Gov. vows to prepare Calif. for climate change (AP)

SAN FRANCISCO ? The United Nations' top climate official joined California Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday to call for renewed efforts in the state to more quickly adapt to the risks that extreme weather and a rising sea pose to agriculture and the coastline.

Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, joined Brown, scientists, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and billionaire Sir Richard Branson at a conference at the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.

Brown organized the conference, he said, to urge people to "wake up" to extreme weather patterns caused by manmade global warming that he said are already causing damage, and to start thinking about what California ought to do to prepare for worse threats.

He said the state needs to gird itself against floods caused by the faster snowmelts that are already happening, putting pressure on aging levees and threatening the state's agriculture industry.

Warming climate also means longer and more intense wildfire seasons that will threaten homes and infrastructure such as power lines, and affect air quality.

"The greatest obstacle we face is a deep sense of complacency, a sense that things were this way yesterday and were OK and will continue," Brown said.

"It's difficult to see what's not completely obvious ... the buildup of greenhouse gases and climate change, we see it, it's pretty clear," he said.

Brown lumped together global-warming skeptics, including GOP lawmakers and the Cato Institute, calling them a well-funded "cult" that disagrees with the vast majority of published, peer-reviewed climate science.

"The main thing we have to deal with in climate change is the skepticism, the denial and the cult-like behavior of the political lemmings that would take us over the cliff," Brown said.

"The Cato Institute has speakers that say environmentalism is a greater threat to capitalism than Marxism itself," he said, evoking laugher from the audience.

Patrick J. Michaels, a senior fellow in environmental studies at Cato, said the institute has never denied climate change but disputes temperature projections by the UN, saying the sensitivity of temperature to changes in carbon dioxide levels have been overestimated.

"Gov. Brown clearly has not read anything that the Cato Institute has published on global warming. Rather than deny it, we believe that indeed the surface temperature of the planet is about one degree Celsius warmer than it was 120 years ago and that increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide has contributed to this," Michaels said in a statement to The Associated Press.

"On the other hand, it is also clear that the rate of observed warming is falling beneath the midrange projections from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change."

Pachauri said UN studies show that 95 percent of human deaths associated with extreme weather events happen in developing countries.

Yet he said the world's large economies, such as California, can make great strides toward helping reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, especially through the simple task of retrofitting existing buildings.

"If one could retrofit buildings to make them more efficient, and if new buildings could be built to current standards, it's really a win-win situation," Pachauri said. "Overall, the building sector has the largest potential for the reduction of emissions."

In a rare public appearance since leaving office, Schwarzenegger, a Republican, attributed the success California has had in passing its landmark climate change laws to bipartisan cooperation.

While in office, the former governor frequently promoted California's landmark 2006 global warming law, called AB32, which paved the way for the state's cap-and-trade system for controlling greenhouse gas emissions by the worst polluters.

He called the debate over bankrupt solar panel maker Solyndra "narrow minded" in a world moving ever faster toward renewable energy.

"At the same time (as Solyndra) there were restaurants that failed, manufacturers that failed ... all kinds of businesses that failed and no one talks about that," Schwarzenegger said during a short interview.

"They did the best that they could and they made mistakes. That's what happens in business ? if you make mistakes you fail."

Not everybody watching Thursday's conference agreed that California was on the right path.

Dorothy Rothrock of the AB32 Implementation Group said the state has isolated itself by adopting stringent regulations that come at too high a cost.

"As we discuss the risks of climate change and California's future, it is appropriate to consider whether our greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies will have an impact on climate change," Rothrock said in a statement.

"California has failed to design a cap-and-trade market that will be adopted by other states and jurisdictions in the near future and our efforts alone will not make a difference in global emissions."

___

Associated Press Writer Juliet Williams contributed to this story.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111216/ap_on_re_us/us_california_climate_change

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French court convicts Chirac of corruption (AP)

PARIS ? A French court found former President Jacques Chirac guilty of embezzling public funds to illegally finance the conservative party he long led, in a historic verdict Thursday with repercussions for his legacy and France's political elite.

Chirac, a savvy world diplomat and icon of France's ruling establishment for decades, will not go behind bars but was handed a two-year suspended sentence that goes on his criminal record. Anti-corruption crusaders, long frustrated by dirty dealings in the French political machine, rejoiced at the conviction.

He's the first former French head of state to face prosecution since the World War II era. But the 79-year-old former leader did not take part in the trial, after doctors determined that he suffers severe memory lapses.

The court said Thursday it had found Chirac guilty in two related cases involving fake jobs created at the RPR party, which he led during his 1977-1995 tenure as Paris mayor. He was convicted of embezzling public funds, abuse of trust, and illegal conflict of interest.

Chirac repeatedly denied wrongdoing. It took years to get him to trial because he enjoyed immunity from prosecution during his 1995-2007 presidential tenure, during which he led France into the shared euro currency and became the global champion of opposition to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

The court said it took into account his age, health and status as a former head of state when determining the light sentence.

Unusually, the prosecutor had requested that Chirac and the nine other defendants in the complex two-part case be acquitted, saying not enough evidence proved intentional corruption. The court disagreed, saying his guilt results "from long-standing and reiterated practices" of illegal party financing.

Chirac's adopted daughter fought back tears as she lamented the ruling.

"The justice system has been very severe, but this is a fair and independent justice system. For the family, it's a great pain we have to accept," said Chirac's adopted daughter Anh Dao Traxel, her voice cracking with emotion as she spoke to reporters outside the courtroom.

"I think this decision is too, too severe for him and our family has more than ever to show solidarity and be supportive, for his health for the rest of his life," said Traxel, a former Vietnamese boat person. Chirac and his wife formally adopted Traxel after she came to Paris in 1979.

Chirac spokeswoman Benedicte Brissart declined to comment immediately, saying time was needed to go over the decision.

Chirac lawyer Georges Kiejman called the ruling disappointing and said he expected a decision later Thursday on whether Chirac would appeal.

"We have to take a step back and read this ruling, we have to speak of course with the main person involved (Chirac), and we will know tonight if he accepts this decision," Kiejman said. "What I hope is that this ruling doesn't change in any way the deep affection the French feel legitimately for Jacques Chirac."

The ruling is certain to bruise Chirac's public image. Leaving office in 2007 did wonders for his popularity: while polls showed that he was unpopular in his final years as president, those numbers soared afterward ? and even today, the avuncular former leader, who now focuses on charitable work, has been one of France's most popular public figures.

Critics had pushed for years to see Chirac answer charges of illegal party financing, frustrated by his presidential immunity and a sense that the political machine would never let the sensitive trial come to pass.

Jerome Karsenti, a lawyer for the anti-corruption group Anticor, which had argued against Chirac as a civil party to the case, said the reverberations could be widespread for France's political elites.

"This is a strong message from the court ? a message to all politicians of responsibility. It's also proof of a mature and transparent democracy that is today able to make a distinction and try a former president," Karsenti said.

"I see it as a historic and very important decision for the future of French democracy," he said.

The latest baring of France's underworld of back-room cronyism, corruption and political wrongdoing could loom large in voters minds as the French cast ballots in presidential and legislative elections next year.

The party that succeeded the RPR, President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party, and the opposition Socialist Party have seen their share of scandal recently. Two longtime Sarkozy allies have been targeted since September in a case of suspected kickbacks in a 1990s French defense deal with Pakistan. Sarkozy served as budget minister at the time, but his office and allies insist he was not involved.

In Thursday's ruling, the court found that 19 totally or partially fake jobs were created to benefit Chirac. "The case and the debates established that Jacques Chirac was the initiator and principal author of crimes of abuse of trust, embezzling and illegal conflict of interest," the ruling said.

A career politician, Chirac was a debonair master of the workings of public office. He modeled himself after longtime French leader Charles de Gaulle and was nicknamed "Le Bulldozer" early in his career for his determination and ambition.

France's last leader with memories of World War II, Chirac was the first to acknowledge the nation's responsibility for the deportation of Jews during the Holocaust. But he struggled to achieve reforms to the regulated economy and failed to defuse tensions between police and minority youth that exploded into riots in 2005.

___

Jamey Keaten in Paris contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111215/ap_on_re_eu/eu_france_chirac_trial

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Majority of B.C. women take prescription drugs during pregnancy, Canadian study shows

ScienceDaily (Dec. 15, 2011) ? Almost two-thirds of women in British Columbia filled at least one prescription at some point in their pregnancy, including drugs with potential risks, according to a new study by University of British Columbia researchers.

The study, published online December 15 in the journal Clinical Therapeutics, is the first of its kind in Canada. Researchers analyzed population-based outpatient prescription claims data for patterns of prescription drug use during pregnancy in B.C. from 2001 to 2006.

The researchers found that 63.5 per cent of pregnant women in B.C. filled at least one prescription. One in thirteen -- or 7.8 per cent -- filled a prescription for a medicine known to be risky in pregnancy -- most often for select medicines for anxiety, insomnia and depression. Drugs that are strictly contraindicated pregnancy, however, were filled in less than 0.5% of pregnancies.

"Although much remains to be understood about the appropriateness of medicine use that actually occurs among pregnant women in B.C., one encouraging finding from our study is that existing use of medicines with known risks declines dramatically when women become pregnant," says co-author Steve Morgan, an associate professor in the School of Population and Public Health (SPPH) and Associate Director of the Centre for Health Services and Policy Research (CHSPR).

On average, pregnant women filled 2.6 different types of drugs, while 15 per cent used five or more prescription medications during their pregnancy. Prescriptions most frequently filled during pregnancy were for antibiotics (30.5 per cent), respiratory drugs (25.7 per cent), dermatologics (13.4 per cent), and drugs that act on the nervous system (12.8 per cent).

Other study findings include:

• The use of medicines in pregnancy slightly increased over time, going from 63 per cent of women in 2001 to 66 per cent in 2006.
• Women aged 20 years or younger were most likely to take prescription drugs during pregnancy (69 per cent) while the lowest rate occurred among those aged 30 to 35 years (62 per cent).
• Prescription medication use was also high in the first three months immediately following delivery, a period when women may be breastfeeding, with 61.3 per cent of women filling prescriptions.

"Since pregnant women are normally excluded from clinical trials of new drugs and post-market study is limited, there is little evidence on the risks and benefits of many of the most commonly used drugs in pregnancy," says lead author Jamie Daw, a researcher at CHSPR, part of SPPH. "Given the prevalence of prescription drug use, more research is needed to help pregnant women and their physicians make informed decisions."

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/OhiZclulKPw/111215135931.htm

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House clears way for spectrum auction; bill faces veto (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) ? Congress passed new legislation on Tuesday that would give the Federal Communications Commission the authority to auction off television companies' broadband spectrum, so it can be reallocated for mobile and internet companies.

Participation in the sale would be voluntary and broadcasters and cable companies would be paid for any spectrum that they allow the commission to put on the block.

However, the FCC's dreams of easing the spectrum crunch caused by the growing popularity of internet connected phones and tablets may die in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Republicans in the House corralled the legislation into a Social Security payroll tax extension bill. Democrats have threatened to veto the bill in the Senate, because it includes provisions that weaken air pollution regulations and call for the construction of a pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.

Though the prospects of passage are dicey, FCC chairman Julius Genachowski praised Congress. For more than a year, Genachowski has been working to find a plan that the television industry can embrace, while warning that inaction will slow the development of new technologies and imperil high-speed internet.

"Incentive auction authority, which has broad bipartisan support, needs to become law," Genachowski said in a statement. "Unless we free up new spectrum for mobile broadband, the looming spectrum crunch risks throttling our mobile economy and frustrating mobile consumers."

The bill was approved by a vote of 234-to-193, largely along party lines.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/internet/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111214/media_nm/us_spectrumauction

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Religious freedom no match for Washington gridlock? (The Christian Science Monitor)

Washington ? Congress is poised to let the government commission that promotes international religious freedom die for lack of funding ? even as concern rises about persecution of Christians in Egypt, marginalization of moderate Muslims in Pakistan, and repression of Buddhist monks in Myanmar (Burma).

The US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is preparing to go out of business at the end of the week after having watched various proposals for extending its funding come and go in recent months.

If no budget is voted by Friday, the commission established by Congress in 1998 to help make religious freedom a priority in US foreign policy will cease to exist.

RECOMMENDED: France's burqa ban: 5 ways Europe is targeting Islam

The timing might seem odd, given the current presidential campaign in which international religious freedom ??? often an under-the-radar issue ??? is getting more that the usual attention. Republican Party caucuses and primaries are about to take place in states where the issue is more than an afterthought.

The commission, a model for other countries looking to safeguard religious freedom, is imperiled by disagreements about how the commission?s members are appointed, as well as Congress's general difficulty in approving any kind of spending measure.

?We have a key tool on our belt for addressing all the universal rights that we as Americans advocate, and we?d lose this special tool for advocating religious freedom without USCIRF,? says John Pinna, head of government relations for the American Islamic Congress, a member of a coalition of faith organizations urging the commission?s reauthorization.

Squabbles over the number of commissioners, who appoints them, and how the commission comes up with its annual ?watch list? of countries violating religious freedoms have all contributed to the commission's precarious position.

Most recently, Sen. Richard Durbin (D) of Illinois stalled commission reauthorization by attaching the issue in the Senate to approval of funding for a new prison in Illinois.

USCIRF is governed by nine commissioners, appointed equally by the House, the Senate, and the White House. The House measure to reauthorize the commission, which passed easily, would cut the number of commissioners to five ? eliminating mostly White House appointments. The White House objects to that provision.

?It?s been a tough year for legislation in general. I think everyone?s aware of that,? Mr. Pinna says, ?and to a certain extent USCIRF got caught in that.?

A commission advocating religious freedom was originally envisioned by some members of Congress as a way to promote the protection of Christianity in increasingly hostile corners of the world. But by the time USCIRF was created in 1998, its mandate was to promote the freedom of practice of all faiths ? and to make religious freedom a priority of US foreign policy.

The commission has helped to draw attention to the plight of religious minorities (including Christians) in Sudan, while its annual watch list of rights-violating countries draws unwanted attention to places that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Some critics have said that, if anything, the commission tends to focus on the abuse of poor and developing countries while overlooking problems in Western countries that, as their populations diversify, also have issues with religious freedom.

But supporters say such criticisms do not outweigh the commission?s value. ?With this commission, the US has an independent third-party assessor that focuses on this single issue and can point out problem areas and suggest approaches and policy positions,? Pinna says. ?That?s not something either the State Department or the White House is able to do.?

IN PICTURES: Christians in Iraq 

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/religion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20111213/ts_csm/436202

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The Best Package Tracker for iPhone [Iphone App Directory]

There are plenty of package trackers to choose from on the iPhone, some of which are very good, but nothing really comes close to the ease of Slice. It wins our pick for best-in-class package tracker because you never have to enter you tracking numbers into the app. It pulls them from your email inbox automatically and lets you know when they're out for delivery.

• Connect Slice to a Google or Yahoo! email account for automatic purchase detection and shipment notifications
• Get push notifications of package shipments and deliveries
• Track how much money you're spending online
• Easily access a backlog of electronic receipts and check return options
• Check out information about anything you purchased, including product specifications

Slice is a great package tracker because it doesn't require any actual effort on your part. All you have to do is connect it with your Yahoo! or Google mail account and it'll import all your receipts. If you order something new, Slice will grab it as well. It will then send you push notifications as packages make their way to you. Basically, you do absolutely nothing and you'll be provided with the information with you want. That's pretty fantastic. Additionally, Slice will offer up a searchable purchase history so you can see what you bought, when you bought it, how much it cost, what the item looks like, what its return policy is, specific information about the product, and more. Slice is an incredibly useful app for frequent online shoppers and a great solution to the ongoing problem of manually entering tracking numbers into your phone.

If you simply want a package tracker, Slice may be too much. When I imported all my receipts from my Gmail account, it pulled in iTunes App Store purchases and even a pizza delivery. (You can, however, turn off iTunes and Netflix purchases in the preferences.) I don't mind this because I love the idea of having easy access to all my receipts. That said, if you're simply looking to track your packages this amount of information might be a little overwhelming. If it is, check out some of the simpler options in the competition section. If it isn't, you'll likely have no issues with the app.

Delivery Status ($3) is a bit pricier than the rest but the cost gets you an iPhone and iPad hybrid app. It's also one of my personal favorites, as I'd been using it for a few years and it never gave me any trouble. It lets you sync deliveries with its servers and to any iDevices. You can add shipments online through the Delivery Status web app or via a Mac OS X Dashboard widget. The iOS app detects when you have a tracking number stores in the clipboard, too, so you don't even have to bother pasting it. The app just sets up a new delivery automatically. While the ease of using Slice is hard to beat, Delivery Status comes about as close as you're going to get.

iDelivery ($1) has a very cool interface with a virtual representation of the packages you're tracking. It also provides a wealth of tracking information for more shipping services than you knew existed.

My Package (Free) is a standard free option. It doesn't do much more than let you enter your tracking number (manually) and track your package using a few popular services, but it does ofter a nice map view of where your package has traveled and gets the job done.

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Lifehacker's App Directory is a new and growing directory of recommendations for the best applications and tools in a number of given categories.

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You can follow Adam Dachis, the author of this post, on Twitter, Google+, and Facebook. ?Twitter's the best way to contact him, too.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/-qhRBqaM0p0/the-best-package-tracker-for-iphone

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Gaming Tech Might Soon Read Facial Expressions

60-Second Tech | Technology

As gaming tech closes in on the ability to tell players' expressions, can lip reading artificial intelligence be far behind? Larry Greenemeier reports.

December 1, 2011

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In 2001: A Space Odyssey, astronauts Bowman and Poole conspire to shut down their ship's computer, HAL. They speak out of HAL's earshot. One problem. [HAL]: ?Although you took very thorough precautions in the pod against my hearing you, I could see your lips move.?

Could never happen in our time, right? Well, according to the Eurogamer Web site, the next generation of Microsoft's Kinect gaming technology will bring lip-reading artificial intelligence closer with major improvements in motion sensing and voice recognition.

The gist is that the Kinect 2 will be able to send more information faster to the Xbox gaming console. This has led to speculation that the Kinect 2 will become sensitive enough to be able to read facial expressions and detect emotions based on the tone of a player's voice.

Kinect 2 is supposed to arrive by the end of 2012, the same time as the two new versions of the Xbox. Which means we've got only a year to learn how to play our cards close to the vest in the presence of the gaming system. You never know when Kinect 2 might take offense at being turned off while the humans have dinner.

?Larry Greenemeier

[The above text is a transcript of this podcast]??
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Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=f9fe2330373dd664b5d3329c5ef140c2

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