Good Night

Messenger findings may 'revolutionize' views of Mercury

Data from the spacecraft orbiting the tiny planet indicate it has a lopsided magnetic field, a surprising abundance of sulfur and unusual 'hollows' on its surface./LOS ANGELES TIMES

Read more >> http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-mercury-messenger-20110930,0,7920756.story

End of an era

A doctor who treated a 67-year-old Lake Hughes man who survived for six days on bugs and leaves after his car plunged off a cliff said the man was "quite scared but also quite hopeful" during the ordeal.

David LaVau could hear cars passing on the road above the deep ravine where he was stuck with a dislocated shoulder and a fractured back, he told the nurses at the hospital after he was rescued Thursday night. /LOS ANGELES TIMES

ScienceCasts: The Strange Attraction of Gale Crater

Min blogg

Den senaste veckan har varit historiskt vad gäller läsare av min blogg.
Under veckans alla dagar har det varit fler läsare som befunnit sig i USA än läsare som befunnit sig i Sverige.

Exempel på partiledare och f.d. partiledare som enligt mig är/varit till förfång för sitt parti.
Göran Hägglund (kd)
Maud Olofsson (c)
Mona Sahlin (s)
Ola Ullsten (Fp)
Gudrun Schyman (v)

Shanghai får världens snabbaste hiss - NyTeknik

Shanghai får världens snabbaste hiss - NyTeknik

U.S.-Born Qaeda Leader Killed in Yemen

Suspected Role in Deaths at Fort Hood and Other Plots

An American drone attack killed Anwar al-Awlaki, a preacher born in the United States and a leading figure in Al Qaeda’s outpost in Yemen, on Friday morning, a senior American official in Washington confirmed.

Femmålande Barca

TRÄNAREN GUARDIOLAS FEM-MÅL-KÅTA BARCELONA:

Basilea 0 – Barcelona 5. Liga de Campeones 08/09
Barcelona 5 – Almería 0. Liga 08/09
Barcelona 5 – Deportivo 0. Liga 08/09
Barcelona 5 – Cultural Leonesa 0. Copa del Rey 09/10
Tenerife 0 – Barcelona 5. Liga 09/10
Barcelona 5 – Sevilla 0 Liga. 10/11
Barcelona 5 – Real Sociedad 0. Liga 10/11
Barcelona 5 – Real Madrid 0. Liga 10/11
Barcelona 5 – Betis 0. Copa del Rey 10/11
Barcelona 5 – Almería 0. Copa del Rey 10/11
Barcelona 5 – Villarreal 0. Liga 11/12
Barcelona 5 – Atlético de Madrid 0. Liga 11/12
BATE Borisov 0 – Barcelona 5. Liga de Campeones 11/12

Torque -- The Science of NFL Football

Torque

In this segment, NBC's Lester Holt describes what torque is and how the application of this force on an object causes it to spin. Professors Tony Schmitz of the University of Florida and Jim Gates of the University of Maryland explain that battles on the line of scrimmage are won by finding a player's center of mass and applying torque to that point.

Credit: NFL, NBC Learn and National Science Foundation (NSF)
Torque

Stroke Risk Higher with Pre-hypertension

News Review From Harvard Medical School --

Even blood pressure that is just below "high" can increase your risk of stroke, an analysis of research shows. A normal blood pressure reading is below 120/80. High blood pressure is 140/90 or above. Pre-hypertension is the range between normal and high blood pressure. The new study put together results from 12 prior studies. They included more than 500,000 people with no history of heart disease or stroke. During the studies, people with pre-hypertension were 55% more likely to have a stroke than people with lower blood pressure. This was true even after numbers were adjusted to account for smoking and other factors that increase stroke risk. Then researchers split people with pre-hypertension into 2 groups. They found that stroke risk was increased only for those in the upper range of pre-hypertension. Their blood pressure readings were 130/85 to 139/89. This is just a few points below high blood pressure range. The journal Neurology published the study online September 28. USA Today and HealthDay News wrote about it.

Read more >> http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/24479/36146/1412948.html?d=dmtContent

Aftonbladet kapar 85 tjänster och 100 mkr

Aftonbladet ska spara 100 miljoner före 2013. Det betyder att mellan 65 och 85 tjänster försvinner. Personalen är inte informerad – utan får beskedet via en pressrelease på fredagsmorgonen. /DAGENS MEDIA

Exclusive: New 80mph motorway limit, 20mph in towns

Government set to launch radical overhaul of Britain's road regulations

The speed limit on Britain’s motorways is set to rise to 80mph but with a big expansion in the number of 20mph zones in cities and towns, The Independent has learnt.

20mph = lite över 30 km/h

DN/Synovates senaste väljarbarometer

Socialdemokraterna åter det största partiet
Om det var val i dag, vilket part skulle du rösta på då?

S: 34,1 (+1,3)
V: 4,9 (+1,2)
MP: 8,3 (–0,1)
SD: 5,1 (+2,2)
C: 5,4 (+1,6)
FP: 5,5 (–2,0)
KD: 3,8 (+0,5)
M: 31,7 (–5,2)

Källa: Dagens Nyheter

Sverigedemokraterna: invandringens kostnader

The 10 Most Polluted Cities In The World by

(USA:) About 60 Percent of Blacks Lived in 10 States

The 10 states with the largest black alone-or-in-combination populations in 2010 were New York (3.3 million), Florida (3.2 million), Texas (3.2 million), Georgia (3.1 million), California (2.7 million), North Carolina (2.2 million), Illinois (2.0 million), Maryland (1.8 million), Virginia (1.7 million) and Ohio (1.5 million). Among these states, four experienced substantial growth between 2000 and 2010. The black alone-or-in-combination population in Florida grew by 29 percent, Georgia by 28 percent, Texas by 27 percent and North Carolina by 21 percent.

Of the 10 states above, nine also had the largest black alone populations. The state with the 10th largest black alone population was Louisiana (1.5 million), replacing Ohio (1.4 million). Similar to the black alone-or-in-combination population, the black alone population also experienced considerable growth in Florida, Georgia, Texas and North Carolina.

The District of Columbia, which is treated as a state equivalent in this report, had the highest percentage of blacks alone-or-in-combination among states, with 52 percent in 2010, even though this population decreased by 10 percent between 2000 and 2010. Similar findings were also observed for the black alone population.

Saudi Women Can Vote, But Not Drive

News on Vote Sparks Hope, but 'Guardianship System' Still Intact
In a surprise move, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz announced that women will be able to participate in the 2015 municipal elections. He also said that women may become full voting members of the advisory Shura council.
Is this the beginning of the “Arab spring” for Saudi women? They were promised the vote in next week’s election, but the government reneged.
This time may be different. The king is 87 and may be considering his legacy. He has a patchy history on women's rights, but has encouraged women to study and become teachers, doctors, and engineers, and encourages them to enter the workforce.
Women are still denied the most basic rights, though. Under the “guardianship system,” women need permission from a male family member to take a trip, to attend a university, to marry, and even to undergo certain surgeries. While guardians are often fathers or husbands, a woman's teenage son, younger brother, or abusive uncle could be the one making her most important decisions.
Women can’t even legally drive. Two days after the king’s announcement, a Saudi woman was sentenced to 10 lashes for driving. Other female drivers have also been arrested.

A New Underwater Video Camera Opens Window into the Behavior of Jellies

The Marine Biological Laboratory Whitman Center researchers are testing a new underwater video camera system that will allow scientists to study the propulsion and behavior of jellies in their natural habitat.


Full (interesting) story >>http://www.mbl.edu/news/press_releases/2011_pr_07_22.html#Anchor-49575

TEACHING TOPIC from the New England Journal of Medicine

Teaching Topics
September 29, 2011

Smoking Cessation: What medications are most effective for smoking cessation?

Teaching Topic
Smoking Cessation
Clinical Practice
Treating Smokers in the Health Care Setting
M.C. Fiore and T.B. Baker

Tobacco use remains the chief avoidable cause of death in the United States; it is directly responsible for about one fifth of all deaths.

Clinical Pearl

How has the prevalence of smoking changed in the United States?
The prevalence of smoking has declined dramatically in the United States over the past half century, decreasing from about 42% in the 1960s to about 20% today. However, this decline has stalled recently, and higher prevalence rates are concentrated in populations with low incomes, low educational levels, and psychiatric conditions.

What approximate abstinence rates can be expected 6 months after initiating smoking cessation treatment with most medications?
A meta-analysis of 83 randomized trials examining the effectiveness of various medications with respect to the rate of abstinence 6 months after treatment showed that most medications for smoking cessation (e.g., nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, nasal spray, inhalers, and bupropion) approximately doubled the odds of achieving abstinence. The estimated 6-month abstinence rate among patients randomly assigned to placebo was about 14%, versus 19 to 26% across most pharmacotherapies.

Morning Report Questions

Q. What therapies are most effective for smoking cessation?
A. Varenicline and combination nicotine-replacement therapy (e.g., the nicotine patch plus a stronger form of nicotine-replacement therapy such as nicotine gum or lozenges) were associated with estimated abstinence rates of 33 and 37%, respectively. These rates were significantly higher than that associated with a representative monotherapy (the nicotine patch).

Q. What are the risks associated with the use of varenicline?
A. In 2010, on the basis of postmarketing surveillance, the FDA issued a black-box warning for both varenicline and bupropion concerning serious neuropsychiatric symptoms such as hostility, agitation, depressed mood, and suicidal thoughts and behavior. Also, a recent drug-safety communication from the FDA noted that varenicline may be associated with a small increase in the risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attack, and it called for physicians to weigh the risks and benefits of the use of varenicline in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Obama administration escalates crackdown on tough immigration laws

The Obama administration is escalating its crackdown on tough immigration laws, with lawyers reviewing four new state statutes to determine whether the federal government will take the extraordinary step of challenging the measures in court.

Justice Department attorneys have sued Arizona and, where a federal judge on Wednesday allowed key parts of that state’s immigration law to take effect but blocked other provisions. Federal lawyers are talking to Utah officials about a third possible lawsuit and are considering legal challenges in Georgia, Indiana and South Carolina, according to court documents and government officials. The level of federal intervention is highly unusual, legal experts said.

Site for people who want to learn more about the Swedish language >>

http://www.101languages.net/swedish/

Space Telescopes Reveal Secrets of Turbulent Black Hole

An international team of astronomers using five different telescopes has uncovered striking features around a supermassive black hole in the core of the distant galaxy Markarian 509. They found a very hot corona hovering above the black hole and cold gas "bullets" in hotter diffuse gas, speeding outward with velocities over 1 million miles per hour. This corona absorbs and reprocesses the ultraviolet light from the accretion disk encircling the black hole, energizing it and converting it into X-rays. This discovery allows astronomers to make sense of some of the observations of active galaxies that have been hard to explain so far.

The heart of the campaign consisted of repeated visible, X-ray, and gamma-ray observations with ESA's XMM-Newton and INTEGRAL satellites, which monitored Markarian 509 for six weeks. This was followed by long observations with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Hubble Space Telescope. Prior to these observations short snapshots to monitor the behavior of the source at all wavelengths were taken with NASA's Swift satellite. The combined efforts of all these instruments gave astronomers an unprecedented insight into the core of an active galaxy.

German Parliament Passes Euro Fund Expansion

MERKEL BREATHES SIGH OF RELIEF


Chancellor Angela Merkel got the majority she needed on Thursday as German parliament passed the expansion of the euro backstop fund, the EFSF. With fewer conservative renegades than feared, Merkel can breathe a sigh of relief. But with more difficult decisions approaching, the respite may not last. /DER SPIEGEL

NEJM

This Week at NEJM.org
September 29, 2011

Question

What is the diagnosis?
Diaphragmatic rupture Lung abscess Marfan syndrome Plombage Tuberculosis

Diafragma mellangärdet [muskel]
Morfans syndrom är en bindvävssjukdom. De vanligaste sjukdomstecknen kommer från hjärt- och kärlsystemet, skelettet, lederna och ögonen. I vissa fall kan även huden, tänderna och lungorna påverkas. Morfans syndrom är en ovanlig sjukdom. Wikipedia lär oss vad vi vill veta, och lite till >> http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marfans_syndrom

http://www.nejm.org/

Min blogg

Statistik.
Rekord i går.
Det var fem gånger så många läsare som befann sig i USA som tittade in på min blogg ( förhoppningsvis läste ;) , än läsare som befann sig i Sverige.
Jag gissar att en rubrik med namnet "Michael Jackson" lockat de googlande amerikanarna (och andra som befann sig i USA).

Champions League

Omgång 2

Napoli - Villarreal  2-0
Bayern München - Manchester City 2-0
CSKA Moskva - Inter Milán 2-3
Trabzonspo - Lille 1-1
Otelul Gal - Benfica 0-1
Manchester U. - Basel 3-3
Lyon - Dynamo Zagreb 2-0
R. Madrid - Ajax 3-0
B. Leverkusen - Genk 2-0
Valencia - Chelsea 1-1
Arsenal - Olympiacos 2-1
Marseille - Dortmund 3-0
Zenit S. Petersburg - Porto 3-1
Shakhtar D. - Apoel Nicosia 1-1
Milan - Viktoria Pilsen 2-0
Bate Borisov - Barcelona 0-5

Risk att Barosso spricker

Det var direkt plågsamt att lyssna på EU-kommissionens ordförande José Manuel Barroso i går morse. Han framträdde i Europaparlamentet och höll sitt stora tal om den pågående krisen.

I Barrosos huvud är lösningen lätt som en plätt: mer och mer EU, på alla plan.
Har han helt förlorat kontakten med den politiska verkligheten i medlemsländerna? Tydligen.

Barroso vill ha euroobligationer och en ny EU-skatt på finansiella transaktioner som ska bidra till betalningen av den urspårade jordbrukspolitiken och andra gemensamma åtaganden i unionen.
Han hävdade också att en ”fullbordad” union ska ”göra slut på illusionen att det går att ha en gemensam valuta utan ekonomisk politik” och han vill få bort ofoget att ”de långsamma blockerar andras beslut”. Allt detta går betydligt längre än besluten om bättre samordning, kontroll och budgetdisciplin som parlamentet fattade i går. ---
Barroso har rätt i att krisen kräver sammanhållning och politiker som försvarar samarbetet. Men själv är han en välavlönad tjänsteman som inte riskerar någonting när han talar vackert men orealistiskt i Europaparlamentet. Det är nationella politiska ledare som måste våga stå upp för EU och äntligen göra allt de lovat på hemmaplan.---
Han uppträder uppblåst – och risken är att han spricker. /Dagens Nyheter

Hela artikeln >>
http://www.dn.se/ledare/signerat/europa-risk-att-barroso-spricker

Fräcka Rossana Dinamarca

Rossana Dinamarca (bilden) , kandidat till partiledarposten i Vänsterpartiet, tillhör riksdagens dyraste och minst klimatsmarta ledamöter. Hon pendlar mellan hemmet i Trollhättan och Stockholm med taxi och litet jetplan.
– Jag är medveten om att det blir en del, säger hon.

Sedan valet i fjol har hon åkt taxi för 42.457 kronor. Dessutom har hon åkt flyg mellan Trollhättan och Stockholm för 178.222 kronor. Den totala resekostnaden för pendlandet till riksdagen uppgår till 220.679 kronor.
Hennes flitiga användning av taxi skiljer sig från de andra V-partiledarkandidaterna som åkt för mellan 2.460 och 6.810 kronor, visar DN:s granskning. Det går också emot partiledningens uppmaning att undvika taxi och flyg som färdmedel.---


Ur klimatsynpunkt är kombinationen taxi och litet jetplan från Trollhättan till riksdagen via Bromma det sämsta möjliga valet, enligt Naturskyddsföreningen. /

Dagens Nyheter

Man kan hoppas och tror att hon efter DN:s avslöjande har förspillt den lilla chans hon hade att bli Vänsterpartiets partiledare.

Good Night

Intressant site för engelstalande som studerar spanska

http://spanish.about.com/

Nicole Scherzinger

Nicole Scherzinger (WOW)


Härlig låt, som gjord för motionsrundan

Stekt ägg-nebulosa är en fröjd för ögat

ESO:s VLT hittar en sällsynt läckerbit

Astronomer har använt ESO:s jätteteleskop VLT för att avbilda en kolossal stjärna: en gul hyperjätte. Sådana stjärnor är bland de mest ovanliga som finns i universum. Den nya bilden är den bästa som någonsin tagits av den här typen av stjärna. För första gången kan man att se att hyperjätten i mitten är omgiven av ett väldigt dubbelskal av stoft. Stjärnan med sina skal liknar en äggvita runt sin gula. Därför har astronomerna gett den smeknamnet Stekt ägg-nebulosan (“Fried Egg Nebula” på engelska).


Monsterstjärnan betecknas av astronomer som IRAS 17163-3907 [1] och har en diameter på ungefär tusen gånger solens. Den ligger på ett avstånd av 13 000 ljusår från jorden, vilket gör den till den närmaste hyperjätten som hittills upptäckts. Nya observationer av den visar att den lyser runt 500 000 gånger starkare än solen [2].

Eric Lagadec vid Europeiska sydobservatoriet (ESO) var forskningsledare för teamet som har tagit fram de nya bilderna.

– Det var känt sen innan att det här objektet lyste starkt i infrarött, men överraskande nog hade ingen identifierat den som en gul hyperjätte tidigare, säger han.

Observationerna av stjärnan och upptäckten av de omgivande skalen gjordes med infrarödkameran VISIR på VLT. BIlderna är de första som klart visar materialet som omger stjärnan. De avslöjar att den har två nästan perfekt sfäriska skal.

Om man skulle placera Stekt ägg-nebulosan mitt i vårt solsystem så skulle jorden ligga långt inuti stjärnan och planeten Jupiters bana skulle ligga just ovanför dess yta. Den omgivande, och mycket större, nebulosan skulle omsluta alla planeter och dvärgplaneter samt till och med några av de kometer som har sina banor långt bortom Neptunus. Nebulosans yttre skal har en radie som är 10 000 gånger större än avståndet från jorden till solen.

En gul hyperjätte befinner sig i en extremt aktiv utvecklingsfas i sitt liv som stjärna. Under denna fas slungas en mängd material ut från stjärnans yta i explosiva eruptioner. Just den här stjärnan har kastat ut massa motsvarande fyra gånger solens på bara några hundra år [3]. Materialet som slungats ut från stjärnan under dessa utbrott har bildat nebulosans vidsträckta dubbelskal, som består av stoft med hög silikathalt blandat med gas.

Sådan aktivitet tyder också på att stjärnan antagligen snart kommer att dö i en explosion – den kommer att bli en av de nästkommande supernovorna i vår galax [4]. Supernovor förser sin interstellära omgivning med de kemiska ämnen som behövs för att nya stjärnor ska kunna byggas. Chockvågor från exploderande stjärnor kan dessutom påskynda att nya stjärnor uppstår.

Denna utsökta bild av “Fried Egg”-nebulosan fångades av VISIR, kameran för mellanvågigt infrarött ljus på VLT. Bilden togs genom tre olika filter som släpper igenom infrarött ljus med våglängd mellan 8 och 13 mikrometer. I bilden har observationerna i de tre filtrena kombinerats genom att ges olika färger (blått, grönt och rött) [5].

Noter

[1] Namnet indikerar att objektet först upptäcktes som en källa till infrarött ljus av IRAS-satelliten år 1983. Siffrorna talar om var stjärnan är belägen på himlavalvet, i hjärtat av Vintergatan i stjärnbilden Skorpionen.

[2] IRAS 17163-3907 är en av himlens 30 mest ljusstarka stjärnorna om man tittar i infrarött ljus. Med IRAS, som observerar vid våglängden 12 mikrometer, var den klart synlig men den hade tidigare förbisetts på grund av dess ljussvaghet i synligt ljus.

[3] Den totala massa för stjärnan uppskattas till ungefär 20 gånger solens.

[4] Alla stjärnor med en massa på mer än tio solmassor blir röda superjättar när de har förbränt all sin vätgas. Fasen som röd superjätte avslutas när stjärnan har gjort sig av med allt sitt helium. Sedan tillbringar några av dessa stjärnor ett par miljoner år som gula hyperjättar. Det blir en relativt kort period i stjärnans liv, innan den hastigt utvecklas vidare och blir en så kallad ljusstark blå variabel. Dessa heta och luminösa stjärnor varierar hela tiden i ljusstyrka och förlorar material på grund av de starka stjärnvindarna som kastas ut från dem. Inte heller detta är slutet för stjärnan. Den kan utvecklas till en annan typ av instabil stjärna, en Wolf-Rayet-stjärna (http://www.eso.org/public/images/wr124/). Därefter så tar dess liv slut i en våldsam supernovaexplosion.

[5] De tre mellanvågiga infraröttfiltrena som användes lät ljus med våglängder runt 8590 nm (blåfärgat i bilden), 11 850 nm (grönfärgat) och 12 810 nm (rödfärgat) passera.

Michael Jackson's death: The trial of Dr. Conrad Murray

http://www.ktla.com/videogallery

Bristande tyska stoppade Lagerbäck

28 september 2011 kl 13:58, uppdaterad: 28 september 2011 kl 14:01
Lars Lagerbäck var aktuell för jobbet som förbundskapten för Österrikes landslag i fotboll - men har efter en anställningsintervju strukits från listan.
Det är tidningen Kronen Zeitung och gratistidningen Heute som skriver att det är bristande kunskaper i tyska språket som avgjorde saken.
Enligt förbundsordföranden Leo Windtner och generalsekreteraren Gigi Ludwig passar Lagerbäck ”inte in på vår kravprofil”. /SVENSKA DAGBLADET

Now seven new ways to read my blog.
(up left:) classic, flipcard, magazine, mosaic, sidebar, snapshot, timeslide

Ny metod för diagnos av bihåleinflammation kan minska användning av antibiotika

En ny metod för diagnostik av bihåleinflammation presenteras i en kommande avhandling från Lunds universitet. Resultaten visar på nya möjligheter att minska användningen av antibiotika och att sänka samhällets kostnader för sjukdomen.

Bihåleinflammation, rinosinuit, är mycket vanligt förekommande och finns i både akut och kronisk form. I Europa lider över nio procent av befolkningen av kronisk bihåleinflammation.

Bakom avhandlingen står Pernilla Sahlstrand Johnson, forskarstuderande och öron-, näs- och halsläkare vid Lunds universitet och Skånes universitetssjukhus. I avhandlingsarbetet har hon tillsammans med kollegor på Lund Tekniska Högskola provat och utvärderat en ny metod för förbättrad diagnostik av bihåleinflammation. I metoden används en s.k. Dopplerultraljudsgivare som till skillnad från vanligt ultraljud och skiktröntgen direkt kan avgöra om bihålan innehåller tunnflytande bihålevätska eller trögflytande var. Endast en spolning av käkhålan, ett för patienten obehagligt ingrepp, har hittills kunnat ge ett säkert besked om det.

Det är bara patienter med trögflytande var som anses behöva antibiotika, medan det för dem med tunnflytande bihålevätska finns andra verkningsfulla behandlingsalternativ.

- Antibiotikaresistens betraktas som ett allt större problem. Var fjärde person i Sverige tar minst en kur antibiotika årligen, och många av dessa har fått diagnosen bihåleinflammation. En säkrare diagnos kan minska förskrivningen av antibiotika och rätt behandling kan även sänka kostnaderna, säger Pernilla Sahlstrand Johnson och fortsätter:

- Vi har använt den nya metoden i laboratoriemiljö med gott resultat. Vi planerar att inom kort prova Dopplerultraljudsgivaren även i klinisk miljö, på ett antal patienter vid Öron-näsa-halskliniken vid Skånes universitetssjukhus i Malmö och Lund.

Pernilla Sahlstrand Johnson har även undersökt den självupplevda livskvaliteten hos en grupp på drygt 200 personer som samtliga väntade på bihålekirurgi. Förutom öron-näsa-hals-klinikerna i Skåne har Karolinska universitetssjukhuset och Sahlgrenska deltagit med patienter i enkätstudien som är en av de största i sitt slag.

Både bihålespecifika och allmänna patientenkäter har använts, där svaren bl.a. belyser upplevd livskvalitet och mental hälsa samt sjukfrånvaro hos patienterna. Svaren visar bland annat på en hög sjukfrånvaro, deltagarna uppgav 8-14 dagars sjukfrånvaro under ett år på grund av sina bihålebesvär.

- Deltagarna i vår studie upplevde en kraftigt försämrad livskvalitet på grund av sin bihåleinflammation – sämre än bland andra stora patientgrupper med t.ex. kärlkramp och cancer. Bihåleinflammation har sannolikt också en stor samhällsekonomisk påverkan på grund av omfattande utbredning och relativt sett hög sjukfrånvaro, säger Pernilla Sahlstrand Johnson.

LUNDS UNIVERSITET

China's Spacecraft Ready to Go on Mission

Last-minute preparations for the launch of the Tiangong-1 spacecraft began at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Monday, meaning the vehicle can soon embark on a mission that will eventually have it dock with a spaceship, according to the center.

That feat, if carried out successfully, will mark the completion of China's first rendezvous and docking mission.

At the launch site on Monday afternoon, crews were putting in place pipes and cables that will be used to inject fuel into the rocket that will carry Tiangong-1 into outer space.

Without complications from the weather or other causes, the Long March II-F rocket will lift off from the launch center on Thursday or Friday, taking the Tiangong-1 with it, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Despite the preparations, space experts said carrying out the plan still comes with many risks. They explained that the spacecraft and much of the other equipment being used is new and has not been tried on an actual mission.

"Tiangong-1 is a brand new spacecraft designed by China and is bigger and heavier than the Shenzhou spaceships China had developed as a means of transporting astronauts from the Earth to space," said Yang Hong, chief designer of Tiangong-1.

In a vertical position, the Tiangong-1 looks like a cigar standing 10.4 meter tall, a height equal to that of a three-story building. It weighs 8.5 tons and has a maximum diameter of 3.35 meters, a dimension shared by its launch vehicle, he said.

In comparison, the Shenzhou spaceship stands shorter, at nearly 9 meters, is slimmer, having a diameter of less than 3 meters, and weighs less.

In another difference, the Tiangong-1 is composed of two modules rather than the three that had made up the Shenzhou spaceship. Of the Tiangong-1's two primary components, one is an experimental module that contains a place that astronauts can live and work in on future missions. It is also equipped with a docking port.

The other chief component, a resource module, will provide the craft with power.

Astronauts on Tiangong-1 will have 15 cubic meters of space to move in, "much more than they had in the Shenzhou spaceship", Yang said.

Inside the spacecraft are two sleeping sections with adjustable lighting systems, exercise equipment, entertainment systems and visual communication devices, he said.

Hou Xiangyang, who helped design Tiangong-1, said, "The sleeping section is big enough for a 1.8-meter-tall man to sleep in. An astronaut can adjust the light as he likes."

In space, Tiangong-1 will fly in a horizontal position. A paint scheme inside will help the astronauts aboard maintain their sense of direction; the module's inner walls will be in two colors, one commonly associated with the sky and one with the ground.

"This will help astronauts avoid feeling as if they are standing upside down in the microgravity environment," he said.

Yang said the Tiangong-1 spacecraft is expected to stay in orbit for two years and rendezvous and dock with three different spaceships. Beyond the Shenzhou-8, ships named Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10 will embark on similar missions; at least one of the two is to be manned.

Before astronauts climb on board Tiangong-1, the conditions inside its experimental module will be adjusted to ensure they can live in an environment that contains enough oxygen, moisture and heat to be safe.

Tiangong-1 was originally scheduled to be launched into a low orbit around the Earth between September 27 and 30. The earlier days were removed as possible launch dates, though, after forecasters predicted a cold air mass would move into the area containing the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

To ensure the spacecraft and Long March II-F carrier rocket are ready for launch, a full ground simulation was conducted on Sunday afternoon.

(China Daily September 27, 2011)

Now seven new ways to read my blog:

Classic, flipcard, magazine, sidebar, snapshot, timeslide.

Please try it and let me know Your opinion: sm3bsf@amsat.org

Thank You

Michael Jackson died instantly from drugs he administered, lawyer says

Los Angeles Times
Sept. 27, 2011
11:40 a.m.

Michael Jackson died instantly from tranquilizers and a surgical anesthetic he took without his doctor's knowledge, the physician's lawyer told jurors in the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray. "He died rapidly, so instantly, he didn't even have time to close his eyes," defense lawyer Ed Chernoff said in his opening statement.

Oslagbart i Popvärlden:

Fighting Cervical Cancer With Vinegar and Ingenuity

A simple, short and inexpensive procedure holds the promise of preventing many cases of cervical cancer [livmoderhalscancer], saving the lives of thousands of women worldwide. /NEW YORK TIMES

Read more >>
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/27/health/27cancer.html?nl=health&emc=healthupdateema2

Livmoderhalscancer
Allmänt

Cancer i livmoderhalsen, som är den nedre delen av livmodern, utvecklas oftast långsamt under många år. Om man går på regelbundna cellprovskontroller kan förstadierna till cancern upptäckas och tas bort i god tid.
Den vanligaste anledningen till att man får livmoderhalscancer är att man genom sex smittats med ett virus som kallas humant papillomvirus eller HPV. Det finns flera sorters HPV och vissa av dem kan orsaka cellförändringar som i sin tur kan utvecklas till cancer. HPV är mycket vanligt, men det är sällan som det orsakar cancer.
Delvis kan man skydda sig genom att använda kondom. Man kan också vaccinera sig mot ett par av de vanligaste virussorterna som kan orsaka cancer. För att skyddet ska bli så bra som möjligt bör man få vaccinet innan man börjat ha sex.
De flesta som får livmoderhalscancer blir helt friska igen efter behandling.
Symtom
Det vanligaste symtomet är blödningar, som kan komma till exempel när man har samlag. Ibland får man inga symtom alls. Om cancern har spridit sig utanför livmodern kan man få ont i nedre delen av magen och ryggen, ungefär som mensvärk. /Landstinget i Jönköpings län

The US Census Bureau: The Importance of Accuracy

"UEFA-Cupen"

Omgång 2


Napoli - Villarreal
Idag kl 20.45
Bayern Mûnchen - Manchester City
Idag kl 20.45
CSKA Moskva - Inter Milano
Idag kl 18.00
Trabzonspor - Lille
Idag kl 20.56
Otelul Galati - Benfica
Iadg kl 20.45
Manchester U. - Basilea
Idag kl 20.45
Lyon - Dynamo Zagreb
Idag kl 20.45
R. Madrid - Ajax
Idag kl 20.45
B. Leverkusen - Genk

DNA Study Suggests Asia Was Settled in Multiple Waves of Migration

September 22, 2011

Analysis reveals archaic Denisovans lived from Siberia to Southeast Asia



An international team of researchers studying DNA patterns from modern and archaic humans has uncovered new clues about the movement and intermixing of populations more than 40,000 years ago in Asia.
Using state-of-the-art genome analysis methods, scientists from Harvard Medical School and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, have found that Denisovans—a recently identified group of archaic humans whose DNA was extracted last year from a finger bone excavated in Siberia—contributed DNA not just to present-day New Guineans, but also to aboriginal Australian and Philippine populations.

To extract DNA from a fossilized bone,
researchers extract material using a dentistry drill.
 Image: Bence Viola, Johannes Krause and Frank Vinken,
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

The study demonstrates that contrary to the findings of the largest previous genetic studies, modern humans settled Asia in more than one migration. According to David Reich, a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, “Denisova DNA is like a medical imaging dye that traces a person’s blood vessels. It is so recognizable that you can detect even a little bit of it in one individual. In a similar way, we were able to trace Denisova DNA in the migrations of people. This shows the power of sequencing ancient DNA as a tool for understanding human history.”
The patterns the researchers found can only be explained by at least two waves of human migration: the first giving rise to the aboriginal populations that currently live in Southeast Asia and Oceania, and later migrations giving rise to relatives of East Asians who now are the primary population of Southeast Asia.
The study also provides new insights about where the ancient Denisovans lived. According to Mark Stoneking, a professor at the Max Planck Institute who is senior author of the paper, Denisovans must have inhabited an extraordinarily large ecological and geographic range, from Siberia to tropical Southeast Asia. “The fact that Denisovan DNA is present in some aboriginal populations of Southeast Asia but not in others shows that there was a checkerboard of populations with and without Denisova material more than 44,000 years ago,” he said. “The presence of Denisovan genetic material in some but not all the groups there can most easily be explained if Denisovans lived in Southeast Asia itself.”
The findings appear on September 22 in the American Journal of Human Genetics.
This research builds on previous work by Reich and colleagues at the Max Planck Institute, in which they analyzed an ancient pinky bone uncovered by Russian archaeologists in the Siberian Denisova Cave in 2008. The Max Planck Institute team led by Svante Pääbo sequenced the bone’s nuclear genome, and Reich led the population genetic analysis using algorithms that he and colleagues developed.
Reporting December 2010 in Nature, the team identified Denisovans as a distinct group of archaic humans (hominins) that lived more than 30,000 years ago and contributed genes to present-day New Guineans. They concluded that Denisovans were neither Neandertals nor early modern humans, though they shared a common ancestry.
This paper helped fill in some empty pieces in the evolutionary puzzle that began after early humans left Africa and reinforces the view that humans have intermixed throughout history.
Genetic footprints
The new study was initiated by Stoneking, an expert on genetic variation in Southeast Asia and Oceania who has assembled diverse samples from that region. The study takes a closer look at the Denisovans’ genetic footprint. The researchers analyzed DNA from dozens of present-day populations in Southeast Asia and Oceania, including Borneo, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Polynesia. Some of the data already existed, and some were newly collected for the study.
Their analysis shows that, in addition to New Guineans, Denisovans contributed genetic material to Australian aborigines, a Philippine “Negrito” group called Mamanwa, and several other populations in eastern Southeast Asia and Oceania. However, groups in the west or northwest, including other Negrito groups such as the Onge in the Andaman Islands and the Jehai in Malaysia, as well as mainland East Asians, did not interbreed with Denisovans.
The researchers concluded that:

• Denisovans interbred with modern humans in Southeast Asia at least 44,000 years ago before the time of the separation of the Australians and New Guineans.
• Southeast Asia was first colonized by modern humans unrelated to present-day Chinese and Indonesians, and that these and other East Asians arrived in later migrations. This “southern route” hypothesis has previously been supported by archaeological evidence, but has never had strong genetic support.

Investigators from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, from Germany, India, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, and The Netherlands also contributed. This study was funded by the Max Planck Society and the National Science Foundation HOMINID program.
—Debra Ruder

Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.
HMS is home (as of Fall 2006) to 616 students in the M.D. program, 435 in the Ph.D. program, and 155 in the M.D.-Ph.D program. HMS' M.D.-Ph.D program allows a student to receive an M.D. from HMS and a Ph.D from either Harvard or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (see Medical Scientist Training Program). Prospective students apply to one of two tracks to the M.D. degree. New Pathway, the larger of the two programs, emphasizes problem-based learning. HST, operated by the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, emphasizes medical research.

The Euro Crisis Visits Berlin

WRANGLING AND HAND-WRINGING

Members of Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right coalition, alarmed at speculation that the euro bailout fund may be given even greater powers than planned, have threatened a bigger-than-expected rebellion against her in a parliamentary vote on Thursday. Standard and Poor's is taking note. DER SPIEGEL

Merkel's Chancellorship at Stake in Key Euro Vote

CRUCIAL TEST IN BERLIN


Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel faces a difficult test on Thursday as parliament considers a bill to broaden the euro backstop fund. Several lawmakers within her Christian Democrats are threatening to revolt, which could accelerate the demise of a coalition that may already be fatally fractured./ DER SPIEGEL

Germans Rate Their Lives Worse Than Americans

Germans Rate Their Lives Worse Than Americans, BritonsFewer than half in Germany are "thriving," while a majority are "struggling"


by Nicolas Scharioth and Cynthia EnglishBERLIN
-- Germans rate their lives worse on average than do adults living in the U.K. and the U.S., according to the inaugural findings from the Germany Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Less than half, 41.1%, of Germans rate their current lives and expectations for their lives in five years high enough to be classified as "thriving," compared with 52% of Britons and 52.9% of Americans who say the same. Relatively few Germans are "suffering," but a majority are "struggling."

England, Today's headlines

Today's headlines


The Guardian
PhD student wins BBC short story accolade. P12
How Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood became forces favourite. P13
Cheryl Cole visits Afghanistan to film tribute for ITV/Daily Mirror Pride of Britain awards. P13
Blue Peter berthed in new studio. P14
National museums put Dead Sea Scrolls online. P18
Wall Street tweets target police officer. P19
Twitter sets up office in Ireland. P21
Autonomy's £7bn deal inspires more hi-tech Cambridge firms. P25
Alex Ferguson claims football has sold soul to TV 'devil'. Sport P1

The Independent
Whitehall 'routinely' uses text messaging to avoid scrutiny. P9
BBC does not have an edict that AD and BC should be replaced by CE and BCE. Diary P28
Hackers public personal police data. P31
Amazon set to rival Apple with tablet launch. P40
Technology startups club together in hunt for new talent. P40
Bloomberg's confusing headlines. P41
Alex Ferguson claims football has sold soul to TV 'devil'. P64
The X Factor could be more cruel. Viewspaper P7
Former The Thick of It star Chris Langham 'should be forgiven'. Viewspaper P
i
'Overhyped' 3D films fall flat with cinema audiences. P22
Google rolls out Dead Sea Scrolls online. P25
Amazon set to rival Apple with tablet launch. P41
EU inquiry into online payments. P41
UK tech startups seek new talent. P43

Daily Telegraph
Interview with Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery. P1 and P25
David Frost's clash with Richard Nixon voted best interview. P2
Actor Philip Glenister tells Radio Times only people over 40 stay in to watch TV. P5
Some Labour politicians are not talking to broadcaster Sky. Diary, P6
Computer monkeys have almost written the entire works of Shakespeare. P6
Twitter opens office in Ireland. Business P3

The Times
Twitter's decision to base itself in Dublin is blow to UK. P2 and P35
Max Mosley's final appeal to Europe for new laws to force newspapers to warn people in advance about stories has failed. P4
Four writers ask how far the press can go in the public interest. P18
Social networking investment company Jellybook mades £1million loss. P31
Apple 'cuts orders' from suppliers, suggesting falling demand for iPad. P31
Richard Branson invests in US blogging platform Tumblr. P25

Financial Times
Samsung heard in Apple lawsuit. P22
Wall Street Journal Europe
US investigates Motorola Solutions. P21
How do businesses make mobile devices secure? P25

Daily Mail
Downton Abbey fans complain drama is sprinting through storylines. P7
Broadcaster Nick Cohen refuses to shake hands with Andrews Whittam Smith over Johann Hari scandal. Diary P19
Computer monkeys have almost written the entire works of Shakespeare. P25
The One Show axes its dog trainer after complaints. P32
The 'human cost' of the BBC's move to its new Salford headquarters. P37
Martin Bundle in talks to switch to Sky from the BBC. P79

Daily Express
Chris Packham sparks row on animal culling - just as BBC's Autumnwatch launches. P7
Channel 5 scoops two major titles at Inside Soap Awards. P9
Downton Abbey creator fights for wife's title. P19

The Sun
Philip Glenister hits out at 'dowdy' roles for older female actors. P3
The X Factor coverage. P7
Ofcom raps Mary Portas' Channel 4 show over jibe at a sofa chain. P14
Eric Schmidt on the future of the web as Google UK celebrates 10 years. P28
Inside Soap awards coverage. TV Biz P1
Mark Wright may leave The Only Way Is Essex. TV Biz P4

Daily Mirror
Inside Soap awards winners. P3
David Frost's clash with Richard Nixon voted best interview. P6
Fan fury over too many adverts during Downton Abbey. P9
The X Factor coverage. P21

Daily Star
The Only Way Is Essex coverage. P3
Big Brother coverage. P4
The X Factor coverage. P8
Inside Soap awards coverage. P10
Greatest Hits TV channel rapped by Ofcom for showing 'crude' rap videos at breakfast time. P23

And finally ...
While the majority of people in the UK prefer cheddar, the Daily Telegraph reports that its readers 'prefer a more sophisticated cheese'. Apparently Telegraph readers' favourite buy is, no, not a blue cheese, but soft cow's milk Chaource, from France's Champagne region. Sainsbury's used data collected by its Nectar cards to find out which cheese was most often bought with which national newspaper. Suggestions that readers of the Sun most commonly buy the round, hard Italian cheese Bra are wide of the mark. Daily Telegraph P4
Also on MediaGuardian.co.uk today
Twitter to open international HQ in Dublin
Microblogging site joins Google, Facebook and Zynga in opening office in Irish capital
Mary Portas show 'traded unfairly'
'Secret shopper' show went too far in claiming furniture chain had encouraged presenter to commit insurance fraud, rules Ofcom
Sir Alex Ferguson claims football has sold soul to TV 'devil'
Sir Alex Ferguson said broadcasters have too much control over fixture list and should pay more for Premier League rights
Formula one success revs up Red Bull Racing's profits
Red Bull's advertising value equivalent from F1 came to an estimated £219.9m in 2010
Moshi Monsters TV to launch within weeks
Online children's TV channel featuring Dustbin Beaver and Lady GooGoo described as 'YouTube meets Nickelodeon'
Leveson inquiry to hear expert evidence
Bankers and lawyers to brief inquiry as part of its bid to develop new model for press regulation after phone-hacking scandal
Phone-hacking claims mount up at News International
Former deputy editor 'was paid by News of the World' while at Yard
Alexander Lebedev reveals his street fighting past after YouTube brawl
Billionaire newspaper owner tells Luke Harding about his previous bouts in Russia and his opinion of David Cameron
BBC local radio to be hit hard by cost cutting
Hundreds of hours of local programming likely to be axed, with output expected to be syndicated between stations
Doctor Who's mixed fortunes continue
BBC1 series beaten again by ITV1 gameshow in overnights, but is likely to surge ahead once timeshifted viewing is included.

Source >>
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/sep/27/1

La Liga

I går

Getafe - Betis 1-0

Målet: Diego Castro

Enligt uppgift en öppen, härlig match


Omgång nr 5 är därmed slutspelad.

Tabellen

1 Betis 5 spelade 4 vunna  0 oavgjorda 1 förlorad 9 6 i målkvot 12 pinnar

2 Barcelona 5 3 2 0 22 4 11
3 Levante 5 3 2 0 7 3 11
4 Sevilla 5 3 2 0 6 3 11
5 R. Madrid 5 3 1 1 16 5 10
6 Málaga 5 3 1 1 7 2 10
7 Valencia 5 3 1 1 8 6 10
8 Atlético 5 2 1 2 8 6 7
9 R. Sociedad 5 2 1 2 6 6 7
10 Espanyol 5 2 0 3 5 7 6
11 Mallorca 5 2 0 3 3 5 6
12 Osasuna 5 1 3 1 3 10 6
13 Rayo 5 1 2 2 5 9 5
14 Villarreal 5 1 2 2 5 9 5
15 Zaragoza 5 1 2 2 5 11 5
16 Getafe 5 1 1 3 4 7 4
17 Granada 5 1 1 3 2 7 4
18 Racing 5 0 3 2 3 8 3
19 Athletic 5 0 2 3 5 8 2
20 Sporting 5 0 1 4 2 9 1

Ikea, a Bulgarian idea of luxury

DER SPIEGEL

The long awaited opening of the Swedish brand’s first shop in Sofia has been spoiled by controversy over prices — an opportunity for Bulgarian journalist Martin Karbovski to poke fun at his compatriots’ taste for novelty at all costs...


Read more >> http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/982751-ikea-bulgarian-idea-luxury

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

After several years of delay, the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner is set to be delivered to a customer in Japan and will make its first passenger flight this fall.

Surf dog competition

Nearly two-dozen dogs competed Sunday in the Surf City Surf Dog competition in Huntington Beach (Kalifornien).

Today's headlines (England)

Today's headlines


The Guardian
Mark Thompson: Met's demand to Guardian was "disturbing". P1
Journalist's killers still at large after 10 years. P11
The readers' editor on ... a mixed response to the Guardian's price rise. P29
MediaGuardian: Dan Sabbagh - could two tier reform prevent newspaper double standards? P30
MediaGuardian: Patrick Foster on extending the copyright term. P30
MediaGuardian: Media Monkey's diary. P30
MediaGuardian: Interview - Carl Bernstein. P31
Obituary: actor Jonathan Cecil. P36
Martin Kelner on sport on TV - rugby's wacky hours provide existential angst. Sport, P16
Interview: actor Chris Langham. G2, P7
TV review: Stephen Fry's new BBC2 series about language, and Downton Abbey. G2, P25

The Independent
Mark Thompson - investigative journalism must not die. P18
Watchdog cracks down on misleading claims over broadband speeds. P33
Stephen Glover - too powerful? Far from it, the press is too weak. Viewspaper, P6
Hacking saga takes to the stage. Viewspaper, P16

i
Mark Thompson warns UK press in a "dangerous period". P6
Met faces questions about £5,000 spent on Yates libel case. P19
Iranian intelligence chief lashes out at BBC. P25
Hacking saga takes centre stage. P37
Ian Burrell - newspapers must all pull together. P41
BA's ambitious campaign takes off with a blockbuster. P41

Daily Telegraph
New BBC programme with Richard Bacon to help tackle youth unemployment. P8
BBC faces backlash over advice they should avoid BC and AD for more "religiously neutral" terms. P13
BBC's BC/AD edict is drivel says Boris Johnson. P24
The writer behind House. P29
Why Charles Spencer likes Radio 2. P30
Nick Broomfield talks about his Sarah Palin documentary. P31
Samsung may try to block sale of Apple's new iPhone. B8

The Times
Obituary: innovative film and TV producer Alastair Reid. P48
Obituary: actor Frances Bay. P48
Comment: Julian Assange's unauthorised autobiography - all a bit convenient, isn't it? Times2, P3
Downton Abbey review - the dullest press baron to have never lived. Times2, P16

Financial Times
Lex columm on Yahoo/Alibaba. P18
Netflix pins hopes on DreamWorks monsters. P25
Wall Street Journal Europe
Andy Coulson sues News Corp. P21
Google Wallet lets you pay with your phone. P29
Is it you or your cellphone that's stupid? P29

Daily Mail
Mark Thompson speaks up for press freedom. P10
Strictly Come Dancing stars in training. P11
I'll keep using BC and AD says Andrew Marr. P12
Alex Kingston to join BBC's Upstairs Downstairs. P17
Brian Sewell - why Radio 3 is no longer music to my ears. P22
X Factor in hot water over "sleazy" tub party. P25

Daily Express
The X Factor latest. P11
"Atheist" BBC drops year of our lord. P18

The Sun
Gary Barlow will write The X Factor winner's Christmas single - and pocket £1m. P1
X Factor latest. P4, 5
Simon Cowell planning his own version of MasterChef. TVBiz, P1
Stars in denial over Desperate Housewives axe. TVBiz, P2
Kiefer Sutherland to star as devoted dad in new drama Touch. TVBiz, P3
Blue Peter airs for the first time from Salford today. TVBiz, P3
Sky1's An Idiot Abroad 2 begins with 1.3 million viewers. TVBiz, P3

Daily Mirror
Intelligence chiefs in Iran quizzing people over links to BBC's Farsi-service. P2
The X Factor final 32. P11
Interview: Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan. P16
Jim Shelley on Coronation Street. P25

Daily Star
Simon Cowell wants to come up with his own TV cookery show. P1
The X Factor latest. P4
Big Brother latest. P6
Jackiey Budden - I want justice from phone hackers. P9



And finally ..
He was the fresh-faced star of E4 school sitcom the Inbetweeners and now he is, er, the fresh-faced star of Channel 4's university-set comedy drama Fresh Meat. Joe Thomas, 27, keeps getting cast as someone rather younger than he really is, reports the Sun. But why? "I think I stopped maturing quite a long time ago," said Thomas. "Physically, at least. I've never been cast as someone who has sex. This face screams 'virgin' apparently - which is good to know." THE SUN, TVBIZ, P4
Also on MediaGuardian.co.uk today
Lebedev reveals his street fighting past
Billionaire newspaper owner tells Luke Harding about his previous bouts in Russia and his opinion of David Cameron
BBC local radio to be hit hard by cost cutting
Hundreds of hours of local programming likely to be axed, with output expected to be syndicated between stations
Journalist's daughter kidnapped
Philippines radio commentator believes abduction was a warning
Chinese arrest South Korean journalists
Four newspaper staff held on North Korean border
William's wedding day blunder: driving father's prized car with handbrake on
Royal photographer Arthur Edwards reveals prince's slip-up in Aston Martin the Queen gave Charles for his 21st birthday
Female comics take over US sitcoms following success of Bridesmaids
American TV executives wake up to fact that wisecracking women don't need male foils to be funny
Blue Peter says no pets allowed at new home in Salford
BBC planning to phase out animal stars, as Blue Peter tries to better reflect interests of tech-savvy preteens
News International 'continued to pay Neil Wallis after he joined Met'
Former deputy editor received £25,000 from News of the World publisher after starting work as consultant with police force
Phone hacking: New York lawyers exploring News Corp class action
Top 9/11 lawyer teams up with Milly Dowler solicitor to pursue possible bribery lawsuit in US courts
Gardeners' Question Time chairman accused of conflict of interests
Chairman of Cumbria Tourism is also involved with a PR firm working on issues surrou

From Israel

Wangari Maathai has died

Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, has died. /CNN

Béla Bartók

Béla Bartók född den 25 mars 1881, död den 26 september 1945.

Victoire historique de la gauche au Sénat

Vänstern vann franska senaten
Socialisterna och de gröna har vunnit absolut majoritet i den franska senaten. Det är ett hårt slag mot president Nicolas Sarkozy (bilden) och landets konservativa regering.

Det här är första gången som vänstern kontrollerar senaten sedan år 1958 då den nuvarande författningen - som kallas för den femte republiken - antogs vid en folkomröstning.

Vårt cyniska samhälle

Strukturen på den svenska gängkriminaliteten håller på att förändras. För att kunna komma åt gängkriminaliteten krävs arbete på alla nivåer i samhället. Polisen kommer aldrig på egen hand kunna få bukt med kriminalitet som växer ram ur utanförskap och social oro, skriver fem poliser som alla arbetar på Stockholmspolisens sektion mot gängkriminalitet. /Svenska Dagbladet

Just det, "utanförskap och social oro" (men etablisemanget bryr sig inte ett skit).

Northern Territory, Australien och alkoholen

La Liga

Gårdagens matcher

Zaragoza - Málaga 0-0     
Sporting - Racing 0-0        
Mallorca - R. Sociedad 2-1 Målen:
0-1 Agirretxe Min 15, 1-1Víctor Min 20, 2-1Castro Min 49

Rubén firar
ett av sina
två mål

Levante - Espanyol 3-1  Målen:
1-0 Rubén på straff Min 14, 2-0 Rubén på straff Min 58, 2-1 Héctor Moreno Min 72, 3-1 Barkero Min 76




Granada - Osasuna 1-1  Målen: 0-1 Raúl García Min 28, 1-1 Fran Rico Min 63

Tabellen

1 Betis 12 pinnar *
2 Barcelona 11 )18 mål på hemmaplan; 4 mål på bortaplan)
3 Levante 11
4 Sevilla 11
5 R. Madrid 10
6 Málaga 10
7 Valencia 10
8 At. Madrid 7 ( målkvot 8-6 : 8 gjorda hemma; 6 insläppta borta)
9 R. Sociedad 7
10 Espanyol 6
11 Mallorca 6
12 Osasuna 6
13 R. Vallecano 5
14 Villarreal 5
15 Zaragoza 5
16 Granada 4 (inte gjort något mål på bortaplan)
17 R. Santander 3
18 Athletic 2
19 Getafe 1 *
20  Sporting 1 

Toppen av skytteligan

Messi 8 mål 8 med foten  0 på nick  0 på straff  0 på frispark
Cristiano Ronaldo 7 4 0 3 0
Soldado 5 4 1 0 0
Falcao 5 3 1 1 0
Fabregas 4 4 0 0 0
Agirretxe 4 1 3 0 0
Cazorla 4 1 0 0 3

En match återstår i omgång nr 5. Den spelas i kväll med start kl 21.00:
Getafe-Betis. Betis första poängförlust?
Troliga laguppställningar
Getafe: Moyá; Varela, Cata Díaz, Lopo, Mané; Pedro León, Lacen, Casquero, Diego Castro; Güiza och Miku.

Real Betis: Goitia; Chica, Mario, Dorado, Nacho; Iriney, Beñat, Jefferson Montero, Vadillo; Jonathan Pereira och Jorge Molina.
Domare: Turienzo Álvarez
Plats: Coliseum Alfonso Pérez.
Canal + Sport visar matchen





iga laguppställningar:

The last day of fighting

Last bullfight in Barcelona: Matador Jose Tomas at the last day of fighting at La Monumental bullring before Catalonia bans the practice.

Mahmoud Abbas' speech at the UN September 24 2011

Mahmoud Abbas' speech at the UN [part 1/3]


Mahmoud Abbas' speech at the UN [part 2/3]


Mahmoud Abbas' speech at the UN [part 3/3]


Mr. President of the General Assembly of the United Nations,

Mr. Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the outset, I wish to extend my congratulations to H.E. Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser on his assumption of the Presidency of the Assembly for this session, and wish him all success.

I reaffirm today my sincere congratulations, on behalf of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian people, to the government and people of South Sudan for its deserved admission as a full member of the United Nations, wishing them progress and prosperity.

I also congratulate the Secretary-General, H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, on his election for a new term at the helm of the United Nations. This renewal of confidence reflects the world’s appreciation for his efforts, which have strengthened the role of the United Nations.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Question Palestine is intricately linked with the United Nations via the resolutions adopted by its various organs and agencies and via the essential and lauded role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East – UNRWA – which embodies the international responsibility towards the plight of Palestine refugees, who are the victims of Al-Nakba (Catastrophe) that occurred in 1948. We aspire for and seek a greater and more effective role for the United Nations in working to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in our region that ensures the inalienable, legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people as defined by the resolutions of international legitimacy of the United Nations.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

A year ago, at this same time, distinguished leaders in this hall addressed the stalled peace efforts in our region. Everyone had high hopes for a new round of final status negotiations, which had begun in early September in Washington under the direct auspices of President Barack Obama and with participation of the Quartet, and with Egyptian and Jordanian participation, to reach a peace agreement within one year. We entered those negotiations with open hearts and attentive ears and sincere intentions, and we were ready with our documents, papers and proposals. But the negotiations broke down just weeks after their launch.

After this, we did not give up and did not cease our efforts for initiatives and contacts. Over the past year we did not leave a door to be knocked or channel to be tested or path to be taken and we did not ignore any formal or informal party of influence and stature to be addressed. We positively considered the various ideas and proposals and initiatives presented from many countries and parties. But all of these sincere efforts and endeavors undertaken by international parties were repeatedly wrecked by the positions of the Israeli government, which quickly dashed the hopes raised by the launch of negotiations last September.

The core issue here is that the Israeli government refuses to commit to terms of reference for the negotiations that are based on international law and United Nations resolutions, and that it frantically continues to intensify building of settlements on the territory of the State of Palestine.

Settlement activities embody the core of the policy of colonial military occupation of the land of the Palestinian people and all of the brutality of aggression and racial discrimination against our people that this policy entails. This policy, which constitutes a breach of international humanitarian law and United Nations resolutions, is the primary cause for the failure of the peace process, the collapse of dozens of opportunities, and the burial of the great hopes that arose from the signing of the Declaration of Principles in 1993 between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel to achieve a just peace that would begin a new era for our region.

The reports of United Nations missions as well as by several Israeli institutions and civil societies convey a horrific picture about the size of the settlement campaign, which the Israeli government does not hesitate to boast about and which it continues to execute through the systematic confiscation of the Palestinian lands and the construction of thousands of new settlement units in various areas of the West Bank, particularly in East Jerusalem, and accelerated construction of the annexation Wall that is eating up large tracts of our land, dividing it into separate and isolated islands and cantons, destroying family life and communities and the livelihoods of tens of thousands of families. The occupying Power also continues to refuse permits for our people to build in Occupied East Jerusalem, at the same time that it intensifies its decades-long campaign of demolition and confiscation of homes, displacing Palestinian owners and residents under a multi-pronged policy of ethnic cleansing aimed at pushing them away from their ancestral homeland. In addition, orders have been issued to deport elected representatives from the city of Jerusalem. The occupying Power also continues to undertake excavations that threaten our holy places, and its military checkpoints prevent our citizens from getting access to their mosques and churches, and it continues to besiege the Holy City with a ring of settlements imposed to separate the Holy City from the rest of the Palestinian cities.

The occupation is racing against time to redraw the borders on our land according to what it wants and to impose a fait accompli on the ground that changes the realities and that is undermining the realistic potential for the existence of the State of Palestine.

At the same time, the occupying Power continues to impose its blockade on the Gaza Strip and to target Palestinian civilians by assassinations, air strikes and artillery shelling, persisting with its war of aggression of three years ago on Gaza, which resulted in massive destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, and mosques, and the thousands of martyrs and wounded.

The occupying Power also continues its incursions in areas of the Palestinian National Authority through raids, arrests and killings at the checkpoints. In recent years, the criminal actions of armed settler militias, who enjoy the special protection of the occupation army, has intensified with the perpetration of frequent attacks against our people, targeting their homes, schools, universities, mosques, fields, crops and trees. Despite our repeated warnings, the occupying Power has not acted to curb these attacks and we hold them fully responsible for the crimes of the settlers.

These are just a few examples of the policy of the Israeli colonial settlement occupation, and this policy is responsible for the continued failure of the successive international attempts to salvage the peace process.

This policy will destroy the chances of achieving a two-State solution upon which there is an international consensus, and here I caution aloud: This settlement policy threatens to also undermine the structure of the Palestinian National Authority and even end its existence.

In addition, we now face the imposition new conditions not previously raised, conditions that will transform the raging conflict in our inflamed region into a religious conflict and a threat to the future of a million and a half Christian and Muslim Palestinians, citizens of Israel, a matter which we reject and which is impossible for us to accept being dragged into.

All of these actions taken by Israel in our country are unilateral actions and are not based on any earlier agreements. Indeed, what we witness is a selective application of the agreements aimed at perpetuating the occupation. Israel reoccupied the cities of the West Bank by a unilateral action, and reestablished the civil and military occupation by a unilateral action, and it is the one that determines whether or not a Palestinian citizen has the right to reside in any part of the Palestinian Territory. And it is confiscating our land and our water and obstructing our movement as well as the movement of goods. And it is the one obstructing our whole destiny. All of this is unilateral.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

In 1974, our deceased leader Yasser Arafat came to this hall and assured the Members of the General Assembly of our affirmative pursuit for peace, urging the United Nations to realize the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people, stating: “Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand”.

In 1988, President Arafat again addressed the General Assembly, which convened in Geneva to hear him, where he submitted the Palestinian peace program adopted by the Palestine National Council at its session held that year in Algeria.

When we adopted this program, we were taking a painful and very difficult step for all of us, especially those, including myself, who were forced to leave their homes and their towns and villages, carrying only some of our belongings and our grief and our memories and the keys of our homes to the camps of exile and the Diaspora in the 1948 Al-Nakba, one of the worst operations of uprooting, destruction and removal of a vibrant and cohesive society that had been contributing in a pioneering and leading way in the cultural, educational and economic renaissance of the Arab Middle East.

Yet, because we believe in peace and because of our conviction in international legitimacy, and because we had the courage to make difficult decisions for our people, and in the absence of absolute justice, we decided to adopt the path of relative justice – justice that is possible and could correct part of the grave historical injustice committed against our people. Thus, we agreed to establish the State of Palestine on only 22% of the territory of historical Palestine – on all the Palestinian Territory occupied by Israel in 1967.

We, by taking that historic step, which was welcomed by the States of the world, made a major concession in order to achieve a historic compromise that would allow peace to be made in the land of peace.

In the years that followed – from the Madrid Conference and the Washington negotiations leading to the Oslo agreement, which was signed 18 years ago in the garden of the White House and was linked with the letters of mutual recognition between the PLO and Israel, we persevered and dealt positively and responsibly with all efforts aimed at the achievement of a lasting peace agreement. Yet, as we said earlier, every initiative and every conference and every new round of negotiations and every movement was shattered on the rock of the Israeli settlement expansion project.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I confirm, on behalf of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, which will remain so until the end of the conflict in all its aspects and until the resolution of all final status issues, the following:

1. The goal of the Palestinian people is the realization of their inalienable national rights in their independent State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, on all the land of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, which Israel occupied in the June 1967 war, in conformity with the resolutions of international legitimacy and with the achievement of a just and agreed upon solution to the Palestine refugee issue in accordance with resolution 194, as stipulated in the Arab Peace Initiative which presented the consensus Arab vision to resolve the core the Arab-Israeli conflict and to achieve a just and comprehensive peace. To this we adhere and this is what we are working to achieve. Achieving this desired peace also requires the release of political prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons without delay.

2. The PLO and the Palestinian people adhere to the renouncement of violence and rejection and condemning of terrorism in all its forms, especially State terrorism, and adhere to all agreements signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel.

3. We adhere to the option of negotiating a lasting solution to the conflict in accordance with resolutions of international legitimacy. Here, I declare that the Palestine Liberation Organization is ready to return immediately to the negotiating table on the basis of the adopted terms of reference based on international legitimacy and a complete cessation of settlement activities.

4. Our people will continue their popular peaceful resistance to the Israeli occupation and its settlement and apartheid policies and its construction of the racist annexation Wall, and they receive support for their resistance, which is consistent with international humanitarian law and international conventions and has the support of peace activists from Israel and around the world, reflecting an impressive, inspiring and courageous example of the strength of this defenseless people, armed only with their dreams, courage, hope and slogans in the face of bullets, tanks, tear gas and bulldozers.

5. When we bring our plight and our case to this international podium, it is a confirmation of our reliance on the political and diplomatic option and is a confirmation that we do not undertake unilateral steps. Our efforts are not aimed at isolating Israel or de-legitimizing it; rather we want to gain legitimacy for the cause of the people of Palestine. We only aim to de-legitimize the settlement activities and the occupation and apartheid and the logic of ruthless force, and we believe that all the countries of the world stand with us in this regard.

I am here to say on behalf of the Palestinian people and the Palestine Liberation Organization: We extend our hands to the Israeli government and the Israeli people for peace-making. I say to them: Let us urgently build together a future for our children where they can enjoy freedom, security and prosperity. Let us build the bridges of dialogue instead of checkpoints and walls of separation, and build cooperative relations based on parity and equity between two neighboring States – Palestine and Israel – instead of policies of occupation, settlement, war and eliminating the other.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Despite the unquestionable right of our people to self-determination and to the independence of our State as stipulated in international resolutions, we have accepted in the past few years to engage in what appeared to be a test of our worthiness, entitlement and eligibility. During the last two years our national authority has implemented a program to build our State institutions. Despite the extraordinary situation and the Israeli obstacles imposed, a serious extensive project was launched that has included the implementation of plans to enhance and advance the judiciary and the apparatus for maintenance of order and security, to develop the administrative, financial, and oversight systems, to upgrade the performance of institutions, and to enhance self-reliance to reduce the need for foreign aid. With the thankful support of Arab countries and donors from friendly countries, a number of large infrastructure projects have been implemented, focused on various aspects of service, with special attention to rural and marginalized areas.

In the midst of this massive national project, we have been strengthening what we seeking to be the features of our State: from the preservation of security for the citizen and public order; to the promotion of judicial authority and rule of law; to strengthening the role of women via legislation, laws and participation; to ensuring the protection of public freedoms and strengthening the role of civil society institutions; to institutionalizing rules and regulations for ensuring accountability and transparency in the work of our Ministries and departments; to entrenching the pillars of democracy as the basis for the Palestinian political life.

When division struck the unity of our homeland, people and institutions, we were determined to adopt dialogue for restoration of our unity. We succeeded months ago in achieving national reconciliation and we hope that its implementation will be accelerated in the coming weeks. The core pillar of this reconciliation was to turn to the people through legislative and presidential elections within a year, because the State we want will be a State characterized by the rule of law, democratic exercise and protection of the freedoms and equality of all citizens without any discrimination and the transfer of power through the ballot box.

The reports issued recently by the United Nations, the World Bank, the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) and the International Monetary Fund confirm and laud what has been accomplished, considering it a remarkable and unprecedented model. The consensus conclusion by the AHLC a few days ago here described what has been accomplished as a “remarkable international success story” and confirmed the readiness of the Palestinian people and their institutions for the immediate independence of the State of Palestine.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is no longer possible to redress the issue of the blockage of the horizon of the peace talks with the same means and methods that have been repeatedly tried and proven unsuccessful over the past years. The crisis is far too deep to be neglected, and what is more dangerous are attempts to simply circumvent it or postpone its explosion.

It is neither possible, nor practical, nor acceptable to return to conducting business as usual, as if everything is fine. It is futile to go into negotiations without clear parameters and in the absence of credibility and a specific timetable. Negotiations will be meaningless as long as the occupation army on the ground continues to entrench its occupation, instead of rolling it back, and continues to change the demography of our country in order to create a new basis on which to alter the borders.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a moment of truth and my people are waiting to hear the answer of the world. Will it allow Israel to continue its occupation, the only occupation in the world? Will it allow Israel to remain a State above the law and accountability? Will it allow Israel to continue rejecting the resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations and the International Court of Justice and the positions of the overwhelming majority of countries in the world?

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I come before you today from the Holy Land, the land of Palestine, the land of divine messages, ascension of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the birthplace of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people in the homeland and in the the Diaspora, to say, after 63 years of suffering of the ongoing Nakba: Enough. It is time for the Palestinian people to gain their freedom and independence.

The time has come to end the suffering and the plight of millions of Palestine refugees in the homeland and the Diaspora, to end their displacement and to realize their rights, some of them forced to take refuge more than once in different places of the world.

At a time when the Arab peoples affirm their quest for democracy – the Arab Spring – the time is now for the Palestinian Spring, the time for independence.

The time has come for our men, women and children to live normal lives, for them to be able to sleep without waiting for the worst that the next day will bring; for mothers to be assured that their children will return home without fear of suffering killing, arrest or humiliation; for students to be able to go to their schools and universities without checkpoints obstructing them. The time has come for sick people to be able to reach hospitals normally, and for our farmers to be able to take care of their good land without fear of the occupation seizing the land and its water, which the wall prevents access to, or fear of the settlers, for whom settlements are being built on our land and who are uprooting and burning the olive trees that have existed for hundreds of years. The time has come for the thousands of prisoners to be released from the prisons to return to their families and their children to become a part of building their homeland, for the freedom of which they have sacrificed.

My people desire to exercise their right to enjoy a normal life like the rest of humanity. They believe what the great poet Mahmoud Darwish said: Standing here, staying here, permanent here, eternal here, and we have one goal, one, one: to be.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

We profoundly appreciate and value the positions of all States that have supported our struggle and our rights and recognized the State of Palestine following the Declaration of Independence in 1988, as well as the countries that have recently recognized the State of Palestine and those that have upgraded the level of Palestine’s representation in their capitals. I also salute the Secretary-General, who said a few days ago that the Palestinian State should have been established years ago.

Be assured that this support for our people is more valuable to them than you can imagine, for it makes them feel that someone is listening to their narrative and that their tragedy and the horrors of Al-Nakba and the occupation, from which they have so suffered, are not being ignored. And, it reinforces their hope that stems from the belief that justice is possible in this in this world. The loss of hope is the most ferocious enemy of peace and despair is the strongest ally of extremism.

I say: The time has come for my courageous and proud people, after decades of displacement and colonial occupation and ceaseless suffering, to live like other peoples of the earth, free in a sovereign and independent homeland.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to inform you that, before delivering this statement, I submitted, in my capacity as the President of the State of Palestine and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, to H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, an application for the admission of Palestine on the basis of the 4 June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, as a full member of the United Nations.

I call upon Mr. Secretary-General to expedite transmittal of our request to the Security Council, and I call upon the distinguished members of the Security Council to vote in favor of our full membership. I also call upon the States that did not recognized the State of Palestine as yet to do so.

Excellencies,Ladies and Gentlemen,

The support of the countries of the world for our endeavor is a victory for truth,freedom, justice, law and international legitimacy, and it provides tremendous support for the peace option and enhances the chances of success of the negotiations.

Excellencies,Ladies and Gentlemen,

Your support for the establishment of the State of Palestine and for its admission to the United Nations as a full member is the greatest contribution to peacemaking in the Holy Land.

I thank you.
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