COMMENTARY | The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, has requested that President Barack Obama appoint a special counsel to determine whether Attorney General Eric Holder perjured himself in testimony concerning "Fast and Furious."
"Fast and Furious" refers to a now-controversial program conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms that allowed private gun dealers in the United States to sell weapons to members of the Mexican drug cartels. The idea was the guns would be tracked to the people buying them, who would be identified and arrested. But the ATF lost track of the weapons, which were subsequently involved in a number of murders, including one of a Border Patrol agent.
According to Fox News, the testimony in question took place May 3, in which Holder testified that, "I'm not sure of the exact date, but I probably heard about Fast and Furious for the first time over the last few weeks." However, a memo has been released that suggests Holder was informed of "Fast and Furious" and its nature far earlier than a few weeks before May 3.
The Justice Department claims Holder does not read all of the memos he is sent, thus making it possible that he had not read the memo in question. However, other documents suggest the attorney general received weekly briefings on Fast and the Furious at the National Drug Intelligence Center starting more than a year ago.
One thing that Obama does not need as he faces a tough reelection fight is a special counsel investigating one of the members of his cabinet. Such an investigation has the potential to blight the rest of the president's term in office, much as Ken Starr did for President Clinton and Lawrence Walsh did for President Reagan.
A special counsel usually has an unlimited mandate to follow the evidence wherever it leads, subpoena witnesses, and indict suspects. The special counsel would operate much like a U.S. attorney, being technically part of the Justice Department but not reporting to the attorney general whom he or she would investigate.
Obama might, were he in the mood to stonewall, try delaying tactics to buy enough time until the end of 2012. If Obama is defeated for reelection, Holder is gone anyway. If Obama wins, then Holder, as many cabinet members have in the past, could resign quietly, allowing the newly reelected president to choose a less controversial replacement.
On the other hand, if Obama were to not be responsive to Chairman Smith's request, he would open himself to the charge of a coverup. Considering the explosive nature of "Fast and Furious," which featured the facilitating of gun sales to drug criminals, that may be something the president would want to avoid.
In this matter, Obama does not have any good options.
Sources: Issa: DOJ Covering Up on Mexican Gun-Running Scandal, Fred Lucas, CNS News, June 17, 2011
"Fast And Furious" Just Might Be President Obama's Watergate, Frank Miniter, Forbes, Sept 28, 2011
House Republicans Request Special Counsel to Probe Holder on 'Fast and Furious', Fox News, Oct 4, 2011
User's Manual: How a 'Special Counsel' Would Work in 'Fast and Furious' Probe, Fox News, Oct 4, 2011
ScienceDaily (Oct. 4, 2011) ? Although humans and chimpanzees move quite differently, muscle attachment sites at their thighbones are similar. This result, which has recently been published by anthropologists of Zurich University in the scientific journal Anatomical Record, has major consequences for the interpretation of fossil hominin finds.
PhD student Naoki Morimoto, member of the Computer-Assisted Paleoanthropology group of Ch. Zollikofer and M. Ponce de Le?n, and junior author of the study, was surprised by his own findings. Although humans are bipeds, and chimps are quadrupeds, muscle attachment sites at their thighbones are quite similar. Attachment sites differ substantially, however, between chimpanzees and gorillas, although these great apes species move similarly. Interestingly, Morimoto's results are in line with insights from genetics: humans and chimps are evolutionary sister species, while gorillas are more distant relatives, like cousins. Morimoto explains the seeming paradox of his results: this is not "form follows function," but "form follows family."
Functional inferences: a cautionary tale
The new findings have far-reaching implications for the interpretation of fossil hominin remains. Fossil thighbone shafts are often well preserved, but it now appears that inferences about locomotor behavior must be drawn with caution, while inferences about the fossil's evolutionary relationships might be more straightforward. Anthropologist Ch. Zollikofer explains: "the transition from great-ape-like quadrupedal to human-like bipedal locomotion is accompanied by several changes in the hip and thighbones, but currently we cannot infer functional change from structural change with any certainty." And he asks the next big question of paleoanthropology: "Why did the last common ancestor of humans and chimps, who might have lived 7-8 million years ago, evolve novel thighbone features?"
Virtual dissection
To get a detailed look at great ape musculoskeletal anatomy, the research team combined high-resolution computed tomography with computer-assisted virtual dissection. Great ape bodies are a scarce and valuable resource for scientific studies, and anthropologists are increasingly reluctant to "sacrifice" them for anatomical dissections. Virtual autopsy -- or Virtopsy -- is the method of choice. Virtopsy was pioneered by Michael Thali (Institute of Forensic Science, UZH), and is now used in forensic institutes worldwide. Anthropological virtopsy has enormous potential, as it permits virtual dissection of one single specimen by many different researchers, and according to many different criteria, without actually deteriorating the orginal body. Moreover, great ape virtopsy gives an immediate picture of the spatial relationships between soft and hard tissues (bones) of one and the same individual. Traditionally, bone morphology was studied on dry-skeleton specimens, and subsequently combined with muscle data obtained from dissections of other animals.
Acquiring 3D tomographic data of great ape bodies, however, is a complex endeavor, which requires collaboration across disciplines. To reach these goals, the "Visible Ape Consortium" was established, which has become an example of efficient transdisciplinary research at UZH
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The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by University of Zurich.
Journal Reference:
Naoki Morimoto, Marcia S. Ponce De Le?n, Takeshi Nishimura, Christoph P.E. Zollikofer. Femoral Morphology and Femoropelvic Musculoskeletal Anatomy of Humans and Great Apes: A Comparative Virtopsy Study. The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology, 2011; 294 (9): 1433 DOI: 10.1002/ar.21424
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
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[unable to retrieve full-text content]Symbol enterprise mobility solutions integrate advanced data capture products, radio frequency identification technology, mobile computing platforms, wireless infrastructure, mobility software and world-class services ...
With no regard for where you reside, the possibilities are pretty good that you have experienced some unstable weather lately that has been tough on your home?s structure. Seasonal wind, hail, and rain typhoons coupled with some relentless heat waves in the summer, can all work in partnership to do serious damage to your home?s roof and leave your house looking less than pristine.
If you're uninterested in finding parts of your roof on the ground after even the mildest typhoon it might be time to have a professional roofing contractor take a look at your house and see whether it is time for a new roof or merely a roof mend job.
Don?t ignore the danger signs that your roof is in trouble. Those shingles that blow off in each storm are leaving your roof wide open to further damaged by the elements and once rain water gets into your home?s structure the damage can get extremely intensive very fast.
A pro roofing contractor should evaluate the damage from the roof itself not from the ground to get a better idea about what sort of roof repair job you could need. Regardless of how good they are, or how many roofs they have done in the area during the past, they still need to be on the roof itself to discover how much damage is present. Avoid hiring any contractor that does not want to go up on the roof for the assessment because this is a red flag that you shouldn't ignore. Your roof contractor should be looking for loose or missing shingles, loose or missing roofing nails and any flashing that's missing or not properly placed. These are the 3 main ways that water can penetrate your roof and begin to cause structural damage.
If your roofer catches these things in time, you can most likely do a roof mend job instead of replacing the whole roof which can get very dear. But if your roof has been let go for a long period of time, you can end up spending as much to salvage it as you would to replace it.
Prior to making any decisions about your roof, get at least three approved roofing subcontractors to bid on your roof. This can give you not only a fair appraisal of the disposition of your roof it will also give you a fair idea about what your last price tag should look like.
It isn't strange for three bids to be massively different in price bracket so remember the details like the types of material used and how many roofers your contractor will be hiring to finish the job.
If you have been experiencing poor weather, you should not ignore your roof; make efforts to get it assessed for potential damage even if you're not picking your roof up off the ground in the morning. Your roof after all is all that stands between you and Mother Nature, so take care of it and it will take care of you.
Contact the trusted roofer in Atlanta for all your roofing wants. Weather Watch Roofing provides the best roofing in Atlanta and is an approved and insured roofing contractor and will help with any insurance claim from hail, wind or weather damage.
Responsibilities of scientists underlined by scientific community Public release date: 30-Sep-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Howard Moore howard.moore@icsu.org 33-642-793-771 International Council for Science
Rome, Italy The General Assembly of the International Council for Science (ICSU) today reaffirmed the universal values that should guide the conduct of science. It explicitly recognized the key social responsibilities of the scientific community that need to accompany the free practice of science. While the focus of the Principle of Universality of Science which is central to ICSU's statutes and a basic condition of worldwide membership of the ICSU family has been on the preservation of scientific freedoms, ICSU is mindful of the need for scientists to pay equal attention to their responsibilities.
"The balance between scientific freedom and responsibility is not always easy to get right, but awareness of its significance and of the value of ongoing dialogue must be maintained within the scientific community." says Bengt Gustafsson, Chair of ICSU's Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in the conduct of Science (CFRS). "By extending its consideration of the long-established Principle of the Universality to explicitly include responsibilities as well as freedoms, ICSU has emphasized that this balance is critical both for science and society."
The new wording of the Principle was approved today by the membership of ICSU at its General Assembly in Rome. It reads as follows:
The Principle of Universality (freedom and responsibility) of Science
The free and responsible practice of science is fundamental to scientific advancement and human and environmental well-being. Such practice, in all its aspects, requires freedom of movement, association, expression and communication for scientists, as well as equitable access to data, information, and other resources for research. It requires responsibility at all levels to carry out and communicate scientific work with integrity, respect, fairness, trustworthiness, and transparency, recognising its benefits and possible harms.
In advocating the free and responsible practice of science, ICSU promotes equitable opportunities for access to science and its benefits, and opposes discrimination based on such factors as ethnic origin, religion, citizenship, language, political or other opinion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or age.
Promoting good scientific conduct and preventing misconduct is critical for science as a whole, and for this reason ICSU's CFRS was also heavily engaged in the organization of the second World Conference on Research Integrity in Singapore in July 2010. The Singapore Statement on Research Integrity, which stemmed from the event, was presented to the Assembly in Rome. The statement emphasizes the need for honesty in all aspects of research, accountability in the conduct of scientific research, professional courtesy and fairness in working with others, and good stewardship of research on behalf of others.
Gustafsson adds: "As our world evolves, there are continually changing challenges to the freedoms of scientists, and an increased onus on the scientific community to articulate and embrace its responsibilities. Whilst there can be national, and even disciplinary, differences in the way research is actually carried out, there are certain principles and responsibilities that are fundamental to 'good science'. Given the unique position of scientists as the gate-keepers of new knowledge in today's knowledge societies, respect for these values is critically important if confidence in science is to be maintained."
###
About ICSU
Founded in 1931, ICSU is a non-governmental organization with a global membership of national scientific bodies (120 Members, representing 140 countries) and International Scientific Unions (30 Members). The Council's activities focus on three areas: planning and coordinating research; science for policy; and strengthening the Universality of Science. ICSU is frequently called upon to speak on behalf of the global scientific community and to act as an advisor in matters ranging from the environment to conduct in science. www.icsu.org
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Responsibilities of scientists underlined by scientific community Public release date: 30-Sep-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Howard Moore howard.moore@icsu.org 33-642-793-771 International Council for Science
Rome, Italy The General Assembly of the International Council for Science (ICSU) today reaffirmed the universal values that should guide the conduct of science. It explicitly recognized the key social responsibilities of the scientific community that need to accompany the free practice of science. While the focus of the Principle of Universality of Science which is central to ICSU's statutes and a basic condition of worldwide membership of the ICSU family has been on the preservation of scientific freedoms, ICSU is mindful of the need for scientists to pay equal attention to their responsibilities.
"The balance between scientific freedom and responsibility is not always easy to get right, but awareness of its significance and of the value of ongoing dialogue must be maintained within the scientific community." says Bengt Gustafsson, Chair of ICSU's Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in the conduct of Science (CFRS). "By extending its consideration of the long-established Principle of the Universality to explicitly include responsibilities as well as freedoms, ICSU has emphasized that this balance is critical both for science and society."
The new wording of the Principle was approved today by the membership of ICSU at its General Assembly in Rome. It reads as follows:
The Principle of Universality (freedom and responsibility) of Science
The free and responsible practice of science is fundamental to scientific advancement and human and environmental well-being. Such practice, in all its aspects, requires freedom of movement, association, expression and communication for scientists, as well as equitable access to data, information, and other resources for research. It requires responsibility at all levels to carry out and communicate scientific work with integrity, respect, fairness, trustworthiness, and transparency, recognising its benefits and possible harms.
In advocating the free and responsible practice of science, ICSU promotes equitable opportunities for access to science and its benefits, and opposes discrimination based on such factors as ethnic origin, religion, citizenship, language, political or other opinion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or age.
Promoting good scientific conduct and preventing misconduct is critical for science as a whole, and for this reason ICSU's CFRS was also heavily engaged in the organization of the second World Conference on Research Integrity in Singapore in July 2010. The Singapore Statement on Research Integrity, which stemmed from the event, was presented to the Assembly in Rome. The statement emphasizes the need for honesty in all aspects of research, accountability in the conduct of scientific research, professional courtesy and fairness in working with others, and good stewardship of research on behalf of others.
Gustafsson adds: "As our world evolves, there are continually changing challenges to the freedoms of scientists, and an increased onus on the scientific community to articulate and embrace its responsibilities. Whilst there can be national, and even disciplinary, differences in the way research is actually carried out, there are certain principles and responsibilities that are fundamental to 'good science'. Given the unique position of scientists as the gate-keepers of new knowledge in today's knowledge societies, respect for these values is critically important if confidence in science is to be maintained."
###
About ICSU
Founded in 1931, ICSU is a non-governmental organization with a global membership of national scientific bodies (120 Members, representing 140 countries) and International Scientific Unions (30 Members). The Council's activities focus on three areas: planning and coordinating research; science for policy; and strengthening the Universality of Science. ICSU is frequently called upon to speak on behalf of the global scientific community and to act as an advisor in matters ranging from the environment to conduct in science. www.icsu.org
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
The act of talking in front of an audience is avoided by many. This is simply because several feel that speaking in public places them to an open fire. Lots of people don?t have the self esteem in discussing in front of a number of people.
There is certainly an adage that says ?if you can think clearly, then you can write effectively and converse perfectly.? For most folks though, the ability to go past thinking well takes a halt at writing very well and speaking well. You can find numerous individuals who can write so efficiently, and it ends there. Excellent content and report are considered pointless when these cannot be presented to its target audience. For people that loss the communication skills, public speaking courses are a great approach to solve this concern.
Are excellent public speakers made or born?
Only a few are born with the skills, but the majority can be produced. There are a few individuals with innate skill in talking with certainty in front of the crowd. They are individuals who can easily talk in public without stuttering, with fantastic confidence, and with audience rapport. For many men and women although, this really is a farfetched idea. This really is where public speaking courses come in handy.
Coaching at an early age makes it straightforward to gather the confidence to speak in public areas. By way of example, instructing a young child to read loudly a story or a news post is a great technique to teach them the way to properly say terms. Many older people have difficulty presenting and public speaking because these people feel their communication skills are inadequate. Improving communication abilities is vital in producing a confident public speaker. Public speaking courses can help a person turn into far better at speaking in public by helping them realize what?s causing their fear or exactly what lacks in them each time they are compelled to talk to an audience.
A couple of guidelines in public speaking and presentation abilities training
Just about the most best ways to defeat the fear of public speaking will be to practice it more often. Desensitisation or the means of becoming familiar with something will help a person end up comfortable with a scenario. The more subjected the person is to a particular problem or action like public speaking, the lesser the tension will get. Men and women say ?practice makes perfect.? For presenting and public speaking, this is certainly relevant.
Exercise doesn?t have to be done in public halls or in front of a big crowd. These might be exercised at home, with friends or family as the projected audience. The topic can be just about anything. The concept is to help challenge the mind to be calm in situations such as this and let it to ponder well so you?re able to communicate effectively. In public speaking courses, learners are inspired to not simply understand speaking in theory, but practise it as well.
Organising thoughts prior to speaking can also help. Writing down details you want to share with an audience makes it easy to keep the flow of conversation on subject and prevents the public speaker from veering from the subject.
The ability to communicate with confidence and effectively to an audience is definitely an advantage. A person with this kind of skill can achieve leverage in the company of his acquaintances or schoolmates. If you do not possess this talent, it?s never too late in becoming better at it.
The author is a primary school instructor who knows the benefits of having the ability to talk to a large group and thinks skills training uk can be something every individual should think about studying. The writer claims having the fear of presenting and public speaking previously, but slowly overcome the fear by taking presentation training.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -Mato Neretljak's extra-time penalty led South Korean club Suwon Bluewings to a 2-1 victory at Iranian side Zobahan on Wednesday to reach the Asian Champions League semifinals where it will meet Al Sadd, which advanced despite losing 2-1 to Sepahan.
Zobahan led after 50 minutes through midfielder Mohammad Ghazi before defender Yang Sang-min headed home a 78th-minute equalizer to send the quarterfinal match at the Foolad Shahr Stadium in Isfahan into extra time.
Neretljak capped the visitors' rally by scoring the 99th-minute penalty winner to clinch a 3-2 aggregate victory after the pair had drawn 1-1 in the first leg.
Suwon coach Yoon Sung-hyo said he felt his team came into the second leg with a better understanding of how to beat Zobahan.
"In Korea, we had many chances but failed to convert them into goals. One reason was that we did not know enough about Zobahan," Yoon said. "My players put a lot of effort into the game for the win. For us, I don't care which team we face in the semis. We've got sufficient self-confidence and abilities to make it to the final."
Zobahan coach Mansour Ebrahimzadeh admitted he left the stadium frustrated that last season's finalists had thrown away the chance to reach the last four this time around.
"We lost the game on a day that we knew what we had to do," he said. "We tightened all the gaps, created many chances but came out losers. It was unbelievable how we lost the game. A team who loses discipline and plays emotionally faces problems in the game like we did."
In Doha, Al Sadd became only the second Qatari team to advance as far as the semifinals of the competition when it did just enough to get past Sepahan 4-2 on aggregate. Umm-Salal was the first when it lost in the 2009 semis.
The Iranians had beaten Al Sadd 1-0 in the first leg but were penalized for fielding an ineligible player and the Qatar club was awarded a 3-0 victory.
Knowing it had to a huge deficit to make up, Sepahan pressed from the very start. Two first-half goals from Emad Mohammed and Hassan Jafari closed the gap and raised the possibility the club could still advance.
However, Mamadou Niang's late strike ensured Al Sadd advanced.
"The first thing is to feel very happy. The first objective was qualification and we did it," Al Sadd coach Jorge Fossati said.
The Uruguayan acknowledged his side was to some degree fortunate to advance considering how well Sepahan played.
"I think they started very well. We tried to pass and play a normal game," he said. "Unfortunately, the first shot from them was a goal. I think our team did not know how to control the emotional part of the game after that.
"Some people think it would be easy for Al Sadd after the AFC decision. I know that for many people playing with a 3-0 lead looks easy but it was not easy. At (this) level it's never easy."
Sepahan coach Luka Bonacic praised his team for never giving up, even after the club was penalized following the first leg.
"Congratulations to my players. They played their hearts out," he said. "But I have to say rules are rules. We won twice but because of the competition rules, we go out. It was like going to Rome and not seeing the Pope."
? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Messi moving on up
Roundup: Lionel Messi tied for second on the Barcelona career scoring list, getting a goal in each half Wednesday night to lead the defending champs to a 5-0?win at BATE Borisov of Belarus in the European Champions League.
Striking out
Opinion: In 2009, Carlos Tevez was hailed with a giant billboard reading: "Welcome to Manchester." Now, it could be time for a new poster: "Good Riddance."
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Public release date: 30-Sep-2011
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