Twitter challenges court order to hand over user data

Twitter is challenging an order from a New York state court requiring it to hand over data on one of its users, who is being prosecuted for disorderly conduct related to an Occupy Wall Street protest on the Brooklyn Bridge last year.

Prosecutors want Twitter to turn over basic user information from Malcolm Harris' Twitter account (@destructuremal), as well as his tweets. Harris' motion to quash the subpoena to Twitter was denied by the Criminal Court of the City of New York, and Twitter filed a motion (PDF) yesterday in support of the defendant's motion to quash the subpoena.

In denying the motion to quash the subpoena, the court held that Harris has no proprietary interest in the content he submits to Twitter, but Twitter argues the opposite. Twitter's terms of service state that its users "retain (their) rights to any content (they) submit, post, or display on or through" the site. In addition, the Stored Communications Act permits users to challenge demands for their account records, Twitter says.

"As we said in our brief, "Twitter's terms of service make absolutely clear that its users *own* their content," said Ben Lee, Twitter legal counsel. "Our filing with the court reaffirms our steadfast commitment to defending those rights for our users."

The American Civil Liberties Union applauded Twitter's action.

"This is a big deal. Law enforcement agencies -- both the federal government and state and city entities -- are becoming increasingly aggressive in their attempts to obtain information about what people are doing on the Internet. And while the individual Internet users can try to defend their rights in the rare circumstances in which they find out about the requests before their information is turned over, that may not be enough," Aden Fine, senior staff attorney at the ACLU, wrote in a blog post today. "If Internet users cannot protect their own constitutional rights, the only hope is that Internet companies do so."

Source

Coming Out by Danielle Steel

Olympia Crawford Rubinstein has a busy legal career, a solid marriage, and a way of managing her thriving family with grace, humor, and boundless energy. With twin daughters finishing high school, a son at Dartmouth, and a kindergartner from her second marriage, there seems to be no challenge to which Olympia cannot rise. Until one sunny day in May, when she opens an invitation for her daughters to attend the most exclusive coming-out ball in New York–and chaos erupts all around her. One twin’s excitement is balanced by the other’s outrage; her previous husband’s profound snobbism is in sharp contrast to her current husband’s flat refusal to attend.

For Olympia’s husband, Harry, whose parents survived the Holocaust, the idea of a blue-blood debutante ball is abhorrent. Her daughter Veronica, a natural-born rebel, agrees– while Veronica’s identical twin, Virginia, is already shopping for the perfect dress. Then there’s Olympia’s ex, an insufferable snob, who sees the ball as the perfect opportunity for a family feud. And amid all the hubbub, Olympia’s college-age son, Charlie, is facing a turning point in his life–and may need his mother more than ever. But despite it all, Olympia is determined to steer her family through the event until, just days before the cotillion, things begin to unravel with alarming speed.

From a son’s crisis to a daughter’s heartbreak, from a case of the chicken pox to a political debate raging in her household, Olympia is on the verge of surrender. And that is when, in a series of startling choices and changes of heart, family, friends, and even a blue-haired teenager all find a way to turn a night of calamity into an evening of magic. As old wounds are healed, barriers are shattered and new traditions are born, and a debutante ball becomes a catalyst for change, revelation, acceptance, and love.

In a novel that is by turns profound, poignant, moving, and warmly funny, Danielle Steel tells the story of an extraordinary family–finding new ways of letting go, stepping up, and coming out...in the ways that matter most.

Headline May 10, 2012/WOT! A PURPLE BALL ?

Part-3

WOT! 

A PURPLE BALL ?

Respectful dedication to regional peace and prosperity

In April 2011 India released its National Security Index, which rated the country the world's fifth most powerful; after US, China, Japan and Russia.

Frankly and fairly, on any measure that includes population, the world's second most populous country comes out well. But the ranking by Indian experts, demonstrates a rapid increase in India's own sense of importance!

Shyam Saran, the former head of External Affairs Ministry is more sanguine:

" Not so long ago India evoked poverty and mysticism. Now the country's name is invoked as a kind of poster child of globalisation whose fast growth makes it a world leader. If the earlier was oversimplified, so is the current one !? "

China's business big shots include Zhang Yin, propelled there thanks to the Hong Kong stock market listing of her country, Nine Dragons Paper. She and her husband set up the business as recently as 1996, importing scrap paper from America , recycling it and selling it to China, mainly to retailers.

Her 72% stake in the firm made her over 4 billion USD and the riches self-made woman in the world.

If anything, Indian firms are even more aggressive on the world stage than their Chinese counterparts. Lakshmi Mittal, whose base in outside India, made his firm the biggest steel maker by taking over Europe's Arcelor, after a tough battle. His main rival is Tata Steel, a part of India's Tata business dynasty, which only recently made an audacious bid for Corus, the former British Steel.

India's richest resident Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries Ltd, is worth a staggering 20 billion plus. And both China and Indian firms have big global ambitions. They are not now, but may soon be household names.

So in a caution dimension, one cannot overlook the fact China and India are the second and fifth largest energy consumers in the world.

The Industrial revolutions of the past were dirty and polluting, and China and India are no different. Oil is expensive and China has plenty of coal, so a new coal fired power station is being opened every week !!? And they all use old, dirty and horrid technology. In China alone, coal related pollution is blamed for 400,000 premature deaths every year. Both countries are very capable of generating environmental problems.

Good night and God bless.

SAM Daily Times - The Voice of the Voiceless

Part-1  Part-2 

Battling the brown tree snake in Guam

Getting rid of the snakes is going to be anenormous job for the US government

The US territory of Guam, an island in the western Pacific, is only 50km (30 miles) long and 10km wide, but it is packed with two million snakes.

This reptile arrived here only 60 years ago but has rapidly become one of the most successful invasive species ever.

Wildlife biologist James Stanford, from the US Geological Survey, says: "Our belief is that they came at the end of World War II.

"We've looked at their genetics and they are all extremely closely related, and it appears they came from the Island of Manus in Papua New Guinea."

He explains that military equipment used by the US in Papua New Guinea while the war raged in the Pacific was eventually sent back to Guam to be processed. A snake probably crept on to a ship or a plane destined for the island.


Cheryl Calaustro says the koko was easy prey for the snakes
"And from that handful, or maybe even one already impregnated female, we now have a population that is unbelievable in scale," he says.

The snakes, which are mildly venomous, have caused many problems. They get everywhere, and people have even woken up with them in their beds.

The island's power system is regularly shorted out by snakes crawling on the lines. It is so frequent the locals now call power cuts "brown outs".

But the biggest impact has been on the wildlife - it has been decimated. The forests here are eerily quiet. Now the only place where the Guam's native birds, such as the koko, can be seen on the island are in cages in a captive breeding centre.

"The brown tree snake has had a devastating impact. Ten out of 12 native forest bird species disappeared in 30 years," says Cheryl Calaustro from Guam's Department of Agriculture.

"The birds here evolved without predators. They were quite naive. And when the snake arrived on Guam it ate eggs, juveniles, adults. Whole generations disappeared."

Toxic mouse bombs

But the snakes did not stop there.

Dr Stanford explains: "We thought it would be limited: 'OK, if it wipes out the birds, it will decline.' It wasn't the case. It just switched what it was feeding on - rodents, lizards, small mammals - across the board."

Now the locals are fighting back. And they are unleashing some unusual weapons in their war against the snake.

One effort has involved air-dropping mice that have been laced with poison and fitted with parachutes out of helicopters. It provides a deadly dinner for any unsuspecting snakes below.

"Right now we are using acetaminophen (paracetamol). It commonly used as a pain reliever and fever reducer in humans, but it is 100% lethal to all brown tree snakes," explains Dan Vice of the US Department of Agriculture.

"If they eat that dead mouse containing acetaminophen, they will die."   (BBC.co.uk)

'One in six cancers worldwide are caused by infection'

Infection with human papillomavirus can cause
cervical cancer 

One in six cancers - two million a year globally - are caused by largely treatable or preventable infections, new estimates suggest.

The Lancet Oncology review, which looked at incidence rates for 27 cancers in 184 countries, found four main infections are responsible.

These four - human papillomaviruses, Helicobacter pylori and hepatitis B and C viruses - account for 1.9m cases of cervical, gut and liver cancers.

Most cases are in the developing world.

The team from the International Agency for Research on Cancer in France says more efforts are needed to tackle these avoidable cases and recognise cancer as a communicable disease.

'Preventable'

The proportion of cancers related to infection is about three times higher in parts of the developing world, such as east Asia, than in developed countries like the UK - 22.9% versus 7.4%, respectively.


Nearly a third of cases occur in people younger than 50 years.

Among women, cancer of the cervix accounted for about half of the infection-related cancers. In men, more than 80% were liver and gastric cancers.

Drs Catherine de Martel and Martyn Plummer, who led the research, said: "Infections with certain viruses, bacteria, and parasites are some of the biggest and preventable causes of cancer worldwide

"Application of existing public-health methods for infection prevention, such as vaccination, safer injection practice, or antimicrobial treatments, could have a substantial effect on the future burden of cancer worldwide."

Vaccines are available to protect against human papillomavirus (HPV) - which is linked to cancer of the cervix - and hepatitis B virus - an established cause of liver cancer.

Woman bites off bag snatcher's finger

A mugger who attacked a woman in Japan fled empty-handed—and with one finger missing—after the intended victim chomped off his pinkie.

The 59-year-old woman fought back after a man snatched her bag as she arrived at her apartment in the northern city of Sapporo, police said Tuesday.

The woman gave chase as her attacker made his getaway on a bike, wrenching the stolen tote from his grasp and biting down firmly on his little finger.

“The victim regained her bag in a scuffle and the suspect had one of his fingers partially bitten off before getting away on his bicycle,” a local police spokesman told AFP.

Local media reported the top third of the man’s finger, which the woman said was from his right hand, had been recovered from the crime scene.

A police spokesman refused to give details about the fate of the detached digit or whether prints had been taken in a bid to trace the attacker.

© 2012 AFP

Spain not giving up Olympics bid despite recession

Madrid will not pull out of the bidding process for the 2020 Olympics despite Spain tipping into recession late last month, a senior bid official said on Tuesday.

Spain is under intense pressure from its European peers to streamline the euro zone’s fourth largest economy, reduce a huge public deficit and fix a banking system battered by a four-year economic slump and a burst property bubble.

Italian capital Rome had also started bidding for the 2020 Olympics before their government pulled the plug on the candidacy in February, saying it could not provide financial guarantees as they worked towards heading off their own debt crisis.

Following Rome’s surprise withdrawal there have been concerns that Madrid’s bid could also be affected by the debt crisis in Spain, where the economy slipped into recession in the first quarter in late April.

“Madrid has absolutely no intention of backing out of bidding for the Games. This is not going to be Rome II,” the bid’s CEO of international relations Theresa Zabell told Reuters in an interview. “We will be in Buenos Aires next year with a strong bid.”

The International Olympic Committee will elect the winning bid for the world’s biggest multi-sports extravaganza in September 2013 in Argentina, with Istanbul, Azeri capital Baku, Qatar’s Doha and Tokyo also in the running.

Madrid is bidding for the third consecutive time after losing out to London for the 2012 Games and Rio de Janeiro for 2016.

“The economic situation is an extra item that did not exist in the last bids,” said Zabell, a winner of two Olympic sailing gold medals. “Bidding for the Olympic Games is not a cost. It is an investment in our country. Not only in material but also in morale.”

“NEED THE GAMES”

Madrid’s bid has all but six venues already in place, but has decided to shift the focus from past bids on to the Games’ sporting aspect.

Spanish athletes have enjoyed massive success internationally in recent years, especially the national soccer and basketball teams, with the country’s tennis players also lifting several titles.

Madrid is also keen to push their capabilities as hosts and point to the fact that in the last ten years the city has played host to 85 European championships and 77 world championships.

“Few cities can boast of holding so many international events of such a large category,” she said.

In the coming two years the Spanish capital will host six more world championships for Olympic sports.

“We really need the Games. We have a high percent of unemployment and we need the Games to get the country moving,” Zabell said.

“Unemployment for people under 25 years is very high and they are the best qualified generation of people we have in the history of Spain and we need to give them their first job opportunity. There is no better force to change than the Games.”

Zabell said Madrid’s bid was also the only one from the heart of Europe and would provide a safe return after the first South American Games in 2016.

“New countries are trying to bid for the Games that traditionally did not bid before,” said Zabell.

“But I personally don’t think the Olympic Games can go from new countries (Brazil in 2016) to new countries. They have to come back to countries where they know the Games will be a quality experience.”    (KAROLOS GROHMANN, REUTERS)

LaserSaber: The Real-Life Lightsaber

The force is strong with this entrepreneur. Wicked Lasers CEO Steve Liu and his team have created the LaserSaber, a real-life lightsaber that echoes the galactic adventures of “Star Wars” films past. The 32-inch LaserSaber is a polycarbonate that serves as an attachment for Wicked Laser’s Spyder 3 series. Other creations from the Wicked Lasers team include the S3 Krypton laser, whose light is powerful enough to be seen from up to 85 miles away. The company also gained some notable exposure earlier this week when it attached lasers to shark fins off the coast of the Bahamas, finally fulfilling the fantasies of Dr. Evil in “Austin Powers”.

Liu and his crew went through some turbulence before the LaserSaber or Spyder 3 were able to see the light of day. In 2010, “Star Wars” creator George Lucas and Lucasfilm sent Wicked Lasers a cease and desist letter, on the grounds that the product was too dangerous and too similar to its film counterpart. They later backed off from the lawsuit.

The LaserSaber will be a $100 add on to the $300 Spyder series, which according to the sales pitch features "an ultrasmooth magnetic gravity system that can 'power up' and 'power down' the blade."

In an email to Wired, Liu explained the inner workings of the blade: “The laser energy that enters the LaserSaber is first diffused by a built-in optical element. Then the diffused laser enters the internal diffuser tube, which distributes the laser’s energy evenly along the blade. Inside the diffuser tube, there’s a metal sphere that’s suspended permanently inside. This sphere’s movement, caused by gravity, creates the beam-grow effects. There’s a magnet hidden in the tip of the blade, which causes the ball to magnetically lock in place. The magnetic lock can be disengaged by bumping the S3 laser with sufficient force.”

Much like an apprentice Jedi though, one must be careful with the opportunities for fun that the laser provides. Though Wicked Lasers openly advertises the dangers associated with the product, concerns were raised over the Spyder 3’s Arctic laser and how it could cause blindness, skin burns or fires. The LaserSaber and Spyder 3 come with protective glasses that must be worn while using the laser in order to protect your eyes from possible damage.   (By Drew Guarini, Huffingtonpost.com)

Bicycle-powered television initiated by a hotel

Brockenhurst village, UK: Cottage Lodge Hotel New Forest has installed a bicycle-powered television as its newest energy-saving initiative. Guests staying there will keep fit while enjoying their favourite programmes on the TV.

The 'Standing Hat' room where they bicycle is installed ,also features low-energy lighting, solar panels and a wood-burning stove to produce hot water, and a low-flow toilet and shower to reduce water use. The publicity also boasts that environmentally-friends paints and low-impact building materials were used throughout, while the room’s bed, bedside table, dressing table, wardrobe and mirror were crafted by a local tree surgeon from a single beech tree which fell in the village.

Christina Simons, the hotel’s owner says the 360-year-old property has recycling in its heritage. She further said : 

"I focused on three things when constructing the room: reducing waste, minimising pollution and using resources with the lowest impact possible.I also wanted to show that being green can also be exciting and fun, and guests love cycling on the bike."

The hotel has won several prizes for its eco-friendly initiatives, including awards from Visit Britain and the AA.

A stay in the Standing Hat costs from £129, including breakfast. 

Call          01590 622 296 

or visit      www.cottagelodge.co.uk

Twitter Objects to US Court demand

A New York state court has called on the firm to release tweets written by an activist who took part in the Occupy Wall Street protests last year.

The micro-blogging service disputes a judge's ruling that messages are owned by the firm rather than its users.

The American Civil Liberties Union commended the company for defending free speech rights.

Twitter's lawyer, Ben Lee, said:

"Twitter's terms of service make absolutely clear that its users 'own' their own content. Our filing with the court reaffirms our steadfast commitment to defending those rights for our users."

The case centres around Malcolm Harris, managing editor of the New Inquiry website.He was arrested on 1 October along with hundreds of other campaigners during a march across Brooklyn Bridge.Prosecutors claim tweets by Mr Harris would reveal that he was "well aware of police instructions" ordering protesters not to block traffic.

Mr Harris's lawyer had tried to block access to the postings, but a judge ruled that once the messages had been sent they became the property of Twitter, meaning the defendant was not protected by Fourth Amendment protection against unlawful search and seizure.

Twitter's lawyers argued that the judge had misunderstood how the service worked, noting that the Stored Communications Act gave its members the right to challenge requests for information on their user history.

Bucknell University Biology Research: Why do we age?

He can't answer why the chicken crossed the road, but biology professor Mark Haussman knows why certain chickens might get more stressed out than others, and why those chickens are predisposed to early aging.

Haussmann and a group of researchers set out to discover whether aging - or a predisposition to it - begins in the very earliest stages of development. In their study, Haussmann, two student researchers and collaborators from the University of Illinois showed that chickens that received stress hormones during their fetal development were more apt to "overreact" to stress later in life. The same chickens also took a longer time to recover from stress and displayed early signs of aging.

"When those offspring grow up, they have a hyperactive stress response," he said. "This means that their own stress hormones are high for longer and it is harder to turn that stress response off, which causes health risks in the long term."

The chickens in the study that were exposed to stress hormones in the egg stage also had higher levels of oxidative damage and displayed shorter telomere length in their DNA, indicating premature or advanced age. "The cells in the chickens with the hyperactive response actually were aging much more quickly than you'd expect, in some cases five or 10 years faster," he said

Berry College Places in Top 10 in Forensic Competition

The Berry College Forensics team recently placed sixth in the Annual Novice National Forensic Tournament.
The group was led by Jamie Bingham, a freshman from Dallas, Ga., who earned the national championship title in Persuasive Speaking, as well as second in Communication Analysis, second in Impromptu Sales, and fourth in After-Dinner Speaking. Bingham's all-around excellence earned her third place in the Pentathlon competition.

Senior Kim Treese from Pearl River, La., and junior Clay Henry from Blue Ridge, Ga., brought home national hardware as well. Treese placed fourth in Communication Analysis and sixth in Prose Interpretation. Henry and his teammates placed second in Reader's Theater with their performance of “Appalachian Trials.”

Original source here.

Berea College Nursing Program Joins with First Lady to Address Combat-Related Issues

First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden have announced an initiative from nurses across the country who have committed to educating current and future nurses on recognizing and caring for veterans impacted by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, depression and other combat-related issues.

In a broad, coordinated effort, more than 150 state and national nursing organizations and more than 500 nursing schools, including Berea College’s, have committed to further educate our nation’s three million nurses so they are prepared to meet the unique health needs of service members, veterans and their families. This initiative is led by the American Nurses Association, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and the National League for Nursing, in coordination with the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense.

“Berea College’s baccalaureate nursing program recognizes the tremendous need to educate our nursing students on the effects and treatment options for soldiers suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and other combat related conditions,” said Carol Kirby, chief nurse program administrator at Berea College. “Berea College’s nursing program is committed to doing our part by preparing the next generation of nurses to meet the growing healthcare needs of this population.”

The invisible wounds of war, post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury (TBI), have impacted approximately one in six troops returning from Afghanistan and Iraq – more than 300,000 veterans. And since 2000, more than 44,000 of those troops have suffered at least a moderate-grade traumatic brain injury.

“Whether we’re in a hospital, a doctor’s office or a community health center, nurses are often the first people we see when we walk through the door. Because of their expertise, they are trusted to be the front line of America’s health care system,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “That’s why Jill and I knew we could turn to America’s nurses and nursing students to help our veterans and military families get the world-class care that they’ve earned. It’s clear from our announcement that the nursing community is well on its way to serving our men and women in uniform and their families.”

“Nurses are at the center of providing lifesaving care in communities across the country — and their reach is particularly important because our veterans don’t always seek care through the VA system,” said Dr. Jill Biden. “This commitment is essential to ensuring our returning service men and women receive the care they deserve.”

Nursing at Berea College was first recorded in 1867 as “The Ladies Board of Care” was formed and again in 1889 when the first graduate nurse was hired for instructional purposes. The Berea Nursing Program officially began in 1898 and was initially a two-year vocational nursing program. By 1918 the program had evolved into a 18-month practical nursing program and by 1920 had created a three-year nursing program that lead to a Registered Nurse legal title. Interestingly, in 1943 the Berea School of Nursing was approved for a Cadet Training Program by the Division of Nurses of the U.S. Public Health Service. Cadet Corps Nurses proudly served their country as Berea Army Nurses in the Army Nurse Corps and in other military assignments. In the late 1940’s, senior nurses at Berea College further served their country by providing “Psychiatric Nursing Services” for the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky.

Today, Berea College’s AACN-accredited and Kentucky Board of Nursing approved baccalaureate nursing program still holds true to its commitment to serve our nation’s veterans, service members and their families.

Read more here.

Luther College Receives Second Nature Climate Leadership Award

Luther College has been selected to receive a 2012 Second Nature Climate Leadership Award, recognizing Luther as one of the nation's leading colleges and universities with regard to reducing greenhouse gas emissions on campus and integrating this goal with the college's educational mission.

The 10 award recipients in the Second Nature competition will be honored at the 2012 Climate Leadership Summit to be held June 21-22 at American University in Washington, D.C. Luther President Richard Torgerson will attend the event to accept the award on behalf of the college at the dinner and Climate Leadership Award Ceremony on June 21.

"Luther College is honored to be recognized as one of a select group of educational institutions chosen for the Climate Leadership Award," said President Torgerson. "We are pleased to have this affirmation of Luther's commitment to sustainability, both in the operation of our campus and its facilities, and in the education of our students.

"To be selected as one of the best of the best -- one of the top colleges from among the 20 finalists for the Climate Leadership Award -- is a great honor," President Torgerson said. "All of these institutions are acknowledged national leaders in sustainability initiatives and achievements, and Luther is proud to be named as one of the leaders in the nation."

Luther's Climate Leadership Award is in the baccalaureate college category. Two award winners were selected in each of five categories: doctorate granting universities, master's degree granting colleges and universities, baccalaureate colleges, associate/tribal colleges, and special focus institutions/others.

The award winners were selected by the Second Nature Board of Directors. Second Nature is the lead organization of the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment, a network of more than 675 higher education institutions in 50 states that have made a commitment to prepare young people to solve the climate crisis.

President Torgerson was among the first college presidents to sign the ACUPCC pledge, an agreement among colleges and universities to promote sustainability through teaching and action. The ACUPCC is a growing network of colleges and universities that have made institutional commitments to eliminate net greenhouse gas emissions and to make sustainability a part of every student's learning experience.

"Luther College was selected for the Climate Leadership Award primarily because of its success in integrating campus technology and the learning experience with environmental sustainability," said Anthony D. Cortese, president of Second Nature, the lead supporting organization of the ACUPCC.

As part of its strategic plan to reduce its carbon footprint by 50 percent, Luther recently completed a 1.6 megawatt wind turbine that produces a third of the college's electrical energy, and it is constructing a field of solar panels to generate all of the electricity consumed by its Baker Village residential complex, home to 100 students. "Luther has set an important example by working towards this interim reduction target for all of higher education and society in light of the latest scientific information that we need significant reductions in the next five years if we are to avoid serious and unmanageable climate disruption," says Cortese.

Cortese noted that Luther's commitment to sustainable practices and lifestyle is also incorporated into students' learning experiences. The college conducts faculty workshops on integrating sustainability into the curriculum, develops student internships promoting green practices in the surrounding community, and supports a peer-to-peer program that fosters sustainability literacy on campus.

"Luther College has drawn a successful blueprint for not just teaching sustainability in the classroom, but also practicing what they preach and allowing students to contribute to the planning and to see it take place throughout campus," said Cortese. "This kind of systemic approach to sustainability can make the planet healthier and better prepare Luther graduates for jobs in the new-energy economy."

The ACUPCC acknowledged Luther's achievements in April as part of its Celebrating Sustainability series, which identified signatories' efforts to re-stabilize the earth's climate through education, research and community engagement.

University Press Release here.

Lake Forest College: Relay and race raise over $50,000 for cancer research

Lake Forest College’s Relay for Life and Ry’s Run brought together over 700 participants and raised over $50,000 for the American Cancer Society.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012 was the College’s third annual Ry’s Run, a 5K race where students, faculty and staff run the residential streets of Lake Forest. The event is in remembrance of Ryann McCarthy `10, who was a standout goaltender on the women’s hockey team before being diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, an aggressive form of cancer that took her life on July 28, 2009. Casey Flynn `12 won the t-shirt design contest this year. Over $1,000 was raised by the participants.


Women’s head ice hockey coach, Carisa Zaban, helped organized the event this year. “It was nice to see so many students who are not involved with athletics participate in the race,” she said of the campus community. McCarthy’s family was also there to support the race.


The College also hosted its sixth annual Relay for Life event on Friday, April 20. Over 500 participants signed up online for the event, more than ever before. They helped raise almost $50,000 and they’ll keep accepting donations until August.

“Relay is an event that a third of this campus participates in,” said Elyse Brey `12. “The fact that we can get that many people to commit themselves to a full night to fighting cancer is truly amazing.”

Dr. Bruce Waldholtz, a member of the board of directors for the Southeast region of the American Cancer Society, and cancer survivor Diana Nawrocki `01 spoke that evening. The Relay for Life committee was led by Brey, Luke Butts `12, and Lexie Czarnecki `13 with the help of Pat Doggett.

“I could not be any more proud of those who were involved in the event and who helped raise funds for the cause,” said Butts. “Relay for Life continues to evolve and grow into something that was not even fathomable when it was initiated on campus in 2004.”

University Press Release here.

Telefonica launches skype rival

Telefonica, the owner of O2 and Movistar is launching an app capable of making calls over the internet, posing a challenge to Skype, Viber and Whatsapp. But the owner of O2 said it would "rather keep the customer than lose them to other products and services".

User can make calls and send messages without using up their quota of call minutes or texts.Photographs, location information and voice messages can also be sent with all data stored on Telefonica's servers. Actions taken by "Tu Me" will instead be deducted from data allowances.

Tu Me is free to download and will be promoted to members of Spanish telecom Telefonica's O2, Movistar and Vivo networks. The company has about 300 million customers across the world. However, subscribers to other brands will also be able to use the program.

Both the caller and recipient must have the app installed for it to work. Users will receive a pop-up notification when someone is trying to get in contact, prompting them to launch the software. Unlike Skype, users cannot make calls to normal telephone numbers.

The service will initially be limited to Apple's iPhones, with a version to follow for Google's Android system.

Goodfellas (1990)

Goodfellas is a 1990 crime film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is a film adaptation of the 1986 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese. The film follows the rise and fall of Lucchese crime family associates Henry Hill and his friends over a period from 1955 to 1980.

Scorsese originally intended to direct Goodfellas before The Last Temptation of Christ, but when funds materialized to make Last Temptation, he postponed what was then known as Wise Guy. The title of Pileggi's book had already been used for a TV series and for Brian De Palma's 1986 comedy Wise Guys, so Pileggi and Scorsese changed the name of their film to Goodfellas. To prepare for their roles in the film, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Ray Liotta often spoke with Pileggi, who shared research material left over from writing the book. According to Pesci, improvisation and ad-libbing came out of rehearsals where Scorsese gave the actors freedom to do whatever they wanted. The director made transcripts of these sessions, took the lines he liked best, and put them into a revised script the cast worked from during principal photography.

Goodfellas performed well at the box office, grossing $46.8 million domestically, well above its $25 million budget. It also received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and won one for Pesci in the Best Actor in a Supporting Role category. Scorsese's film won five awards from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, including Best Film, and Best Director. The film was named Best Film of the year by various film critics groups. Goodfellas is often considered one of the greatest films ever, both in the crime genre and in general, and was deemed "culturally significant" and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress. Scorsese followed this film up with two more films about organized crime: 1995's Casino and 2006's The Departed.

The Met Gala: Beyoncé's dramatic arrival and Bruno Mars's performance

The Met Gala took place Monday night in New York to launch the opening of The Metropolitan Museum's new exhibition Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations. Bruno Mars's performance and Beyoncé's entrance were among highlights noted on Twitter.

Marc Jacobs showed up in a lace dress, Coco Rocha came in a vintage Givenchy pantsuit that once belonged to Elizabeth Taylor and Lana Del Rey, sporting her well-practised pout, was told by E!Online to "cheer up." But Beyoncé got the most tweets for her showstopping arrival in a Givenchy gown. Bruno Mars's performance was called everything from "way fun" by Rachel Zoe to "ethereal and electric" by Desiree Gruber.

Manchester City's Yaya Toure wants Barcelona return

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has reiterated his desire to finish his career back at former club Barcelona.


The Ivory Coast international spent three years at Barca before moving to City for a fee in the region of £24 million in 2010.

Toure has been a big hit in Manchester and his two goals against Newcastle last weekend has put City on the verge of winning their first title since 1968, but the 28 year-old's long-term ambition remains a return to the Nou Camp.

He told Spanish radio station RAC1: "I said two years ago that I would return. It's been the most important team for me and if they call you don't think twice. I love Barcelona.

"In the press conference I did when I left I said I would return, in life you never know what will happen tomorrow, it's been the team of my life and I would like to finish my sporting career here. If I could return, it would be great."

Toure also believes Barca will be in good hands when Tito Vilanova replaces Pep Guardiola as coach this summer.


He said of Guardiola's decision to step down: "It was a little strange, because Guardiola has been a key person in the success of Barca in all these years. But we are all human and despite having done phenomenal things, he has decided to go.

"I know Tito very well and I think that he will apply the same philosophy as Pep. Tito is also a very good person, with a very similar idea of football. I think Tito is a good coach as well."

Paralysed woman completes marathon

A PARALYSED British woman has become the first ever person to complete a marathon while wearing a bionic suit.

Claire Lomas crossed the finishing line in London yesterday, 16 days after the race began.

Ms Lomas was in tears but said she was "over the moon" as she completed the 42.2km course in her bionic ReWalk suit, which mimics the response that the wearer's joints would make if they were not paralysed.

Hundreds of people lined the streets and three mounted members of the Household Cavalry gave the 32-year-old a guard of honour as she finished the course on The Mall in central London.

Ms Lomas, a former chiropractor who was left paralysed from the chest down following a horse-riding accident five years ago, said: "There were times when I questioned whether I would make it when I was training.

"Once I started, I just took each day as it came and every step got me a step closer."

She walked about three kilometres a day, cheered on by her husband Dan and their 13-month-old daughter Maisie, and her parents.

Ms Lomas will not appear in the official results and did not receive a medal when she finished as competitors have to complete the course on the day of the race to qualify for a medal.

But a dozen other runners in the race have given her their own medals in recognition of her achievement.

And Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson, whose company sponsors the London Marathon, also stepped in to award Ms Lomas the Virgin Trophy for 2012.

"We treasure amazing acts of bravery," Mr Branson said.

Ms Lomas, who now works as a jewellery designer, raised more than 86,000 pounds ($140,000) for a charity which funds research to develop treatments for paralysis caused by a broken back or neck.

"I have had tremendous support since my accident which I am so grateful for, some don't have that," she said.

"Some people lose the use of their arms as well. A cure needs to be found."

The 43,000 pound ReWalk suit, designed by Israeli entrepreneur Amit Goffer, enables people with lower-limb paralysis to stand, walk and climb stairs through motion sensors and an onboard computer system.

Two weeks of smartphone charging in your pocket

Brookstone will carry a portable fuel cell USB charger from Lilliputian Systems able to deliver extended hours of charge time for smartphones and other electronics.

Retailer Brookstone this year will start selling a portable fuel cell able to charge smartphones a dozen times before running out.

Fuel cell maker Lilliputian Systems today announced that Brookstone will be the first retailer to carry its portable USB power source, which will be sold under Brookstone's brand. The fuel cell device is about the size of a thick smartphone, and the lighter fluid-filled cartridges are about the same size as a cigarette lighter.

It's a big step forward both for Lilliputian Systems, a 10-year-old spin-off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and for portable fuel cell technology in general. Several fuel cell companies have developed portable power systems, but a number have failed.

The new fuel cell will charge any device that has a USB cable.

Pricing for the Brookstone fuel cell itself was not disclosed but the cartridges themselves, which are made of plastic and hold butane, will cost a few dollars, or "about the same as coffee from Starbucks," said Mouli Ramani, vice president of business development at Lilliputian Systems.

People will be able to buy refills and fuel cells online, through Brookstone catalogs, or at stores. When the fuel cartridges are empty, they can be recycled through municipal recycling programs, Ramani said.

Lilliputian expects the first customers will be early technology adopters but then the appeal of portable power will attract more people, such as travelers, college students, and even teenagers who spend a lot of time with portable gaming machines. "Anyone who wants to be liberated from sticking a phone into a wall outlet," he said.

The company is the first to deposit a solid oxide fuel cell membrane onto a silicon wafer, he explained. Investor Intel has retrofitted a fab in Hudson, Mass., to make specially structured silicon chips with Lilliputian's membrane imprinted on them.Unique technology inside the fuel cell allows for longer charge time than previous portable fuel cells gives, Ramani said.

"The problem of all the other (previous) devices, which usually used methanol or sodium borohydride, is that when they actually built the product, it was not any better than carrying a lithium ion battery around," he said.

Lilliputian's fuel cell will be able to fully charge, for example, an iPhone 4 between 10 and 14 times with one cartridge, Ramani said. That can mean a couple weeks of use for many people, he noted.

The cartridges, which will be made by cigarette lighter makers, can be carried on airplanes. The company is seeking distribution with other retailers. (CNET)

Telefonica unveils data-based communication app Tu Me

Telefonica is launching an app that allows smartphone users to make calls and send messages without using up their quota of call minutes or texts.

Actions taken by "Tu Me" will instead be deducted from data allowances.

It poses a challenge to existing apps including Skype, Viber and Whatsapp.

Network operators have traditionally viewed such programs as a threat, but the owner of O2 said it would "rather keep the customer than lose them to other products and services".

Tu Me is free to download and will be promoted to members of Spanish telecom Telefonica's O2, Movistar and Vivo networks. The company has about 300 million customers across the world.

However, subscribers to other brands will also be able to use the program.

Encryption

Both the caller and recipient must have the app installed for it to work. Users will receive a pop-up notification when someone is trying to get in contact, prompting them to launch the software.

Unlike Skype, users cannot make calls to normal telephone numbers.

Photographs, location information and voice messages can also be sent with all data stored on Telefonica's servers.

The company said messages would be encrypted when transmitted and it promised not to analyse or provide third-party access to the contents unless required to do so by the courts.

"We've seen the growing popularity of communication apps on smartphones but we believe we've gone one better with Tu Me using our knowledge and insights of how people use their devices," said Telefonica Digital's chief commercial officer Stephen Shurrock.

Telephone numbers

The service will initially be limited to Apple's iPhones, with a version to follow for Google's Android system.

Telefonica stands to benefit if its subscribers increase their data allowance, although the service can also be used via wi-fi.

"This has been well thought through as a response to Skype and other voice over internet services," Jeremy Green, principal analyst at the technology research firm Ovum, told the BBC.

"It's a bit of a case of if you can't beat them join them. The tweak on it is that the service is still anchored to the users' telephone number and from a telecom firm's point of view that's a good way to protect their revenues."

A recent study by Ovum suggested that social messaging apps had cost network operators a total of $13.9bn (£8.6bn) in lost SMS revenues in 2011.

Telefonica said that it planned to add functionality to the app and launch further products over the coming months. (BBC)

Thousands of Twitter passwords exposed

It's unclear who's responsible for posting passwords for Twitter accounts to a public Web site. The exact number of accounts is also unclear, as Twitter says many are duplicates and many had already been suspended.

Twitter is investigating the release of what appear to be thousands of user account passwords and e-mail addresses.

"We are currently looking into the situation. In the meantime, we have pushed out password resets to accounts that may have been affected," Twitter spokesman Robert Weeks told CNET in an e-mail. "For those who are concerned that their account may have been compromised, we suggest resetting your passwords and more in our Help Center."

The user data, so vast that it took five Pastebin pages to post, was released yesterday and blogged about on Airdemon.net, putting the number of accounts affected at 55,000 or more. It's unclear who posted the data, and why.

Weeks disputed that estimate, noting that many of the passwords and accounts seemed like duplicates.

"It's worth noting that, so far, we've discovered that the list of alleged accounts and passwords found on Pastebin consists of more than 20,000 duplicates, many spam accounts that have already been suspended, and many log-in credentials that do not appear to be linked (that is, the password and username are not actually associated with each other)," he said.

The list does seem a bit odd, with many passwords that appeared to be robust, and a separation between e-mail addresses and user IDs that hacker Adrian Lamo noted on Twitter wasn't representative of a typical password dump. (CNET)

Indonesian militants threaten to stop Lady Gaga show

JAKARTA: A hardline religious group warned Wednesday it would not let Lady Gaga set foot in Indonesia, challenging an army of fans awaiting a concert in the nation with the world's largest Muslim population.

The militants Defenders Front (FPI) vowed to mobilise 30,000 demonstrators to protest the US artist's June 3 performance in Jakarta and to intercept her at the airport.

"We will stop her from setting foot on our land. She had better not dare spread her satanic faith in this country," FPI Jakarta chairman Salim Alatas told AFP.

"Her style is vulgar, her sexual and indecent clothes will destroy our children's sense of morality. She's very dangerous," he said.

The US pop diva, famed for her outrageous outfits and provocative performances, has sparked opposition in other Asian countries with her "Born This Way Ball" global tour, which kicked off in Seoul last month amid protests.

But the FPI, notorious for making threats and often failing to follow through, will face opposition from 40,000 fans planning to attend the sold-out show in Indonesia.

AFP

TOUR 10 SMALLEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD

You may not have heard about these countries since they are so small. However, what they lack in size, they certainly make up for with their rich culture, heritage, history and spectacular attractions. 

MALTA (316 KM2)

Malta is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea that lies south of the island of Sicily,Italy. The country is an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Għawdex orGozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being inhabited.

MALDIVES (298 KM2)

The Maldives has the top tropical beaches in the world and is a top honeymoon destination. Its warm clear seas teeming with marine life are spectacular. Swim, play water sports and surf the Maldivian waters.

ST. KITTS AND NEVIS (261 KM2)

St. Kitts and Nevis is made up of two volcanic islands. They are known for pristine beaches, lush rainforests and attractions like the Culturama, the volcanic cone of Nevis Peak and St. Kitts Scenic Railway.

ST. KITTS AND NEVIS (261 KM2)

St. Kitts and Nevis is made up of two volcanic islands. They are known for pristine beaches, lush rainforests and attractions like the Culturama, the volcanic cone of Nevis Peak and St. Kitts Scenic Railway.

MARSHALL ISLANDS (181 KM2)

The Republic of the Marshall Islands has beautiful islands, atolls and pristine waters. The Bikini Lagoon has sunken ships from the World War II era, which became popular destination for divers. Visit the Bokak Atoll Lagoon, the Ivy Mike Test Site, the Laura Settlement and Graveyard, Marshall Islands' highest point Likiep Atoll, the Runit Blast Crater and the Bravo Crater created in 1954 by a hydrogen bomb blast.

LIECHTENSTEIN (160 KM2)

Liechtenstein is a unique fusion of tradition and modernity. Discover the country through the state of the art multimedia presentations at the Liechtenstein Center. Enjoy skiing at the snow covered Malbi-Park. Encounter falcons, eagle-owls, hawks and eagles up close at the Galina Falcon Center. Take the Citytrain for a grand tour of the capital, Vaduz's great views, or the Sareis Chairlift to the Sareiserjoch.

SAN MARINO (61.2 KM2)

The Most Serene Republic of San Marino is an enclave on the Italian peninsula. Sites to see include the Formula One venue, the Church of San Pietro and the Government House. The Basilica di San Marino houses relics of St. Marinus. The Church of the Cappuccini has a monument to St. Francis. See realy strange objects on display at the Museum of Curiosities. Marvel at reptiles and other marine life at the Reptilarium and Aquarium. Car lovers will enjoy the collection of more than 100 vintage motorcycles and cars at the Vintage Car Museum.

TUVALU (26 KM2)

Tuvalu has a small land area with atolls, small islands and lagoons. It has superb beaches with reefs and palms against shallow and deep water. Small it may be, but its unique ambiance is its best asset.

NAURU (21 KM2)

North of the Solomon Islands is the tiny island of Nauru. It is a great spot for scuba diving, swimming, deep sea fishing, walks and tours. Shop for food, arts and crafts at boutiques and stores. Enjoy a wide array of cuisine at Nauru's restaurants.

MONACO (1.98 KM2)

The Principality of Monaco in the French Riviera offers amazing attractions. Monaco's Jardin Exotique exhibits exotic plants and has beautiful views of the city and ocean. See marine life, nautical equipment and more on display at the Musee Oceanographique and life size wax figures at the Wax Museum of the Princes of Monaco. Witness the change of guards at the Place du Palais. See stunning views from the Trophee des Alpes monument.

VATICAN CITY (0.44 KM2)

The Stato della Citta del Vaticano, or the Vatican City, the smallest independent state in the world, only has a population of about 800. The most famous Catholic church in the world, St. Peter's Basilica is situated there. In front of it is St. Peter's Square which features an Egyptian obelisk at its center. The Vatican Palace, the Pope's residence, sits on almost 14 acres of land. The Vatican Gardens include churches, offices, buildings, fountains and towers.

(Tourism Review)