শনিবার, ২২ জুন, ২০১৩

Chinese astronaut teaches 60 million kids from space

A Chinese astronaut gave China its first physics lesson by video from space today, a required lesson for middle schools across the country.

By Peter Ford,?Staff writer / June 20, 2013

A student looks at his iPad as his class watches a live broadcast of a lecture given by Shenzhou-10 spacecraft astronauts on the Tiangong-1 space module, at a primary school in Quzhou, Zhejiang province June 20, 2013.

REUTERS

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It adds a whole new meaning to ?distance learning.?

Skip to next paragraph Peter Ford

Beijing Bureau Chief

Peter Ford is The Christian Science Monitor?s Beijing Bureau Chief. He covers news and features throughout China and also makes reporting trips to Japan and the Korean peninsula.

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Chinese astronaut Wang Yaping gave a physics lesson by video from a space module orbiting more than 300 km (186 miles) above the earth?on Thursday.

She gulped a globule of water floating in the air, and pushed a fellow astronaut against the module?s wall with a touch of her finger, to illustrate the effects of weightlessness. Then she answered questions from a group of children gathered in a studio in Beijing watching the lesson on live TV.

The scene resembled a similar lesson that US elementary school teacher Barbara Morgan taught from the International Space Station in 2007. But this one had specifically Chinese characteristics.

The questions that the Chinese kids asked?on Thursday?were much like the questions that American kids asked six years ago. Do stars twinkle when you are in space? (No, because there is no atmospheric interference.) Have you seen any UFO?s? (?Not yet? was Ms. Wang?s answer to that one.)

But while Barbara Morgan and her colleagues participated in three low-key sessions with small groups of students in Idaho, Virginia, and Massachusetts, Wang?s class was broadcast nationwide on state TV?s premier channel and 60 million schoolchildren and teachers in 80,000 middle schools watched, according to China?s Education Ministry.

The ministry had ?issued instructions requiring middle schools to adjust their class schedules and organize students to watch? the lesson, according to its website.

The compulsory class reflected the importance that the Chinese government has attached to its ambitious space program. Beijing first sent a human into space only 10 years ago, but plans to build its own space station by 2020.

Beijing has more than just a technological interest in space. A few years ago, just before China launched its first lunar probe, the chief scientist for China's moon program, Ouyang Ziyuan, was blunt about its political purposes.

"Lunar exploration is a reflection of a country's comprehensive national power,? he said in an interview with the official newspaper People's Daily. ?It is significant for raising our international prestige and increasing our people's cohesion."

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/-r4oyi0Jidw/Chinese-astronaut-teaches-60-million-kids-from-space

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শুক্রবার, ২১ জুন, ২০১৩

This morning on Daybreak: A North Texas Man shares how his special needs son has...

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'Appalling' email in Illinois spurs new GOP rift

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) ? An Illinois Republican official resigned from his leadership post Thursday amid outrage over an email in which he berated a biracial former Miss America as a "street walker" who could fill a law firm's "minority quota" if she loses her bid for Congress.

The controversy, involving a county GOP leader in central Illinois who campaigned for U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, created a new rift for Republicans already struggling to expand and attract women and minority voters.

Davis demanded the resignation of the county official, Jim Allen, after learning of what he called a "wrong, appalling and incredibly demeaning" email targeting Erika Harold, Davis' opponent in the March 2014 Republican primary.

Sent to Republican blogger Doug Ibendahl, the email referred to Harold as a "street walker" and "love child" of Democrats and suggested the Harvard graduate could fill a "minority quota" at a law firm should she lose the race.

Ibendahl, also a former party official, posted the email Wednesday on his website.

"I hope some of these bullies learn a lesson from this," he told the Associated Press on Thursday. "Our party has a huge branding problem nationwide, especially in Illinois. This guy's attitude sets us back. It's confirmation as to why women and minorities don't take the Republican party seriously."

Allen apologized for his message in a brief statement to the (Champaign, Ill.) News-Gazette and resigned from his post Thursday afternoon.

Harold released a statement, saying Allen's comments have "no place within public discourse."

Champaign County GOP Chairman Habeeb Habeeb ?who is staying impartial in the 13th District GOP primary ? was so offended by the comments he left a message for Harold and personally apologized to her father.

"I don't see that kind of vitriol in everyday Republican circles," Habeeb said. "The party has changed and these things just set us backward."

The incident highlights the rocky path the national party has forged in recent months, with comments such as Allen's derailing efforts by the GOP to become more of a "big tent" organization.

After performing poorly at the polls in November, Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus released a "prescription" for the party's future. Along with changing its tone on social issues to win over younger and minority voters, the party would need to make a concerted effort to elevate more women, Priebus said.

Along with state party officials, Priebus on Thursday joined in the chorus calling for Allen's resignation, via Twitter.

"Chairman Allen's astonishingly offensive views have no place in politics. He should apologize and resign immediately," Preibus wrote.

Harold seeks to be catalyst for change in the GOP. When she announced her bid earlier this month, Harold said she believes she can help expand the party's voting base and reach people who don't traditionally vote Republican.

Former Illinois GOP Chairman Pat Brady, who stepped down last month after coming under fire from state central committeemen over his support of gay marriage, said comments like Allen's are an unfortunate distraction.

Without a Republican governor in Illinois or a Republican president to act as the party's "mouthpiece," Brady said, these comments only get more traction. But they also create a sort of wag-the-dog situation, working to block the election of Republican to those roles.

Davis' congressional district in in central Illinois has been targeted by the Democratic Congressional Committee as a pick-up seat in 2014.

Davis, a freshman, in November defeated emergency room doctor David Gill by approximately 1,000 votes. It was Gill's fourth bid for Congress.

"We do need to welcome folks from all walks of life, regardless of where they come from what they look like and what their policy preference is," said Davis said. "There are no excuses for his behavior. I am not making any. I sure hope it doesn't affect my campaign."

___

Follow Kerry Lester on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/kerrylester

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/appalling-email-illinois-spurs-gop-rift-214649778.html

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বৃহস্পতিবার, ২০ জুন, ২০১৩

Top 5 Paid App Downloads: Apple & Android

Top 5 new paid apps for June 19:

1. What's the Phrase

2. Toca Hair Salon 2

3. Final Fantasy IV

4. Guncrafter Pro

5. Camera 2


Top 5 paid apps for June 19:

1. Minecraft ? Pocket Edition

2. SpongeBob Moves In

3. Doc McStuffins: Time For Your Check Up!

4. Plants vs. Zombies HD

5. Man of Steel HD
?

(c)2013?McClatchy-Tribune
Distributed by MCT Information Services

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Source: http://latinotimes.com/lifestyle/395058-top-5-paid-app-downloads-apple-android.html

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The Mac Pro Recaptures the Spirit of Classic Workstations of Yore

The Mac Pro Recaptures the Spirit of Classic Workstations of Yore

Early computers were bland beige boxes?meant to blend in with whatever workspace they were placed on. But during the golden age of the super-powerful workstation, designers got wild with form factors and materials that oozed with confidence and no small amount of sass. In some ways, the new Mac Pro returns to that era?and here?s a speculative rendering to prove it.

With this image, designer Martin Hajek draws a literal comparison between the Mac Pro and three supercomputers of yore. On the left, we have Mac Pro rendered as a SGI Fuel, a machine that sold for almost $12,000 in 2005. In the middle, the darling of the science world?a 1994 Sun SparcStation 5, whose pizza-box chassis made it a stand-out at the time. On the right? That?s a Mac Pro dressed up as a SGI Octane, one of the first workstations that boasted a colorful, curving shell.

It?s a fun comparison?and while it?s entirely speculative, it?s interesting to frame the new Mac Pro as a return to sculptural, iconic form factors of the 1990s and early 00s. For the past few years, we?ve seen Apple?s workstations grow more and more powerful, while their designs grew more and more sparse and minimal. Mac Pro is a fantastic departure from that?it literally gleams with confidence and machismo.

The Mac Pro Recaptures the Spirit of Classic Workstations of Yore

The SGI Fuel.

The Mac Pro Recaptures the Spirit of Classic Workstations of Yore

Sun SparcStation 5,

The Mac Pro Recaptures the Spirit of Classic Workstations of Yore

The SGI Octane image via Flickr.

Source: http://gizmodo.com/the-mac-pro-recaptures-the-spirit-of-classic-workstatio-520874890

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শনিবার, ১৫ জুন, ২০১৩

Christie maintains a political balancing act

CHICAGO (AP) ? Republican Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey is walking a political tightrope as he charts his future, trying to balance his re-election campaign in a Democratic-leaning state with a potential presidential bid aimed at winning over Republicans.

His latest challenge came in an appearance with former President Bill Clinton in Chicago, a move that ran the risk of alienating religious conservatives being wooed in Washington by other potential GOP presidential candidates.

Christie has pitched himself as a pragmatic, bipartisan leader as he seeks a second term as governor this fall. Participating in the Clinton Global Initiative America's meeting on Friday gave him a chance to appear with the popular ex-president ? the event was billed "Cooperation and Collaboration: A Conversation on Leadership" ? and to talk about tackling problems like New Jersey's recovery from Superstorm Sandy.

In Washington the same day, evangelical conservatives gathered for Ralph Reed's annual Faith and Freedom Coalition conference. Republican presidential hopefuls tackled heated issues like abortion and immigration ? policy debates that may shape the future of the GOP. Activists attending the conference questioned Christie's priorities.

"He can't spend 10 minutes just to make an appearance?" asked Ginger Howard, a Christian conservative who hosts an Atlanta radio show. "People who neglect us are sorry."

Seven hundred miles from the conservative gathering, Clinton and Christie praised each other during a friendly 40-minute conversation about New Jersey's recovery from the storm at the Clinton Global Initiative America meeting.

The former president turned to the audience at one point and said of Christie, "I want all of you to know how much work he's done on this."

"The enduring image that most Americans have of you is standing there in your jacket, grieving with your people, working with them and working with your president," Clinton told the Republican governor. "And you got both praise and damnation for ignoring the political differences that you had then and still have with the president and all of us in the other party to do something that was really important."

Christie explained his thought process in the days after the storm, repeatedly mentioning his discussions with Obama.

"There are no partisan lines on this one when it happens," Christie said. "You're reaching out to everybody you can."

Christie has taken a number of steps in recent weeks to highlight his centrist, above-politics approach. The governor picked up endorsements earlier this week from home-state Democrats and appeared with President Barack Obama along the Jersey Shore late last month to tout the region's recovery from a devastating storm. It was Christie's second joint appearance with Obama along the coast, the first coming a week before the 2012 election in a move that caused some conservatives to charge that it undermined Mitt Romney's presidential campaign.

Reed's Faith and Freedom Coalition, a group created by the influential former Christian Coalition leader, featured appearances from several Republicans thought to be weighing presidential bids. Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Rand Paul of Kentucky spoke at the opening luncheon, followed by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, Romney's running mate last year, and former presidential candidate Rick Santorum, among others.

In many cases, they rejected calls for a moderate approach to explosive issues like gay marriage and immigration, insisting that Republicans double down on their conservative ideals as they look to rebuild after Obama's re-election.

Christie avoided the issues completely by not showing up.

"Chris Christie is dangerously close to sending conservative Republicans a clear message that he doesn't care about their thoughts or views," said Republican operative Michael Dennehy, a veteran of presidential politics. "Spending time with Barack Obama is one thing, but when he goes out of his way to spend time with Bill Clinton it begins looking like a pattern of behavior that will alienate Republican voters ? and conservatives in particular."

Christie's political team remains focused on his re-election campaign, setting aside any potential presidential ambitions ahead of the November election. But the appearance alongside Clinton could have benefits.

Clinton carried New Jersey twice and remains popular among Democrats, who comprise about one-third of the state's electorate. Unaffiliated voters in Christie's state account for nearly half the electorate, and Republicans make up the smallest slice, only about 20 percent.

Beyond the immediate political implications, Clinton's appearance with Christie offers parallels to the ex-president's own career. When Clinton launched his presidential campaign in the fall of 1991, his party had suffered three straight presidential defeats and many Democrats openly wondered if they could recapture the White House.

Clinton effectively bridged the divide among liberal Democrats and more business-minded centrists who supported fiscal discipline, welfare reform and tougher responses to crime.

Now Republicans have lost two straight presidential campaigns and the party has gone through an extensive evaluation on how to expand its appeal to women, minorities and young people. In running for re-election, Christie regularly talks about building a new coalition in his home state that appeals to independents and "right-thinking Democrats" as he calls them ? a recipe that he could take to the national stage in the 2016 campaign.

"(Christie) has to be bigger than his party," said Al From, the former head of the Democratic Leadership Council and an adviser who was critical to Clinton's success in the early 1990s. "He has to reach out to constituencies that Republicans haven't been able to appeal to."

All of that helps explain why Christie has been so focused on the political center. Even his light-hearted moments are aimed there.

The governor took flak last week for scheduling a special election in October to fill a Senate vacancy created by the death of Sen. Frank Lautenberg ? even though he stands before voters in November. Democrats contended that a hugely expensive election would be staged mainly to allow Christie to avoid appearing on a ballot with a Democratic senate candidate, probably popular Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Republicans, meanwhile, thought Christie had missed the opportunity to put a GOP senator in office for 18 months.

Christie taped a humorous segment defending his decision on NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" on Wednesday. The show was bumped by a triple-overtime NHL playoff game, but the video, in which Christie "slow-jams" the news, was released Thursday and quickly racked up about 60,000 views on YouTube.

At one point, Fallon intoned, "You ain't lyin', CC. Now look at you, sounding all presidential-like. Do you have something you want to announce on the show right now?"

Christie responded, "C'mon, Jimmy, do you really think I'd come on this show to announce a presidential run?"

Conservatives in Washington knew about the Fallon appearance. And they weren't pleased.

"He has time for Jimmy Fallon and not us?" Jane Parker, a Christian conservative from North Carolina, said while waiting for Bush to take the stage in Washington. "I really liked him to start. But he's not doing enough to support conservatives."

___

Follow Ken Thomas on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP_Ken_Thomas

Follow Steve Peoples on Twitter: http://twitter.com/sppeoples

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/christie-maintains-political-balancing-act-210223596.html

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Sarin Gas Used in Syria Blocks Body's 'Off Switch'

Sarin, a chemical weapon that U.S. officials say has been used by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime in the country's ongoing civil war, blocks the "off switch" for muscles and glands, paralyzing and suffocating its victims by exhausting their bodies, experts say.

The clear, colorless liquid -- developed in Nazi Germany as a pesticide -- quickly evaporates into sarin gas, which, if inhaled or absorbed through the skin or eyes, can cause deadly symptoms in a matter of seconds.

"Without an 'off switch,' the glands and muscles are constantly being stimulated," the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says on its website, describing how sarin leads to sustained activation of acetylcholine receptors on vital tissues throughout the body. "They may tire and no longer be able to sustain breathing function."

Despite its deadly potential, sarin is more likely to injure than kill. Of more than 900 people exposed to the gas during terrorist attacks in Tokyo and Matsumoto, Japan, in the 1990s, only 17 people died, according to a 1996 report. The gas was also used during the Gulf War of the 1980s.

"Mild or moderately exposed people usually recover completely," the CDC said, describing how certain drugs and hospital care can reverse the gas's effects if administered quickly. "Severely exposed people are not likely to survive."

A 1952 case report of a U.S. Army medical officer sent to decontaminate a sarin spill, initially obtained by The New Yorker, reveals the torturous effects of the nerve gas.

It describes how the officer, dubbed J.A., neglected to wear protective clothing as he approached the wreckage of a sarin-loaded jet that crashed into in Utah's Great Salt Lake Desert during a test mission. Within 10 seconds, he staggered back to the ambulance, clutching his chest and calling frantically for a gas mask as he collapsed.

J.A.'s colleagues quickly injected his thigh with a dose of atropine, an antidote for sarin gas, as his breathing turned to screeches and gurgles. He started convulsing, according to the report.

And then minutes later -- about five minutes after exposure -- he went limp and his breathing reduced to the "occasional gasp." He was given more atropine as he became flaccid, lost his pulse, and turned a deep blue.

Roughly 35 minutes after exposure, J.A. was admitted to an Army hospital and put in an iron lung. Over an hour, his skin turned from blue to "ashen gray," and he began to breathe on his own.

He ultimately recovered, remembering nothing of the incident beyond stepping toward the desert crater holding the crippled jet. But the haunting report highlights the effects of a chemical weapon that is still used today.

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sarin-gas-used-syria-blocks-bodys-off-switch-211824211.html

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