and the publish button. Make sure your work meets high standards.
Fix your bounce rate. What pages are driving traffic away? What can you do to make the message on these pages more appealing? Fix it.
Post Quality Content. The bottom line is that your customers want value. They need some kind of takeaway from your post. Every piece of content that you produce needs to teach them something and provide value, while keeping them entertained. If it doesn?t meet these standards, don?t post it.
Take advantage of the platform. If you?re blogging on WordPress, make sure that you?re using a solid SEO plugin like All In One SEO Pack, or Yoast. Fill in your meta data. They?re giving you a great opportunity to improve your SEO friendliness. Take it. This goes for categories and tags as well.
Don?t Be Afraid To Steal. That?s right. There are some incredibly successful headlines out there that can be adopted to what you?ve written. Same goes for blogs. Don?t be afraid to tackle an angle on a blog that?s been done, but make it your own. I?m not talking about plagiarism, or copyright violation. I?m talking about turning to what others have written, and making it your own.
Read everything you can. This goes for books, blogs and articles both in and outside of your industry. This will give you a broader picture of what you do, and how to take ideas outside or your industry and adopt them.
Why should we buy from you? That?s what every reader / customer / or anyone who meets you is immediately thinking when you say, ?Hello, my name is _________ and I?m a _________.? It?s OK to brag a little bit. Tell us about your 20 years of experience, or awards, or high profile clients. Your website isn?t the place to be modest.
Get a little creative. Your readers are looking for material that they won?t find on your competition?s websites. So go ahead, and tell me what you?ve learned about your industry by being a football fan, or while walking your dog. It?s unique, and it?s a good vehicle for you as an industry thought leader.
Make sharing easy. There are plugins you can add to your blog that will make it easier for people to tweet, share or post what you?ve written. Make sure that sharing is intuitive, and encourage it.
Build trust. Every post that you write must work to establish that you know what you?re talking about. Your web content must work to establish you as the right choice. Your testimonials allow other people to speak on your behalf. It all works together.
Win the argument. Every piece of content that you produce needs to make an argument. Every word that you write needs to state your case. Get in, make your point, get out. Don?t waste words.
Make sure your videos are informative, but short. Videos are wildly popular, but we want our information now. Anything over 2-3 minutes may not be viewed as often.
Use keywords, but don?t overdo it. Google needs to know what you?re talking about, and doesn?t understand when you speak metaphorically. The best approach is to write a post for people, and go back and sparingly add your keywords in. Usually 1-2 uses within 500 words is plenty.
Utilize pronouns. When you keyword stuff to the point that you don?t use pronouns, your readers pick up on it, and it sounds spammy. Your readers don?t want a commercial. They want value.
Say what you need to say. Don?t worry about length of content. If your argument is complete after a 150 word blog post, that?s fine. If it takes 2,000 words, well that?s fine too.
Ask someone else to read before you publish. That?s always better than catching errors after the fact. Authors and journalist had to pass their work past the eyeballs of an editor for centuries. That?s only changing now. Don?t become too anxious to click the publish button.
Eliminate the hard sell. We?re here for information and value, not to be beat over the head with a baseball bat. If we want to hear what we can buy for the low price of $9.99 we?ll watch the Home Shopping Network.
Write an ?epic? post. These are the most informative, valuable posts. Make sure they?re done in a friendly way though. You want your readers to make it with you until the end.
Consider paying for clicks. In some circumstances, it just works. You?ll want to make sure that your sales funnel is in place though. When you?re paying for visitors, they need to know how to buy.
Master a social network. There?s a new one coming out every day it seems like. If you establish a presence on all of them, you?ll spread yourself too thin. Concentrate on one, build relationships, and establish your value.
Consider interviewing experts and doing book reviews for blog posts. This draws other voices into your world, and can help to highlight the content you?ve written, which is always a good thing.
Hire a freelancer. A professional can always help you navigate the Internet marketing waters. Consider bringing one on board!

Source: http://www.business2community.com/content-marketing/50-simple-ways-to-improve-your-web-content-0390570

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Monday, January 28, 2013

Primates too can move in unison

Jan. 25, 2013 ? Japanese researchers show for the first time that primates modify their body movements to be in tune with others, just like humans do. Humans unconsciously modify their movements to be in synchrony with their peers. For example, we adapt our pace to walk in step or clap in unison at the end of a concert. This phenomenon is thought to reflect bonding and facilitate human interaction. Researchers from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute report that pairs of macaque monkeys also spontaneously coordinate their movements to reach synchrony.

This research opens the door to much-needed neurophysiological studies of spontaneous synchronization in monkeys, which could shed light into human behavioral dysfunctions such as those observed in patients with autism spectrum disorders, echopraxia and echolalia -- where patients uncontrollably imitate others.

In the research, recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, the team led by Naotaka Fujii developed an experimental set-up to test whether pairs of Japanese macaque monkeys synchronize a simple push-button movement.

Before the experiment, the monkeys were trained to push a button with one hand. In a first experiment the monkeys were paired and placed facing each other and the timing of their push-button movements was recorded. The same experiment was repeated but this time each monkey was shown videos of another monkey pushing a button at varying speeds. And in a last experiment the macaques were not allowed to either see or hear their video-partner.

The results show that the monkeys modified their movements -- increased or decreased the speed of their push-button movement -- to be in synchrony with their partner, both when the partner was real and on video. The speed of the button pressing movement changed to be in harmonic or sub-harmonic synchrony with the partners' speed. However, different pairs of monkeys synchronized differently and reached different speeds, and the monkeys synchronized their movements the most when they could both see and hear their partner.

The researchers note that this behavior cannot have been learnt by the monkeys during the experiment, as previous research has shown that it is extremely difficult for monkeys to learn intentional synchronization.

They add: "The reasons why the monkeys showed behavioral synchronization are not clear. It may be a vital aspect of other socially adaptive behavior, important for survival in the wild."

The study was partly supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas 'Neural creativity for communication' (22120522 and 24120720) of MEXT, Japan.

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Journal Reference:

Yasuo Nagasaka, Zenas C. Chao, Naomi Hasegawa, Tomonori Notoya, Naotaka Fujii. Spontaneous synchronization of arm motion between Japanese macaques. Scientific Reports, 2013; 3 DOI: 10.1038/srep01151

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Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/AMbAPs6-r80/130128081952.htm

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Climate change impacts to U.S. coasts threaten public health, safety and economy, report finds

Jan. 28, 2013 ? According to a new technical report, the effects of climate change will continue to threaten the health and vitality of U.S. coastal communities' social, economic and natural systems.

The report, Coastal Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerabilities: a technical input to the 2013 National Climate Assessment, authored by leading scientists and experts, emphasizes the need for increased coordination and planning to ensure U.S. coastal communities are resilient against the effects of climate change.

The recently released report examines and describes climate change impacts on coastal ecosystems and human economies and communities, as well as the kinds of scientific data, planning tools and resources that coastal communities and resource managers need to help them adapt to these changes.

"Sandy showed us that coastal states and communities need effective strategies, tools and resources to conserve, protect, and restore coastal habitats and economies at risk from current environmental stresses and a changing climate," said Margaret A. Davidson of NOAA's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management and co-lead author of the report. "Easing the existing pressures on coastal environments to improve their resiliency is an essential method of coping with the adverse effects of climate change."

A key finding in the report is that all U.S. coasts are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change such as sea-level rise, erosion, storms and flooding, especially in the more populated low-lying parts of the U.S. coast along the Gulf of Mexico, Mid-Atlantic, northern Alaska, Hawaii, and island territories. Another finding indicated the financial risks associated with both private and public hazard insurance are expected to increase dramatically.

"An increase in the intensity of extreme weather events such as storms like Sandy and Katrina, coupled with sea-level rise and the effects of increased human development along the coasts, could affect the sustainability of many existing coastal communities and natural resources," said Virginia Burkett of the U.S. Geological Survey and co-lead author of the report.

The authors also emphasized that storm surge flooding and sea-level rise pose significant threats to public and private infrastructure that provides energy, sewage treatment, clean water and transportation of people and goods. These factors increase threats to public health, safety, and employment in the coastal zone.

The report's authors noted that the population of the coastal watershed counties of the U.S. and territories, including the Great Lakes, makes up more than 50 percent of the nation's population and contributed more than $8.3 trillion to the 2011 U.S. economy but depend on healthy coastal landforms, water resources, estuaries and other natural resources to sustain them. Climate changes, combined with human development activities, reduce the ability of coasts to provide numerous benefits, including food, clean water, jobs, recreation and protection of communities against storms.

Seventy-nine federal, academic and other scientists, including the lead authors from the NOAA and USGS, authored the report which is being used as a technical input to the third National Climate Assessment -- an interagency report produced for Congress once every four years to summarize the science and impacts of climate change on the United States.

Other key findings of the report include:

Expected public health impacts include a decline in seafood quality, shifts in disease patterns and increases in rates of heat-related morbidity.
Changes in the location and the time of year when storms form can lead to large changes in where storms land and the impacts of storms. Any sea-level rise is virtually certain to exacerbate storm-surge and flooding related hazards.
Because of changes in the hydrological cycle due to warming, precipitation events (rain, snow) will likely be heavier. Combined with sea-level rise and storm surge, this will increase flooding severity in some coastal areas, particularly in the Northeast.
Temperature is primarily driving environmental change in the Alaskan coastal zone. Sea ice and permafrost make northern regions particularly susceptible to temperature change. For example, an increase of two degrees Celsius during the summer could basically transform much of Alaska from frozen to unfrozen, with extensive implications.
As the physical environment changes, the range of a particular ecosystem will expand, contract or migrate in response. The combined influence of many stresses can cause unexpected ecological changes if species, populations or ecosystems are pushed beyond a tipping point.
Although adaptation planning activities in the coastal zone are increasing, they generally occur in an ad-hoc manner and are slow to be implemented. Efficiency of adaptation can be improved through more accurate and timely scientific information, tools, and resources, and by integrating adaptation plans into overall land use planning as well as ocean and coastal management.
An integrated scientific program will reduce uncertainty about the best ways coastal communities can to respond to sea-level rise and other kinds of coastal change. This, in turn, will allow communities to better assess their vulnerability and to identify and implement appropriate adaptation and preparedness options.

This report is available online.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by United States Geological Survey.

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Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/LJ4zZMA7j_g/130128143010.htm

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'First time' may predict lifelong sexual satisfaction

Jan. 28, 2013 ? Research conducted by Matthew Shaffer, a doctoral psychology student at UT and C. Veronica Smith, an assistant psychology professor at the University of Mississippi, reveals that the first sexual experience can set the tone for the rest of one's sexual life.

The study is published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy and is the first to look at whether the circumstances of losing one's virginity have lasting consequences.

"The loss of virginity is often viewed as an important milestone in human development, signifying a transition to adulthood," said Shaffer. "However, it has not been studied in this capacity. We wanted to see the influence it may have related to emotional and physical development."

The researchers examined how first-time sexual satisfaction impacts long-term sexual function as well as how first-time physical and emotional responses affect long-term sexual experiences. They found that positive first-time experiences were predictive of physical and emotional satisfaction. Specifically, those who felt loved and respected by their partner found later encounters more emotionally satisfying.

The researchers asked 331 young men and women about how they lost their virginity. The anonymous participants ranked the experience according to emotions related to anxiety, contentment and regret. They also answered questions about their sex life using scales measuring sense of control, satisfaction and well-being. Finally, the participants filled out a diary for two weeks describing each sexual experience.

A series of analyses revealed those who were most emotionally and physically satisfied the first time found their sex lives the most fulfilling. Those who reported higher levels of anxiety and negativity with the first time reported lower overall sexual functioning.

"While this study doesn't prove that a better first time makes for a better sex life in general, a person's experience of losing their virginity may set the pattern for years to come," said Shaffer.

Shaffer suggests that a first-time sexual experience may create a general pattern of thought and behavior that guides sexual experiences and understanding of information concerning sexuality.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Tennessee at Knoxville, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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Journal Reference:

C. Veronica Smith, Matthew J. Shaffer. Gone But Not Forgotten: Virginity Loss and Current Sexual Satisfaction. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 2013; 39 (2): 96 DOI: 10.1080/0092623X.2012.675023

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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/top_news/top_health/~3/L5jWJFwKgz0/130128104732.htm

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Penguin Colony's First Contact With Humans In Antarctica Captured On Camera (VIDEO)

A group of explorers recently became the first humans to ever make contact with a previously unknown colony of more than 9,000 Emperor penguins in the Antarctic. It was a meeting that the expedition leader called "unforgettable."

According to the International Polar Foundation, the group made contact with the Emperor penguin colony, said to be one of Antarctica's largest, in early December after evidence of the birds' existence was discovered using satellite imagery. In a 2009 paper, researchers from the British Antarctic Survey said they located the colony after images taken from space revealed evidence of "penguin poo."

Still, until the recent expedition, there hadn't been unequivocal proof of the colony's existence.

Expedition leader Alain Hubert, who has been in Antarctica for seven seasons and is in the region with the International Polar Foundation research team, told National Geographic that the satellite images gave him and his crew a "rough idea of where to start looking."

Last month, Hubert, along with two other men, hopped on snowmobiles and took a treacherous journey to where they believed the penguins to be. To their amazement, they struck gold. "We were lucky to find it," Hubert told National Geographic.

On Dec. 3, Hubert and his team stumbled upon the 9,000 Emperor penguins, basking in the Antarctic summer sun. They say they were the first humans that the penguins had ever seen.

According to CNN, about 3/4 of the colony were chicks. "Despite global warming, this colony? is growing," said Hubert.

Though Emperor penguins, a species endemic to Antarctica, once lived abundantly in the wild and were considered animals of "least concern" from a conservation standpoint, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently changed the status of the species to "near threatened." The animals are "projected to undergo a moderately rapid population decline over the next three generations owing to the effects of projected climate change," the IUCN explains.

As the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition website notes, Emperor penguins are "highly vulnerable" to changes in climate and are "predicted to suffer" if the world's average temperature should increase by 2 degrees Celsius (about 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), a change experts say will come by the year 2052.

According to a 2011 report by the National Research Council, the average temperature of the Earth?s surface has increased by about 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit over the past century; however, a whopping 1 degree Fahrenheit of this warming is said to have occurred over the past three decades.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/26/penguin-colony-first-contact-humans-antarctica_n_2553470.html

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