Category: News

Here’s the latest action:

Blackberry Messenger to blame for service outage — Blackberry experienced delays and interruptions when trying to send or receive messages during a service-wide outage yesterday. Today, the phone’s parent company,Research in Motion, attributed the trouble to two recently-launched versions of Blackberry Messenger that turned out to be buggy. In response, the company is providing an even newer version, recommending that all users download it as soon as possible.

FTC puts Google’s AdMob buy under the microscope — Google has been asked for a second time to turn over documents related to its acquisition of the mobile advertising network to the Federal Trade Commission. This could be a sign that the deal is setting off antitrust alarm bells, but so far the search engine is playing it cool.

Nexus One may be invite only to start — Engadget reports that the Nexus One may be on sale by Jan. 5. But eager buyers shouldn’t get their hopes up. Apparently Google will only be handing out invitations for the phone to select individuals initially. It’s unclear how or when they will choose these customers, or when it will transition to general release. The article also lists some new specs on the handset.

DDoS attack strikes before Christmas, slows e-commerce giants — An attack targeting Neustar, the domain name service provider for web sites like Amazon, Expedia and Wal-Mart, took some of the biggest shopping sites on the internet down today, with just two days left before the big holiday. This is the second year in a row this has happened.

Barnes and Noble’s Nook beats expectations — After receiving lackluster reviews, the e-reader being offered through Barnes and Noble, called the Nook, will probably sell about 60,000 units in 2009, its inaugural year. While this is more than the company had anticipated — a generally good sign — it doesn’t seem so impressive when you compare it to the 400,000 Kindles sold by Amazon in its first year.

Indiana does its best to lure EV maker Th!nk – The County Council in Elkhart, Ind. voted to preliminarily approve a decade-long tax break for Norwegian electric vehicle maker, if the company agrees to build its new plant near Middlebury. But so far, Th!nk has named Oregon and Michigan as possible locales.

Is Solyndra set up to lose money? — Greentech Media breaks down the pre-IPO company’s financial model, revealing that it could continue to lose money if it doesn’t bring its manufacturing prices far enough below its current module pricetags.

Genetic testing co. 23andMe captures $27.8M — The company, co-founded by Anne Wojcicki (wife of Google founder Sergey Brin), brought in the sum in a second round of funding. It allows consumers to send in a sample of saliva to have their genomes read for predispositions to disease and other conditions — a concept backed by Google, Genentech, New Enterprise Associates and Mohr Davidow Ventures (which later sold its stake after throwing its weight behind competitor Navigenics).

San Francisco resurfaces cell phone-cancer concerns — The city is toying with the idea of requiring mobile retailers to warn consumers that their cellular phones could potentially cause cancer due to radiation. Despite past rulings that there is no connection between the two, a similar ordinance is being discussed in Maine as well.

Cc:Betty cleans up your mobile inbox — The application, used to thread and keep track of emails sent between groups of people for easy viewing, has just launched for the iPhone, allowing users to organize mail on their phone for simple access on the go.

Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]

Read Original Article

No holiday party is complete without a punch this season –  easy to prepare, and super-delicious to share with family, friends and co-workers.

This year, impress your friends by serving up a delightful rum punch with seasonal ingredients like cloves, nutmeg and apple.

Image: Flor De Caña

Make it at home, bring it over, serve it up, it’s as easy as sugar cookies. Nicaragua’s best, the Flordecopia punch is made with Flor De Caña rum, the only rum from Nicaragua. Subtle hints of caramel and vanilla mesh perfectly with the fresh lemon juice, cinnamon and apple juice to make this drink that ultimate party punch.

Ingredients (makes 1 – multiply by the number of people):

• 2 parts Flor De Caña 7-year Grand Reserve
• 4 sugar cubes
• 3 parts club soda
• 2 whole cloves’
• 1 pinch of fresh nutmeg
• 1 part lemon juice
• 2 parts apple juice

Method:

1. Dissolve the sugar cubes in 1 oz. of club soda (this generally involves muddling to help process)
2. Muddle the cloves with the sugar cubes
3. After the sugar cubes and cloves are muddled/dissolved, add the rest of the ingredients one at a time and stir as added
4. Add ice once all of the ingredients have been added and stirred
5. Stir the punch until it is chilled

Strain the punch into a glass or punch bowl, depending on the size of the portion, top with 2 parts club soda and garnish with apple slices and cinnamon sticks.

Post from: Blisstree

Flordecopia Punch

Solar photovoltaic cells that are thinner than human hair sounds incredible, doesn’t it? That’s exactly what Sandia National Laboratories scientists have been developing recently. Made out of crystalline silicon and fabricated using microelectronic and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) techniques, these photovoltaic cells are expected to be cheaper and more efficient than the ones available now. They measure around 14 to 20 micrometers thick and 0.25 to 1 millimeter across. These solar cells are anticipated to be mass produced in the future and can be wrapped around unusual shapes like clothes, which will enable people to charge the cells as they walk about.

According to Sandia’s field engineer Vipin Gupta, photovoltaic modules could have inverters, intelligent controls and storage built in at chip level. The best part of this new development is a reduction in installation and manufacturing costs. These awesome little innovations when developed fully and available in the market will change the way we use the energy from the sun!

[Physorg]

You may remember the Stepmonster book giveaway from October. Wednesday Martin, author of Stepmonster, wants to share some holiday coping skills for stepfamilies.

Specifically, Martin, a social researcher, is giving you 10 simple tips for helping to maintain sanity in stepfamilies during the holidays. Martin has appeared as a stepparenting expert on NPR, the BBC Newshour, Fox News and NBC Weekend Today. Her newest book, Stepmonster, is a finalist in the parenting category of the “Books for a Better Life” award. The author is also a regular contributor to Psychology Today.

Martin, stepmother for nearly a decade, lives in New York City with her husband and two sons. Her stepdaughters are young adults. Visit Martin’s website to learn more.

Stepfamily Sanity this Holiday Season
By Wednesday Martin, Ph.D.,
Author of Stepmonster: A New Look at Why Real Stepmothers Think, Feel, and Act the Way We Do

When you think of holidays, you probably think of family.

And that’s what makes holidays so tough for stepfamilies. At this time of year, couples in a remarriage with children might be feeling . . . imperfect. For example, they might be polarized — he misses his kids, while she hopes they won’t treat her like the maid when they show up. She wants to buy her 25-year old’s plane ticket to come for a holiday visit — he thinks she spoils her kids and young adults should pay their own way.

Even if they’re on the same page about their step/kids, both members of the couple likely find themselves facing plenty of misunderstanding from friends and family as visions of sugarplums dance in our collective heads. “His kids won’t be here for the holidays? How come?!” “I can’t believe they’re going to spend only Christmas Eve with you.” “You’re not doing holidays with his ex? How come? Isn’t that the best thing for the kids?”

In the face of all the pressure and misunderstanding, take heart. Here are ten simple tips for stepfamily sanity this holiday season.

1. Give up on “blending.” Stepfamilies come together in their own ways, and in their own time — experts say four to 12 years! Particularly at holiday time, stepkids of any age may feel their loyalty binds more acutely (”Dad’s remarried but mom’s not so I should spend the whole holiday with her”). And sometimes in spite of a stepparent’s best efforts, a stepchild may keep his or her distance, taking a “stand” at holiday time. Don’t expect your stepfamily to resemble an eggnog smoothie during the holidays and you’ll spare yourself and your marriage a lot of aggravation.

2. Let your stepfamily be what it is. One family I interviewed put up two trees every year, because it mattered that much to them all to honor their own traditions. Respecting those differences can help everyone come together in their own way.

3. Know that you and your spouse will probably argue. From deciding how much to spend on gifts for her kids, to reopening old wounds about how the stepkids behaved during holidays past, couples in a remarriage with children are under extraordinary pressure this season. Arguments aren’t signs of failure — they’re opportunities to communicate. Find communication formulas and tips that work for you in Stepmonster and other books for couples with stepchildren.

4. Keep it normal. Whether they’re five or 50, what kids want post divorce and remarriage is a sense of belonging. So skip the red carpet welcome and think “inclusive” and “normal.” Give mom or dad some time alone with his or her kids, and then do the things you do every day and every holiday, inviting the kids to join. Let older and adult stepkids help with holiday meal planning and prep, serving and clean-up. Little ones can make place cards or holiday art for guests. This helps them feel like family, not guests. And when they’re pitching in and happy, stepmom/stepdad won’t feel as depleted or de-centered by their visit.

5. Choose side by side activities. Puzzles, stringing popcorn, baking, and watching a holiday movie all let you spend time together without interacting “head on,” which experts like Patricia Papernow tell us can be more stressful for “steps.”

6. Know your limits. Don’t do or give in a way that will increase your resentment. If your stepkids habitually forget to bring anything for you, or have a history of not writing thank you notes, don’t go overboard with extravagant gifts and efforts. Let them be your guide to avoid martyr syndrome (”I do and I do for them!”) during (and after) the holidays.

7. Strategize ahead of time. Stepfamilies aren’t first families. There may be tensions, and that’s normal. Spouses might have to plan out activities and time alone ahead of time. “I think I’m going to need a break tomorrow. How about a long walk together first thing in the morning?” This is not a failure — just a constructive way of adapting.

8. Remember stepfamily members bond best one-on-one. All-together-now activities can activate stepkids’ anxieties about who’s an insider and who’s an outsider. Give parent and stepparent plenty of one-on-one time with kids and stepkids — and with each other. And don’t forget about yourselves as a couple. You need one-on-one time, too.

9. Get out of the house. For stepmothers especially, there can be extraordinary pressure to create that Norman Rockwell aura over the holidays. Before the pressure gets to be too much, get out to see friends and your own family. Take time to pamper, whether it’s a spa visit or a coffee with pals who understand and don’t judge. Getting out of your own home, away from your stepkids and even your spouse, isn’t a sign of failure. It’s a necessity, rejuvenating you and helping prevent stepparental burnout.

10. Let go of the guilt. Remember that even first families struggle with unrealistic expectations during the holidays. If things don’t go perfectly — if there are squabbles or hurt feelings — have faith that this is normal and won’t damage the kids or your marriage irreparably. Stepfamily members are bound to have differences and even blow-ups. By showing your stepkids that people can argue and then move on, you are modeling the kind of resilience that will serve them well for a lifetime. That might be the ultimate holiday gift.

©2009 Wednesday Martin, Ph.D., author of Stepmonster: A New Look at Why Real Stepmothers Think, Feel, and Act the Way We Do

(Image via flickr/iwona)

Post from: Blisstree

Stepfamily Sanity During Holidays

With companies sticking out their thumbs to solar cell technology, Sharp recently unveiled their first solar cell that will survive a trip and a stay in space. These solar cells are flexible and can be twisted, folded and turned around corners when needed. This enables the solar cell to suitably cover the satellites and other outer space objects. This design by Sharp measures 20 microns in thickness. To create the prototype, Sharp clubbed together indium gallium crystals, gallium arsenide and indium gallium arsenide. Each of these was first grown on solid substrate molecules and was then added to the film. Sharp has developed a prototype of this solar cell and hopes to start manufacturing them by the year 2012. This may seem a far fetched plan, but when put to use, we will finally be able to reap the benefits of solar energy, right out of the heavens.

[Gizmodo]

Eco Factor: Low-emission concept yacht.

Egypt-based design studio Pharos Marine has unveiled plans for a new low-emission concept yacht, dubbed the Orcageno, that is powered by a hydrogen diesel-electric system for low emissions. The axe-bow structure of the hull betters fuel-efficiency by reducing residence due to the low angle for entrance.

(more…)

Over the last decade or so, the public perception of online dating has shifted from being a bit odd to something that’s pretty normal. But even as people get used to surfing the web as they look for a potential date, there’s a new trend emerging: location aware, mobile dating services. Skout, a social dating service with a strong mobile component, decided to conduct a study to see how hesitant people are to make the move from mobile messaging to in-person meetups.

The company surveyed 1000 of its users 20-30 years old, with an even gender split. While everyone surveyed was a Skout user, the questions pertained to any mobile dating service. Now, obviously these stats don’t readily apply to the general public — everyone surveyed is already a Skout user, so they’re more likely than average to be inclined to use a mobile dating site. Here are some of the conclusions Skout came up with:

51 percent of the consumers surveyed have met another single person in the Real World that they initiated contact with on their iPhone. The survey findings show that:

• 69 percent are comfortable meeting up with someone they met on their iPhone
• 40 percent are using a mobile dating service while out in bars, clubs and restaurants
• 20 percent are only using the service outside of their homes
• 35 percent are using the service at work

The company also concluded that most people would rather be dating than hanging out with their families during the holidays (which is kind of sad):

• 29 percent of the surveyed consumers would prioritize spending time with family
• 36 percent would prefer going on “a date or two”
• 20 percent would prefer at least one “hook-up” and a few dates
• 15 percent would prefer multiple “hook-ups” and dates before the Holidays are over

Finally, in a strange twist, 20% of those surveyed already had a significant other. Half of them were participating on these social dating sites with their partner’s consent (huh?) and the other half were doing it behind their back. Of course, there are probably a good number of folks who lied on this question — I suspect the number of people who are secretly using these services is actually higher.

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]

Read Original Article

This weekend, Naughty Dog is sharing the Christmas cheer in doubles. That’s right, they’re holding a Double Cash weekend, which means you’ll not only be earning double for your kills and medals, you’ll also be getting double

Eco Factor: Li-ion battery to store surplus renewable energy for home use.

After successfully acquiring more than a 50% stake in Sanyo, Panasonic is planning to commercialize a lithium-ion storage cell for home use. The company has already test-manufactured a storage battery for home use, which can store enough electricity for about one week of use.

(more…)

Eco Factor: HCPV plant capable of producing 100MW of clean power annually.

Asia’s largest high-concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) power plant has been powered up in Taiwan, and it is expected to save up to 700 tons of CO2 emissions per year. Established by the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, the power plant sits on a two-hectare site and is capable of producing over 100MW of clean renewable power annually.

(more…)

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg already has one of the more shiny resumes in Silicon Valley, a Harvard grad with stints at the World Bank, the U.S. Treasury Department and Google (GOOG), as well as a seat on the board of coffee kingpin Starbucks (SBUX).

She was also named one of Fortune magazine’s 50 Most Powerful Women this year, clocking in at No. 22.

Now, she’s been nominated to be a director on the Walt Disney Company (DIS) board, a position that will get rubberstamped at the entertainment giant’s annual meeting next year in March.

It’s an obvious pick for Disney, which needs to inject both Internet and social networking experience into the media giant, especially since it is one of the few such companies with such an iconic and personal relationship with its customers.

Mom and Dad must be so proud–not to mention the kids, since I am guessing Disney board members get to free passes to the front of the line at Magic Mountain.

Thus, BoomTown has commissioned a survey from SurveyMonkey, where her husband Dave Goldberg is CEO, about exactly how I can get on the board of Facebook, so I can query her on how to fatten up my resume.

To see her in action, here are two videos of interview highlights from Sandberg’s appearance at the sixth D: All Things Digital conference in 2008, with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckberberg.

Part One

Part Two

And here is the Disney press release:

Sheryl Sandberg Nominated to The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors

The Walt Disney Company (DIS) Board of Directors has nominated Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook Inc., to be a new independent director, effective upon her election at the Company’s next annual meeting.

“Sheryl is an outstanding executive who can add incredible value to what is already a diverse and highly experienced group of directors,” said John E. Pepper Jr., Disney’s chairman. “She brings great expertise in the online world, considerable international experience and a deep understanding of consumer behavior.”

Sandberg has served as COO of Facebook, an online social utility company, since March 2008. In that capacity, she has been responsible for building Facebook’s operations globally and managing its sales, marketing, business development, human resources, public policy, privacy and communications functions. Facebook is now considered the number one global social network with more than 350 million members.

Prior to joining Facebook, Sandberg was Vice President of Global Online Sales and Operations for Google Inc., an Internet search engine company, a post she assumed in 2001. In that role, she built and managed Google’s online sales channels, which represents the majority of Google’s customers worldwide, for both AdWords and AdSense.

Sandberg, 40, is also a former Chief of Staff of the United States Treasury Department and previously served as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company and as an economist with The World Bank.

“Sheryl has been at the forefront of a technological revolution that’s opened up a world of new possibilities for consumers and which has greatly affected the way we do business,” said Robert A. Iger, Disney’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Her unique insight, born of great practical experience, will be of considerable value to Disney’s shareholders.”

“Disney has remained an entertainment icon around the world for over 80 years by enthusiastically embracing change and new technologies,” said Sandberg. “It’s a tremendous honor to be nominated to the Disney board.”

Sandberg is also a director of Starbucks Corp. and serves on a number of nonprofit boards including The Brookings Institution, The AdCouncil, Women for Women International and V-Day. She received a Master’s Degree in business administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor’s Degree in economics from Harvard University.

Disney shareholders will vote on Sandberg’s nomination and the re-election of the Company’s other 12 directors at the next Disney annual meeting, March 10, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas.

Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]

Read Original Article

Jawa Pos edisi Minggu, 20 Desember 2009, mewartakan rencana Depkes untuk menertibkan penggunaan label Internasional pada sejumlah RS, terkait regulasi menjelang ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) 2010. Sebenarnya bukan barang baru, namun kita perlu ikut mengawal upaya ini agar label Internasional bukan hanya sekedar papan nama. Sebagaimana diungkapkan oleh Direktur Jenderal Bina Pelayanan Medik Departemen Kesehatan (Depkes) dr Farid W Husain,  bahwa RS di Indonesia yang benar-benar terakreditasi secara Internasional hanya 2 (dua), yakni RS Siloam Karawaci dan RS Siloam Kebun Jeruk. Selebihnya hanya nama. Menurut dr. Farid, pemakaian label Internasional tanpa akreditasi sama artinya dengan membohongi publik. Lha !

PASIEN HENDAKNYA PANDAI MEMILIH

Sebagian masyarakat kita masih mudah tergiur oleh penampilan luar, iklan dan label. Pun demikian dengan label wah institusi layanan medis. Tak pelak anggapan kualitas tinggi dan harapan mendapatkan layanan medis kelas satu membumbung tinggi manakala mendengar label Internasional, label Plus dan label heboh sejenisnya. Apa lacur, ketika pengguna jasa layanan medis terlanjur terjerat, kekecewaanlah yang lebih banyak didapat ketimbang kepuasan. Ibarat jajan, bakpao serasa jemblem !

Repotnya, masyarakat tidak mudah mengetahui kualitas institusi layanan medis yang sesungguhnya, sebelum merasakannya secara langsung atau mendengar dari mulut ke mulut. Tidak semudah membedakan handphone berkualitas dengan handphone tiruan. Kasus Mbak Prita adalah salah satu contoh berharga untuk pembelajaran dan perbaikan.

Pertanyaannya, mampukah para top leader dan pengelola institusi layanan medis di semua tingkatan mampu menarik pelajaran lantas memperbaikinya ? Bagi yang peka, tentu mampu. Bagi yang tidak peka, mereka hanya sibuk bersilat lidah menangkis kritikan tanpa berbuat apa-apa. Alih-alih berupaya berbenah, boleh jadi mereka tidak mengerti hakekat pelayanan medis, merasa berkuasa atau mungkin hatinya terlanjur terbalut bara emosi.

TAK SEMUANYA BISA DIBELI DENGAN UANG

Kita tahu, pilar pokok layanan medis setidaknya meliputi 4 pondasi, yakni gedung, sarana prasarana, pelaksana pelayanan (SDM) dan sistem. Keempatnya saling berintegrasi dan bersinergi. Dibangun secara bertahap dan berkesinambungan dengan mendengarkan feedback pengguna pelayanan medis serta masukan berbagai pihak sebagai salah satu parameter untuk perbaikan. Tidak dengan cara instan Bung !

Mungkin para pemilik modal yang menginvestasikan kekayaannya untuk membangun RS Swasta, dan Kepala Daerah sebagai penguasa institusi layanan medis Pemerintah (RSUD, Puskesmas), beranggapan bahwa kualitas layanan medis dapat dibeli dengan uang. Okelah, gedung dan sarana prasarana dapat dibuat menjadi kelas VIP, serba mewah. Tapi tidak dengan SDM dan sistem. Celakanya, justru SDM dan sistem inilah yang kerap diabaikan. Mulai penunjukan pengelola, pemilihan dokter dan SDM lainnya, hingga sistem yang kompleks. Begitu mudahkah mendapatkan dokter yang berkualitas, SDM lain yang terampil serta sistem yang handal hanya dengan uang ?

Tidak semua dokter berkualitas nan laris bersedia bekerja di RS mewah untuk menggiring pasien. Ada nilai-nilai sosial dan idealisme di balik layanan medis antara dokter dan pasien yang tidak dapat dibeli dengan uang seberapapun besarnya. Karena itu tak perlu heran jika misalnya ada pasien yang sudah terlanjur ke RS mewah menghabiskan lebih setengah juta rupiah sekali datang, ternyata sembuh di Puskesmas hanya karena sakit gudik ( scabies ). Bisa saja berkilah bahwa hal semacam itu sangat kasuistis, bahwa nol koma nol sekian persen bisa terjadi salah diagnosa. Apakah di mata pasien juga demikian ? Layaknya mencoba makan di restoran mewah, pasien akan bercerita kepada kerabat dan temannya: “ jangan berobat ke sana, sudah mahal, tak enak pula”. Tuh, kan.

Sistem dapat diadopsi dari manapun dengan mudah. Namun tak akan berguna tanpa dilandasi dengan pemahaman mendalam oleh segenap personil di dalamnya. Sia-sia tanpa komunikasi interaktif dengan pengguna jasa layanan medis. Pun akan hampa tanpa berlapang dada menerima kritik dan saran terutama dari para pasien serta keluarga mereka.

Harmonisasi ternyata tidak bisa diciptakan secara instan bukan ? Untuk membangun integrasi SDM dan sistem tak cukup dengan label, jargon serta promosi semata. Tapi juga diperlukan komunikasi internal yang intens dan yang tak kalah penting adalah menjaga jalinan komunikasi dengan pasien beserta keluarganya. Andai pengelola institusi layanan medis (swasta maupun pemerintah) meradang atau main tuntut hanya karena keluh kesah para pasiennya, cepat atau lambat, bersiaplah menuai badai gerakan damai rakyat jelata. Jika sudah begitu, tidak mudah memulihkan kepercayaan masyarakat. 

MASIH ADA HARAPAN

Konon Depkes memberikan batasan 2 bulan untuk melepas label International bagi RS yang memasangnya tanpa akreditasi Joint Commission International (JCI). Pelanggaran akan dikenai sanksi berupa peringatan. Kalau masih melanggar bagaimana ? Sayangnya tidak ada penjelasan lebih lanjut soal itu. Koq tidak tegas gitu ya… (tutup aja Bos).

Kita berharap, penertiban label Internasional merupakan langkah awal dari rangkaian upaya memperbaiki kualitas pelayanan medis. Bukan hanya RS swasta saja, tapi juga RS Pemerintah hingga ke tingkat Puskesmas, mengingat sebagian besar masyarakat kita masih menggantungkan pelayanan medis kepada Institusi Pelayanan Medis Pemerintah.

Akhirnya, kesungguhan semua pihak dan kontrol masyarakat diperlukan untuk memperbaiki kualitas pelayanan medis di semua tingkatan.

Semoga bermanfaat.

:: :: :: posting menggunakan WLW :: :: ::

Posted in Artikel, Berita, Gaya Hidup, Health, Informasi, Kedokteran, Kesehatan, Opini Tagged: Dokter, Indonesia, Internasional, Pasien, Pelayanan Medis, Rumah Sakit

Article Tags: ClimateGate, Nancy Neale

How do we know our medication is effective; that our vehicle is safe; that the bungee cord in our jump will not break? Most of the population has taken it on faith – faith in the integrity of the scientists – that these questions have been sufficiently studied and answered. And they have been, through effective communication of science in the scientific community. Knowledge is consistently exchanged using our currency, peer-review, until the point where the public benefits from the application of science in our everyday lives. We’ve had faith in the value of that currency, until now.

A few weeks ago, emails reportedly from the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit (CRU) in England were published on the internet. With any illegally obtained information, the credibility of the contents should be questioned. However, if these published emails are genuine, the contents indicate a scandal in the climate science community that is an insult to the integrity of the entire scientific community. It’s an insult to truth.

Many scientists have had suspicions about the state of the climate science and the overstated solidity of its predictive ability for some time. I am not a ‘denier’, whatever a denier denies; but I, along with several others have been asking questions about the peer-reviewed science. We cannot conflate climate scientists with environmentalists and activists, though. The latter two have compiled predictive models by the former and asserted that we are headed for doom and destruction if extreme environmental policies are not enacted immediately. Many scientists and critical thinkers have dared ask fundamental questions, though. We have questioned whether the state of the science can allow any definitive conclusion about the significance of anthropogenic carbon dioxide on global warming, let alone its ability to predict future effects.

Source: dakotavoice.com

Read in full with comments »   

Article Tags: ClimateGate, Headline Story, Terry Hurlbut

The UK Meteorological Office released what it described as temperature data for over a century and a half from more than 1500 land weather stations throughout the world, along with what the Met Office described as the code used to plot temperature trends for the time frame in question. But the data are apparently not the raw data, and questions remain as to the validity of the adjustment of the data, an inconsistency in reporting a lack of valid temperature measurements in one year, and the accuracy of the source code.

The Met Office states that the land station records, going back to 1850, came from the East Anglia Climatic Research Unit (CRU). This has long been the understanding of the genesis of the HadCRUT dataset: the CRU collected land station data, and the Hadley Centre collected temperatures from ships at sea.

John Graham-Cummings was the first person to take note of the release, and to examine the source code for accuracy. Within hours, Graham-Cummings had found two possible errors. First, he found an apparent error in the code that caused the program to use suspect data in its data plots. Graham-Cummings introduced a quick correction to the code, and was able to produce a trend line similar to the official version, with this difference: the data point for the year 1855 is missing, and this gap in the data is not shown on the official version.

Click source to read FULL article by Terry Hurlbut

Source: examiner.com

Read in full with comments »   

Eco Factor: House constructed from sustainable materials.

H3AR Architecture and Design has come up with an Instant House proposal for an international student design competition. The theme being a temporary residential mini unit, the Instant House can be constructed easily and is designed to be made from sustainable materials.

(more…)

Luke Timmerman wrote:

This was the last week of 2009 that anybody could realistically get deals done, and quite a few did.

—Bothell, WA-based OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: OGXI) secured a partnership to develop its experimental prostate cancer treatment with Israel-based Teva Pharmaceutical, the generic drug giant. OncoGenex pulled in $60 million in upfront cash, but investors objected to the deal when they learned that Carlsbad, CA-based Isis Pharmaceuticals will actually capture almost one-third of the future milestones and royalties that would otherwise go to OncoGenex.

—ZymoGenetics (NASDAQ: ZGEN), the Seattle-based biotech company, said it has regained full U.S. rights to recombinant thrombin (Recothrom) after its partner, Bayer, decided to walk away from the product in al markets except Canada. This drug has been a big disappointment in the marketplace, although CEO Doug Williams says the company still expects it to supplant a rival drug from King Pharmaceuticals as the dominant product for stopping excess surgical bleeding.

—Seattle-based Cell Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CTIC) found a way to survive a near-death experience in 2009, and now the board is offering up a potentially lucrative series of management bonuses if the company can hit a few more goals over the next couple years. The executives will certainly be in a much better position to cash in if they succeed in persuading an FDA advisory panel that the company’s treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, pixantrone, should be cleared for sale in the U.S. That big day is now scheduled for February 10.

—VLST, the Seattle-based company seeking to discover new targets for drugs against autoimmune diseases, has cut an undisclosed number of jobs to preserve its cash. The company is still working to fill up the pipeline of drug candidates for its partner, Novo Nordisk.

—Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: SGEN), the Bothell, WA-based developer of antibody drugs for cancer, put the capstone on a big year when it clinched a licensing deal with GlaxoSmithKline that brought in $12 million in upfront cash. GSK will use the Seattle Genetics technology for linking antibodies against an undisclosed number of targets to potent toxins.

—Oncothyreon (NASDAQ: ONTY) looked like a goner a year ago, …Next Page »

Comments | Reprints | Share:  

 
 
 

As the majority of the business world gets set to take a break after an extremely difficult year, we’d like to say a million thanks to our readers for your kind patronage during 2009. As of this week, that’s one heartfelt thanks for each and every one of you. According to Quantcast, which measures Gizmag.com traffic directly, we reached the million unique visitors a month mark on December 17, so we’ll all be celebrating extra hard as we head into 2010 with a full head of steam up. For the record, the top ten countries where Gizmag.com readers live are U.S. 53.27%, U.K. 8.64%, Canada 6.26%, Australia 4.29%, India 2.49%, Germany 1.44%, Netherlands 1.29%, France 1.02%, Italy 0.89% and Brazil 0.80%, with “others” growing larger every day. ..

Related Articles:

• What’s better than our RSS feed? The Gizmag toolbar for Firefox and IE
• Dilbert celebrates 20 years of cubicle lifestyle and workplace dysfunction
• SharePort enables D-Link customers to share USB devices over their wireless networks
• Games that work on a netbook
• COOL-ER e-reader to go 3G
• Media Fragmentation – changing ways of using media

A biking book I was reading claimed Minneapolis (meaning St Paul) was the coldest major city on earth. That might be true of the US if you exclude cities with metro areas under 1 million …