NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Diabetes has already been tied to an increased risk of kidney and cardiovascular troubles, nerve damage and vision loss, and now a new study finds diabetics to be more than twice as likely as those without the disease to have hearing impairment.
In a review of past research on the question, scientists in Japan also found that younger diabetics were at even higher risk than older adults - though they cannot explain why, and experts caution that this kind of study does not prove that diabetes is directly responsible for the greater hearing loss rates.
"It doesn't definitively answer the question, but it continues to raise an important point that patients might ask about," said Dr. Steven Smith, diabetes specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
It's also not the first time researchers have found a link between diabetes and hearing loss.
In 2008, researchers from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) saw similar patterns in a sample of more than 11,000 people. In that study, people with diabetes were twice as likely to have hearing loss as those without the condition.
Generally, hearing loss is defined as having trouble understanding what people are saying in a hushed voice, and missing some words at a regular volume.
The American Diabetes Association estimates there are currently about 16 million people living in the U.S. with diabetes, and NIH says about 36 million Americans report some level of hearing loss.
It's thought that high blood sugar levels brought on by diabetes may lead to hearing loss by damaging blood vessels in the ears, according to Chika Horikawa, the study's lead author from Niigata University Faculty of Medicine in Japan, and colleagues.
They collected information from 13 previous studies examining the link between diabetes and hearing loss and published between 1977 and 2011. Together, the data covered 7,377 diabetics and 12,817 people without the condition.
Overall, Horikawa's team found that diabetics were 2.15 times as likely as people without the disease to have hearing loss. But when the results were broken down by age, people under age 60 had 2.61 times the risk while people over 60 had 1.58 times higher risk.
The researchers, whose findings appear in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, note that future studies that take more factors into account, such as age and noisy environments, are needed to clarify the link between diabetes and hearing loss.
Still, Horikawa told Reuters Health in an email, people should recognize that diabetics may be at risk for hearing loss based on their results.
"Furthermore, these results propose that diabetic patients are screened for hearing impairment from (an) earlier age compared with non-diabetics," said Horikawa, adding that hearing loss has also been linked to an increased risk of depression and dementia.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/RlVeeW Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, online November 12, 2012.
Flickr user Sebastian Holm Nielsen wanted something minimal but informative for his desktop?something that brought in useful information but kept it all out of the way so he could work. The end product is useful, minimal, and attractive.
Want the same look and feel for your Windows desktop? Here's how to make it happen:
The wallpaper from wallbase.cc
The Rainmeter system management and configuration utility for Windows
The Encoded skin pack for Rainmeter to create all of the boxes and system monitors across the bottom of the screen as well as the time/date, weather, and "now playing" displays
The Social Launcher skin for Rainmeter to create the quick-launch bar at the top of the screen
That's all there is to this one. The Encoded skin is pretty versatile, and can be used to create really unique and interesting views on different systems. Having trouble getting everything working just the way you like? Head over to Sebastian's Flickr page to ask your questions!
Do you have a beautiful, creative, and functional desktop to share with the world? Now we have two ways for you to send it in to us!
Whichever you do, please include a description of how you made it - without that, we can't tell others how to make it for themselves. Do these things, and it may just be the next featured desktop!
A lawsuit filed Thursday claims a nonprofit hospital in northwest Chicago failed to provide charity care to two low-income, uninsured patients.
The case reopens a longstanding controversy in Illinois over whether hospitals are doing enough charitable work to qualify for lucrative tax exemptions.
The lawsuit claims Swedish Covenant Hospital repeatedly lost one patient's financial assistance application and threatened to send her bill to a collection agency.
It states the hospital incorrectly told another patient she was ineligible for assistance and demanded cash from her.
Swedish Covenant spokeswoman Leigh Ginther says every patient who is identified as uninsured is given an application for charity care and a personal explanation of the process. The hospital reported $6.2 million in charity care expenses last year, nearly 3 percent of its net revenue.
BlackBerry 10 may be just around the bend, but it seems that's not going to stop RIM from launching a new handset. A leaked document posted by Crackberry has revealed the specs of the QWERTY-toting BlackBerry Patagonia 9620 -- there's BB OS 7.1 running the show with a 1.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 processor under the hood, mated with 768MB RAM. Par for the course, the display is a 2.44-inch, 480 x 360 affair, and you can also find 2GB of storage augmentable via microSD, a 5-megapixel rear snapper, GPS, WiFi and PTT support along for the ride -- if the source is to be believed. Info on pricing and the exact release date of the apparently budget smartphone is MIA as yet, but Nextel Mexico has it pegged for a December outing. You can sign up for a release notification if you're covered and can't curb your buying itch before BB10's entry-level offerings land.
Egypt's president Mohamed Morsi, who had granted himself sweeping new powers that would have made all of his rulings immune to judicial review, is facing continued public outcry despite his decision to soften the decree by limiting those rulings to 'sovereign' matters. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.
By Ayman Mohyeldin, NBC News
News analysis
Last week?s sweeping power grab by Egypt?s President Mohammed Morsi has thrown the country?s political elite into crisis, and prompted tens of thousands of Egyptians to take to the streets in protest. But much of the fury over his most recent moves probably has more to do with the way he chose to act than what he has actually done.
The conflict roiling the Arab world?s most populous country has been painted by some international observers and many regular Egyptians as a struggle between autocratic Islamists and democratic secularists. Indeed, Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood party have angered many with how they managed to win power democratically and then tried to consolidate it by decrees.
In a move quickly pounced on by critics, Morsi?s decree last week gave the body charged with writing a draft constitution two more months to finish its work. The decree essentially prevents challenges to the president's rule until the end of the two-month transitional period so that any decision made by Morsi cannot be questioned by the judiciary.
If the so-called constituent assembly, the elected constitutional body that is now dominated by Islamists, would have dissolved, it would have been seen as a victory by many liberal and secular Egyptians.
But Morsi?s decree will allow the assembly to finish its essential work, Henry Smith of the international consultancy Control Risks told NBC News.
'Leave, leave': Egyptians gather in Cairo's Tahrir Square to protest president's decree
"There was a risk that the body writing the constitution would be disbanded by legal judgments but according to his decree, we should see a draft in February," he added. "And if that is decided then we could have a new constitution by mid-2013."
As the struggle of the constituent assembly shows, Morsi and his government have been locked in a struggle with the judiciary.
And however dictatorial Morsi?s recent moves may have been, the judiciary is no paragon of democracy. Indeed, even many of the Brotherhood?s opponents think the judiciary is corrupt and packed with loyalists of deposed dictator Hosni Mubarak.
The lack of accountability for the killing of protesters during the 2011 revolution illustrates why many Egyptians do not trust the judiciary. None of the former regime officials brought to trial for these deaths has been convicted.
The judiciary also upheld the dissolution of parliament, halting essential efforts, such as reforming fiscal and economic policies meant to liberalize and jump-start the economy.
According to liberal and secular parties, the president ?didn't consult with them before issuing his decree on Thursday -- a claim disputed by Morsi's Freedom and Justice Party ? thus losing the opportunity to be seen as a leader willing to reach across political divides and interested in creating consensus.
And those protesting his power grab have reason to be suspicious. After all, Mubarak promised to be a one-term president at the beginning of what ended up as a 30-year rule.
In the end, Egypt is new to the art of politics and its actors unused to sharing power and debating issues publicly.
As international consultant Smith says: "Putting aside some of the autocratic elements of his recent decree, Morsi?s move could be seen as a positive move."
Thousands of Egyptians flood Cairo's Tahrir Square in protest of President Morsi, demanding he rescind decrees that granted him near-absolute powers. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports from Egypt.
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HTC has announced that a new head of marketing will join the company from January, according to reports from the Wall Street Journal. Benjamin Ho is a former CMO of Motorola currently in charge of marketing at Taiwanese carrier FarEasTone. He will report directly to HTC CEO Peter Chou.
HTC's current marketing and sales chief Jason Mackenzie will focus on sales strategy, the WSJ reports, while current CMO John Wang will be stepping down.
HTC said that Mr. Ho’s first project at the company will be dubbed “Marketing 2.0,” with a goal of “refocusing HTC’s efforts around holistic marketing and mass-market brand outreach.”
The past year has seen HTC lose ground to rivals Samsung and Apple, and suffer financially as a result. Samsung dominated the Android smartphone space over the summer with marketing efforts tied into the Olympic Games in London. With these top-level changes, HTC will be hoping to set the stage for an improved marketing performance, and greater public mindshare, in the new year.
Evan Longoria pledged his loyalty to the Tampa Bay Rays by signing a multi-year baseball contract extension that could keep him in uniform through 2023, the team said on Monday.
The 27-year-old?s original deal was through 2016, but the third baseman has signed a six-year extension worth $100 million with an option for one additional year.
?In signing this contract, I kind of wanted to show that I?m committed to this organization,? Longoria told the Rays website.
?I told them from the beginning that I didn?t want to be the one sucking up all the payroll so we can?t afford anybody else, because it?s not giving us the best chance to win,? Longoria said.
?There?s no telling what the market is going to look like in five years,? added Longoria, now looking set to finish his career with the Rays. ?Obviously contracts are going up and they are probably going to continue to go up.?
Longoria was drafted by the Rays in 2006 and helped the team reach the World Series in 2008.
A three-time All Star, Longoria played in just 74 games last season because of a left hamstring ailment and also missed extended time in 2011 because of injury.
Longoria is supposed to be over his health woes and is expected to be ready for spring training.
Swedish research useful to Brazilian society, presented by Lund University in So Paulo on 5 Dec. 2012Public release date: 27-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Helga Ekdahl Heun helga.ekdahl_heun@er.lu.se 46-722-443-636 Lund University
Upon the visit of our research delegation, Lund University and His Excellency the Ambassador of Sweden to Brazil, Mr Magnus Robach, hereby cordially invite you to a seminar dedicated to Swedish research on 5 December 2012 in So Paulo.
We are honoured to visit Brazil and present the latest research from Lund University. We hope for a fruitful exchange amongst researchers, the general public, decision makers, corporate organisations, as well as former and future students of Lund University and reserachers, professors and students from universities in Brazil.
5 December 2012
13:30 - 18:00 followed by mingle
Maksoud Plaza Hotel,
Alameda Campinas, 150, Bela Vista - So Paulo
Agenda
13:30 Welcome
His Excellency the Ambassador of Sweden to Brazil, Mr Magnus Robach, opens the seminar and greets welcome.
13:50 Presentation of Sweden and Lund University
14:15 Biologically active secondary metabolites
Professor of Chemistry and the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Olov Sterner, will present research on biologically active natural products. These are traditional starting points for the development of drug candidates, and a few examples of how his research group has developed plant and fungal metabolites so potentially useful compounds will be given. The projects involve natural product chemistry, organic synthesis and computational chemistry, as well as collaborations with biologists in order to characterize the biological activities.
14:45 Possibilities and challenges in a future bio-economy
Ph.D Anna Ekman will in this presentation discuss two major topics; the first one relates to bio-based chemicals and whether these always are better for the environment than conventional chemicals based on fossil raw materials. The second topic relates to how the bio refineries in which the bio-based chemicals are produced can be integrated with the infrastructure and in the society.
15:15 Coffee break
15:30 Packaging logistics for sustainable development
Jose Alcides Gobbo, Associate Professor at So Paulo State University and Visiting Professor at Packaging Logistics Lund University, will present the importance of regarding packaging and logistics as integrated systems in order to contribute to sustainable development and thus a sustainable society.
16:00 Urban transport policies, examples from the European Arena
Associate Professor, Lena Hiselius, will in this presentation discuss public transport, mobility management, and traffic planning as well as transport politics from a Swedish and European perspective. The presentation will have a focus on the implementation of car reducing measures and how these measures are perceived by the public. The National Public Transport center in Sweden (located in Lund) will also be presented.
16:30 Climate-conscious urban design in different climates
Erik Johansson from the Dept. of Architecture and Built Environment will in this presentation discuss how urban design and vegetation can be used in order to achieve a more comfortable microclimate. Examples will be shown from Brazil, Ecuador and Sweden.
17:00 Bacia do Rio Grande: A suggestion for river management to avoid "apages" and the impact of the expansion of sugar-cane plantation
Professor Cintia Bertacchi Uvo, whom originates from So Paulo herself, will present two of her research topics closely related to the Brazilian reality. The first is the performance of long-term hydrological forecast for some of the major Brazilian river basins. Such a forecast is of key importance for the management of hydro power production for avoiding "apages". The second topic is related to the impact of the expansion of sugar-cane plantations on the Rio Grande basin. How the expansion has happened, and what would be the impact for the hydrology in case the plantation scenario suggested by EMBRAPA is implemented.
17:30 MAX IV Laboratory -the world's most brilliant synchrotron radiation source
Yngve Cerenius, Project Coordinator and Industrial Liaison Officer at the MAX IV Laboratory. Two state of the art large scale multi-science research facilities will in Lund form a new hub in northern Europe for advanced photon- and neutron based research within a broad spectrum of disciplines including materials science, life science and structural biology, nano-science and technology, condensed matter physics, chemistry, energy technology, geology, and environmental sciences. When MAX IV will go into operation in 2016, it be the world's most brilliant synchrotron radiation source. Towards the end of this decade the neighbouring European Spallation Source will be the world's leading facility for research using neutrons.
18:00 Mingle
Enjoy drinks and some light food while also having the chance to mingle with both old and new friends and contacts.
RSVP is required. Space is limited. Please RSVP through the web site.
The event is free of charge.
No dress code. Casual or business casual attire is O.K.
###
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Swedish research useful to Brazilian society, presented by Lund University in So Paulo on 5 Dec. 2012Public release date: 27-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Helga Ekdahl Heun helga.ekdahl_heun@er.lu.se 46-722-443-636 Lund University
Upon the visit of our research delegation, Lund University and His Excellency the Ambassador of Sweden to Brazil, Mr Magnus Robach, hereby cordially invite you to a seminar dedicated to Swedish research on 5 December 2012 in So Paulo.
We are honoured to visit Brazil and present the latest research from Lund University. We hope for a fruitful exchange amongst researchers, the general public, decision makers, corporate organisations, as well as former and future students of Lund University and reserachers, professors and students from universities in Brazil.
5 December 2012
13:30 - 18:00 followed by mingle
Maksoud Plaza Hotel,
Alameda Campinas, 150, Bela Vista - So Paulo
Agenda
13:30 Welcome
His Excellency the Ambassador of Sweden to Brazil, Mr Magnus Robach, opens the seminar and greets welcome.
13:50 Presentation of Sweden and Lund University
14:15 Biologically active secondary metabolites
Professor of Chemistry and the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Olov Sterner, will present research on biologically active natural products. These are traditional starting points for the development of drug candidates, and a few examples of how his research group has developed plant and fungal metabolites so potentially useful compounds will be given. The projects involve natural product chemistry, organic synthesis and computational chemistry, as well as collaborations with biologists in order to characterize the biological activities.
14:45 Possibilities and challenges in a future bio-economy
Ph.D Anna Ekman will in this presentation discuss two major topics; the first one relates to bio-based chemicals and whether these always are better for the environment than conventional chemicals based on fossil raw materials. The second topic relates to how the bio refineries in which the bio-based chemicals are produced can be integrated with the infrastructure and in the society.
15:15 Coffee break
15:30 Packaging logistics for sustainable development
Jose Alcides Gobbo, Associate Professor at So Paulo State University and Visiting Professor at Packaging Logistics Lund University, will present the importance of regarding packaging and logistics as integrated systems in order to contribute to sustainable development and thus a sustainable society.
16:00 Urban transport policies, examples from the European Arena
Associate Professor, Lena Hiselius, will in this presentation discuss public transport, mobility management, and traffic planning as well as transport politics from a Swedish and European perspective. The presentation will have a focus on the implementation of car reducing measures and how these measures are perceived by the public. The National Public Transport center in Sweden (located in Lund) will also be presented.
16:30 Climate-conscious urban design in different climates
Erik Johansson from the Dept. of Architecture and Built Environment will in this presentation discuss how urban design and vegetation can be used in order to achieve a more comfortable microclimate. Examples will be shown from Brazil, Ecuador and Sweden.
17:00 Bacia do Rio Grande: A suggestion for river management to avoid "apages" and the impact of the expansion of sugar-cane plantation
Professor Cintia Bertacchi Uvo, whom originates from So Paulo herself, will present two of her research topics closely related to the Brazilian reality. The first is the performance of long-term hydrological forecast for some of the major Brazilian river basins. Such a forecast is of key importance for the management of hydro power production for avoiding "apages". The second topic is related to the impact of the expansion of sugar-cane plantations on the Rio Grande basin. How the expansion has happened, and what would be the impact for the hydrology in case the plantation scenario suggested by EMBRAPA is implemented.
17:30 MAX IV Laboratory -the world's most brilliant synchrotron radiation source
Yngve Cerenius, Project Coordinator and Industrial Liaison Officer at the MAX IV Laboratory. Two state of the art large scale multi-science research facilities will in Lund form a new hub in northern Europe for advanced photon- and neutron based research within a broad spectrum of disciplines including materials science, life science and structural biology, nano-science and technology, condensed matter physics, chemistry, energy technology, geology, and environmental sciences. When MAX IV will go into operation in 2016, it be the world's most brilliant synchrotron radiation source. Towards the end of this decade the neighbouring European Spallation Source will be the world's leading facility for research using neutrons.
18:00 Mingle
Enjoy drinks and some light food while also having the chance to mingle with both old and new friends and contacts.
RSVP is required. Space is limited. Please RSVP through the web site.
The event is free of charge.
No dress code. Casual or business casual attire is O.K.
###
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
ScienceDaily (Nov. 26, 2012) ? A low intake of folate and vitamin B12 increases the risk of melancholic depressive symptoms, according to a study among nearly 3,000 middle-aged and elderly Finnish subjects. On the other hand, non-melancholic depressive symptoms are associated with an increased risk for the metabolic syndrome. Based on these new observations, melancholic and non-melancholic depression may be separate depressive subtypes with different etiologies in terms of proinflammation and diet. The study was the first to look at these depressive sub-types separately.
"The findings have practical implications in the care of patients with depressive symptoms. For example, it may be wise to avoid medication causing weight gain among patients with non-melancholic depression, whereas melancholic depressive symptoms may call for a closer look at the quality of the patient's diet," says Mr Jussi Sepp?l?, MD, Chief of the Department of Psychiatry of the Hospital District of Southern Savo.
Melancholic depression involves typical depressive symptoms, such as a depressed mood. Non-melancholic depression is characterized by other types of symptoms, such as low self-esteem and feelings of worry and anxiety.
Among subjects with the highest folate intake, the risk for melancholic depressive symptoms was almost 50 per cent lower than among those with the lowest intake. In addition, among those with the highest vitamin B12 levels, the risk for melancholic depressive symptoms was almost three times lower than among those with the lowest levels. Both findings are new. A similar association with non-melancholic depressive symptoms was not observed.
Another novel observation is that the risk for the metabolic syndrome was twofold among those with non-melancholic depressive symptoms, as compared to those with melancholic symptoms or those with no depressive symptoms.
Mr Sepp?l?'s doctoral thesis "Depressive symptoms, metabolic syndrome and diet" was published at the University of Eastern Finland. The study was conducted as part of the Finnish Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Programme. The findings were originally published in Journal of Affective Disorders.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Eastern Finland, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Jussi Sepp?l?, Hannu Koponen, Hannu Kautiainen, Johan G. Eriksson, Olli Kampman, Satu M?nnist?, Pekka M?ntyselk?, Heikki Oksa, Yrj? Ovaskainen, Merja Viikki, Mauno Vanhala. Association between folate intake and melancholic depressive symptoms. A Finnish population-based study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 2012; 138 (3): 473 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2012.01.007
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
LONDON (Reuters) - Politicians will quiz executives of Starbucks, Google and Amazon on Monday about how they have managed to pay only small amounts of tax in Britain while racking up billions of dollars worth of sales here.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which is charged with monitoring government financial affairs, has invited the companies to give evidence amid mounting public and political concern about tax avoidance by big international companies.
"It is hard for the ordinary person to believe it's fair," said Margaret Hodge, a member of parliament for the opposition Labour party and chairman of PAC.
"It makes people incredibly angry in the current fiscal climate," she added, in reference to the austerity measures which large budget deficits have forced on the UK, and other countries.
Britain and Germany last week announced plans to push the Group of 20 economic powers to make multinational companies pay their "fair share" of taxes following reports of large firms exploiting loopholes to avoid taxes.
A Reuters report last month showed that Starbucks had paid no corporation, or income, tax in the UK in the past three years.
The world's biggest coffee chain paid only 8.6 million pounds in total UK tax over 13 years during which it recorded sales of 3.1 billion pounds.
Campaign group UK Uncut, which is opposed to government austerity measures, and which has organised protests against British telecoms operator Vodafone and pharmacist Boots over their tax practices, said in a statement on Monday that they planned to target Starbucks.
Starbucks said it followed the tax rules in every country where it operates and sought to pay its fair share of taxes.
"We are committed to being transparent on this issue and look forward to appearing before this committee," a spokeswoman said.
Starbucks Chief Financial Officer Troy Alstead will give evidence to the committee, as will Matt Brittin, Chief Executive Officer of Google UK, and Andrew Cecil, Brussels-based Director of Public Policy for Amazon, a PAC spokesman said.
Google's filings show it had $4 billion of sales in the UK last year, but despite having a group-wide profit margin of 33 percent, its main UK unit had a tax charge of just 3.4 million pounds in 2011.
The company avoids UK tax by channelling non-U.S. sales via an Irish unit, an arrangement that allowed it to pay taxes at a rate of 3.2 percent on non-U.S. profits. Amazon's main UK unit paid less than 1 million pounds in income tax last year. The company had UK sales worth $5.3-7.2 billion, filings show.
Amazon avoids UK taxes by reporting European sales through a Luxembourg-based unit. This structure allowed it to pay a tax rate of 11 percent on foreign profits last year - less than half the average corporate income tax rate in its major markets.
Google declined to comment. Amazon did not respond to requests for comment.
Hodge and former financial services minister Paul Myners told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper that the government should consider a new revenue-based tax to ensure profits from UK sales didn't go offshore.
(This version of the story corrects the first name of Starbucks Chief Financial Officer.)
By Caribbean standards, the shores of St. Eustatius -- called Statia by locals -- are rather forbidding. Steep cliffs rise above aged Dutch stoneworks, paths created for the ease of the slave traders who would moor in the shadow of the island's volcanic peak and climb toward Oranjestad, the capital.
Today, visitors to the island can climb the Quill, dodging the hermit crabs that perpetually tumble down its volcanic sides, and visit both a 17th century fort and one of the Western Hemispheres oldest Jewish cemeteries. The place is quiet and resolute in its own peculiarity. Though it is only a short sail from St. Maarten and Saint Bart's, St. Eustatius offers a different sort of Caribbean destination, one that is more defined by its history and people than it is by waves of tourist dollars.
Its outsider status makes the island part of a strange sort of constellation. The lesser known islands of the Caribbean paint a more complicated image of the region, allowing travelers more insight into colonial legacies, local cultures and the specific demands of vastly-varied landscapes. Though most of the isles that fall into this category are within eyesight of major international destinations, they've maintained their flavors by being inconvenient to get to or maintaining such low profiles that few sun chasers even think of seeking them out.
These eight islands represent the unknown Caribbean, a world apart from a world apart.
PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan and the Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, are dragging Nigeria deeper into a new debt trap. Unfazed by strident opposition to controversial foreign loans, the minister again got herself into an awful tangle at the House of Representatives last week Monday as she sought to defend the President?s request to raise the 2012-2014 borrowing plan to $9.3 billion. The National Assembly should deliver an emphatic no to this dangerous move.
The situation is rich in irony. Okonjo-Iweala, in her first coming as Finance Minister, led efforts that culminated in our escape in 2005/6 from three decades of crushing debt through a debt buy-back deal under which Nigeria paid $12 billion to secure an $18 billion debt write-off from the Paris Club group of creditors. While at the World Bank thereafter as its managing director, she frequently railed against reckless borrowing, profligate public expenditure and untidiness in the country?s public finances. ?But, it is deeply troubling that 18 months into her second coming as minister and head of Jonathan?s economic team, our public finances are as messy as ever while she enthusiastically seeks dubious foreign loans. Is the Finance Minister paying attention to the depth of public corruption in the country?
In her presentation to the House Committee on Loans/Aid/Debts, she said the projects to be funded included erosion and flood control; FADAMA agriculture projects in the North; educational projects in Edo State; power projects in Zungeru, and the $500 million China Exim Bank loan for the ongoing Abuja Light Rail Project. The minister and the Debt Management Office stridently assert that our Debt-to-Gross Domestic Product ratio at 17 per cent, is one of the lowest in the world, but fail to factor in the observations by senators that projects for which loans were obtained in the past were either abandoned or failed; that most of the items for which new loans were being sought had been captured in the 2013 budget, and that seeking foreign loans ?is a celebration of inefficiency and lack of moral credibility? at a time of higher government revenues.?
And there is much to worry about. Jonathan and Okonjo-Iweala have failed to ensure accountability and prudence in public finance. The International Monetary Fund has observed that up to 80 kobo of every N1 spent by Nigeria?s government is lost through waste and theft. Such leakages and gross misplacement of priorities account for the bulk of public funds being spent on recurrent needs with little left for capital projects. The government sustains its culture of waste and corruption by allotting money to projects that are better left to the private sector. The plans to borrow $7.9 billion for ?pipeline projects? and spend $1.6 billion on turnaround maintenance of the four loss-making state-owned refineries are totally misplaced.
Pipelines, depots, refineries and all other oil downstream activities should be left entirely in the hands of the private sector with the government as regulator. The government should speedily privatise all its commercial ventures as this will free it to fund roads, health, education, water supply, housing, erosion and ecological schemes for which it is now frantically borrowing. There is a growing convergence of opinion that high foreign aid intensity is actually associated with erosion in the quality of governance.
Legislators should not be taken in by the minister?s reasoning that the loans sought are concessionary, with long-term, low or zero-interest facilities. That is exactly where we started over 30 years ago when development partners convinced us to take loans and pay later. Loans attract penalties when payment timelines are missed and our poor debt management and fiscal indiscipline are legendary. The signs are ominous. Whereas all that we borrowed and for which we had repaid over $40 billion while still owing $35 billion by 2004, was less than $18 billion; now we owe $6.2 billion that will, according to DMO, rise to $9.02 billion by year end and $16.76 billion by 2015. Domestic debts are expected to climb to $8.44 billion by 2015.
In other countries, the impact of foreign loans is visible in infrastructure and jobs. But in Nigeria, structures built by loans such as the steel plants, fertiliser, petrochemical and paper plants have all collapsed.? A Stanford University 2009 study hit the nail on the head: ?In some of the world?s lowest-ranking countries in many areas of governance, particularly with regard to corruption, foreign aid appears simply to increase the volume of funds at the disposal of already corrupt government officials and kleptocratic elite.? While other crude oil exporting countries have been piling up robust foreign reserves and investing massively in infrastructure on persistently high oil prices, our infrastructure continues to crumble.
Okonjo-Iweala should clean up our deplorable public finances, lead efforts to restart the privatisation plan and target growth with jobs like other World Bank returnees did in Ghana, Peru, Argentina and Brazil, enabling their countries to climb out of debt and recession.? Foreign loans crowd out sorely-needed Foreign Direct Investment when ploughed into ventures and sectors that are better liberalised or privatised. As long as our government was borrowing to fund the corrupt and inefficient Nigerian Telecommunications Plc, the massive FDI, job creation and phone and internet penetration that followed the sector?s liberalisation in 2001 could not take place.
Legislators should not stop at merely criticising the borrowing plan; they should protect present and coming generations by forbidding new loans under any guise and insisting on prudent management of our resources through diligent oversight.?
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Redesigning is an extremely individual endeavor to every person. It calls for particular demands of an individual?s property, as well as several other jobs. This large world has countless instruments, rules, and techniques that it will appear to be somewhat puzzling as to where you must commence. The following tips can assist you appear sensible of your misunderstandings.
If you are living in the rural region, take into account buying a power back power generator. As soon as the lights just go and at times your heating system even depends upon it, you will be with out potential for a long time and even time in really tough weather conditions. A power generator can assist you take care of the necessities that you just can?t do without once the electricity is out.
To reduce the volume of normal water you employ inside the shower area, get a very low-flow bath brain. A lot of versions provide fantastic pressure while using the fewer gallons a minute than common shower heads. Not only does this save you money on the normal water monthly bill, but making use of significantly less warm water signifies that your water heater doesn?t heating the maximum amount of, either.
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posted by Suzanne Kantra on November 09, 2012 in Computers and Software, Computers & Accessories, Family and Parenting, Kids, Seniors, Guides & Reviews :: 0 comments
An all-in-one computer solves a number of problems in my house. First, it's easy to make sure it stays in the family room, so I can monitor the sites the kids are visiting; laptops have a way of disappearing into the kids' rooms. Second, they serve as a second information and entertainment center for everything from homework to games to movies.
With Microsoft's launch of its touch-friendly Windows 8 operating system last week, the all-in-one has become even more attractive as a family PC option. The home screen is now filled with live tiles that show information that's updated in real time, so anyone can see things like weather, calendar appointments and recent photos at a glance without needing to open the application ? a huge time-saver in the morning.
The touch interface is also easy for young kids to use, especially those like my four-year old son who has grown up on touchscreen devices. When I unboxed the HP Envy 20-d010t TouchSmart all-in-one I received for testing, he took to it immediately, spending hours playing Agent P Strikes Back, a Perry the Platypus game.
So if you're in the market for a new family computer, check out the recent crop of Windows 8 touchscreen all-in-ones. There are plenty of great all-in-one options to choose from. These are my picks.
Dell Inspiron One 23-inch Touch
It may be a bit bare bones when it comes to style, but the Dell Inspiron One 23-inch represents the best value for an all-in-one touchscreen model ($779.99 on dell.com). It comes with a 23-inch, Full HD, LED-backed touchscreen (1920 x 1080), an entry-level Intel Pentium G645 processor, Intel integrated graphics, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. That's more than enough for word processing, watching videos, editing photos or any other everyday computing task. And if you need more power, the Inspiron One 23-inch is configurable up to a Intel Core i7-3770s, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive ($1,399.99). You can't configure it with a discreet graphics card, something that makes a difference when gaming or editing video.
HP Envy 20-d010t TouchSmart
A step up from the Inspiron One 23" Touch, the HP Envy 20-d010t TouchSmart ($799.99 on hp.com) offers a more attractive design and a few higher-end options. The base model comes with a 20-inch, Full HD, LED-backed touchscreen (1920 x 1080), an Intel Pentium G40 processor, Intel integrated graphics, 2GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. For those looking to play games or edit video, you can opt into a Intel Core i3-3220 processor, 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M discreet graphics card, 8GB RAM, 16MB of SSD cache and a 2TB hard drive ($1,609.99).
Acer Aspire 5600U
Representing a good mid-range value is Acer's 23-inch Aspire 5600U ($999.99 on us.acer.com). It comes loaded with an Intel Core i5-3210m processor, 6GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive and Intel integrated graphics. The 23-inch Full HD LED-backed touchscreen (1920 x 1080) reclines up to 80 degrees for easy touchscreen control. Extras include NFC (near field communication) and Bluetooth 4 for easy connectivity to wireless speakers and smartphones.
Sony Vaio Tap 20
The Sony Vaio Tap 20 may be on the pricey side at $999.99 (on sony.com), but it's unique in that it has a built-in battery so you can use it for almost three hours without plugging it in. And its 20-inch touchscreen (1600 x 900) IPS LCD can fold flat for playing board games or watching videos on your lap. The base model comes with an Intel Core i5-3317u processor, Intel integrated graphics, 4GB of RAM and a 750GB hard drive.
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Apple iMac
Of course, Windows 8 isn't for everyone. Those looking for a computer running Apple's Mac OS X operating system are bound to be happy with the new line of iMac all-in-one computers. Apple has taken an already attractive design and made it exceptionally thin; it's now just 5mm deep at the edges. You can choose from a 21.5-inch Full HD LED-backed LCD (1920 x 1080) or 27-inch (2560 x 1440) IPS LCD display, though no touchscreen option. The base model ($1,299 on apple.com later this month) comes with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive and 512MB NVIDIA GeForce GT 640m graphics card, making it more expensive than similarly configured Windows 8 models.
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton paid tribute Thursday to slain U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens, calling him a "fallen hero" who understood that diplomacy requires taking risks.
About two months after Stevens and three other Americans were killed in an attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi on Sept. 11, Clinton said the State Department and Pentagon are reviewing security at high-threat diplomatic posts to determine what improvements should be made.
But Clinton also stressed that diplomacy in unstable areas is inherently dangerous and praised Stevens for volunteering for difficult jobs to serve his country.
"Our country mourns a fallen hero," she said of Stevens at a speech honoring him and others receiving the Common Ground award for conflict resolution, negotiation and peace building. The award was presented by the group Search for Common Ground, which is focused on ways of resolving conflicts.
Stevens "understood that there is no substitute for going beyond the embassy walls, building relationships, and finding common ground," she said. "We will never prevent every act of terrorism or achieve perfect security. And our diplomats cannot work in bunkers and do their jobs. We must accept a level of risk to protect this country we love and to advance our interests and values around the world."
Clinton's comments came as lawmakers step up demands for information about the Benghazi attack. Several congressional committees will hold classified hearings on the matter next week amid Republican charges that the Obama administration ignored increased threats to the mission. The State Department and FBI are also investigating.
HAVANA (AP) ? Cuba's government will begin renting state-owned restaurants to workers who want to run them independently, authorities announced Friday in the latest step of President Raul Castro's economic overhaul.
Interior Commerce Vice Minister Ada Chavez Oviedo said a pilot program will begin Dec. 1 at restaurants with up to five employees, according to an article in the Communist Party newspaper Granma.
"A new system of economic management with the renting of state-run locales for independent work in food services will take place gradually," Chavez was quoted as saying.
She said the program initially will be tried in three of Cuba's 15 provinces ? Artemisa, Villa Clara and Ciego de Avila.
The measure is similar to management models already under way at beauty salons and barber shops. The workers will assume responsibility for maintenance, repairs and utilities and must enroll in the country's nascent tax system, Chavez said.
The independent restaurants will still have access to tobacco products at wholesale prices for resale to customers.
State-run restaurants are often bland affairs that suffer from poor quality, listless service and pilferage by employees for their own consumption or for sale to the black market.
The idea behind the new measure appears to be that turning workers into stakeholders can solve those problems.
"This new model attempts to stimulate the quality of food services," Granma wrote.
Initiated in 2010, Castro's economic changes have allowed greater space for private enterprise that was stigmatized for decades after the 1959 Cuban Revolution when the state ran practically all aspects of the economy.
In "updating" its model, as officials call it, Cuba has also legalized home and car sales, increased private and cooperative farming and announced the end of the exit visa that all islanders must apply for to travel abroad.
Future plans call for cooperative midsize businesses, extensive layoffs of public-sector workers and the progressive elimination of government subsidies.
Still, Castro insists Cuba will remain socialist and says key sectors will be kept under state control.
Given the stark bipartisan division made obvious by Election Day Tuesday, it may be too soon to joke about the political temperature of the United States. That is, unless you?re a member of the Capitol Steps.
The group began in December 1981 when staff members for Senator Charles Percy wanted to plan a nativity play for their Christmas party, but say they couldn't find three wise men or a virgin anywhere in Congress.
After 11 years, they will be returning to the Poway Center for the Performing Arts with a show on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013.
?They will be kind of doing a post mortem on the elections,? said Yvonne Dows, marketing manager for the Center?s Foundation. ??They were very popular when they performed before so it?ll be great to have them back.?
Country music star Clint Black will also be swinging by the Center next year, with a performance on Friday, Jan. 18. The triple-platinum artist will share stories in addition to songs with two other performers, who have yet to be announced.
?Rather than a big rock kind of show, it?ll be very intimate?sometimes acoustic,? Dows said.
In addition, the Center for Performing Arts is prepping for the Missoula Children?s Theatre interpretation of ?Snow White,? which will be performed by more than 60 children, ages 5 through 18, after a weeklong camp that includes the auditions and rehearsals.
?They come in a big red truck with everything you need to put on a show,? Dows said of the actor-director team that hails from Montana. ?? It?s kind of fabulous.?
The camp is free, but tickets to the Monday, March 11, event are $5 for kids and $17 for adults.
For additional ticket and show time information, contact the Center?s ticket office at 858-748-0505 or visit powayarts.org.
Flickr user Sebastian Holm Nielsen wanted something minimal but informative for his desktop?something that brought in useful information but kept it all out of the way so he could work. The end product is useful, minimal, and attractive. 
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Public release date: 27-Nov-2012
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Dell Inspiron One 23-inch Touch
HP Envy 20-d010t TouchSmart
Acer Aspire 5600U
Sony Vaio Tap 20
Apple iMac