Author: Serkadis

I was only just talking about how long its been since Adobe released a new major update to its flagship Creative Suite product with an imaging professional friend, and now there’s a sign that we won’t have to wait much longer for said update to arrive. AppleInsider got an exclusive look at some of the new features coming up in various CS5 programs, some of which look mighty appealing to my hobbyist eye.

Photoshop CS5 will finally become 64-bit, for starters, something which Photoshop CS4 for Windows could claim nearly two years ago in 2008. The new 64-bit Photoshop CS5 has be completely rewritten in Apple’s Cocoa development framework, after Apple’s decision to scrap a 64-bit version of Carbon blocked the simultaneous release of a 64-bit Photoshop CS4 for Mac. But that’s not all. Many other new goodies are also forthcoming.

Many Behind-the-Scenes Improvements

As a frequent, though not very in-depth user of Photoshop CS4, I consider it by far the best iteration of Adobe’s image editor to date, and so I wasn’t too disappointed to learn that many of the changes made in CS5 will come as backstage enhancements. Like Apple did with Snow Leopard, Adobe’s engineering efforts with the new version of Photoshop were concentrated on taking better advantage of available system and software resources.

Those improvements will result in a nice little speed boost according to AppleInsider:

In its own internal tests, Adobe found the average 64-bit app to run about 8 to 12 percent faster than a 32-bit one. The primary advantage of 64-bit applications is their ability to address very large amounts of memory in excess of the 4GB limit of 32-bit apps.

Other changes will mostly affect users who do a lot of 3D work, which is something I’ve never even attempted. Few other details about these changes were revealed, although specific feature information about improved photo retouching, including smart object removal was part of the report. If it works as well as advertised, this feature alone will make the upgrade worth my while.

Flash, Dreamweaver and InDesign

Many of the changes being introduced in other software titles included in Adobe’s Creative Suite 5 seem aimed at shoring up and further entrenching Flash web technology, to the detriment of HTML 5, which threatens to eventually render Flash almost irrelevant.

Flash CS5 includes the ability to convert Flash apps and games into code that will be accepted by the iTunes App Store, though according to the sources for the report that isn’t yet working in the beta versions of the software:

This functionality is not working in the current beta versions. We don’t think serious developers will use Flash for creating iPhone applications. It also appears that Adobe continues to miss the boat with HTML 5, and is focused almost exclusively on trying to get users to depend more on Flash – even as the Web development community is looking elsewhere.

Finally, new InDesign features also try to reinforce the use of Flash, making it possible for layout designers to create web-based Flash tie-ins to their print content, or just making it easier to introduce Flash content into their InDesign-created websites. Testers were confused about why Adobe would try to shift focus for InDesign to web content creation, when Dreamweaver is so much better at that kind of task. Having used both, I have to admit I’m wondering the same thing. Perhaps the fear is that InDesign will become less appealing as print culture continues to falter.

Web Review Across the Board

While a lot of the new features revealed so far seem focused on righting the sinking ship that is Flash, some seem genuinely useful to all users. One such improvement is the introduction of web review across of the CS5 products. This will allow designers and artists working in the various creative suite applications to quickly and easily share proofs and samples with clients and coworkers who don’t have access to CS5 themselves. It should take at least a few steps out of the QA process, and anything you can do to simplify that headache of a process is plenty impressive in my books.

Look for Adobe CS5 to come to market sometime this Spring. No pricing details have been announced or hinted at.

Are US Taxpayers Bailing Out Greece?

by Ron Paul

Last week we were reminded that ours is not the only country suffering from severe economic turmoil. The Greek government is the latest to come close to default on their massive public debt. Greece has insufficient funds in their treasury to make even the minimum payments that are now coming due. Their debt level is about 120 percent of their gross domestic product and their public sector absorbs what amounts to 40 percent of GDP. Any talk of cutting costs and spending is met with violent protests from the many Greeks heavily dependent on government payments. Mounting fears of default have sent shockwaves through their creditors and all of the eurozone countries.

But there have been statements made by the European Central Bank to calm fears and give assurances that Greece will get the aid it needs. Details of agreements are not forthcoming.

Is it possible that our Federal Reserve has had some hand in bailing out Greece? The fact is, we don’t know, and current laws exempt agreements between the Fed and foreign central banks from disclosure or audit.

Greece is only the latest in a series of countries that have faced this type of crisis in recent memory. Not too long ago the same types of fears were mounting about Dubai, and before that, Iceland. Several other countries (Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Latvia) are approaching crisis levels with public debt as well. Many have strong ties to Goldman Sachs and the case could easily be made that default could have serious implications for big US banking cartels. Considering the ties between the Fed and these big banks, it is not outlandish to wonder if the US taxpayer is secretly bailing out the entire world, country by country, even as our real unemployment tops 20 percent. Unless laws are changed to allow a complete and meaningful audit of the Federal Reserve, including its agreements with foreign central banks, we might never know if this is occurring or not.

This global financial crisis is a predictable result of secretive central banking and unsound fiat currency. Governments are entirely committed to this system of fiat money and fractional reserve banking for obvious reasons: it enables them to do what they love most, namely, spend hoards of money with near impunity. Without the limitations of sound money, governments will spend without limit. They will spend money to hire their cronies, pay off special interests, give out favors, create dependence and generally distract from the terrible job they do at their chief mandate, which is to protect the liberties of the people. Fiat money is a blank check to government, which is very dangerous, and we are witnessing the death throes of the system as the bills come due and the underlying capital is squandered away.

Because of our globe-straddling empire and lingering reserve currency status, perhaps no one has a more vested interest in keeping this system cobbled together than our own government and the Federal Reserve. The agreements that Iceland and Dubai and Greece have negotiated can amount to little more than kicking the can down the road, as their overall spending habits remain largely intact, fiat currencies are still legal tender and more debt is issued on top of unsustainable debt. The American people have the right to know if they are going to be the ones holding the bag in the end because the Federal Reserve secretly put them on the hook for it. This knowledge would be a key factor in peacefully dismantling this immoral and unconstitutional system.

Related posts:

1. The Federal Reserve Needs Honesty, Transparency and Accountability Congressman Ron Paul issued the following statement regarding recent revelations…
2. 79% of Americans Now Favor Auditing The Federal Reserve So much for the ongoing secrecy of the nation’s independent…
3. Ron Paul: Federal Reserve Encourages Inflation To Lower Debt Location: Congress Date: 4/1/2009 Ron Paul: I rise in…

General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz last week repeated his long-held opinion that hybrid gas-electric cars have a limited market and will not be profitable for the Detroit automaker. However, he said that GM will be forced to make more hybrid due to tougher fuel-efficiency regulations.

This bring up the question – what hybrids can we expect from GM?

According to Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics, GM’s next-generation two-mode hybrid system will be migrating down to rear-wheel-drive sedans such as the upcoming Cadillac ATS and CTS. Both the ATS and the next-generation CTS are scheduled to debut in 2012. Hall’s viewpoint is supported by General Motors announcement last month that it will set up a $246 million facility to build electric motors to power future hybrids.

Click here to get pricing on the Cadillac CTS.

“In the future, electric motors might become as important to GM as engines are now,” said Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman, global product operations.

– By: Kap Shah

Source: HybridCars.com

Chicago – A 65-year-old South Side woman died Monday morning, more than a week after a small fire in her home that started when a cigarette ignited her oxygen tank.

Patricia Sharp, 65, of 7250 S. Clyde Ave. was pronounced dead at 9:21 a.m. Monday at University of Chicago Hospitals, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

An autopsy Tuesday found that Sharp suffered smoke inhalation from a clothing fire at her home and her death was ruled an accident, according to the medical examiner’s office.

She also suffered from lung disease, which was a contributing factor in her death.

The fire happened about 9 a.m. on on Feb. 6, when the woman’s oxygen tank was ignited by a cigarette, according to police.

She suffered burns to her face and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Read the original article from FOX Chicago News.

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services

The DuPage County Forest Preserve has entered the fray against the much-maligned Asian carp infestation that could threaten the Great Lakes.

Forest preserve commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday allowing the Army Corps of Engineers access to Centennial Trail, which abuts Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve near Darien, to build a fish barrier. The barrier constructed of mesh and concrete would theoretically prevent Asian carp from bypassing other barriers in the event of a Des Plaines River flood similar to one that occurred in 2008, forest preserve officials said.

This is the first foray into the Asian carp battle by a DuPage County entity. Ole Oldenburg, the district’s director of natural resources, said there’s no indication of any infestation in DuPage, but several tributaries are at risk if another flood occurs.

Oldenburg said none of Waterfall Glen’s facilities will be closed because of the work being done, but Centennial Trail will be closed from April through October because of the barrier. The trail is located in the Des Plaines River floodplain.

Oldenburg said if the Des Plaines River floods, current barriers that prevent the fish from entering the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and the Illinois and Michigan Canal would be useless. If the fish get into those canals, there would be no way of stopping them from entering Lake Michigan. The DuPage barrier is part of a $78.5 million plan – basically fences being built throughout the floodplain – to keep the fish out of the Great Lakes.

The fish are ravenous eaters that devour plankton and interrupt the food chains in bodies of water where they are present, devastating valuable fisheries. It’s estimated the Great Lakes generate $7 billion a year as a fishery.

The 2,500-acre Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve surrounds Argonne National Laboratory and features four different trails, fishing spots and a model airplane field. The Des Plaines River runs just south of the property line, parallel to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad tracks.

Forest preserve Commissioner Linda Painter, whose district includes Waterfall Glen, said she voted in favor of the resolution with “a heavy heart.”

“If that is going to be what it takes to prevent the carp from spreading from one waterway to another, it has to happen because we can’t risk that,” she said. “It’s an unfortunate situation.”

Painter said she’s seen the damage Asian carp can do to an ecosystem. She said the number of eagles that normally feast on fish around the lock and dam at Starved Rock State Park along the Illinois River near Utica has dwindled because the carp have wreaked havoc on the fish habitats there. However, state wildlife officials aren’t casting all the blame on Asian carp, though they do agree the presence of the invasive species is not a good thing.

Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services

Two people were injured in a five-car crash Tuesday afternoon in downtown Naperville.

A 30-year-old woman from Petersburg was driving north on Washington Street just north of Jefferson Avenue about 12:15 p.m. when she apparently took her eyes off the road to reach for a water bottle, Cmdr. Mike Anders said. She struck the vehicle in front of her causing a chain reaction.

The woman was taken to Edward Hospital where she was treated and released.

One other person involved in the accident sustained minor injuries.

The female driver was cited for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident. Her 2007 Chevrolet Impala was towed from the scene.

Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services

In the above video we have a demo of the Sony Ericsson Aspen Windows Mobile 6.5.3 smartphone taken at Mobile World Congress.

The smartphone is surprisingly smooth and fast, and the design quite attractive. It is expected to come to market towards the end of summer 2010.

Joining the TechArt 2010 Porsche Panamera at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show next month will be the TechArt Porsche 911 Turbo and 911 Turbo S models. The customizations for the two 911 models will consist of a new aerodynamic package, 20-inch light metal wheels and exquisite interiors.

No performance modifications were announced.

Click here for our original post on the 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S for more details.

Click through to learn more about the two TechArt 911 models in the press release posted after the jump.

Refresher: Building on the 3.8L inline 6-clyinder, the 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S adds two exhaust gas turbochargers for a total power increase of 30-hp to 530-hp and a torque of 516 lb-ft. 0-62 mph in 3.3 seconds and 0-124 mph in 10.8 seconds. Top speed comes in at 195 mph.

2011 TechArt Porsche 911 Turbo:

Press Release:

Technology and Art – TECHART World Premiere at the Geneva Motor-Show

Since 1974, this vehicle has been making the hearts of true sports car fans beat faster: the Porsche 911 Turbo – a masterpiece made of the finest materials and a symbol of top engineering and design. An almost-perfect sports car. Almost, because individuality and personality are essential elements in achieving perfection. TECHART automobile design stands for the creation of individual masterpieces for sports car enthusiasts looking to give their vehicle a touch of individual flair. The result is the TECHART personalization program for the new 911 Turbo and 911 Turbo S models consisting of a new aerodynamic package, light metal wheels, and exquisite interiors will be presented in early March at the 80th international Motor-Show in Geneva, Switzerland.

Absolute performance – no compromises

The new Aerodynamic Kit I emphasizes the Turbo’s inner strengths without being excessive or overloaded. The sturdy RIM polyurethane exterior reduces aerodynamic lift on both axles, allowing smoother handling capability at extreme speeds. One striking feature is the front spoiler, with its dynamically-accented air intake valves and seamless integration. As your eyes pass to the side of the vehicle, you notice the airflow-optimizing side sills, which are stretched to make the vehicle seem to sit lower. A small roof spoiler on the Coupe elongates the visual appearance of the roof line. The spoiler profile can generate additional downforce with the extensible rear spoiler. Rounding off the modified back end is the diffuser, which extends the standard skirt downwards. Personalized mirror moldings add yet another sporty accent and enhance the unique TECHART appearance.

The same applies to the TECHART Aerodynamic Kit II. Independent front and rear spoilers optimize mass air flow for improved ventilation of the braking and intercooler systems. TECHART’s multifunctional daytime running lights are available for the front spoiler II. It combines daytime running lights, position illumination, sidelights, parking lights, and turn signals in a combined housing that fits seamlessly into the design of the vehicle front. The display brightness of the daytime running lights automatically adjusts to the selected daytime lighting setting. Furthermore, the daytime running lights dim automatically when either of the turning signals is active, in order to improve their visibility.

The high performance look and unmistakable TECHART design are also reflected in the wheel enhancements. Connecting the powerful torque of up to 700 Nm securely to the asphalt are the TECHART Formula light metal wheels, with their modern 5-spoke design. The product range includes TECHART Formula, Formula II, or filigree Formula III alloy-forged wheels in up to 20-inch formats. This classic form guarantees efficient heat diffusion and displays the braking system. For optimum road grip, TECHART recommends Conti Sport Contact 3 or tires of the brand Michelin Pilot Sport PS2.

In addition, TECHART’s Noselift System is also available for the new 911 Turbo. This makes problems with everyday obstacles a thing of the past for this vehicle. At the push of a button, ca. 60 mm of additional space can be created between the road and the front spoiler by lifting the vehicle height on the front axle. The hydraulic TECHART Noselift System is very reliable, easy to retrofit, and exhibits the everyday applicability you expect from TECHART.

Elegant TECHART interior designs

TECHART’s interiors for the new models are unmistakable: clear yet elegant, sporty yet comfortable, the cockpit, seats, doors, and roof make for a luxurious experience. These sporty enhancements please all the senses – smell and touch included. For instance, the interior could be completely outfitted with the finest leather. The TECHART 3-spoke sporty steering wheel, aluminum pedals, dials in individual colors, or stainless steel entry strips embossed with the TECHART logo are all installable options. For exteriors and interiors, TECHART knows how to engage the emotions – and please the senses.

Experience the TECHART personalization program yourself for the Porsche 911 Turbo and the 911 Turbo S at the Geneva Motor-Show from March 4–14, 2010 at the TECHART Stand in Hall 2.

– By: Kap Shah

Filed under: SUV, Truck, Government/Legal, Recalls, Nissan

A new report from TheDetroitBureau.com shows that Nissan is investigating driveshaft yoke issues in the automaker’s 2010 trucks and SUVs. The issue stems from a part made by Dana Corporation, and a spokesperson from Nissan reportedly told the Bureau that “Nissan/Infiniti vehicles built with one of these yokes will not experience a loss of control or present a safety risk even in the unlikely event the part should fail.” Since the issue is relegated to 2010 model trucks and SUVs, two vehicle types that aren’t exactly flying off Nissan and Infiniti lots right now, the number of vehicles potentially affected by the issue is relatively small. Bureau sources say that the Frontier and Titan are the models affected by the investigation, but Nissan has yet to officially name any vehicles involved.

The announcement of an investigation of Dana driveshaft yokes comes after Toyota announced a recall of 8,000 Tacoma trucks for driveshafts that cracked during the manufacturing process, though there is no confirmation at this point if the two parts are related. Nissan reportedly has five days to determine whether to initiate a recall for the problem with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

[Source: TheDetroitBureau.com]

Report: Nissan investigating defective Dana driveshafts on its trucks and SUVs originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While Apple has yet to sell a single iPad, the device has already challenged the domination of Amazon and the Kindle for e-books, and now periodical and newspapers are experiencing this “iPad Effect” for their business models.

At the TED conference, Wired Magazine Editor-in-Chief Chris Anderson used the tired “game changer” moniker in referring to the iPad, while doing a Wired demo on a large multi-touch display. Readers of Wired on the iPad will be able to view content vertically like a web page, or on two pages like the print magazine, easily rotating between the two. There will also be plenty of flicking, zooming, and interactive media in the new format, too. That’s the good news for publishers.

According to Anderson, the iPad is “part of the answer” for the future of print media, but the Financial Times is reporting that talks with other publishers are raising new questions about the iPad, too.

Like the advent of the iTunes Store and negotiations with the music industry, the main point of contention between Apple and publishers appears to be that of control, specifically pricing and subscriber information. Publishers rely on subscriber information to not just to reach customers, but to plan the direction of publications. However, Apple’s policy of releasing little beyond sales data has, according to one executive of a major U.S. newspaper, the potential to be a “dealbreaker.”

Beyond that, there is the issue of price and single sales versus subscription sales, with Apple demanding 30 percent of revenue for both types of transactions. “You can imagine we feel less good about it,” said another media executive, asserting that “30 percent forever changes the economics.” Arguably, that’s a fair point, and certainly television executives have thus far refused offering subscriptions for iTunes, reportedly $30 a month and similar to what one gets from cable TV.

The problem is $30 a month may be what the New York Times wants all by itself. According to Gawker, advocates for the print edition within the New York Times argue that unless the iPad edition is priced between $20 and $30, people will cancel the print edition (I had no idea Captain Obvious worked at the New York Times). More sanely, those responsible for the digital edition of the paper are suggesting $10 per month is about right. In comparison, the Kindle edition of the New York Times costs $13.99 per month, and that’s without color, let alone interactive media.

If the rumors about what’s going on at the New York Times is indicative of publishers in general, there could be trouble for the iPad launch. The decline of print media is accelerating, and thus far magazines and newspapers have been unable to monetize web sites. The Kindle has failed to achieve the kind of success as a portable device that the iPhone and iPad touch have, leaving the iPad as the only current hope for a transition from a physical to digital world for print media. If not Apple and the iPad, then who?

The danger is that cold rationality might not prevail, even if it means the worst for print media. If that happens, Apple won’t suffer nearly as much as the New York Times, but iPad owners will lose out. A dearth of content can hurt the iPad as the Apple TV has been hurt, especially when trying to convince consumers to embrace a new platform. Apple doesn’t need another hobby, and print media needs a business model that works.

Related GigaOM Pro Research:

• Web Tablet Survey: Apple’s iPad Hits Right Notes
• 5 Tips for Developers Targeting the iPad
• How AT&T Will Deal with iPad Data Traffic

As reported yesterday, Mercury will get a small car in early 2011 based on FoMoCo’s global small car architecture that also underpins the 2012 Ford Focus.

As FoMoCo CEO Alan Mulally said at the 2010 Washington Auto Show, Mercury will be positioned with smaller vehicles that fill the void between mainstream Ford and Lincoln branded vehicles.

FoMoCO executives told dealers on Sunday the small Mercury is coming in 2011, the same year the Focus arrives. Two dealers who attended the meeting say the car will be called the Mercury Tracer.

Click here for more news on the Ford Focus.

2012 Ford Focus:

– By: Omar Rana

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

England, U.K. | Unique Collections

Edwin Beard Budding was designing a machine that could trim the nap from guardsmen’s uniforms when he discovered that, instead of trimming cotton, his invention could trim grass. Previously the job of sheep, it was then in 1830 that the lawnmower was invented, an idea so bold that Budding was forced to test his machine out in the darkness of night.

Lawnmower designs have changed significantly since then, and the British Lawnmower Museum has chronicled its history over the past few centuries. From simple scythes to horse-powered machines, the museum’s collection includes the world’s largest assortment of toy lawnmowers and even includes preliminary blueprints from 1799 — forty years before Budding’s invention!

As a leading authority on vintage lawnmowers and antique garden machinery, the British Lawnmower Museum’s collection consists of over 600 rare machines, including the world’s fastest, smallest, and first solar-powered “robot” mowers. Additionally, visitors can learn about the term, “Shank’s Pony,” see celebrity-owned machinery — such as Princess Diana’s former mower — as well as view some vintage FlyMo hoovercrafts.

Paulson & Co’s latest 13-F filing is out.

Last quarter, Paulson remained big into Gold ($3.4 billion up from $3.1 billion in the 3rd quarter) and Bank of America ($2.5 billion down from $2.7 billion in the 3rd quarter).

His fund’s third largest holding was Citigroup, a stake that increased from $1.4 billion to $1.7 billion last quarter.

His biggest new stakes include a $465 million investment in XTO Energy (which is being bought out by Exxon (XOM), a sign he’s still into his old merger arbitrage plays) and a $472 million investment in Wells Fargo.

Paulson’s other shifts, according to his most recent 13F report, include moving into CIT Group (which Third Avenue just dropped) with $121 million, DirectTV with $170 million, Kraft with $135 million, and Hyatt hotels with $9 million.

Read Paulson’s latest 13F filing >

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Hedge Fund Brevan Howard Drops Goldman, Picks Up Substantial Gold Stake
• Almost Nobody Wants To Invest In John Paulson’s Gold Fund
• An Actual Deal: Pfizer (PFE) Buys Wyeth (WYE) For $68 Billion

Filed under: Car Buying, Lincoln, Luxury

In a nutshell, the problem with Lincoln is that on the Taurus SHO launch, Ford brought along an Audi A6 4.2 for comparison’s sake. Says one Lincoln dealer, “It’s hard to sell a $48,000 MKS when the Ford guy down the street has a Taurus with the same features for $10,000 less.” Put another way, despite the polarizing new sheetmetal, it’s still obvious to consumers that the MKZ is a Fusion, the MKS is a Taurus, the MKX is an Edge and the MKT is the Flex.

“I have more dedicated Lincoln-Mercury employees than Ford Motor Co. does. They don’t have any executives who wake up every day thinking about these brands.” Says Lincoln/Mercury dealer owner Chris Lemley to The Detroit News in what might just be the “ouch!” comment of the year.

Part of the problem is without question the not-so-great state of the economy, with luxury sales tanking by nearly 25 percent in 2009. Still, with Lincolns priced lower than the competition, one might think they’d be selling better. For instance, the Lincoln MKT (priced at $49,995 with all the fixins) matches up quite well with the much more expensive Audi Q7 ($61,825). However, “If people were cross-shopping Audi and Lincoln, that would be great,” said one analyst. “Audi buyers are shopping for a style statement. They’re not even looking at Lincoln. Lincoln still has not gotten back up to first-tier luxury.” Hence all that dealer fury.

[Source: The Detroit News]

DetNews: Ford’s slow revival of Lincoln taking heat from dealers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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By Salma Ahmad Kano KANO, northern Nigeria, Feb 16 (IPS) "I will never have anything to do with women since I have been diagnosed to have a killer disease."

It is not clear how Muhammad Jungudo (17) contracted HIV, but he suspects it happened at a local barber shop where the implements used for shaving are rarely sterilised.

And knowing how he contracted the virus is important. At least it was to Jungudo’s family.

Jungudo is Fulani. The Fulanis are a prominent tribe in northern Nigeria who are known to rear cattle and live in very remote areas.

The Fulani are also very traditional and do not allow for what they see as a ‘lack of morality’ among its youth. The tribe have been known to frown on premarital sex, a principle that is part of their Islamic teachings.

"They all believed I slept with a woman and contracted it."

And because of this Jungudo was thrown out of the only home he ever knew and forced into exile.

Living in the rural areas has left the Fulani inadequately informed about HIV/AIDS and how the virus is contracted. It is widely assumed by most people in remote areas of northern Nigeria that HIV is contracted only through sex.

"But I can swear it that I never slept with any woman in my life," Jungudo insists.

According to AVERT, an international HIV/AIDS charity, HIV in Nigeria is mainly transmitted through sex. However, 10 percent of new HIV infections are attributed to blood transfusions. A health worker at the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Kano, Malama Maryam Sani, said that in northern Nigeria youths have been known to contract HIV through local barbers because the items used are rarely sterilised.

But the lack of adequate knowledge about HIV/AIDS has meant that there are many myths and misconceptions about the virus in Nigeria.

A 2008 report on the Global AIDS Epidemic conducted in Nigeria by the United Nations Agency for International Development and the World Health Organisation revealed that the fear and stigma associated with HIV/AIDS as "immoral" often causes those infected with HIV to be outcast.

And this is mostly affecting the youth, like Jungudo. According to UNICEF, an estimated 3.5 to 3.8 million people are living with HIV in Nigeria, making the country the third-worst affected in the world. The rate of infection is highest among young people with 4.7 percent of 20-24 year-olds and 4.9 percent of 25-29 year-olds infected with HIV.

"Sex is traditionally a very private subject in Nigeria and the discussion of sex with teenagers is often seen as inappropriate. Up until recently there was little or no sexual health education for young people and this has been a major barrier to reducing rates of HIV and other STDs," AVERT says.

It was the same in Jungudo’s case. Neither he nor his uncle was sufficiently educated about the virus to be able to cope with Jungudo’s diagnosis.

"When I kept falling ill about three years ago, a medical staff in our community advised my uncle with whom I grew up with, to take me to the city for check up.

"My uncle was with me through all the struggle to regain my health, but when the result revealed that I (was) carrying the killer disease and it was explained to him that it was transmitted sexually, they all believed I slept with a woman and contacted it," Jungudo says.

The teenager from Shengel village, about 200 miles away from northern Nigeria’s ancient city of Kano, was forced to leave his home.

Jungudo, who was formerly a farmer, said he fled from the stigma he faced in his village and relocated to the city of Kano.

"I had to force myself to learn to eat their kind of food here and to adapt to a lot of things; in fact I learnt carpentry to be able to eat because I can rear no animals or farm in the city.

"The food is different and you see different people every day … but I have no choice."

He says it had been a bitter experience when his people deserted him because of his status.

IPS asked the teenager if he had been involved in a relationship since his diagnosis. He says he dares not after his own uncle turned down a promise of marrying his daughter to him. He also says he was scared to fall in love with a woman because he feared she would not accept his status.

Jungudo adds that he no longer dreams of getting married, because he is sure that no one in his community will agree to offer him a wife.

IPS asked him if he ever thinkw or having an affair or even imagining kissing a woman. He nods his head and answers in a low tone: "I try to satisfy myself without a woman".

Dr. Aminu Ahmed, a psychologist, says that stigmatisation was the main cause of feelings of isolation among most HIV-positive teenagers. He says the parents and communities of these teenagers often desert them when they were found to be HIV-positive. This, he explains, left many feeling unwanted.

While countrywide the Youth Network on HIV/AIDS, a network of youth-serving organisations is working towards a response against the pandemic, there are few organisations in northern Nigeria. This, Sani says, is largely due to the stigma that still surrounds the virus in the region.

The Taimako Support Group is one of the few organisations in the area that provides counselling. Started by Fatima Haruna in 2003, it also provides a match-making service to HIV-positive youngsters.

"We monitor to see people who get upset after collecting their test and being told they are positive. Some of them come out crying and some sit under the trees and cry and find it difficult to go home and explain their situation.

"So we ask them if they have a problem and we counsel them and one of us goes home with the person infected and explain to their families that it’s not anything to panic about," she explains.

Haruna says that although the group counselled all those infected with the virus, most of their members were the youth.

"Our major task has gone beyond comforting the people living with the virus rather, we encourage intermarriage amongst them when we realise that most of them fear the fact that they can never have sex because of their status," Haruna says.

She says she often encouraged the HIV-positive youth to date among themselves.

"It’s been working for us and them too."

She reveals that in 2009 the community married off 12 couples.

One couple, Hajiya Habiba Auwal and Auwalu Toro, said they were married early last year when Auwal discovered she was HIV-positive. She had turned 17 and just completed high school.

She says she had faced intense stigma because of her status and her parents lost hope in marrying her off. Then Toro proposed to her after attending the weekly meeting at the Taimako Support Group office.

"We had a courtship for a short period of time and I introduced him to my family. They instantly agreed to our marriage when I told them he is also positive," Auwal explains.

Haruna says there was an urgent need for parents to be educated about HIV so they could stop stigmatising their children.

"In northern Nigeria especially, people should know that HIV/AIDS is not only contacted through intercourse but people still assume that when a person is said to be positively tested," she says.

South Australian Attorney General Michael Atkinson, last seen around these parts supporting a law that banned anonymous political commentary during election season (though he later said he’d repeal it after the election), is apparently now taking on video gamers. Slashdot points us to the news that Atkinson has claimed that video gamers are a threat to his family, after he found a note from a video gamer left on his doorstep:

“I feel that my family and I are more at risk from gamers than we are from the outlaw motorcycle gangs who also hate me and are running a candidate against me… The outlaw motorcycle gangs haven’t been hanging around my doorstop at 2am. A gamer has.”

I like how he automatically lumps all video gamers together into a single group because one gamer left him a note. Atkinson appears to have a way with words — including those against both bikers and video gamers. In the past he was forced to apologize after falsely suggesting that a group of motorcycle gang members had used a local park to “cook a cat for human consumption”. Turns out it wasn’t true: “The animal was not a cat, the incident happened at another location and bikies weren’t involved.” So, he’s good with the details, it seems.

The specific issue when it comes to video gamers is that Atkinson has been an adamant opponent to allowing any sort of “adult” or “mature” rating for video games. As you may or may not know, Australia censors video games, and will simply not allow games they don’t feel are appropriate for those under the age of 18. Yes, if you’re an adult and make the conscious choice that you want to play a violent video game, you are legally out of luck in Australia.

At times, Atkinson has supported this position to ridiculous levels. When the football video game “Blitz: The League” was banned from Australia, Atkinson supported this because one option in the game was that a player could take performance enhancing drugs, and apparently, he prefers to keep reality out of video games. When asked by a constituent why he wouldn’t support a mature rating for adult video gamers who want to play such games, his response was quite dismissive:

“I think you will find this issue has little traction with my constituents who are more concerned with real-life issues than home entertainment in imaginary worlds.”

And now he’s claiming that video gamers are a threat to his family? I think the person dealing with the “imaginary worlds” might be Mr. Atkinson.

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The NHTSA is broadening the scope of its investigation into Toyota Motor Corp., as they demand paperwork from Toyota so that they may investigate whether the three recalls were done in a timely manner, and whether all necessary vehicles have been recalled. Under federal law, a company has five days from determining that a safety defect exists and they must promptly conduct a recall. The NHTSA has issued a 53 page letter to Toyota seeking thousands of records, and gave them until March 18 to respond.

The NHTSA has a reputation for not asserting their authority on automakers, and has demonstrated with Toyota that that will no longer be the case.

“Our top priority is safety, and we expect that all manufacturers address automotive safety issues quickly and in a forthright manner,” said David Strickland, administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Among the records requisitioned by the NHTSA will be those pertaining to; production data, incidents, complaints, warranty complaints, tests conducted, dates of meetings, timelines, and supplier information. They have also indicated that they want the names and phone numbers of all customers who have been paid for a warranty claim.

As the NHTSA has the authority to seek civil penalties, Toyota faces up to $16.4 million in penalties should the agency determine that Toyota was in violation of its statutory obligations.

– By: Stephen Calogera

Source: Detroit News

Published Feb. 13, 2010
Tri-City Herald Briefs

Columbia Basin College Foundation scholarship applications for the 2010-11 school year are due Feb. 22.

Any potential or currently enrolled student may apply.  Most scholarships are for full-time students maintaining a minimum GPA of 2.5, but a few scholarships may be awarded to part-time students.  The application is available at columbiabasin.edu/foundation.

Applications are due by 4 p.m. at the Foundation office on the Pasco campus.

Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.

Published Feb. 14, 2010
Tri-City Herald Briefs

A lecture on the geography, culture and development of Pakistan is at 7 p.m. Feb. 16 in the HUB at Columbia Basin College in Pasco.

Tri-City radiologist Dr. Craig Feeney and CBC sociology instructor Omar Chaoura Bourouh are to speak.  A question-and-answer session will follow.

This event is being put on by the CBC Reads committee, which this year is featuring the book Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.

Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.

Infiniti today announced the official EPA mileage estimates for the 2011 Infiniti M37 and M56 sedans. Both models will go on sale next month with prices starting at $46,250 for the 2011 Infiniti M37 and $57,550 for the M56.

EPA estimated fuel-economy for the 2011 Infiniti M37 comes in at 18/26 mpg (city/highway) while the M37x will average 17/24 mpg. The 2011 Infiniti M56 will return an EPA estimated fuel-economy of 16/25 mpg while the all-wheel-drive version M56x will return 16/23 mpg.

Click here for full pricing details.

Infiniti says that the fuel economy estimates for the 2011 Infiniti M sedan, show an increase of up to four miles per gallon versus 2010 M models.

The 2011 Infiniti M37 is powered by a 3.7L V6 that makes 330-hp and 270 lb-ft of torque. The 2011 M56 is powered by a 5.6L V8 that produces 420-hp and 400 lb-ft.

Hit the jump for the press release.

Click here for more Infiniti M news.

2011 Infiniti M:

Press Release:

Infiniti Announces Official EPA Mileage Estimates for All-New 2011 Infiniti M37 and M56 Performance Luxury Sedans
– New Larger, More Powerful V6 and V8 Engines Produce Improved Fuel Economy Numbers –

Infiniti today released official Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy estimates for the 2011 Infiniti M performance luxury sedan, showing increases of up to four miles per gallon versus 2010 M models. The new generation M’s all-new design includes two new powerplants, a 3.7-liter V6 and 5.6-liter V8, each offering more horsepower and torque than the previous smaller displacement designs.

The 2011 Infiniti M horsepower, torque, fuel economy figures, and increases compared to the previous generation models, are:

MY 2011	M37	M37x	M56	M56x
Horsepower (hp)	330 (+27)	330 (+27)	420 (+95)	420 (+95)
Torque (lb-ft)	270 (+8)	270 (+8)	417 (+81)	417 (+81)
City MPG	18 (+1)	17 (+1)	16	16 (+2)
Highway MPG	26 (+1)	24 (+2)	25 (+4)	23 (+3)

“The all-new 2011 Infiniti M’s powertrains offer both increased power and efficiency,” said Ben Poore, vice president, Infiniti Business Unit. “Our V6 power is up 9% to 330 horsepower, while V8 power is up almost 30% to 420 horsepower and torque is increased 24% to 417 lb-ft — while amazingly adding 4 mpg Highway for the M56 and 3 mpg Highway for the all-wheel drive M56x.”

Multiple advanced technologies allow the new Infiniti M to provide these increases in power and torque while also improving fuel efficiency across all model offerings. The 3.7-iter V6 and all-new 5.6-liter V8 engine both utilize Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control System (CVTCS) to optimize both intake and exhaust valve timing. Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL) technology is also applied to the intake valves on both the V6 and V8 engines to improve performance, emissions and fuel efficiency.

In addition, Direct Injection Gasoline? technology is applied to the all-new 5.6-liter V8, providing more precise combustion control to optimize emissions, fuel economy and torque. An electronically controlled 7-speed automatic is applied as the standard transmission on all 2011 M models. As a result of the improved fuel economy figures, the gas guzzler tax previously accessed on the 2010 M45x does not apply to the 2011 M56x.

“It’s an impressive feat of engineering to not only gain 95 horsepower and 81 ft-lb of torque while also improving fuel efficiency by up to 4 mpg for the new V8,” added Poore. “Most of all, however, we think buyers will be impressed by the smooth, responsive performance of both the new V6 and V8. Power plus efficiency — that’s a great definition of Inspired Performance.”

The all-new 2011 Infiniti M is scheduled to go on sale at Infiniti retailers nationwide beginning March 18, 2011.

– By: Omar Rana